Global Public Health
Volume 11, Issue 9, 2016, Pages 1135-1147

Overcoming barriers to health-care access: A qualitative study among African migrants in Guangzhou, China (Article)

Lin L.* , Brown K.B. , Hall B.J. , 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 Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • b College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
  • c Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau
  • d Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • e Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • f Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • g Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • h African Studies Department, Global African Diaspora Studies (GADS) Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • i Guangdong Provincial Center for Skin Diseases and STD Control, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • j Guangdong Provincial Center for Skin Diseases and STD Control, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • k Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • l UNC Project-China, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • m Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States

Abstract

Guangzhou is China's third most populous city, and the region's burgeoning manufacturing economy has attracted many young African businessmen and entrepreneurs to the city. The aims of this study were to examine strategies that African migrants in Guangzhou have adopted in response to health-care barriers, and explore their perceptions of how to address their needs. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were conducted among African migrants residing in Guangzhou, China. Facing multiple barriers to care, African migrants have adopted a number of suboptimal and unsustainable approaches to access health care. These included: using their Chinese friends or partners as interpreters, self-medicating, using personal connections to medical doctors, and travelling to home countries or countries that offer English-speaking doctors for health care. Health-care providers and health organisations in Guangzhou have not yet acquired sufficient cultural competence to address the needs of African migrants residing in the city. Introducing linguistically and culturally competent health-care services in communities concentrated with African migrants may better serve the population. With the growing international migration to China, it is essential to develop sustainable approaches to improving health-care access for international migrants, particularly those who are marginalised. © 2015 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

China Migrants health-care barriers Access to care Africa

Index Keywords

information processing communication barrier China Communication Barriers Chinese economics English (language) human epidemiology friend trends health belief travel statistics and numerical data priority journal African language ethnology cultural competence qualitative research interview Confidentiality Humans migrant psychology Interviews as Topic male semi structured interview female Africa clinical article self medication standards Article health care organization interpreter service adult migration physician health care access medical tourism health care need Culturally Competent Care Health Services Accessibility transcultural care Transients and Migrants Focus Groups public health health care delivery National Health Programs
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84945237288&doi=10.1080%2f17441692.2015.1076019&partnerID=40&md5=3175d0143eabbf767adb96b1f19db601
DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2015.1076019
ISSN: 17441692
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English