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“Treating myself first”: Healthcare-seeking experiences among migrant workers in Thailand’s fisheries sector

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  • Niphattra Haritavorn

Abstract

Migrant workers play a crucial role in Thailand’s fishery and seafood processing industry. However, their social and economic circumstances present significant barriers to healthcare access. This study explored the healthcare-seeking experiences of migrant workers employed in Thailand’s seafood processing sector. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 30 migrant workers employed and five migrant health volunteers and analyzed using thematic analysis. In response to illness, participants navigated multiple healing systems through sequential healthcare-seeking practices described as taking care of myself first, turning to people I trust, using alternative treatments, and receiving biomedical services. Delayed healthcare seeking and reliance on self-medication were commonly shaped by financial insecurity, unstable employment, and concerns about income loss. Migrant health volunteers also played an important role in bridging linguistic, cultural, and social gaps between migrant communities and the formal healthcare system. These findings highlight how healthcare-seeking behaviors among migrant workers are shaped by broader social and structural conditions. Community-based interventions and migrant-inclusive health policies may help improve equitable access to healthcare services among migrant workers in Thailand.

Suggested Citation

  • Niphattra Haritavorn, 2026. "“Treating myself first”: Healthcare-seeking experiences among migrant workers in Thailand’s fisheries sector," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pgph00:0006765
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0006765
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