Estudo SAIMI - Saúde e Acesso aos Serviços de Saúde dos Imigrantes do Subcontinente Indiano em Lisboa: Que Recomendações para Cuidados de Saúde Equitativos e Culturalmente Adaptados?

Abstract

<strong>Introduction:</strong> The growth of the immigrant population in Portugal has been consistent over the past decades. Nevertheless, information on the health of immigrant populations is scarce. This research uses data collected from the population from the Indian subcontinent living in the district of Lisbon to produce recommendations for the provision of culturally adapted health services.<br /><strong>Material and Methods:</strong> Cross-sectional study with the immigrant community of the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) living in Lisbon, selected based on a snowball sampling technique and using privileged access interviewers. The questionnaire focused on health, health care access, lifestyle and attitudes towards death. The data were subject to a descriptive analysis and an<br />age-standardized comparison between the three nationalities was made.<br /><strong>Results:</strong> Surveys were administered to 1011 individuals with a participation rate of 97%. Most participants were adult males. Indian immigrants most frequently reported barriers to use of health services and had a higher frequency of chronic diseases. Pakistani immigrants had worse lifestyle indicators.<br /><strong>Discussion:</strong> The immigrant population from the Indian subcontinent tends to report more language difficulties in health care access when compared with other immigrant populations. Based on recommendations of the World Health Organization, it was possible to adapt this knowledge to produce recommendations adapted to the Portuguese context.<br /><strong>Conclusion:</strong> There are several aspects in the management of health services in Portugal that can be better adapted to the immigrant population from the Indian subcontinent.

Exploring refugees’ health care access in times of COVID-19: a quantitative study in the Lisbon region, Portugal

“…This was particularly evident in Portugal, where unmet needs for medical care in the first year of the pandemic were the second highest among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, affecting more than a third of the population and especially impacting people in the lowest quintile of income ( 48 ). Nevertheless, the persistent nature of the health care barriers encountered by migrants and refugees is attested by their presence long before the pandemic, both globally ( 38 ), and in several Portuguese studies among migrants ( 12 , 15 , 47 ), suggesting that major interventions are necessary to reduce health systems inequalities.…”

“…Economic, cultural, linguistic, and discriminatory obstacles were identified (12). These constraints led to an underutilization of healthcare services by the immigrant population (13)(14)(15)(16). A 2021 survey on health care access by immigrants in Portugal underscored the unmet needs for medical care due to financial constraints, long waiting lists, lack of time due to occupational or family responsibilities, dissatisfaction, and lack of trust in public healthcare services (17).…”