A Study on the Health of Migrants in South Korea

This study aims to make policy implications for improving the health status and healthcare coverage of migrants living in Korea. Migrants right to health is threatened by a variety of factors, and the 2019 revision of the system has made it more difficult for them. Theoretically, it is explained that the health status of migrants worsens as the length of their stay increases, so it is important for academics to find ways to improve the health status of migrants. In this study, we analyzed the health status, diseases, and health insurance of migrants living in Korea through survey data. The results of the analysis showed that, similar to the theory, migrants who have stayed in Korea for a longer period of time are more likely to have overall health conditions and diseases than those who have not. In addition, there are significant differences in health conditions, diseases, and health insurance enrollment by industry. In particular, health problems were more pronounced among those aged 50 and older, and the health status of long-term migrants, especially women, tended to be worse. Therefore, customized health policies are needed in industries where migrants have a high incidence of disease, and efforts are needed to reduce the gap in awareness of the health insurance system and promote health insurance enrollment for irregular and migrant workers. The conclusions of this study can contribute positively to the consideration of policy alternatives for improving the health of domestic residents by providing evidence-based findings on how to develop future systems to improve the quality of health care for migrants.