What are the experiences of Polish migrants to the UK with alcohol-use disorder and/or alcohol-related liver disease in accessing care and support?

Aim Explore the experiences, barriers and facilitators for Polish migrants to the UK with alcohol use disorder and/or alcohol-related liver disease in accessing care and support. Background Since the pandemic, more people are dying from alcohol-related liver disease. Often, deaths are in working-aged people.

Gaps in research and a lack of granularity in NHS ethnicity data means there is limited understanding of the extent of health inequalities within and between some migrant groups with alcohol use disorder and/or alcohol-related liver disease. Studies suggest there may be barriers for people who have migrated to the UK in accessing healthcare.

Some individuals may prefer to use other health systems/networks e.g., healthcare in their home country, to overcome these barriers.

Additionally, stigma, a well-known issue for people with alcohol use disorder, and migrant status may further impact healthcare access. Polish is the most common non-UK nationality (696,000 individuals), equivalent to approximately 1% of the population. Methods 1.

Review existing data to understand the barriers and facilitators Polish migrants to the UK face when accessing healthcare. 2.

Interview Polish migrants with alcohol use disorder and/or alcohol-related liver disease to understand their experiences of accessing care in the UK and to understand their support networks. 3.

Interview local service providers (e.g., doctors, commissioners) working with Polish migrants with alcohol use disorder and/or alcohol-related liver disease to understand their detailed perspective. 4.

Survey professionals across the UK, working in the fields of alcohol and liver disease, to understand their perspectives of providing care to this population.