No. 2 (2026)
The new frontiers of urban security

2/2026

Access, equity, and urban security: a case study on healthcare pathways of migrant populations

Published 2026-11-03

  • Enrica Caruso

Enrica Caruso
Università degli Studi Palermo

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between access to healthcare services, social inequalities, and urban vulnerability, based on a structured survey conducted with 300 patients at the Civic Hospital of Palermo. The article proposes the notion of urban health security as an analytical category, distinct from a securitarian understanding of health: it refers to the capacity of urban institutions to make essential services accessible, understandable, predictable, and continuous. Descriptive findings show that individuals with a migrant background face more frequent administrative, linguistic, and informational barriers, affecting continuity of care, treatment adherence, and the ability to navigate healthcare pathways. 

Keywords

salute, migrazioni, equità, accesso ai servizi, vulnerabilità urbana, mediazione.

PDF (Italian)

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