Strengthening European Healthcare Systems for Migrants and Refugees

Human mobility and migration profoundly impact the landscape of healthcare in Europe. As more migrants and refugees settle across the continent, health systems face ongoing pressure to adapt to rapidly evolving demographic realities. Persistent barriers - including language, legal status, cultural differences, and limited resources - continue to prevent many from accessing essential health services. These challenges lead to entrenched health inequalities and can exacerbate social exclusion. While interdisciplinary research has focused on the drivers and outcomes of migration, critical gaps remain in understanding how best to optimize service delivery, reduce disparities, and facilitate genuine social and healthcare integration. Emerging studies highlight the role of gender, generation, and country of origin as important determinants of both health and healthcare access among newcomers. Yet, systematic, comparative evidence on effective strategies remains limited, with significant debate over the scalability and sustainability of integration initiatives.This Research Topic aims to advance the evidence base on fortifying European healthcare systems in the face of rising migration and refugee inflows. It seeks to identify best practices and innovative policies for improving healthcare accessibility, reducing health disparities, and supporting the social integration of migrants and refugees. Central questions include: What are the persistent gaps in access, and how do they differ by migratory experience and sociodemographic factors? Which interventions have proven most effective in engaging diverse communities, and how can these be scaled? Furthermore, what lessons can be learned from cross-sector collaboration among epidemiologists, demographers, health economists, legal experts, sociologists, and policymakers?While the focus centers on European healthcare systems, contributions may also consider relevant global comparators or lessons. The Research Topic is limited to studies that prioritize health inequalities, integration, welfare access, and community participation for migrant and refugee populations. To gather further insights in these areas, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• epidemiological and demographic analyses of health needs and disparities among migrants and refugees• data mapping and mixed-methods approaches assessing health and welfare outcomes• critical policy reviews and case studies highlighting service provision gaps and integration strategies• evaluations of community-based models for engagement and care• evidence-based policy recommendations to improve equity and access. Topic editors: Roberta Pace, Nadia Mignolli, Adele Stefania Gagliardi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80277/strengthening-european-healthcare-systems-for-migrants-and-refugees