RETORNO: Interventions on Social Determinants of Health: A comparative study of returned migrants from the UK and Spain post-Brexit referendum

Migration policies in EU countries interact with structural social determinants of health (unemployment, social/health insurance, housing provision, pension schemes), unequal social structures (gender, ethnicity, class), intermediary social determinants (working and living conditions, health and social care systems) and social cohesion/capital.

Consequently, return migration’ interventions for social determinants of health (SDH) may work well in one context to reduce social health inequalities but inadequately in others.

This study will develop an evidence-based context-sensitive theory of how intra-EU returned migrants’ health could be improved using the case study of return migration between the UK and Spain post-Brexit referendum.

It will aim to explore how Brexit could affect health and social care services provision for returned migrants and the implications for different stakeholders (migrant NGOs, Embassies/Consulates, health and social care staff, policy makers); to classify interventions for SDH to understand for whom, under what circumstances, in what respects and why they may impact returned migrants health inequalities; to identify contextual factors and main mechanisms triggered by interventions and how these impact health outcomes, focusing on gender inequalities; and to provide a co-produced theory on how public policies may impact EU citizens after residing in other EU member states.

The study will use an innovative realist synthesis methodology with nested co-production stakeholder workshops in five methodological phases: 1) Consolidate scope; 2) search for evidence; 3) appraise studies and extract data; 4) synthesize evidence and draw conclusions; 5) disseminate, implement and evaluate.

Anticipated findings will provide policy makers with stronger evidence to support future national and European policies based on complex changing socio-economic realities that impact EU returned migrants’ health, while adding to migration movements´ theory.