Access and utilisation of health services by domestic helpers in Cyprus

Abstract

The barriers of language and communication, ignorance of the system and the different culture are largely evident in Cyprus. The role of the employers is very important with regard to the access and use of health services.

Multiculturalism in Healthcare: A Review of Current Research into Diversity Found in the Healthcare Professional Population and the Patient Population

“…6 In today's society, there is an increasing proportion of people who have moved from their country of origin to be where they are today, and in a few cases immigrants can be found to have health problems. This can be something that they have carried with them from their country of origin, or as a result of the process of migration and the stress of the new environment, leading to biopsychosocial health problems, 7 including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, 8 asthma, 9 communicable diseases, and reproductive complications. 10 Migrants may have to undergo rigorous checks before being able to migrate into e.g.…”

“…This has been seen to lead to a number of incidents where the patient and the healthcare professional are unsatisfied with the care given and received. 7,8,25,35,36,38,39,42,43 The impact of different languages and translation in this poor communication reduces the chance of receiving good treatment and adherence to the treatment set, but interpreting services, via telephone or face-to-face are yet another demanded resource that the healthcare system is unable to provide to the necessary standards. 8,30,35,39,43 Many research papers also review the perceptions of the healthcare system from a variety of cultural backgrounds.…”

“…25,32 There are also circumstantial factors which play a part in acting as barriers such as financial status and socioeconomic status that have been found to result in low service use. 7,8,36,38 In addition, experiential factors such as long waiting times, care that does not meet their standards, and a lack of transport to access the healthcare can reduce service use. 7,35,36,38 A lack of knowledge about what the patient can expect to receive or even how to begin to access healthcare has also been shown to act as a barrier.…”

“…7,8,36,38 In addition, experiential factors such as long waiting times, care that does not meet their standards, and a lack of transport to access the healthcare can reduce service use. 7,35,36,38 A lack of knowledge about what the patient can expect to receive or even how to begin to access healthcare has also been shown to act as a barrier. 7,45 Such factors affect social inclusion which has been found to promote wellbeing, mental health, and decision making capacity and discourages discrimination and stigma, 46 and also increases the anxiety of the situation, for fear of being stigmatised or outcast from society for attempting to access healthcare, resulting in less willingness to access the care they need.…”

“…7,35,36,38 A lack of knowledge about what the patient can expect to receive or even how to begin to access healthcare has also been shown to act as a barrier. 7,45 Such factors affect social inclusion which has been found to promote wellbeing, mental health, and decision making capacity and discourages discrimination and stigma, 46 and also increases the anxiety of the situation, for fear of being stigmatised or outcast from society for attempting to access healthcare, resulting in less willingness to access the care they need. 26,38,39,47,48 One of the other barriers to healthcare is how healthcare professionals are facing multiculturalism in healthcare which has resulted in "culturally competent care [that was] misguided or insufficient".…”