: a Discussion of the Common Barriers Causing Difficulties for Migrants to Australia When Accessing Health Care Services and the Ways Occupational Therapy Can Reduce Those Difficulties.

1.0 Introduction
In 2009 it was identified that since World War II Australia has become home to over 675 000 migrants (Lamb, Whelan, & Michaels, 2009, p. 618), a majority of which encounter barriers when trying to access healthcare services that limit or completely prevent access to healthcare services (Cooke et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2004; Davidson, Skull, Calache, Chesters, & Chalmers, 2007; Lamb et al., 2009; Murray & Skull, 2005; Perrin & Dunn, 2007; Renzaho, 2008). Cultural, language, financial, and service entitlement barriers (Cooke et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2007; Lamb et al., 2009; Murray & Skull, 2005; Perrin & Dunn, 2007; Renzaho, 2008) are most commonly encountered by migrants to Australia when accessing healthcare. These barriers are the basis of discussion in this document. The following areas will be discussed in the contents of this document, in the following order: the types of barriers and their resulting difficulties for migrants accessing healthcare in relation to culture, language, finance and service entitlements; what help is provided by occupational therapy in reducing the barriers that cause difficulties for migrants when accessing healthcare, and how occupational therapy (OT) provides the help.

2.0 Types of Barriers
There are many barriers experienced by migrants accessing healthcare in Australia. The types of barriers that come under the cultural, language, financial, and service entitlement areas have been highlighted in several journal articles (Cooke et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2004; Davidson et al., 2007; Lamb et al., 2009; Murray & Skull, 2005; Perrin & Dunn, 2007; Renzaho, 2008) as being the main barrier areas for migrants accessing healthcare in Australia, thus the dominant barriers presented across those articles are identified under their appropriate barrier area (cultural, language, financial or service entitlement barriers)   in the proceeding text of this section.
2.1 Cultural... [continues]

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