International Journal of Health Services
Volume 49, Issue 1, 2019, Pages 108-126

Health Services Access Inequalities Between Native and Immigrant in a Southern European Region (Article)

Rodríguez-Álvarez E.* , Lanborena N. , Borrell L.N.
  • a Department of Nursing I, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain, OPIK-Research Group for Social Determinants of Health and Demographic Change, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
  • b Department of Nursing I, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain, OPIK-Research Group for Social Determinants of Health and Demographic Change, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
  • c OPIK-Research Group for Social Determinants of Health and Demographic Change, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, City University of New YorkNY, United States

Abstract

With the economic crisis in Spain, austerity measures were applied. However, it is unknown how these measures have affected the pattern of use of health services for the immigrant population. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the inequalities in access to different levels of health care services according to place of birth. We used data from the 2014 Foreign Immigrant Population Survey (n = 1,908) and the Basque Health Survey 2013 for the native population (n = 4,232) for adults aged 16–59 years residing in the Basque Country, Spain. Log-binomial regression was used to quantify the association between country of origin and use of different levels of care in men and in women. We found a higher probability of using general practitioner (GP) services in immigrant women (PR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.12–1.26) and men (PR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01–1.23) than in natives. This was also true for emergency services with immigrant women (PR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.43–2.69) and men (PR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.01–2.25). However, for specialized medicine services, there was no association. This study suggests the importance of guaranteeing access to health care to the entire population. Hence policies to eliminate barriers to health care are essential to ensure health for all. © The Author(s) 2018.

Author Keywords

Health care disparities immigrants Health surveys Gender

Index Keywords

drug prescribing immigrant immigrant population indigenous people human probability general practitioner gender issue indigenous population Adolescent male Spain female Basque Country [Spain] health services Basque Country Article major clinical study adult gender human experiment emergency health service equity health care disparity health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85058653002&doi=10.1177%2f0020731418809858&partnerID=40&md5=67073c637ce9a3e675c679ee6790f23e
DOI: 10.1177/0020731418809858
ISSN: 00207314
Original Language: English