Health, identity, and citizenship: a realist-informed scoping review of healthcare access among aging Filipino migrant workers in Japan and Belgium - Aim - Methods - Results - Conclusion

Sep 30, 2026

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The scoping review examines how aging Filipino migrant workers in Japan and Belgium access healthcare amid legal, social, and cultural barriers. Using a realist-informed Context-Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) framework, the study analyzes how citizenship status, healthcare policies, and social determinants interact to shape healthcare experiences and well-being. Literature from 2004–2024 is screened and synthesized, identifying barriers such as language hurdles, legal precarity, and employment-related exclusion.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Aim

Methods

Results

Conclusion

2nd World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race & Health Abstract Book vi121 Abstract citation ID: ckaf180 .335 43 Health, identity, and citizenship: a realist-informed scoping review of healthcare access among aging Filipino migrant workers in Japan and Belgium Ferlie Rose Ann Famaloan1 1Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan EP1.4, e-Poster Terminal 1, September 4, 2025, 11:35-13:00 Aim: The increasing number of aging migrant workers presents challenges for healthcare systems, particularly in host countries with legal, social, and cultural barriers. This realist-informed scoping review investigates the structural and systemic factors influencing healthcare access for aging Filipino migrant workers in Japan and Belgium, focusing on the intersection of citizenship status, healthcare policies, and social determinants. Using the ContextMechanism-Outcome (CMO) framework, this scoping review explores how migrant identities and entitlements influence their healthcare experiences and well-being. Methods: Following a realist-informed scoping review methodology, this study systematically analyzed literature from 2004 to 2024 using databases such as Google Scholar and JSTOR, along with manual searches. A total of 268 sources were initially identified, with 143 screened and 63 full-text articles included for final review. The Context-Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) framework was applied to assess (1) Contexts—the socio-political and healthcare environments in Japan and Belgium, (2) Mechanisms—processes such as citizenship policies, healthcare infrastructures, and social networks, and (3) Outcomes—healthcare access, equity, and well-being. Results: Findings highlight significant barriers to healthcare access, including language barriers, legal precarity, and employment-related exclusions. In Japan, the national health insurance system ensures universal coverage, but bureaucratic and linguistic hurdles restrict accessibility for Filipino migrants. In Belgium, legal migrant workers benefit from a publicly funded healthcare system, while undocumented migrant workers face administrative and financial constraints, limiting healthcare access. This illustrates how migrants’legal status influences their access to healthcare services, shaping their health-seeking behaviors and well-being. Conclusion: This scoping review underscores the need for migrantsensitive healthcare policies, culturally competent services, and stronger social?support networks to address healthcare disparities among aging Filipino migrant workers. Targeted policy interventions, including legal protections and culturally competent healthcare models, are essential to improving healthcare equity for this vulnerable population.

FAQs

What is the purpose of this scoping review?

It investigates structural and systemic factors that influence healthcare access for aging Filipino migrant workers in Japan and Belgium, emphasizing how citizenship status and social determinants shape experiences and well-being.

What framework guides the analysis?

The study applies the Context-Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) framework to connect socio-political healthcare contexts with mechanisms such as policies, infrastructures, and social networks, leading to outcomes like access, equity, and well-being.

What barriers to healthcare access are identified?

Key barriers include language barriers, legal precarity, and employment-related exclusions. In Japan, bureaucratic and linguistic hurdles restrict access despite universal coverage under national health insurance.

What policy direction does the conclusion recommend?

The review calls for migrantsensitive, culturally competent healthcare policies and stronger social-support networks, including targeted legal protections and culturally competent care models to improve equity.

Sep 30, 2026

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