Public Health Reviews
Volume 37, Issue 1, 2016

A systematic review of the use of health services by immigrants and native populations (Review) (Open Access)

Sarría-Santamera A.* , Hijas-Gómez A.I. , Carmona R. , Gimeno-Feliú L.A.
  • a Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud y Enfermedades Crónicas, Madrid, Spain, National School of Public Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain, IMIENS, UNED, Madrid, Spain, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, Alcalá, Spain
  • b University Hospital Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Spain, Agency for Health Technology Assessment, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
  • c National School of Public Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain, IMIENS, UNED, Madrid, Spain
  • d Red de Investigación en Servicios de Salud y Enfermedades Crónicas, Madrid, Spain, EpiChron Research Group on Chronic Diseases, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain, San Pablo Health Centre, Aragonese Health Service, Zaragoza, Spain, Department of Medicine, Psychiatry and Dermatology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain

Abstract

Background: Changes in migration patterns that have occurred in recent decades, both quantitative, with an increase in the number of immigrants, and qualitative, due to different causes of migration (work, family reunification, asylum seekers and refugees) require constant u pdating of the analysis of how immigrants access health services. Understanding of the existence of changes in use patterns is necessary to adapt health services to the new socio-demographic reality. The aim of this study is to describe the scientific evidence that assess the differences in the use of health services between immigrant and native populations. Methods: A systematic review of the electronic database MEDLINE (PubMed) was conducted with a search of studies published between June 2013 and February 2016 that addressed the use of health services and compared immigrants with native populations. MeSH terms and key words comprised Health Services Needs and Demands/Accessibility/Disparities/Emigrants and Immigrants/Native/Ethnic Groups. The electronic search was supplemented by a manual search of grey literature. The following information was extracted from each publication: context of the study (place and year), characteristics of the included population (definition of immigrants and their sub-groups), methodological domains (design of the study, source of information, statistical analysis, variables of health care use assessed, measures of need, socio-economic indicators) and main results. Results: Thirty-six publications were included, 28 from Europe and 8 from other countries. Twenty-four papers analysed the use of primary care, 17 the use of specialist services (including hospitalizations or emergency care), 18 considered several levels of care and 11 assessed mental health services. The characteristics of immigrants included country of origin, legal status, reasons for migration, length of stay, different generations and socio-demographic variables and need. In general, use of health services by the immigrants was less than or equal to the native population, although some differences between immigrants were also identified. Conclusions: This review has identified that immigrants show a general tendency towards a lower use of health services than native populations and that there are significant differences within immigrant sub-groups in terms of their patterns of utilization. Further studies should include information categorizing and evaluating the diversity within the immigrant population. © The Author(s) 2018.

Author Keywords

access to health care Immigrants and native born

Index Keywords

statistical analysis immigrant publication hospitalization primary medical care mental health service Europe indigenous people human ethnic group controlled study length of stay Medline Review health care utilization emergency care human experiment Medical Subject Headings systematic review

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85031294830&doi=10.1186%2fs40985-016-0042-3&partnerID=40&md5=ad8100317e0482c83cb364056535744c

DOI: 10.1186/s40985-016-0042-3
ISSN: 03010422
Cited by: 26
Original Language: English