OBJECTIVES: Describe the relationship between access to health services and perceived discrimination in the international migrant population using the Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN) of 2017.

METHODS: Secondary analysis of Socioeconomic Characterization Surveys (CASEN) 2017. The head of the household provided the information. The dependent variable was the self-report of controls and medical consultations in the last three months, and the exposure variable was the migratory condition. The independent variables were perception of discrimination for any cause in the previous 12 months, age, sex, multidimensional poverty. The association analysis was performed in a crude and adjusted way through Negative Binomial Regression, calculating PRR, with expansion factors for national representation and a 95% confidence interval, using Stata 14

RESULTS: The total estimated population was 17,807,414, where 4.37% of the population reported being a migrant (N = 777,407). 32.2% of the migrant population (95% CI 25.8-39.5%) reported discrimination for any cause, while the figure in Chileans reached 12.7% (95% CI 12.2-13.2). There is an underutilization of controls and health consultations by the immigrant population (average of consultations in the last 3 months = 1.24; 95% CI 0.76-1.72), compared to the Chilean population, (average consultations = 1,96; 95% CI 1.85-2.06). Discrimination was the variable that showed the greatest strength of association in the rate of health check-ups and consultations in the last three months over the other variables (PRR 1.51; CI 1.32-1.72, p <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: In Chile, the migrant population faces discrimination scenarios and less access to health services. The crossing of these three conditions, under the logic of the Model of Social Determinants of Health, could explain part of the unfair differences in health outcomes in this group, making it essential to expand the study of associated mechanisms to help in the narrowing this gap.