Addressing migration-related social and health inequalities in Australia: call for research funding priorities to recognise the needs of migrant populations
Immigration is on the rise in most developing countries, including Australia, and most migrants come from low- and middle-income countries. In Australia, migrants constitute 26% of the total Australian population and include refugee and asylum seeker population groups.
Migrants are disproportionately affected by disease, yet they have been found to be under-represented in health research and public health interventions. My research teams has examined trends in Australian Research Council (ARC)- and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)-funded initiatives from 2002 to 2011 with a key focus on migration-related research funding.
The study has been published in the Australian Health Review (http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=AH14132). Data were collected from the research funding statistics and national competitive grants program data systems, respectively.
The research funding expenditures within these two schemes were categorised into two major groups: (1) people focused (migrant-related and mainstream related); and (2) basic science focused.
Over 10 years, the ARC funded 15 354 initiatives worth A$5.5 billion, with only 897 (5.8%) being people-focused projects funded, worth A$254.4 million. Migrant-related research constituted 7.8% of all people-focused research.
The NHMRC funded 12 399 initiatives worth A$5.6 billion, with only 447 (3.6%) being people-focused projects funded, worth A$207.2 million.
Migrant-related research accounted for 6.2% of all people-focused initiatives. These findings highlight the disproportions in research funding for research among migrants. Despite migrants being disproportionately affected by disease burden, research into their health conditions and risk factors is grossly underfunded compared with the mainstream population.
Migrants represent a significant proportion of the Australian population and hence are capable of incurring high costs to the Australian health system.
There are two major implications for practitioners. First, the migrant population is constantly growing, therefore integrating the needs of migrants into the development of health policy is important in ensuring equity across health service delivery and utilisation in Australia. Second, the health needs of migrants will only be uncovered when a clear picture of their true health status and other determinants of health, such as psychological, economic, social and cultural, are identified through empirical research studies.
Unless equitable research funding is achieved, it will be impossible to build a strong evidence base for planning effective measures to reduce health and social inequalities among migrant communities.
Professor Andre M.N. Renzaho, PhD, MPH, MPHAA ARC Future Fellow|Professor of Humanitarian and Development Studies School of Social Sciences and Psychology University of Western Sydney
