Socioeconomic deprivation and migration are major determinants of health inequalities. Populations living in economically disadvantaged areas, particularly migrants from African countries, often face significant barriers to healthcare access, including language difficulties, cultural differences, low health literacy and social vulnerability. In this context, family physicians working in primary care are uniquely positioned to promote health equity through coordination of care and collaboration with community structures.This practice-based case is based on a descriptive and reflective analysis of clinical practice in a primary care center located in an economically deprived area with a high proportion of patients of low socioeconomic status and migrants from African countries. Collaborative practices with community structures were analyzed, including social services, local authorities, schools, non-governmental organizations and community mediators. A narrative review of the literature on community-oriented primary care and social determinants of health supported the analysis.Collaboration with community structures enables earlier identification of social vulnerability, improves access to healthcare and increases adherence to care plans. Cultural mediators play a key role in improving communication and health literacy. Strengthening these partnerships requires protected time, institutional support and ongoing relationship-building, and should be embedded in family medicine training and primary care organization.The findings reinforce the relevance of a community-oriented primary care model in socially and culturally complex contexts. Family physicians are well placed to identify social determinants of health and mobilize community resources accordingly. However, effective intersectoral collaboration depends on cultural competence, mutual trust and regular communication between healthcare professionals and community partners.Effective collaboration between family physicians and community structures is essential to address health inequalities in socioeconomically disadvantaged and migrant populations. Strengthening community partnerships promotes equity, improves health outcomes and supports sustainable, person-centered primary care.

International migration, often involuntary, has a profound impact on the social determinants of health and presents significant challenges to health systems. Primary Health Care (PHC), as outlined in the Alma-Ata Declaration, plays a central role by providing essential, accessible care that encourages community participation. The quality of PHC depends on four core attributes — first-contact access, longitudinal comprehensiveness, and care coordination — and three derived attributes — family orientation, community orientation, and cultural competence — all crucial to meeting the needs of migrant populations.Conduct an integrative literature review on migrations and principles of Primary Health Care.An integrative literature review was conducted to explore how PHC attributes influence care for migrants, identifying challenges and potentialities. The six classical methodological steps were followed: question formulation, search, categorisation, appraisal, interpretation, and synthesis. Searches were performed in BVS, LILACS, and SciELO using five strategies with DeCS descriptors in English and Portuguese. Full-text, open-access studies published between 2019 and April 2024 were included. Of 380 articles identified, 34 were analysed in full. The findings were interpreted in according to PHC attributes. As the study did not involve human participants, ethical approval was not required.Migrants and refugees face persistent barriers to accessing PHC, including communication difficulties, lack of knowledge about services, stigma, discrimination, cultural differences, absence of documentation, costs, transportation challenges, and healthcare workforce overload. Female migrants face specific challenges in sexual, reproductive, and mental health. Potentialities identified include culturally sensitive practices, continuing education, cultural competence, community support, care facilitators, and strengthened links between health services and social organisations. Universal access depends on addressing inequalities, implementing specific public policies, and reinforcing PHC as the entry point, with strategies that promote active listening, continuity, and comprehensive care aligned with principles of equity.Access is the most frequently studied PHC attribute, representing the first contact with services. However, access alone does not ensure quality care; an integrated approach considering all PHC attributes is necessary to enhance care for migrants and strengthen primary health care.The study points to the need for research that delves into comprehensive care for migrants and primary care beyond access.

Migrants have been acknowledged to face a ‘triple-burden’ of infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions. However, screening coverage across migrant populations in many high-income migrant-receiving countries remains low. This evidence map aims to identify the current state of research concerning migrant health screening in community and primary care settings.- To map evidence on current practice in screening migrant populations in high income migrant-receiving countries - To identify which diseases are included, which migrant groups are being screened, and which interventions are involved in reported screening models - To understand changes in approach to screening of migrant groups over the last decadeA comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health, PsycINFO and Cochrane was conducted on 12th July 2024, supplemented by handsearching relevant systematic reviews and key conference proceedings in migrant health in the last decade. Identified papers were mapped according to migrant group, country, disease and type of intervention, and trends over time were assessed.Of 17,324 unique records, 607 primary studies met our inclusion criteria, of which 52.06% (307) screened for an infectious disease, 37.07% (225) screened for non-communicable disease and 18.29% (111) screened for a mental health conditions. 79.90% (485) screened only for one condition. The majority aimed to enhance access or used  promotion techniques, but the use of community health workers and point-of-care testing has risen across the last decade.Most published screening programmes for migrants addressed infectious diseases, however, participatory research has shown that mental health and non-communicable diseases are considered of equal or greater importance to migrant groups. In common with other screening programmes, most studies screened for a single condition. However, combining screening for multiple diseases in migrant groups has been promoted in recent professional guidance. Existing literature demonstrates an increasing interest in the use of point-of-care testing for marginalised groups, but in migrants there are few studies seeking to evaluate effectiveness in linkage to care or longer-term health outcomes.This evidence map identifies the need for future large-scale studies in primary care and community settings that report on multi-disease screening interventions, linkage to care, and impact on health outcomes.

In Italy, people with migrant backgrounds face significant health and access inequities, while their involvement in decisions about services, research and policies remains under-explored. Health strategies increasingly mention participation and co-production, but the actual levels and scenarios of migrant influence are unclear. Within the RADICE participatory action-research project we conducted a narrative review to inform local primary care processesTo map how migrants in Italy have been involved in health-related decision-making at micro and macro levels; to describe participation mechanisms and outcomes; and to identify gaps and promising practices for equity-oriented primary care governance.We conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed primary studies on migrant participation in health decision-making in Italy. We included empirical studies reporting any involvement of migrants or migrant-led organisations in decisions on health policies, service design, priority-setting, research agendas or governance. Two reviewers screened sources from biomedical and social science databases and extracted data on context, actors, decision-making arena, participation modalities and level of influence for narrative synthesis.Preliminary analysis suggests that documented experiences are concentrated at micro and project level, focusing on consultation or involvement in time-limited initiatives, often mediated by NGOs or cultural mediators. Migrants seldom participate in formal governance structures or in decisions on resource allocation, and their role in research priority-setting appears almost absent. Evidence from primary and community care is limited and geographically uneven, with few long-term initiatives explicitly addressing power-sharing, accountability or structural racism.The review underscores a gap between policy rhetoric on participation and the marginal, often tokenistic role assigned to migrants in actual decision-making. A small set of more transformative experiences, where migrants contribute to agenda-setting or co-design, offers concrete lessons for redesigning participatory spaces within primary care and local health systems.By the conference, we expect to present the full synthesis of this review and apply its findings to the first participatory cycles of the RADICE project in Reggio Emilia. The work supports primary care teams in moving from ad hoc consultation to structurally embedded, equity-oriented migrant participation in health governance.

Migrant worker hostels (MWHs) were created in the 1960’s in France to accommodate workers of foreign origin. Their residents accumulate risk factors for their health, and their state of health has been never studied.Describe the health status of MWHs residents at the time of inclusion in the X project. Investigate socio-economic factors associated with their health status.Project X is an outreach study conducted in primary care among residents of two MWHs in Paris area. The aim of this study is to conduct workshops on the theme of health in the two MWHs over a period of one year and to evaluate this intervention. A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted to collect baseline data from volunteer residents (adults sleeping at least 4 nights in the MWHs) at inclusion. Data collection was carried out by a multidisciplinary primary care team (general practitioners, nurses, social worker, advances practice nurses) in French, Arabic and Soninke. The primary endpoint was health status, measured using the European mini-module. Health literacy was assessed using the HLS-EU-Q16. Descriptive, comparative (Chi2) and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed using R software. The study received GIRCI funding and approval from the ethics committee.Among the 107 residents included, the average age was 47. 70% had a general practitioner, and 45% reported poor health. In multivariate analysis, poor health was significantly associated with low health literacy, advanced age, isolation, and time spent in France.The use of validated tools and the presence of multilingual professionals are strengths of the study. The recruitment methods (languages, schedules) may have led to selection bias and limited the inclusion of supernumerary residents.This study provides a better understanding of the health determinants of MWHs residents. Improving their health literacy could enhance their ability to navigate a complex healthcare system in order to improve their health. This hypothesis is the subject of the second part of the project: an outreach intervention to promote health literacy.

A primary care team identified a group of migrant women living in a rural environment who faced communication barriers, limited familiarity with the health system and frequent use of emergency services for non-urgent symptoms. Many had difficulty understanding verbal explanations, navigating appointments and following preventive advice. These challenges highlighted a need for accessible, culturally sensitive health education adapted to low-literacy contexts.A monthly sociosanitary education programme was implemented using pictograms as the principal communication tool. Participants represented a wide range of ages, languages and cultural backgrounds. The sessions addressed chronic disease management, hypertension, obesity, contraception, fever management, child care, emotional wellbeing, diet, physical activity and appropriate use of emergency services. Pictograms were used to illustrate symptoms, alarm signs, medication instructions and lifestyle recommendations. The programme was facilitated by a multidisciplinary team including family medicine, nursing, social work, psychology and speech therapy. Attendance was voluntary, and participants were encouraged to share doubts about previous healthcare encounters or difficulties understanding medical guidance. The visual format allowed immediate clarification of misunderstandings and enabled women with limited literacy to participate actively.The group format fostered mutual support, empowerment and increased confidence in interacting with healthcare professionals. Several participants reported improved understanding of when to seek primary care instead of emergency services and expressed greater autonomy in recognising symptoms in themselves and their families. Key lessons included the need to tailor educational materials to diverse literacy levels, the value of multidisciplinary input and the importance of continuity to reinforce behavioural change. Future interventions could involve community agents and extend education to family members.This experience highlighted structural barriers affecting migrant women and demonstrated how primary care can promote equity through accessible, humanistic communication strategies.This experience demonstrates how adapted communication tools can reduce barriers and improve engagement in primary care for migrant women.

The international flow of migration from Africa and the Middle East to Europe has risen due to war, religious, and ethnic conflicts. As a result, the prevalence of violence is high, with terrible consequences on the health of the migrant population. Above all, these consequences are worsened by inequality and difficulties in accessing the healthcare system in France.Improving the structuring of care in two medico-social dispensaries among migrant populations suffering from violence, by identifying their medical, psychological, and social needs and expectations.Twelve patients were interviewed (phenomenological qualitative method).Patients did not systematically recognize the impact of violence on their health or the connection between their health concerns and their experience of violence. Additionally, their experience of violence and the screening process were perceived differently by patients, ranging from rejection to acceptance. Furthermore, their understanding of health varied over time and improved with the advancement of care. Having received care from the centres, patients had better access to physicians in both primary and secondary care sectors, although significant ongoing difficulties remained. Patients expressed a desire to be seen directly by more specialists at the centre, such as infectiologists, and to receive more information about sexual health and LGBTQIA+ rights. Most of the patients were socially isolated despite having access to various non-profit and charitable organisations. When they arrived in France, the patients needed to maintain ties with their cultures by continuing to use their native languages. Their cultural integration in France was primarily achieved through learning French.This study proposes a fresh consideration of structured care through the induction of a health mediator during the first consultation so as to ascertain patient vulnerabilities. The patient is systematically seen by a general practitioner, social worker, and psychologist. A pluridisciplinary staff organises the specific medical, psychological, and social care.Access to migrant patient needs and expectations in view of their medical, psychological, and social care was granted. A new structured care paradigm for migrant patients experiencing violence has been established.