Emerging disease patterns among migrant workers in India: a scoping review

Internal migrants consist of a socially disadvantaged community who work under informal and labour-intensive sectors. Due to poor working conditions, lack of health care services, and negative social determinants of health, many health-related issues can occur. This scoping review is going to examine the existing literature regarding the health of internal migrants in India. A scoping review was conducted using the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The literature was searched from 2008 to 2025 across various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, using predefined search terms on migrant workers and their health outcomes. The quantitative primary studies were included from India. The data were extracted using a pre-defined Excel sheet. The majority of the studies were based on cross-sectional studies conducted on internal migrant laborers in urban and peri-urban areas. The outcomes of these studies showed a heavy burden of occupational hazards, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, mental disorders, risky sexual behavior, substance abuse, and vector-borne infections. Low maternal healthcare service utilization and limited access to healthcare services due to late seeking were also found. Health challenges that confront migrant laborers in India include the occupational risks they face, their living conditions, and obstacles related to accessing health care services. Occupational safety reforms, portability of health services, and policies aimed at addressing the needs of migrants within public health care are critical towards reducing health disparities.