481 Navigating uncertainty: Country Of Origin Information as a tool for the right to health and migration

Abstract OP 31: Refugees and Asylum Seekers 6, B207 (FCSH), September 5, 2025, 09:00 - 10:00 Aims Country of Origin Information reports (COI) play a crucial role in supporting the recognition of asylum. This study analyzes the MedCOI reports requested to the Arci COI Service between March 2022 and March 2024 to assess their role in supporting migrants’ right to health and asylum. Methods We adopted a mixed-method approach: Quantitative Simple statistical analysis of MedCOI reports, categorizing them based on countries of origin and medical conditions following the ICD-11 classification; Qualitative Thematic Analysis of the MedCOI requests and semi-structured interviews with 10 COI service users to explore their experiences and perceptions of the service’s impact. Results 32 MedCOI reports were produced, covering 18 countries-primarily Tunisia (15.6%), Bangladesh (12.5%), and Nigeria (9.4%). The most investigated health conditions fell into 12 ICD-11 macro categories, mainly: factors influencing health status or contact with health services (100.0%), mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders (23.7%), diseases of the nervous system (21.1%), of the musculoskeletal system (18.4%), and infectious diseases (13.2%). By March 2024, these reports had been accessed 61,845 times and were used in legal and reception settings (i.e. asylum requests and reception staff training). They supported risk prognosis assessments by integrating medical evaluations of current health conditions with predictions of their deterioration in the absence of appropriate care in the country of origin. Conclusions The COI service conducts interdisciplinary health condition analyses, considering not only the availability and accessibility of treatments but also intersectional factors of discrimination. It follows an integrated approach, linking clinical and public health knowledge with legal information to uphold the right to migration and health. The rise in requests reflects the increasingly restrictive migration policies in Italy, which directly and indirectly impact migrants’ health. The increase in mental health-related requests suggests a possible impact of institutional racism on migrants’ mental health.