Health integration across international borders: an integrative review

Integrative literature review, in which studies published between 2006 and 2015 were selected that were indexed in the electronic databases CINAHL, Clinics Collection, LILACS, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus and SocINDEX. Thirteen studies were included.

Results:

The results demonstrate that formal and informal integration agreements exist in border regions, formalized by federal governments or international laws. The prevalent goals of these agreements are monitoring, disease detection and control in border regions.

Conclusion:

The agreements studied aim for cooperation to cope with regional difficulties. The integration actions tend to minimize the health asymmetries of border populations.

Keywords
Border areas; Border health; International cooperation; Emigration and immigration; Health management

Authors/year	Type	Goal
Europe
Rosenkötter N, Clemens T, Sørensen K, Brand H. 2013⁽¹¹11. Rosenkötter N, Clemens T, Sorensen K, Brand H. Twentieth anniversary of the European Union health mandate: taking stock of perceived achievements, failures and missed opportunities: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. 2013;13(1074):1-16.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the European Union	Facilitate patient mobility between countries of the European Union
Legido-Quigle H, Glinos I, Baeten R, McKee M, Busse R. 2011⁽¹²12. Legido-Quigleya H, Glinos IA, Baetend R, Mckeea M, Bussee R. Analysing arrangements for cross-border mobility of patients in the European Union: A proposal for a framework. Health Policy. 2012;108:27-36.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the European Union	Facilitate patient mobility between countries of the European Union
Saliba V, Azzopardi N, Vella M, Montalto S, Fenech C, McKee M. 2014⁽¹³13. Saliba V, Muscat N, Vella M, Montalto SA, Fenech C, Martin M, et al. Clinicians', policy makers' and patients' views of pediatric cross-border care between Malta and the UK. Health Serv Res. 2014;19(3):153-60.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the European Union	Facilitate patient mobility between countries of the European Union
Van der Molen I, Commers M. 2013⁽¹⁴14. Van der Molen IN, Commers MJ. Unresolved legal questions in cross-border health care in Europe: liability and data protection. Public Health. 2013;127(11):987-93.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the European Union	Respond to emergency situations in border regions
Glinos I, Baeten R. 2015⁽¹⁵15. Glinos IA, Baeten R. Reprint of: dream vs. reality: Seven case-studies on the desirability and feasibility of cross-border hospital collaboration in Europe. Soc Sci Med. 2015;124:331-7.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the European Union	Medium and high-complexity care at one side of the border
Asia
Skinner A, Sriharan A. 2007⁽¹⁶16. Skinner HA, Sriharan A. Building cooperation through health initiatives: an Arab and Israeli case study. Confl Health. 2007;1(8):1-9.⁾	Informal Created by nongovernmental organization	Screening and treatment of congenital impairment in infants
Moore M, Dausey DJ. 2015⁽¹⁷17. Moore M, Dausey DJ. Local cross-border disease surveillance and control: experiences from the Mekong Basin. BMC Research. 2015;8(90):1-10.⁾	Formal Legitimized by federal governments	Continuous monitoring of infectious-contagious diseases
Wang H, Zhang L, Yu W, Wen N, Yan D, Tang J, et al. 2015⁽¹⁸18. Wang H, Zhang L, Yu W, Wen N, Yan D, Tang J, et al. Cross-border collaboration between China and Myanmar for emergency response to imported vaccine derived poliovirus case. BMC Infect Dis. 2015;15(18)1-8.⁾	Formal Legitimized by federal governments	Detection and control of epidemiologically important diseases for the region studied
Pongvongsa T, Há H, Thanh L, Marchand R, Nonaka D, Tojo B, et al. 2012⁽¹⁹19. Pongvongsa T, Ha H, Thanh L, Marchand RP; Nonaka D, Tojo B, et al. Joint malaria surveys lead towards improved cross-border cooperation between Savannakhet province, Laos and Quang Tri province, Vietnam. Malaria J. 2012; 11(262):1-15.⁾	Formal Legitimized by federal governments	Detection and control of epidemiologically important diseases for the region studied
South America
Cafagna G, Missoni E, Beingolea R. 2014⁽²⁰20. Cafagna G, Missoni E, Beingolea RLB. “Peri-border” health care programs: the Ecuador–Peru experience. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2014;35(3):207-13.⁾	Formal Legitimized by the federal government in one of the countries	Promote equity in care for border populations
Giovanella L, Guimarães L, Nogueira V, Lobato LC, Damacena G. 2007⁽²¹21. Giovanella LG, Nogueira VM, Lobato LV, Damacena GN. Health on the borders: access to and demands on the Brazilian National Health System by foreigners and non-resident Brazilians in cities along the border with MERCOSUR countries from the perspective of municipal health secretaries. Cad Saúde Pública. 2007;23(2):251-66.⁾	Informal among health professionals	Continuous monitoring of infectious-contagious diseases
Nogueira V, Dal Prá K, Fermian S. 2007⁽²²22. Nogueira VM, Dal Pra KR; Fermiano S. Ethical and political diversity in the right to health care in Brazilian municipalities along the MERCOSUR border. Cad Saúde Pública. 2007; 23(2):227-36.⁾	Informal among subnational governments	Training of health professionals working in border regions
Quirós HM, González R, Vergara J. 2011⁽²³23. Quirós HM, González HR, Vergara JF. Armonización de la vigilancia sanitária interfronteriza: una propuesta vinculanteen salud internacional. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2011;30(2):148-52.⁾	Informal among local governments	Continuous monitoring of infectious-contagious diseases

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[1] Corresponding author Giane Zupellari dos Santos-Melo, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1161-8677, E-mail: gzsantos3@hotmail.com