Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26586971›Full record

ReviewRisk management and healthcare policy2015

Barriers to health care for undocumented immigrants: a literature review.

Karen Hacker, Maria Anies, Barbara L Folb, Leah Zallman

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Risk management and healthcare policy, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 278 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
278citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
26.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

278 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 597 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  8. Article
  9. Article
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  12. Article
  13. The Persistent Health Care Gap for Undocumented Children.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2026
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Excluded Lives: Migrant Status and Access to Healthcare in South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

218 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Karen HackerAllegheny County Health Department, Pittsburgh, PA, USA ; Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Maria AniesGraduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Barbara L FolbGraduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA ; Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Leah ZallmanInstitute for Community Health, Cambridge, MA, USA ; Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, USA ; Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
University of Pittsburgh · USAllegheny County · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

With the unprecedented international migration seen in recent years, policies that limit health care access have become prevalent. Barriers to health care for undocumented immigrants go beyond policy and range from financial limitations, to discrimination and fear of deportation. This paper is aimed at reviewing the literature on barriers to health care for undocumented immigrants and identifying strategies that have or could be used to address these barriers. To address study questions, we conducted a literature review of published articles from the last 10 years in PubMed using three main concepts: immigrants, undocumented, and access to health care. The search yielded 341 articles of which 66 met study criteria. With regard to barriers, we identified barriers in the policy arena focused on issues related to law and policy including limitations to access and type of health care. These varied widely across countries but ultimately impacted the type and amount of health care any undocumented immigrant could receive. Within the health system, barriers included bureaucratic obstacles including paperwork and registration systems. The alternative care available (safety net) was generally limited and overwhelmed. Finally, there was evidence of widespread discriminatory practices within the health care system itself. The individual level focused on the immigrant's fear of deportation, stigma, and lack of capital (both social and financial) to obtain services. Recommendations identified in the papers reviewed included advocating for policy change to increase access to health care for undocumented immigrants, providing novel insurance options, expanding safety net services, training providers to better care for immigrant populations, and educating undocumented immigrants on navigating the system. There are numerous barriers to health care for undocumented immigrants. These vary by country and frequently change. Despite concerns that access to health care attracts immigrants, data demonstrates that people generally do not migrate to obtain health care. Solutions are needed that provide for noncitizens' health care.

Indexed as

accessdeportationhealth careimmigration and migrationundocumented immigrants

Identifiers

PMID26586971
PMCPMC4634824
OpenAlexW1880754223

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.