Attitudes towards Immigration among Students in the First Year of a Nursing Degree at Universities in Coimbra, Toledo and Melilla

Abstract

Increased migration has led to increased prejudice towards immigrant populations. This study aims to analyse attitudes towards immigration among student nurses in three universities, two in Spain and one in Portugal. Methodology: A descriptive, transversal, prospective study was carried out among student nurses (n = 624), using the Attitude towards Immigration in Nursing scale. Results: Nursing students showed some positive attitudes towards immigration, such as that immigrants should have the right to maintain their customs or that immigrants should have free access to healthcare and education, in contrast to some negative attitudes, such as that crime rates have increased due to immigration or that immigrants receive more social welfare assistance than natives. Significant differences in attitudes were revealed between students from the three universities. Discussion: Training in transcultural nursing is necessary for all nursing students in order to reduce negative attitudes towards the immigrant population and increase the awareness and sensitivity of future healthcare staff in caring for patients of all backgrounds.

How Do Health Teams Perceive International Migrant Users of Primary Care?

“…In fact, some studies show that negative attitudes are associated with the year of study: the lower the course, the better the attitude towards migrants [ 43 ]. The international literature has indicated that such attitudes are embedded in beliefs that connect migrants with delinquency, the collapse of the health system, excessive alcohol consumption and increased health spending [ 46 ]. It is relevant to know the perception of health personnel about the international migrant population and how it can positively and negatively influence health practices.…”

Student Attitudes Towards Migrants in the Pre-Covid-19 Period

“…The chi-square independence test showed a significant difference between gender and attitudes towards migrants and refugees (p <0.05) with the obtained values (Table 6) of c2 (1, n = 239) = 0.281, p = 0.000, fi = 0.28 (Table 8). The correlation coefficient fi is 0.28, which according to Cohen's criteria 28 is the mean strength of the influence between the two variables. According to the results, there is a statistically significant difference in attitudes towards migrants and refugees between men and women.…”

“…According to the results, there is a statistically significant difference in attitudes towards migrants and refugees between men and women. 28 Cohen J., Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, NY: Routledge Academic, New York, 1988. According to available research conducted in Croatia that includes gender as an identity determinant in the creation of attitudes, research 29 noted that women are more willing to help and have a more positive attitude towards migrants and refugees.…”

Socialising of nursing students into homecare practice in Denmark: a Berger and Luckmann-inspired interview study

“…Considering nurses' global migration 15,16 and the cultural diversity among nursing students, [17][18][19] it is of interest to understand whether and how students' cultural upbringings and backgrounds affect their understanding of homecare encounters. While several studies focus on encounters between healthcare professionals and patients with different cultural backgrounds in homecare, [20][21][22] there are fewer studies focusing on professionals with different cultural backgrounds from the patients.…”

“…Both appreciative 23,24 and discriminative 22,25 relationships are seen between patients and nurses with immigrant backgrounds, and studies show that nursing students display positive attitudes towards immigrant patients. 17,18,26 Nurses' training and socialisation throughout nurse education ought to facilitate patient encounters and accommodation of cultural diversity. This study aims to illuminate how nursing students with an ethnic background other than Danish were socialised into homecare practice during their nurse education in Denmark.…”