Pattern of health services use by immigrants from different regions of the world residing in Spain

Objective

To determine immigrants?? frequency of use of four health services by place of origin and compare it with that of the Spanish population.

Methods

Based on the 2006 National Health Survey in Spain, we estimated the frequency of use of four health services in men and women from: Spain, Western countries, Eastern Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Sub Saharan Africa and Asia/Oceania. These results were compared with the Spanish population by calculating odds ratios adjusted for age, socioeconomic position, health status, and type of health coverage.

Results

Immigrant men generally use health services less frequently than Spanish nationals. The main exceptions are Latin American men, who more often use emergency services (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.41?C1.99) and Sub-Saharan men, who use specialists more frequently (OR 2.93, 1.70?C5.05). Immigrant women use health services about as frequently as Spanish women. The main exceptions are North African women, who less frequently use specialists (OR 0.39, 0.22?C0.71) and Sub-Saharan women who more frequently use GPs (OR 4.06, 2.21?C7.44), specialists (OR 2.29, 1.06?C4.95) and emergency services (OR 2.92, 1.49?C5.72).

Conclusions

Health services use by the immigrant population in Spain differs by gender and place of origin.     

Mental health needs and service use in Ontario

This study uses data from the Resident Assessment Instrument Mental Health (RAI-MH) on everyone admitted to an Ontario inpatient psychiatric facility between October 2005 and June 2007 to describe patients characteristics and service utilization, and to determine whether these differ based on prioritization of mental health issues in the Integrated Health Service Plan (IHSP) put forth by the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) providing service.     

Infant mortality among the Canadian-born offspring of immigrants and non-immigrants in Canada: a population-based study

Background

Adult immigrants in Canada have a survival advantage over their Canadian-born counterparts. It is unknown whether migrants are able to transmit their survival advantage to their Canadian-born children.

Methods

Neonatal and postneonatal mortality between the Canadian-born population and 12 immigrant subgroups were compared using 1990–2005 linked birth-infant death records. Age-at-death specific mortality rates and rate differences were calculated by nativity status and maternal birthplace. A chi-square statistic was used to compare group differences in maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Multivariate survival analysis was used to estimate the effect of maternal birthplace on neonatal and postneonatal mortality, net of maternal sociodemographic and infant characteristics.

Results

Overall, immigrants had lower rates of neonatal and postneonatal mortality than the Canadian-born population. But the adjusted risk of neonatal mortality was higher for Sub-Saharan African (hazard ratio [HR]?=?1.32; 95 % confidence interval [CI]?=?1.05, 1.66), Haitian (HR?=?2.29, 95 % CI?=?1.90, 2.76), non-Spanish Caribbean (HR?=?1.38; 95 % CI?=?1.01, 1.89), and Pakistani (HR?=?1.87; 95 % CI?=?1.31, 2.68) migrants relative to Canadian-born women. There were fewer significant disparities in postneonatal death, with higher adjusted risks of mortality observed for Pakistani (HR?=?2.67, 95 % CI?=?1.77, 4.02) and Haitian (HR?=?1.41, 95 % CI?=?1.02, 1.97) migrants only.

Conclusion

Inequalities in infant mortality are more concentrated in the neonatal period. Contingent on surviving the first 27 days after birth, the infants of most immigrants (except those from Haiti and Pakistan) have the same chances of survival as the infants of Canadian-born women. Improvements in prenatal care and access to postpartum care may reduce disparities in infant mortality.

     

Insights into the 'healthy immigrant effect': health status and health service use of immigrants to Canada

This paper combines multiple cross-sections of data drawn from the National Population Health Survey and Canadian Community Health Survey to confirm the existence of the 'healthy immigrant effect', specifically that immigrants are in relatively better health on arrival in Canada compared to native-born Canadians, and that immigrant health converges with years in Canada to native-born levels. The paper finds robust evidence that the healthy immigrant effect is present for the incidence of chronic conditions for both men and women, and results in relatively slow convergence to native-born levels. There is only weak evidence in terms of self-assessed health status. The inclusion of controls for region of origin and year of arrival does not account for the observed effects, although region of origin is an important determinants of immigrant health. The paper then considers some alternative explanations for the observed differences, and support is found for the idea that the healthy immigrant effect reflects convergence in physical health rather than convergence in screening and detection of existing health problems.     

Home health service utilization by Hispanic elderly immigrants: a longitudinal study

Based on a longitudinal study of Hispanic elderly immigrants, factors associated with use of home health services (HHS) were examined. Interviews were conducted in a community study of 156 Hispanic elderly immigrants in 1983 and again in 1988 with 76 survivors using the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) questionnaire. Predisposing and illness level factors were significantly related to the use of HHS, however, enabling factors were not significant. A discriminant analysis indicated that a set of variables (gender, age, physical health, mental health, ADL function and Self Assessed Health) accounted for 54% of the variance. The strongest discriminators in use of home health services were age, ADL function and Self Assessed Health.     

Mental health of immigrants from the former Soviet Bloc: a future problem for primary health care in the enlarged European Union? A cross-sectional study

Background  

Enlargement of the European Union has caused worries about the possibility of increased migration from its new members, the former Soviet countries, and consequently increased demands on the health care systems of the host countries. This study investigated whether or not earlier immigrants from the former Soviet Bloc have poorer self-reported mental health, measured as self-reported psychiatric illness and psychosomatic complaints, than the host population in Sweden. It also examined the particular factors which might determine the self-reported mental health of these immigrants.     

The use of 'arms-length' organizations for health system change in Ontario,Canada: some observations by insiders

During the past decade, there has been substantial health system reform in the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, and many other countries. For the most part, Canada has not pursued 'big bang' health system change but rather a variety of strategies to achieve incremental change. In this paper, we present the ways in which three arms-length organizations have been used by government to effect incremental system change in Ontario during the past several years. We observe that, (1) the influence of politics and political interference can be reduced through an arms-length organization; (2) an arms-length organization with the power to make decisions entails more political risk for government and encounters more scrutiny and criticism by providers and the media than an organization with the power to recommend only; (3) an arms-length organization with a limited lifespan faces more delaying tactics by adversely affected parties than an organization without a limited lifespan; (4) an arms-length organization with perceived influence may attract causes that are not related to its mandate; (5) the importance and difficulty of communicating complex information about system change to a wide variety of audiences cannot be overstated; (6) system change informed by the use of expert opinion encounters less provider resistance and may result in better decisions; and (7) the reputation of the Chair and the perceived competence and experience of the CEO are critical success factors in the success of an arms-length organization.     

Socio-spatial patterns of home care use in Ontario, Canada: A case study

Home care is the fastest growing segment of Canada's health care system. Since the mid-1990s, the management and delivery of home care has changed dramatically in the province of Ontario. The objective of this paper is to examine the socio-spatial characteristics of home care use (both formal and informal) in Ontario among residents aged 20 and over. Data are drawn from two cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS Cycle 3.1 2005 and Cycle 4.1 2007) and are analyzed at a number of geographical scales and across the urban to rural continuum. The study found that rural residents were more likely than their urban counterparts to receive government-funded home care, particularly nursing care services. However, rural residents were less likely to receive nursing care that was self-financed through for-profit agencies and were more reliant on informal care provided by a family member. The study also revealed that women and seniors were far more dependent on services that they paid for as compared to informal services. People with lower incomes and poorer health status, as well as rural residents, were also more likely to use informal services. The paper postulates that the introduction of managed competition in Ontario's home care sector may be effective in more populated parts of the province, including large cities, but at the same time may have left a void in access to for-profit formal services in rural and remote regions.     

Mental health service use by the elderly in nursing homes.

OBJECTIVES. Because current Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act regulations influence the disposition of US nursing home residents who have mental illness, National Nursing Home Survey (1985) data are analyzed for predictors of mental health service use. METHODS. Elderly residents' rates of mental health service use are presented. Logistic regression yielded odds ratios for treatment by both mental health specialists and general practitioners for client and service system variables. RESULTS. Among the two thirds of elderly residents with a mental disorder (including dementia), only 4.5% receive any mental health treatment in a 1-month period. The ratio of specialist to general practitioner care is approximately 1:1. Patients seen by a specialist are likely to be younger (aged 65 to 74); live in the Northeast; and have a diagnosis of schizophrenia (13:1), dementia (3:1), or other mental disorders (5:1). Prior residence in a psychiatric hospital predicts care by both health professional types. Rural location, nonproprietary ownership of the nursing home, and aggressive behavior point to general physician care. CONCLUSIONS. Our findings indicate significant neglect of the mental health needs of older nursing home residents and underscore the importance of monitoring the regulations for screening and treatment of mental disorders under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.     

"I spent nine years looking for a doctor": exploring access to health care among immigrants in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

There is a growing body of research in Canada and from other countries acknowledging that immigrants face barriers in accessing health care services. As immigrants make up an increasing percentage of the population in many developed nations, a better understanding and eliminating these barriers is a major priority. This research contributes to current understandings of access among immigrant populations in Canada by exploring perceptions of access to care through focus groups with a diverse group of immigrants living in a Mississauga, Ontario neighbourhood. The results of eight focus groups reveal that immigrants face geographic, socio-cultural and economic barriers when attempting to access health care services in their community. This paper provides policy recommendations relevant to the federal, provincial and local levels for eliminating these barriers.     

Perceptions and experiences of environmental health risks among new mothers: a qualitative study in Ontario,Canada

There is a growing awareness and concern in contemporary societies about potential health impacts of environmental contaminants on children. Mothers are traditionally more involved than other family members in managing family health and household decisions and thus targeted by public health campaigns to minimise risks. However little is known about how new mothers perceive and experience environmental health risks to their children. In 2010, we undertook a parallel case study using qualitative, in-depth interviews with new mothers and focus groups with public health key informants in two Public Health Units in Ontario Province, Canada. We found that the concern about environmental hazards among participants ranged from having no concerns to actively incorporating prevention into daily life. Overall, there was a common perception among participants that many risks, particularly in the indoor environment, were controllable and therefore of little concern. But environmental risks that originate outside the home were viewed as less controllable and more threatening. In response to such threats, mothers invoked coping strategies such as relying on the capacity of children's bodies to adapt. Regardless of the strategies adopted, actions (or inactions) were contingent upon active information seeking. We also found an optimistic bias in which new mothers reported that other children were at greater risk despite similar environmental circumstances. The findings suggest that risk communication experts must attend to the social and environmental contexts of risk and coping when designing strategies around risk reducing behaviours.     

Gender-related mental health differences between refugees and non-refugee immigrants - a cross-sectional register-based study

Background  

Being an immigrant in a high-income country is a risk factor for severe mental ill health. Studies on mental ill health among immigrants have found significant differences in mental health outcome between immigrants from high income countries and low-income countries. Being an asylum seeker or a refugee is also associated with mental ill health. This study aimed to assess if there is a difference in mental ill health problems between male and female refugee and non-refugee immigrants from six low-income countries in Sweden.     

Mental health and sexual risk behaviours in a South African township: a community-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Despite the high prevalence of both mental illness and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in developing countries, there are few data on the association between different forms of mental illness and sexual risk behaviours in resource-poor settings. The objective of this study was to examine the association between mental illness and HIV risk behaviours in a South African township. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed among 645 individuals living in households selected at random. METHODS: A self-administered translated questionnaire investigated sexual risk behaviours [including sexual partners, condom use, casual sexual contacts, and sex in exchange for money, drugs or a place to stay (transactional sex)], depression (measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), alcohol abuse (from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test), and post-traumatic stress disorder (based on the Life Event Checklist). RESULTS: Of the 645 individuals who completed the survey, 33% reported depression, 17% reported alcohol abuse, and 15% reported post-traumatic stress disorder. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, the presence of any of these three conditions was strongly associated with experiences of forced sex [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.53; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.60-4.02], transactional sex (AOR 2.88; 95% CI 1.29-6.48) and increased condom use (AOR 2.07; 95% CI 1.32-3.25). CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasize the substantial burden of mental illness in this setting, and its association with forced and transactional sex. The temporal nature of these associations is not always clear from this cross-sectional study, and additional prospective research is required. Public health interventions are needed to address the dual burden of HIV/AIDS and mental illness in this and similar settings.     

Inadequacy of cervical cancer screening among urban recent immigrants: a population-based study of physician and laboratory claims in Toronto, Canada

OBJECTIVE: In Canada, Pap smears are recommended from 18 to 69. Self-reported socioeconomic gradients in screening have been documented in North America but there have been few direct measures of Pap smear use among immigrants or socially disadvantaged groups. Our purpose was to investigate whether socioedemographic factors are related to cervical cancer screening in Toronto, Canada. METHOD: Pap smears were identified using fee and laboratory codes in Ontario physician service claims for 3 years (2000-2002 inclusive) for women aged 18-66. Area-level socioeconomic factors were derived from the 2001 census. At the individual level, recent registrants for health coverage, over 80% of whom are expected to be recent immigrants, were identified as women first registering after January 1, 1993. RESULTS: Among 724,584 women, 55.4% had Pap smears within 3 years. Recent immigration, visible minority, foreign language, low income and low education were all associated with significantly lower area rates. Recent registrants had much lower rates than non-recent registrants (36.9% versus 60.9%). CONCLUSION: Pap smear rates in Toronto fall below those dictated by evidence-based practice. Recent registrants, a largely immigrant group, have particularly low rates. Efforts to improve coverage need to emphasize women who recently immigrated and those with socioeconomic disadvantage.     

Inequalities in health and health service utilisation among reproductive age women in St. Petersburg,Russia: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Russian society has faced dramatic changes in terms of social stratification since the collapse of the Soviet Union. During this time, extensive reforms have taken place in the organisation of health services, including the development of the private sector. Previous studies in Russia have shown a wide gap in mortality between socioeconomic groups. There are just a few studies on health service utilisation in post-Soviet Russia and data on inequality of health service use are limited. The aim of the present study was to analyse health (self-rated health and self-reported chronic diseases) and health care utilisation patterns by socioeconomic status (SES) among reproductive age women in St. Petersburg.