Heather Brooke And A Friend

research study on health services and Galician and Spanish new

David Cantarero researchers [1] and Marta Pascual [2] School of Economics, University de Cantabria been published alongside Bruno Berta Rivera, and Casal, University of A Coruña an article on "Adaptation health services to the specific characteristics and use of the new English [3] " published on 22 April in 2008 SESPAS Report [4] .

That article states that the migration process in Spain is one of the factors that have contributed to the social restructuring (both demographic and economic, social etc.) Which directly affects the ability to integrate the immigrant population all areas of the country.

The authors indicate that in Spain, in the last ten years have seen a steady increase in the number of foreigners accounting for almost 10% of the population according to provisional data of the census of 2007. These figures indicate the magnitude of the phenomenon to be addressed and forces us to reflect on the adaptation of our welfare system to the new changes. Specifically, the Health System is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle of key basic services and in assessing the needs of the population.

Also the paper highlights the process of arrival of foreigners has been intense but short on time and the beginning of studies on health of these groups of people that started not long ago. Today it boasts diversity outstanding sources for health studies, both quantitative and qualitative, but surveys are the most commonly used health. These health surveys (National Health Survey, European Survey of Income and Living Panels and Household Panel European Union), according to the authors, we measure the health status, utilization of health resources , degree of access to health care and other variables. From this information you can get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe health of immigrants and integration in their health system. Certain limitations due to the low representation that they have even in polls.

With current data, the authors to a series of important results to consider:

• health of people with a migration process in your life experience requires a dynamic analysis which incorporates the health history and factors at each stage of the process exert a greater influence migration.
• There is less frequency of health services by the immigrant population, which is attributed to the existence of a number of barriers to accessing and complicate the social and economic integration, helping to increase health vulnerability.
• profiles counted in the surveys show a foreign population composed of working people with higher educational levels than those of the host society.

From the knowledge of the situation, the authors present the need to articulate and implement a series of measures in health to correct the imbalances that occur in the host society with the arrival of new people, and with them, new demands.

1. The study of the health history of the immigrant population, its determinants and the degree of access and use of health resources must be based on comprehensive databases, reliable and comparable, having the minimum sample size make inferences and comparisons domestic and foreign population and among subgroups of immigrants. Would be important for surveys to capture data that immigrants differ depending on the reasons behind the decision to start the migration process: migration for economic reasons (usually from poor countries), retirement (high-income countries), political causes , etc.
2. The existence of social and economic deficiencies resulting in increased vulnerability to health problems and limitations on access and use of health resources. It will be necessary to implement measures for social inclusion and improving the living conditions of the immigrant most disadvantaged, to correct some of these imbalances and help maintain an optimal path of health.
3. regard to the national population, the lowest frequency of health services in the immigrant population is more due to the presence of good health than to the existence of barriers to access to them. However, without undertaking radical restructuring isolated or develop specific services to the health care group of new population will require interventions aimed at reducing barriers to access and targeted use of resources.
4. exposure to new behaviors, health risks and limitations resulting in the need to activate preventive measures and programs for specific health promotion for groups of immigrants who have a lower residence time in the country and have significant socio-economic shortcomings. The main objective of this series of measures to maintain positive selection in health and reduce the frequency of chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, disorders of the device.

Circulatory, cancer, etc.).. Based on the available evidence on attendance and health care utilization, population groups that require specific actions in prevention and health promotion are the group of mothers and immigrant children.

The findings and conclusions of this study are highly relevant to both managers and health professionals to the general population, and contribute to increased knowledge and crumble some myths regarding health behavior and frequency of health services in the immigrant population. And proposes key actions to ensure quality health care to the new country's population profile. ______________________



[1] Dean of the Faculty of Economics and a member of the Advisory Committee OSPC.
[2] Professor of the Faculty of Economics.
[3] Authors: Berta Rivera-School of Health Administration Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña Spain, "Bruno Casal, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain"; David Cantarero and Marta Pascual University Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
[4] SESPAS Report 2008: Improving the effectiveness of public health interventions. Ed Beatriz González López-Valcárcel, Herández Aguado Ildefonso, Ricard Meneu of Guillerna, Rosa María Urbanos Garrido and Maria Luisa Vázquez Navarrete