Health Care Access for Migrants in Europe

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. O'Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Undocumented Migrants ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Irregular Migrants

Migration is a reality of today’s world, with over one billion migrants worldwide. While many choose to move voluntarily, others are forced to migrate due to economic reasons or to flee war, conflict, or persecution. Such migrants often find themselves in precarious and marginalized situations—particularly asylum seekers, refugees, and undocumented or irregular migrants. While often viewed as a single group, the legal status and entitlements of these three groups are different. This has implications for their ability to access health care; in addition, rights and entitlements vary across the 28 countries of the European Union and across different parts of national health systems. The lack of entitlement to receive care, including primary and secondary care, is a significant barrier for many asylum seekers and refugees and an even greater barrier for undocumented migrants. Other barriers include different health profiles and awareness of chronic disease risk amongst migrants; awareness of the organization of health systems in host countries; and language and communication. The use of professional interpreters can help to overcome communication barriers, but entitlement to free interpreting services is highly variable. Host countries need to consider how to ensure their health systems are “migrant-friendly”: solutions include provision of professional interpreters; ensuring that health care staff are aware of migrants’ rights to access health care; and increasing knowledge of migrants in relation to the organization of the health care system in their host country and how to access care, for example through the use of patient navigators. However, perhaps one of the greatest facilitators for migrants will be a more favorable political situation, which stops demonizing people who are forced to migrate due to situations out of their control.

Going Dutch: Anaesthetising in the Netherlands and Other Issues

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-36
Author(s):  
D. T. Cowan
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Service ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Health Care Workforce ◽  
Service Redesign ◽  
Uk National Health Service ◽  
The Impact

This paper discusses the role, responsibilities and practices of anaesthetic practitioners in the Netherlands in relation to their counterparts in the United Kingdom (UK), these practitioners representing an important yet overlooked section of the health care workforce. This takes place in the context of the UK National Health Service (NHS) modernisation agenda and the European Commission's (EC) aim to enhance the mobility of health care staff throughout the European Union (EU) through standardisation of variations in qualifications, skill levels, methods and working practices (Bologna, 1999; Lisbon Strategy, 2000; EHTAN, 2005).It is clear that significant disparities remain between anaesthetic practitioners in both countries and that we need to explore ways of arriving at compatibility between the different grades. However, this does not currently appear to be happening at EU level. Despite the huge responsibilities on these practitioners, this sector of the EU health care workforce remains largely invisible and there appears to be no concerted attempt at EU level to develop appropriate competencies for them. Further research is required into this area, including: evaluative studies of policies for service redesign and new roles, professional regulation and the impact on outcomes for health service users.

scholarly journals Building health system responsiveness to noncommunicable diseases for Gweru District adults, Zimbabwe: a case study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Blender Muzvondiwa ◽  
Roy Batterham
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Health Care

PurposeGweru District, Zimbabwe faces a major challenge of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Globally, health systems have not responded successfully to problems in prevention and management of NCDs. Despite numerous initiatives, reorienting health services has been slow in many countries. Gweru District has similar challenges. The purpose of this paper is to explore what the health systems in Zimbabwe have done, and are doing to respond to increasing numbers of NCD cases in adults in the nation, especially in the district of GweruDesign/methodology/approachThe study employed a descriptive narrative review of the academic and grey literature, supplemented by semi-structured key informant interviews with 14 health care staff and 30 adults living with a disease or caring for an adult with a disease in Gweru District.FindingsRespondents identified many limitations to the response in Gweru. Respondents said that screening and diagnosis cease to be helpful when it is difficult securing medications. Nearly all community respondents reported not understanding why they are not freed of the diseases, showing poor understanding of NCDs. The escalating costs and scarcity of medications have led people to lose trust in services. Government and NGO activities include diagnosis and screening, provision of health education and some medication. Health personnel mentioned gaps in transport, medication shortages, poor equipment and poor community engagement. Suggestions include: training of nurses for a greater role in screening and management of NCDs, greater resourcing, outreach activities/satellite clinics and better integration of diverse NCD policies.Research limitations/implicationsParticipant responses were greatly influenced by the current political and economic situation in Zimbabwe, so responses may reflect short-term crises rather than long-term trends.Originality/valueThis research offers an understanding of NCD strategies and their limitations from the bottom-up, lived experience perspective of local health care workers and community members.

Access to health-care policies for refugees and asylum-seekers

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-45
Author(s):  
Salma El-Gamal ◽  
Johanna Hanefeld
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor General Health ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Purpose The influx of refugees and asylum-seekers over the past decade into the European Union creates challenges to the health systems of receiving countries in the preparedness and requisite adjustments to policy addressing the new needs of the migrant population. This study aims to examine and compare policies for access to health care and the related health outcomes for refugees and asylum-seekers settling both in the UK and Germany as host countries. Design/methodology/approach The paper conducted a scoping review of academic databases and grey literature for studies within the period 2010-2017, seeking to identify evidence from current policies and service provision for refugees and asylum-seekers in Germany and the UK, distilling the best practice and clarifying gaps in knowledge, to determine implications for policy. Findings Analysis reveals that legal entitlements for refugees and asylum-seekers allow access to primary and secondary health care free of charge in the UK versus a more restrictive policy of access limited to acute and emergency care during the first 15 months of resettlements in Germany. In both countries, many factors hinder the access of this group to normal health care from legal status, procedural hurdles and lingual and cultural barriers. Refugees and asylum-seeker populations were reported with poor general health condition, lower rates of utilization of health services and noticeable reliance on non-governmental organizations. Originality/value This paper helps to fulfill the need for an extensive research required to help decision makers in host countries to adjust health systems towards reducing health disparities and inequalities among refugees and asylum-seekers.

scholarly journals ReCOV: recovery and rehabilitation during and after COVID-19 – a study protocol of a longitudinal observational study on patients, next of kin and health care staff

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Rydwik ◽  
L. Anmyr ◽  
M. Regardt ◽  
A. McAllister ◽  
R. Zarenoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Next Of Kin ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Long Term Consequences

Abstract Background The knowledge of the long-term consequences of covid-19 is limited. In patients, symptoms such as fatigue, decreased physical, psychological, and cognitive function, and nutritional problems have been reported. How the disease has affected next of kin, as well as staff involved in the care of patients with covid-19, is also largely unknown. The overall aim of this study is therefore three-fold: (1) to describe and evaluate predictors of patient recovery, the type of rehabilitation received and patients’ experiences of specialized rehabilitation following COVID-19 infection; (2) to study how next of kin experienced the hospital care of their relative and their experiences of the psychosocial support they received as well as their psychological wellbeing; (3) to describe experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 and evaluate psychological wellbeing, coping mechanisms and predictors for development of psychological distress over time in health care staff. Methods This observational longitudinal study consists of three cohorts; patients, next of kin, and health care staff. The assessments for the patients consist of physical tests (lung function, muscle strength, physical capacity) and questionnaires (communication and swallowing, nutritional status, hearing, activities of daily living, physical activity, fatigue, cognition) longitudinally at 3, 6 and 12 months. Patient records auditing (care, rehabilitation) will be done retrospectively at 12 months. Patients (3, 6 and 12 months), next of kin (6 months) and health care staff (baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months) will receive questionnaires regarding, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders, and post-traumatic stress. Staff will also answer questionnaires about burnout and coping strategies. Interviews will be conducted in all three cohorts. Discussion This study will be able to answer different research questions from a quantitative and qualitative perspective, by describing and evaluating long-term consequences and their associations with recovery, as well as exploring patients’, next of kins’ and staffs’ views and experiences of the disease and its consequences. This will form a base for a deeper and better understanding of the consequences of the disease from different perspectives as well as helping the society to better prepare for a future pandemic.

scholarly journals Oral health problems facing refugees in Europe: a scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiad Zinah ◽  
Heba M. Al-Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Abstract Introduction Europe has been experiencing a flow of refugees and asylum seekers driven by conflicts or poverty. Their oral health is often neglected despite its clear impact on quality of life. Objective To explore the status of oral health among refugees and asylum seekers groups by examining the available literature and to determine which evidence exists regarding the problems they face in terms of oral health. Methods The current paper followed PRISMA guidelines. A scoping review methodology was followed to retrieve 2911 records from five databases and grey literature. Twelve articles met the following inclusion criteria: experimental research concentrated on the oral and dental health of refugees and/or asylum seekers between 1995 and 2020 in English. Analysis was both descriptive and thematic, whilst a critical appraisal was applied using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP). Results Seven studies (58,3%) were quantitative, while five studies (41,6%) were qualitative. In general, the quality of most of the studies (83.3%) was good. Limited access to oral health care services was shown with a higher prevalence of oral diseases compared to the native populations of the host countries. Approaches to improve oral health have been implemented in some studies and have shown positive outcomes. Conclusions Oral health care strategies should consider the oral health problems facing refugees in Europe, and oral health promotion campaigns are essential to give adequate guidance on how to access oral health care in the host countries.

scholarly journals Gaps in coverage and access in the European Union

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Webb ◽  
W Palm ◽  
E van Ginneken ◽  
S Lessof ◽  
L Siciliani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Undocumented Migrants ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Income Status ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
Collection Practice

Abstract Background At the request of the European Commission, the Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the HSPM network have undertaken a study to explore gaps in universal health coverage in the European Union and increase the level of granularity in terms of areas or groups where accessibility is sub-optimal. Methods To explore these gaps more systematically a survey was developed based on the so-called cube model that comprises different dimensions determining health coverage, including population coverage, service coverage and cost coverage. In addition, access can also be hampered by other factors, which relate more to the physical availability of care, a person's ability to obtain necessary care or the attitude of the provider. The survey was sent to country contacts from the Health Systems and Policy Monitor network. Results Within the diversity of country cases found in the survey, the most significant barriers for accessing health care still seem to be associated with social and income status, rather than specific medical conditions. However, groups like mentally ill, homeless, frail elderly, undocumented migrants are more likely to face multiple layers of exclusion and complex barriers to access. Conclusions Health system interventions can close access gaps for these vulnerable groups and address inequities in access to care. Through detailed coverage design countries can indeed determine the extent to which financial hardship and catastrophic out-of-pocket spending can be prevented. Furthermore, scope exists to improve current data collection practice.

Supporting Health Care Staff With Family Meals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992110035
Author(s):  
Jennifer Utter ◽  
Sally McCray
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Food Delivery ◽  
Family Meals ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Health Care Staff ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Marketing Department

Family meals provide a unique opportunity for families to eat well and engage positively with each other. In response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, a new initiative to support health care staff to share healthy meals with their families was developed. At a hospital in Queensland, Australia, dietetic staff collaborated with the on-site food service retailer to develop and offer a range of hot meals that staff could take home for their families at the end of their day. The meals were nutritious, reasonably priced, and designed to feed a family of four. The dietetic staff worked with the hospital marketing department and staff health and wellness program to promote the initiative. Over the 3 months that it has been running, nearly 300 meals have been purchased. Anecdotal comments from the food service retailer highlighted that the initiative was a good thing to do for staff to maintain a positive reputation of the business. The staff evening meal initiative is a healthy, affordable, educational, and socially engaging alternative to takeaway meals and food delivery by app, and it is mutually beneficial for health care staff and the on-site food retailer. The initiative also offers a unique opportunity for promoting nutrition and social engagement during stressful times.

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