Einflussfaktoren auf das gesundheitsbezogene Inanspruchnahmeverhalten türkischsprachiger Migranten

Subtitle: Factors influencing health care use among Turkish-speaking immigrants

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brandes, Iris | Gerken, Ute | Walter, Ulla

Note: [] Korrespondenzadresse: Dr. Iris Brandes, MPH, Stiftungslehrstuhl Prävention und Rehabilitation, in der System- und Versorgungsforschung, Institut für Epidemiologie, Sozialmedizin und Gesundheitssystemforschung, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover. Tel.: 0511 / 532 9834, Fax: 0511 / 532 5347, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Background: The issue of migration has been gaining importance in the health care system due to the growing rate of immigrants among the German population. Immigrants with a Turkish background represent the largest group of migrants. Due to the low return rate, the proportion of elderly persons with a Turkish background is expected to rise in accordance with the demographic development. Furthermore, an increase in the use of health care services by Turkish immigrants is expected – a process that is characterized by a complex structure of different influencing factors. Methods: In the following paper, possible factors influencing the use of health care services by immigrants are structured on the basis of available research findings. The aim of this paper is to identify and assign starting points for the improvement of health care for Turkish migrants living in Germany. Results and conclusions: The intricacy of factors influencing the use of health care services among immigrants is illustrated. The factors may be classified according to their malleability as follows: factors that are influenced by the individual himself, particularly concerning perceptions about health and disease, the related health behaviours, as well as the burdens caused by the migration process. Various approaches to improving the skills and capacities of immigrants exist within the German health care system (e. g. migrant-specific choices within the respective cultural community, improvement of health literacy). Approaches that should be implemented by the host country are related to ethnicity, socioeconomic status, insurance laws and aspects of access and communication in the context of medical care. In this regard, measures to reduce exclusion and discrimination should be developed. These aim at target-group-oriented health information and improved communication on the part of the physician. Further approaches include the support of migrant-specific resources, such as social networks and healthy habits (healthy diet, abstention from alcohol, etc.). So far, very little detailed information about the health care of migrants is available. Specific research into groups of migrants that addresses the heterogeneity of influencing factors has rarely been done. The need for further migrant-specific research becomes apparent.

Keywords: Turkish migrants, health care usage, factors of influence, starting points

Journal: Zeitschrift für Medizinische Psychologie, vol. 18, no. 3-4, pp. 124-134, 2009