The Health Needs of Female Labor Migrants from Central Asia in Russia

Abstract

There has been an increasing number of women migrating for work from Central Asia to Russia in recent years, yet very little is known about their specific health needs. We conducted a scoping study to understand what is known about their health and to identify the gaps and research priorities among this population. We conducted a literature review and key informant interviews. Our findings were grouped around general health issues, access to and utilization of health care services, and sexual and reproductive health concerns. Through our review, we identified the following priority research areas: stress, acculturation and process of adaptation; cultural and gender norms influencing health; contraceptive use and sexual risk behaviors; prenatal care; patient-provider communication and trust; use of informal health services; and preventative health care.