Sozial- und Praventivmedizin
Volume 43, Issue 1, 1998, Pages 18-28

Asylum seekers and refugees with the general practitioner: Main problem areas and venues for improvement [Asylusuchende und fluchtlinge in der hausarztlichen praxis: Probleme und entwick-lungsmoglichkeiten] (Article)

Blöchliger C. , Junghanss T. , Weiss R. , Herzog C. , Raeber P.-A. , Tanner M. , Hatz C.
  • a Schweizerisches Tropeninstitut, Basel, Schweizerisches Tropeninstitut, Socinstr. 57, CH-4002 Basel
  • b Abteilung Tropenhygiene und Öffentliches Gesundheitswesen, Universität Heidelberg
  • c Forum für Migrationsfragen, Neuchâtel
  • d Schweizerisches Serum- und Impfinstitut, Bern
  • e Bundesamt für Gesundheit, Bern
  • f Schweizerisches Tropeninstitut, Basel
  • g Forum für Migrationsfragen, Neuchâtel

Abstract

Health and health services provided to asylum seekers and refugees by the Swiss National Health System have so far not been systematically investigated. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the attending asylum seekers and refugees demographically and clinically, to identify main problem areas as perceived by general practitioners and to highlight options and venues for improvements. 272 questionnaires have been filled in GPs of eight, 'federal districts' (Kantone) and the consultations of 1477 asylum seekers and refugees been documented during one month in 193 surgeries. The documented asylum seekers and refugees reflected the distribution of this population in Switzerland. Low consultation rates of asylum seekers and refugees in the majority of surgeries and high diversity of this population in respect to places of origin, education and proficiency in languages appear to be the major determinants of the difficulties in providing adequate health services to them. Readily available information on the past medical history and on the ethnic background of these patients and continuing education on specific topics concerning health care for asylum seekers and refugees were thought to be particularly useful. This needs to be considered in the planning of services for this group. General practitioners specialized in health care for asylum seekers and refugees is an option for providing improved specific services (interpreters, institutional links, culturally adapted medical care).

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

general practice patient care surgery refugee health care planning minority group human Refugees middle aged statistics health service Aged morbidity general practitioner Health Services Needs and Demand Cross-Sectional Studies cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent Minority Groups male consultation female patient referral Referral and Consultation questionnaire Incidence Article major clinical study adult Utilization Review Patient Care Team Switzerland Family Practice Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0031611526&doi=10.1007%2fBF01299237&partnerID=40&md5=de49e039e1de338223e7f6dc80cb4340
DOI: 10.1007/BF01299237
ISSN: 03038408
Cited by: 13
Original Language: German