How do immigrants use primary health care services? A register-based study in Norway

Diaz,E. ; Calderón-Larrañaga,A. ; Prado-Torres,A. ; Poblador-Plou,B. ; Gimeno-Feliu,L. (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: Background: Immigrant’s use of primary health care (PHC) services differs from that of native’s, but studies are non-consistent, and the importance of individual explaining variables like socio-economic status, morbidity burden and length of stay in the host country is uncertain. Methods: Registry-based study using merged data from the National Population Register and the Norwegian Health Economics Administration Database for all immigrants and natives ≥15 years registered in Norway in 2008 (3 739 244 persons), applying the Johns Hopkins ACG® Case-Mix System. Using multivariate binary logistic and negative binomial regression analyses, respectively, we compared overall use of PHC and number of visits to PHC between immigrants and natives, and investigated the significance of socio-economic, immigration and morbidity variables. Results: A significantly lower percentage of immigrants used the general practitioner (GP) compared with natives. Among GP users, however, most immigrants used the GP at a 2–15% significantly higher rate compared with natives. Older immigrants used their GP less and at lower rates than younger immigrants. A significantly lower percentage of immigrants from high-income countries, but a higher percentage of all other immigrants used emergency services compared with natives, with no differences in use rates. Morbidity burden and length of stay were essential explaining variables. Conclusion: Lower use of PHC among immigrants could be due to better health or to access barriers, and should be further studied, especially for the oldest immigrants. Adjusted high frequency of use may be appropriate, but it might also be a signal of non-effective contacts.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku123

Año: 2015

Publicado en: European Journal of Public Health 25, 1 (2015), 72-78
ISSN: 1101-1262

Factor impacto JCR: 2.751 (2015)

Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 18 / 152 = 0.118 (2015) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH rank: 38 / 171 = 0.222 (2015) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.344 - Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health (Q1)

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Area Medicina (Dpto. Medicina, Psiqu. y Derm.)