Healthcare Access for Syrian Refugees Lacking Legal Documentation in Jordan

The purpose of this study is to analyze the access and utilization of health care services by Syrian refugees lacking documentation. This study focuses on the current procedures utilized by healthcare providers for addressing lack of legal documentation in their Syrian refugee patients, as well as broader policies and strategies for addressing the status and protection of these undocumented individuals. This study grapples with the relationship between legal documentation and access to services. The increased costs and barriers to healthcare that come with stateless and refugee status may influence health outcomes and socioeconomic opportunities that impact these individuals for the rest of their lives. The identification of the gaps that exist in healthcare provision for Syrian refugee children lacking documentation may help to mobilize interventions to deliver healthcare and other social services to these vulnerable populations in order to enhance their capacities and individual agency. My hypothesis for this study was that Syrian refugees lacking legal documentation have decreased access to the provision of healthcare. This study was carried out through semi-structure qualitative interviews with representatives from NGO healthcare providers, legal aids, and refugee and health based organizations. The study found that although some healthcare services are not pre-conditioned on possession of legal documentation, legal documentation is needed in order to access most forms of healthcare within Jordan. The data collected supported the hypothesis that Syrian refugees lacking documentation face decreased access to healthcare, due to a number of interrelated factors.