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Providing medical care for undocumented migrants in Denmark: what are the challenges for health professionals?

Document number
2836
Date
2011
Title
Providing medical care for undocumented migrants in Denmark: what are the challenges for health professionals?
Author/publisher
Danish Research Centre for Migration, Queen Mary University of London
Availability
LSI library
Document type(s)
Research/Study/Analysis,
Keywords
restrictive migration measures, healthcare, undocumented migrants,
Summary
Researchers at the Danish Research Centre for Migration and Queen Mary University of London published in June 2011 a study entitled "Providing medical care for undocumented migrants in Denmark: what are the challenges for health professionals?". The study focuses on how health professionals in Denmark provide care to undocumented migrants and the barriers that they face in providing treatment. Interviews were conducted with general practitioners and emergency room physicians. Results from the study showed problems faced by general practitioners regarding the financial aspects in terms of the expenses not being covered by the patient, concerns about how to handle further referrals and uncertainty as to whether to involve the police. The study concludes that based on findings undocumented migrants experience an unequal access to primary care facilities and uncertainty among health professionals in how to respond thus highlighting the need to develop an official policy manual providing guidelines on the delivery of health care to undocumented migrants.
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