scholarly journals Access to healthcare and self-rated health among refugees in transit and after arrival in Norway

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Haj-Younes ◽  
E Strømme ◽  
W Hasha ◽  
J Igland ◽  
E Abildsnes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Access To Healthcare ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Perceived Access ◽  
In Transit

Abstract Background Lack of basic infrastructure and poor provision of health services in conflict settings and during flight can have a negative impact on health. The overall health status of refugees seems to improve after arrival at a safe destination. This may be related to a safer environment and better access to health care services, but prior studies on this topic are limited. This study aims to assess self-perceived access to healthcare and its relationship with self-rated health (SRH) among refugees in transit and when settled in a host country. Methods We used data from the CHART study (Changing Health and health care needs Along the Syrian Refugees' Trajectories to Norway), which includes a cohort of 353 Syrian refugees who were contacted in 2017-2018 in Lebanon while waiting for relocation, and one year after their arrival to Norway. Information on self-perceived access to healthcare and its association with SRH was analyzed separately at each time-point. Data analysis was performed with STATA using logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and years of education and presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% CI. Results Fifteen percent reported good access to healthcare and 62% reported good SRH in Lebanon vs. 91% and 77% respectively, in Norway. Measures in Lebanon showed no association between access to healthcare and good SRH (AOR: 1.2 (0.6-2.2)), and men reported worse access to healthcare than women (AOR: 0.5 (0.3-1.0). In Norway, access to healthcare was strongly associated with good SRH (AOR: 4.7 (2.1-10.7) and was negatively associated with belonging to one specific minority group (AOR: 0.1 (0.0-0.3)). Conclusions Both SRH and perceived access to care improved from being in transit to being settled in Norway, the latter substantially more. There was a significant association between access to healthcare and good SRH after the refugees' arrival to a safe host country but not in transit. Key messages Refugee’s self-reported health and access to healthcare seem to improve shortly after arrival to a host country. To ensure that the UN’S Sustainable Development Goals concerning health equity are reached, refugees’ access to healthcare in transit and its impact on overall health needs to be addressed.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Health Care Use in Germany during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (24) ◽  
pp. 9351
Author(s):  
André Hajek ◽  
Freia De Bock ◽  
Lothar H. Wieler ◽  
Philipp Sprengholz ◽  
Benedikt Kretzler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Access To Healthcare ◽  
Health Care Use ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Perceived Access

This paper examined the determinants of perceived access to health care use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany using data from two waves (8 and 16) of the COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring (COSMO). Descriptive and regression analysis were used. In wave 8, we found that about 60% of the individuals rather disagreed about having had problems accessing medical care. Furthermore, 73% of the individuals rather disagreed to having experienced health deteriorations due to restrictions on the availability of medical care. Moreover, 85% of the individuals were rather optimistic about future access to healthcare services. Overall, slightly better past and future access to healthcare services has been reported in wave 16. Several determinants were identified in regression analysis. In conclusion, data suggest that perceived past and future access to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic is reasonably good.

Impact of restricting access to health care services on Syrian refugees in Jordan: evidence from cross-sectional surveys

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibraheem Khaled Abu Siam ◽  
María Rubio Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Cost ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Care Services

Purpose Access to health-care services for refugees are always impacted by many factors and strongly associated with population profile, nature of crisis and capacities of hosing countries. Throughout refugee’s crisis, the Jordanian Government has adopted several healthcare access policies to meet the health needs of Syrian refugees while maintaining the stability of the health-care system. The adopted health-care provision policies ranged from enabling to restricting and from affordable to unaffordable. The purpose of this paper is to identify the influence of restricted level of access to essential health services among Syrian refugees in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach This paper used findings of a cross-sectional surveys conducted over urban Syrian refugees in Jordan in 2017 and 2018 over two different health-care access policies. The first were inclusive and affordable, whereas the other considered very restricting policy owing to high inflation in health-care cost. Access indicators from four main thematic areas were selected including maternal health, family planning, child health and monthly access of household. A comparison between both years’ access indicators was conducted to understand access barriers and its impact. Findings The comparison between findings of both surveys shows a sudden shift in health-care access and utilization behaviors with increased barriers level thus increased health vulnerabilities. Additionally, the finding during implementation of restricted access policy proves the tendency among some refugees groups to adopt negative adaptation strategies to reduce health-care cost. The participants shifted to use a fragmented health-care, reduced or delayed care seeking and use drugs irrationally weather by self-medication or reduce drug intake. Originality/value Understanding access barriers to health services and its negative short-term and long-term impact on refugees’ health status as well as the extended risks to the host communities will help states that hosting refugees building rational access policy to protect whole community and save public health gains during and post crisis. Additionally, it will support donors to better mobilize resources according to the needs while the humanitarian actors and service providers will better contribute to the public health stability during refugee’s crisis.

scholarly journals Health challenges and access to health care among Syrian refugees in Jordan: a review

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (07) ◽  
pp. 680-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wireen Dator ◽  
◽  
Hamzeh Abunab ◽  
Norenia Dao ayen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Access To Health

scholarly journals Health mediator model as a way to access to care and health information for Syrian refugees in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Kayi ◽  
Z Şimşek2 ◽  
G Yıldırımkaya
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The City

Abstract The number of Syrian refugees residing in Turkey has increased over 200 times since 2012 reaching to 3,621,330 (April 2019). Turkey has granted temporary protection status, including access healthcare in the city of registration. Ministry of Health provides on-site health service in temporary shelters, however more than 90% of the Syrian refugees choose to stay in community settings, which along with language barriers limits their ability to access health care and information. With UNFPA we have designed a health mediator model to improve access to health care and awareness on priority concerns such as mental health, reproductive health, child health, health system in Turkey and legal status provided to Syrian refugees. This study is a participatory operational research to test the health mediator model. Operationalization took place in 3 phases: (1) selection and training of Syrian health mediators and provincial coordinators; (2) household visits and data collection; (3) evaluation and supervision. So far, we have trained 174 health mediators from 24 different Turkish cities. Training took 5 days with up to 30 participants each. UNFPA collaborated with NGOs that work with Syrian refugees for coordination purposes. Health mediators made household visits to reach out to Syrian families, gave health education and where necessary support for access to health care services, and conducted a needs assessment. Data collected has been the subject to weekly supervision meetings by local NGOs, health mediators and coordinators to set priorities for the upcoming week. Health mediator model was effective in reaching out to hard-to-reach groups among Syrian refugees, increased health system and legal awareness, contribute to improved healthcare access and prevention of negative health outcomes such as teenage marriages and pregnancies. Inclusion of refugees in decision-making and guidance during the implementation of the project was key for project success.

Access to Health Care and Self-Rated Health Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2001 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Turner Goins ◽  
Judith C. Hays ◽  
Lawrence R. Landerman ◽  
Gerry Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

scholarly journals Decreased Access to Health Care and Social Isolation among Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy after Leaving School

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
SY Ng ◽  
SK Dinesh ◽  
SKH Tay ◽  
EH Lee
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Special Schools ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
Socially Isolated

Objective. T o examine if leaving special schools has a negative impact on the health care and social isolation of young adults with cerebral palsy. Methods. Young adults with cerebral palsy, aged between 15 and 22 years, were divided into 2 cohorts: current students, who were still receiving services from special schools, and school-leavers, who had since been discharged from care. A questionnaire and physical examination were administered to assess the extent of disability, health care received by, and social isolation of these young adults. Results. School-leavers had a greater degree of dissability than did students, although the results were not statistically significant. Health care exposure to specialists, general practitioners, therapists (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and/or speech therapists), and medical social workers decreased after leaving school; with the exception of contact with general practitioners, these results were significant (p<0.05). The entire cohort was more socially isolated than a control cohort. School-leavers participated in fewer activities outside their homes, but showed less concern about their disability than did current students. Conclusions. Young adults with cerebral palsy continue to have health care and lifestyle needs after leaving school, which are currently not being adequately met.

scholarly journals Impact of Language Barriers on Access to Healthcare Services by Immigrant Patients: A systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasan Rasi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Language Barriers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Access To Healthcare ◽  
Native People ◽  
The Impact

Background: Research has demonstrated lower access to healthcare services by immigrant patients in comparison to native people. Cultural and linguistic differences have been considered as main factors that impede this access and as barriers to creating an effective relationship between immigrant patients and health professionals.  Objective: The aim of this study was to better understand and synthesize the available evidence regarding the impact of immigrant patients’ language proficiency on access to health care. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies published between January 2000 and January 2019 that examined the impact of language proficiency on access to and use of health services by immigrant patients. Only articles in English were included. Cross-referencing of the identified articles was also performed.  Results: A total of 140 publications was identified through online databases. In all 24 studies were reviewed, and the results were reported using four interrelated themes identified from the articles. These reports consistently showed a clear association between inadequate language ability and underuse of health care services, ineffective communication, and increased use of emergency care by immigrant patients. Identifying factors that can influence access to care, applying immigrant-friendly solutions such as provision of professional interpreters, and encouraging culturally and linguistically sensitive education may improve the quality of care and increase access to care. One study recommended utilisation of communication technologies such as telemedicine to bridge the communication gap and increase accessibility of healthcare services by immigrant patients.  Conclusions: All included studies indicated that language barriers hindered access to healthcare services. The data resulting from this study can update policy and practical solutions for language barriers on access to care by immigrant patients and provide an agenda for further investigations. 

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