Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 5, 2015, Pages 1509-1517

Health Care Experiences and Perceived Barriers to Health Care Access: A Qualitative Study Among African Migrants in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China (Article)

Lin L.* , Brown K.B. , Yu F. , Yang J. , Wang J. , Schrock J.M. , Bodomo A.B. , Yang L. , Yang B. , Nehl E.J. , Tucker J.D. , Wong F.Y.
  • a Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • b Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, United States
  • c Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • d Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • e Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • f Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • g University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • h Guangdong Provincial Center for Skin Diseases and STD Control, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • i Guangdong Provincial Center for Skin Diseases and STD Control, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • j Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
  • k UNC Project-China, Guangzhou, China
  • l Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30322, United States

Abstract

Guangzhou, one of China’s largest cities and a main trading port in South China, has attracted many African businessmen and traders migrating to the city for financial gains. Previous research has explored the cultural and economic roles of this newly emerging population; however, little is known about their health care experiences while in China. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to assess health care experiences and perceived barriers to health care access among African migrants in Guangzhou, China. Overall, African migrants experienced various barriers to accessing health care and were dissatisfied with local health services. The principal barriers to care reported included affordability, legal issues, language barriers, and cultural differences. Facing multiple barriers, African migrants have limited access to care in Guangzhou. Local health settings are not accustomed to the African migrant population, suggesting that providing linguistically and culturally appropriate services may improve access to care for the migrants. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Health care access China African Health care experiences immigrants/migrants

Index Keywords

information processing cultural anthropology perception China Communication Barriers human communication disorder Financing, Personal ethnology financial management qualitative research Confidentiality Humans racism psychology Black person African Continental Ancestry Group male female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics patient satisfaction Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice organization and management adult Focus Groups attitude to health Health Services Accessibility Culture health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84941417074&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0114-8&partnerID=40&md5=667493f6a278c0189e8f91bbf6ffbc6c
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0114-8
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English