Inequalities in Health Care for Migrants and Ethnic Minorities COST Series on Health and Diversity

Description

Migrants and ethnic minorities form a growing part of the population of Europe. They often have higher than average exposure to health risks, while facing barriers to accessing appropriate health care. International bodies have called for policy measures to tackle these inequities. COST Action IS0603 Health and Social Care for Migrants and Minorities in Europe was a European network of researchers from more than 30 countries, which met between 2007 and 2011 to discuss how to strengthen the knowledge base on migrant and ethnic minority health. The COST Series on Diversity and Health comprises two volumes written by leading authorities in the field, illustrating the issues that were discussed. This second volume is concerned with the changes that are needed to improve the matching of health services to the needs of these groups. Its chapters analyse work on cultural competence in the USA and Europe, as well as the use of interpreters and cultural mediators to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. Other topics covered include user involvement, services for unaccompanied minors and Roma communities, the relation between NGOs and mainstream services and the incorporation of non-Western approaches in Western health care. The final section of the book examines the health aspects of irregular migration in the Mediterranean region, viewed in the context of the complex political, legal and human rights issues that this phenomenon raises.