Page 97 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 97
Migrants’ Experiences
in the Healthcare System
Marie-Louise Luiking
Leiden University, The Netherlands
marie-louise@luiking.com
Harshida Patel
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
harshida.patel@gu.se
Mass migration in Europe raises many issues of societal concern. Migrants
struggle with complex health problems related to causes and consequences
of migration. It is no longer a question about migrants having unique health
needs, concerns and challenges. The effects of language and cultural differ-
ences, lack of access to transportation and other barriers are common. These
barriers hamper nurses and other healthcare professionals to deliver high
quality care. An essential dimension of quality of care mirroring both patients’
expectations and their exposure is the migrant patient’s experience of health-
care. This chapter addresses the factors associated with migrants’ healthcare
experiences in the host country. A model presented here may increase nurs-
ing professionals’awareness and help to provide person centred care and over-
come cultural differences.
Migration
The picture of migration, is vastly more complex than at first glance and ease
of movement promises greater complexity in the future. The International
Organisation for Migration (see http://www.iom.int/key-migration-terms)
defines a migrant as: ‘any person who is moving or has moved across an
international border or within a state away from his/her habitual place of
residence, regardless of the person’s legal status, voluntary or involuntary,
causes, and the length of the stay.’ With the number of international migrants
escalating (United Nations, 2016), it becomes more acute that migrants face
numerous barriers to access an appropriate level of healthcare (World Health
Organisation, 2008).
Addressing Migrant Health Issues
The media conversation often sticks narrowly to the question of how the mi-
grant arrives. The focus on such migration issues sidetracks the important
needs of migrant populations, by moving the focus away from addressing
95
in the Healthcare System
Marie-Louise Luiking
Leiden University, The Netherlands
marie-louise@luiking.com
Harshida Patel
University of Gothenburg, Sweden
harshida.patel@gu.se
Mass migration in Europe raises many issues of societal concern. Migrants
struggle with complex health problems related to causes and consequences
of migration. It is no longer a question about migrants having unique health
needs, concerns and challenges. The effects of language and cultural differ-
ences, lack of access to transportation and other barriers are common. These
barriers hamper nurses and other healthcare professionals to deliver high
quality care. An essential dimension of quality of care mirroring both patients’
expectations and their exposure is the migrant patient’s experience of health-
care. This chapter addresses the factors associated with migrants’ healthcare
experiences in the host country. A model presented here may increase nurs-
ing professionals’awareness and help to provide person centred care and over-
come cultural differences.
Migration
The picture of migration, is vastly more complex than at first glance and ease
of movement promises greater complexity in the future. The International
Organisation for Migration (see http://www.iom.int/key-migration-terms)
defines a migrant as: ‘any person who is moving or has moved across an
international border or within a state away from his/her habitual place of
residence, regardless of the person’s legal status, voluntary or involuntary,
causes, and the length of the stay.’ With the number of international migrants
escalating (United Nations, 2016), it becomes more acute that migrants face
numerous barriers to access an appropriate level of healthcare (World Health
Organisation, 2008).
Addressing Migrant Health Issues
The media conversation often sticks narrowly to the question of how the mi-
grant arrives. The focus on such migration issues sidetracks the important
needs of migrant populations, by moving the focus away from addressing
95
