Health Care Utilization by Immigrants in Portugal
Author Information
Author(s): Sónia F Dias, Milton Severo, Henrique Barros
Primary Institution: Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, New University of Lisbon
Hypothesis
What factors influence the utilization of health care services by immigrants in Portugal?
Conclusion
Immigrants in Portugal face various barriers to accessing health care services, and understanding these barriers is crucial for improving their health care utilization.
Supporting Evidence
- 3.6% of respondents did not know where to go for health services.
- 20% of respondents reported never using the National Health Service.
- 22.4% of health service users reported being unsatisfied or very unsatisfied.
Takeaway
This study shows that many immigrants in Portugal don't know how to access health care, and some don't use it at all, which can be improved by understanding their needs better.
Methodology
The study involved 1513 immigrants interviewed using questionnaires at the National Immigrant Support Centre in Lisbon, with data analyzed using logistic regression.
Potential Biases
The selection procedure may lead to an overrepresentation of more affluent and better-integrated migrant groups.
Limitations
The study may not represent all immigrant groups as it only included those attending the National Immigrant Support Centre.
Participant Demographics
Participants were predominantly male (53.4%), with a mean age of 33 years, and included immigrants from South America (50.5%), Africa (34.8%), Eastern Europe (11.9%), and Asia (2.9%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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