557; Promoting equitable access to health services for migrants: the “ASL in Camper” mobile clinic project in Rome

Abstract

EP3.5, e-Poster Terminal 3, September 5, 2025, 13:05 - 13:30

Access to social and health services remains difficult for disadvantaged populations, especially for migrants from different cultural and social backgrounds. In Rome, actually, foreign residents accounted for 14 % of the city’s population, with even higher concentrations (over 15 %) in the central and northern districts under the jurisdiction of local health authority (now ASLRM1). Areas characterized by significant social, economic and health vulnerabilities, often aggravated by informal living conditions that make access to social and health services difficult.

Aim

The project was developed to promote outreach strategies that improve equitable access to health care for migrants and vulnerable people living in ASLRM1.

Methods

The project employed mobile health units with multidisciplinary staff composed of health/social workers, cultural mediators, anthropologists, psychologists, legal experts and third sector actors.

The mobile clinics targeted informal settlements and other marginalized areas, offering primary health care, health screening, social assistance and referrals to specialized services.

Results

In 2024 edition, conducted between May and November, the project followed a three-stage intervention model in six health districts: initial community assessment, receipt of service requests and provision of care or referrals. In total, 14 outreach activities were conducted, reaching 528 people - 218 men and 310 women - of 54 nationalities and providing 891 services.

Conclusion

The project demonstrated the effectiveness of integrated, community-based interventions in reaching highly marginalized groups, improving the utilization of health services and promoting inter-institutional collaboration. Following the positive results and the increase in the number of beneficiaries reached in both 2023 and 2024, the project was institutionalized in 2025 as a permanent activity within the Migrant Health Operational Unit of ASLRM1. This model highlights the potential of mobile clinics and multidisciplinary outreach activities, in addressing structural barriers to healthcare among migrant populations in urban settings.