Left out, left off, left over : why migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds are not adequately recognised in health promotion policy and programs

Australia has a long history of migration. Up to 1945 there was a ‘white Australia’ policy, which changed to accepting a more diverse migrant pool, including forced migrants (e.g. refugees). There is increasingly a need to understand and cater for the specific health needs of migrants, especially those from non-English speaking (NES) backgrounds, many of whom are not adequately recognised in population health planning. The vast increase in investment in prevention and health promotion may not cater for their needs without their participation in research and planning. Below we discuss the main five challenges.