SynthesisCMAJ open
Understanding the health and housing experiences of refugees and other migrant populations experiencing homelessness or vulnerable housing: a systematic review using GRADE-CERQual.
Synthesis in CMAJ open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 58 citations in OpenAlex.
- Vaccination in Forcibly Displaced, Pediatric Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2025Pooled it
- Housing inequalities and health outcomes among migrant and refugee populations in high-income countries: a mixed-methods systematic review.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Tackling Inequalities in Access to Medicines for People Experiencing Homelessness: A Meta-Ethnography and Qualitative Systematic Review.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024Pooled it
- Housing Insecurity and Health Outcomes Among Migrants from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2026Review
- Homelessness as structural vulnerability: Precarious citizenship and migrant health in a Nordic welfare state.Journal of migration and health · 2026Article
- Invisible lives: understanding the food insecurity and food-seeking behaviour among Bangladeshi undocumented migrants amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Mobile Apps for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention in Canada, Mexico, and the United States: Environmental Scan.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Article
- Understanding Health Literacy Among Migrants in Portugal: The Impact of Environmental Issues.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2024Article
- Neoliberalism, Climate Change, and Displaced and Homeless Populations: Exploring Interactions Through Case Studies.Humanity & society · 2024Article
- Treatments and interventions addressing chronic somatic pain in torture survivors: A systematic review.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Design and implementation of an intensive panel survey with refugees and other migrants in need of protection in Costa Rica.PloS one · 2024Article
- Article
- Barriers and facilitators to health care access for people experiencing homelessness in four European countries: an exploratory qualitative study.International journal for equity in health · 2023Article
- "Healthy immigrant effect" among individuals experiencing homelessness in Spain?: Foreign-born individuals had higher average age at death in 15-year retrospective cohort study.BMC public health · 2023Observational
- Inclusion of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in COVID-19 Public Health Research: Research Design Adaptations to Seek Different Perspectives in Victoria, Australia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Public Health Interventions to Address Housing and Mental Health amongst Migrants from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Living in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Pathways Linking Housing Inequalities and Health Outcomes among Migrant and Refugee Populations in High-Income Countries: A Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Caring for refugees and newcomers in the post-COVID-19 era: Evidence review and guidance for FPs and health providers.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2021Review
- Soigner les réfugiés et les nouveaux arrivants à l'ère post-COVID-19: Revue des données probantes et conseils pour les MF et les professionnels de la santé.Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien · 2021Article
- Determinants of Implementation of a Clinical Practice Guideline for Homeless Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundA growing number of migrants experience precarious housing situations worldwide, but little is known about their health and housing experiences. The objective of this study was to understand the enablers and barriers of accessing fundamental health and social services for migrants in precarious housing situations.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies. We searched the databases of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Social Sciences, Canadian Business & Current Affairs and Sociological Abstracts for articles published between Jan. 1, 2007, and Feb. 9, 2020. We selected studies and extracted data in duplicate, and used a framework synthesis approach, the Bierman model for migration, to guide our analysis of the experiences of migrant populations experiencing homelessness or vulnerable housing in high-income countries. We critically appraised the quality of included studies using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and assessed confidence in key findings using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (GRADE-CERQual) approach.
resultsWe identified 1039 articles, and 18 met our inclusion criteria. The studies focused on migrants from Asia and Africa who resettled in Canada, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries. Poor access to housing services was related to unsafe housing, facing a family separation, insufficient income assistance, immigration status, limited employment opportunities and lack of language skills. Enablers to accessing appropriate housing services included finding an advocate and adopting survival and coping strategies.
interpretationMigrants experiencing homelessness and vulnerable housing often struggle to access health and social services; migrants may have limited proficiency with the local language, limited access to safe housing and income support, and ongoing family insecurities. Public health leaders could develop outreach programs that address access and discrimination barriers. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42018071568.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.