Free clinic utilisation by immigrants after the introduction of a restrictive health policy in the Basque Country (Spain).
Public Health
; 163: 9-15, 2018 Oct.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30015048
OBJECTIVES: Policies restricting healthcare access for immigrants were applied in times of reduced public funding for welfare in Spain. This study aimed to assess the impact of the implementation of a more restrictive health policy in the Basque Country region, Decree 114/2012, on the number of consultations attended at a free clinic, where the majority of patients are undocumented immigrants. STUDY DESIGN: Interrupted time series. METHODS: A negative binomial regression model was applied in two phases to the number of healthcare consultations during the period 2007-2017 (n = 9272) to estimate the level and trend changes associated with the implementation of the policy. Data were analysed separately by sex and adjusted for consultations' seasonality and unemployment rate and the sex-specific percentage of migrant population in Biscay province as confounding factors. RESULTS: Different trends of attendance between men and women were observed during the whole period, constituting 76.94% and 23.06% of all consultations, respectively. After the implementation of the decree, the number of consultations for women per trimester decreased and increased for men by 1%, although it was not statistically significant in either of the trends. CONCLUSIONS: No clear relationship between the implementation of the Basque Decree 114/2012 and an increase in the attendance of immigrants in a free clinic during the studied period was found.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Emigrantes e Inmigrantes
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Instituciones de Atención Ambulatoria
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Utilización de Instalaciones y Servicios
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Política de Salud
/
Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Public Health
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Países Bajos