Experiences in research and policies related to health and migration in European countries: the case of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland

Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research
Record ID 32005000073
Catalan, English, Spanish
Authors' objectives:

The aims of this study were to describe different state strategies related to research and health care for immigrants in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. These experiences could help in the design of research and intervention strategies related to health and migration topics in Catalonia.

Authors' recommendations: The main conclusions to be drawn from the analysis of the experiences of research and policies in health and migration of this study are that: - Information systems, be they registers or surveys, must collect more specific variables apart from those of the country of origin, whether or not the immigrant is legal, and should also consider distinguishing traits between generations. - In order to avoid shortcomings, an over sampling of the immigrant population is required in these information systems, with the latter being as least ethnocentric as possible in terms of health, and include qualitative techniques in the assessment of the health needs of immigrants. - Participative strategies, such as the Swiss Forum for Health and Migration, are important to determine research priorities in this field and the planning of health services. - It is necessary to study to what extent, in our country, aspects of social inequalities and discrimination affect health status of the immigrants and their access to the health services. - Strategies targeting health professionals via awareness raising and training are crucial if we are to properly address the new problems and needs of groups of immigrants. As has been seen in the Netherlands, migrant health educators may have a role to play in facilitating the patient-doctor relationship (immigrant-health system).
Authors' methods: Review
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2004
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Spain
MeSH Terms
  • Emigration and Immigration
  • Ethnicity
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Minority Groups
  • Needs Assessment
Contact
Organisation Name: Agencia de Qualitat i Avaluacio Sanitries de Catalunya
Contact Address: Antoni Parada, CAHTA, Roc Boronat, 81-95 (2nd floor), 08005 Barcelona, Spain, Tel. +34 935 513 928, Fax: +34 935 517 510
Contact Name: direccio@aatrm.catsalut.net / aparada@aatrm.catsalut.net
Contact Email: direccio@aatrm.catsalut.net / aparada@aatrm.catsalut.net
Copyright: Catalan Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Research (CAHTA)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.