Barriers and Facilitators to Rehabilitation Access Among South Asian Immigrants with Disabilities: A Scoping Review

This project is a scoping review examining how the social determinants of health (SDOH) influence rehabilitation-seeking behaviors among first-generation immigrants with disabilities living in North America. First-generation immigrants often experience intersecting forms of disadvantage, including cultural and linguistic barriers, limited health literacy, economic constraints, discrimination, and reduced access to disability-related services (1). At the same time, individuals with disabilities face additional structural challenges when navigating health and rehabilitation systems (2). Understanding how these factors combine to shape rehabilitation-seeking behaviors is essential for improving equity in access, service delivery, and health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to map the existing literature on barriers and facilitators that influence the use of rehabilitation and related health services among immigrant populations with disabilities. The review adopts a broad definition of rehabilitation, including physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, chronic disease management programs, developmental disability services, and community-based rehabilitation supports. This project will include searching and screening peer-reviewed studies published from 2000 onward. The review will focus on studies involving first-generation immigrants, refugees, or newcomers of South Asian and other relevant backgrounds living in Canada or the United States. Eligible studies may use qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches. Data will be charted to identify how SDOH, such as socioeconomic status, education, employment, immigration status, language proficiency, cultural norms, gender, social support, and healthcare accessibility, shape decisions, behaviors, and opportunities related to rehabilitation-seeking. The findings of this review will provide a foundational understanding of the complex, intersecting barriers experienced by the South Asian immigrant community with disabilities, highlight gaps in the current research, and inform future policy and practice to support more equitable and culturally responsive rehabilitation services.