Venezuelan migrant population in Colombia: health indicators in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Background: The number of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia has dramatically increased over the past years, which poses great challenges to the Colombian health system. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare some health indicators related to the Sustainable Development Goals between the Venezuelan migrant population and the Colombian population. Methods: A longitudinal, descriptive analysis of the maternal mortality ratio; the neonatal, infant and under-five mortality; the proportionate mortality due to undernourishment; and the rates of alleged sexual felony, intimate partner violence and domestic violence in the Venezuelan migrant population in Colombia and in the Colombian population in the 2015-2019 period was conducted. Maternal and child health and undernourishment indicators were estimated for the 2015-18 period, while the gender-based violence indicators were obtained only for 2018-19, since those were the years with information available for each of these indicators. Data was extracted from official sources, such as the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (INMLCF) and Migración Colombia. The categorical and numerical variables were described through percentages and rates, respectively. Results: Venezuelan migrants in Colombia had higher rates of maternal, neonatal, infant and under-five mortality, as well as proportionate mortality due to undernourishment, than the Colombian population throughout the study years, although the difference between them decreased at the end of the period. As for the gender-based violence indicators, the Colombian population showed higher rates than the Venezuelan migrants, and both Colombian and Venezuelan female victims showed higher rates in these violence indicators than their male counterparts of the same nationality. Conclusions: Some apparent inequalities still persist despite the efforts of the Colombian government to attend to the health needs of the Venezuelan migrant population. Colombia must keep and strengthen migratory inclusion in its public policies to impact on migrants’ health.