Summary: A rapid scoping review of antibiotic access and use barriers among refugee and migrant populations

This rapid scoping review (125 studies) examines barriers to antibiotic access and appropriate use among refugee and migrant populations globally.

• Key finding: Migrants and refugees face multi-layered barriers across the entire care pathway—from seeking care to obtaining and correctly using antibiotics.
• Patient-level barriers: limited financial resources, low health literacy, cultural beliefs, stigma, fear of authorities, and reliance on self-medication or informal sources.
• Health system barriers: language obstacles, legal status restrictions, cost, poor service availability, long waiting times, and limited access to quality-assured antibiotics.
• Contextual drivers: migration conditions (e.g., overcrowding, poor sanitation) increase infection risk, while fragmented health systems and policies shape unequal access.
• Consequences: delayed care, inappropriate antibiotic use, and increased risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Conclusion:
Barriers are structural, financial, and systemic, vary by country context, and require coordinated global and national policy responses—particularly improving language access, integrating migrant needs into AMR strategies, and ensuring equitable, affordable access to antibiotics.