In this article specific barriers, morbidity and health care patterns of immigrant patients are discussed. Immigrant patients are at risk for poorer access to pharmaceutical care, because of second language aspects and low literacy cultural differences in health beliefs and generally low socioeconomic background. Although little research has been done among immigrants, it is known that they perceive their health status worse than the general Dutch population. In general, they suffer from more chronic diseases and visit their general practitioner more often. Mediterranean immigrants use more prescription drugs, but exact drug use patterns are not available. There is a need for more culturally sensitive pharmaceutical care, since the average percentage of immigrants in a pharmacy is 10% and will increase in the next years.

Transients and migrants Cultural diversity Health behavior communication Ethnic groups Pharmacies, community

ethnic group Netherlands cultural anthropology immigrant morbidity socioeconomics language prescription high risk patient Article health care pharmaceutical care pharmacy interpersonal communication literature human Health Behavior