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Refugee and immigrant community health champions: a qualitative study of perceived barriers to service access and utilisation of the National Health Service (NHS) in the West Midlands, UK

  • Oliver Mudyarabikwa
    ,
  • Krishna Regmi
    ,
  • Sinead Ouillon
    ,
  • Raymond Simmonds
  • Coventry University
    ,
  • MiFriendly Cities Refugee and Migrant Centre
Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Open access

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Abstract

There has been much discussion recently that better healthcare systems lead to increased service access and utilisation. However, there are still concerns raised among the refugee and immigrant communities about barriers to access and utilisation of primary healthcare services in the UK. This study aimed to explore with refugee and immigrant community health champions (CHCs) their perceptions about such barriers based on feedback in their own discussions with fellow refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants in the West Midlands, UK. A total of 42 refugees and immigrants were recruited. Qualitative design-focused group discussions were conducted among purposively selected participants. These discussions were conducted between May and September 2019, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The barriers to service access and utilisation are categorised into four themes: (i) knowledge about health issues that most affected refugees and immigrants; (ii) community indications of factors that obstructed service access; (iii) challenges in identifying local teams involved in service provision; and (iv) accurate knowledge about the different teams and their roles in facilitating access. This study highlighted that the levels of service access and utilisation would depend on the competence and effectiveness of the health system. Urgency and seriousness of individuals’ healthcare needs were the factors that were perceived to strongly influence refugees and immigrants to seek and utilise local services. We identified a number of potential barriers and challenges to service access and utilisation that should be overcome if primary healthcare service is to be planned and delivered effectively, efficiently and equitably in the West Midlands.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 199-206 (8 pages)

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health (Volume 24, Issue 1)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 13/06/2021
  • Published - 18/06/2021

Publication status

Published - 18/06/2021

ISSN

1557-1912

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625023
  • Scopus: 85108210615
  • PubMed: 34143381

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