[Care for immigrant patients: facts and professionals' perception in 6 primary health care zones in Navarre]. / Atención al paciente inmigrante: realidad y percepción de los profesionales de 6 zonas de Atención Primaria de Navarra.

BACKGROUND: To describe utilisation of health care services and motives for consultation in Primary Care in the native and the immigrant population, and compare this with the perception of primary care professionals. METHODS: Data was collected on health care activity during the year 2006 for all people registered (N=86,966) in the 6 basic health care zones with the highest proportion of immigrants (14.4%) and on the following variables: country of origin, age, sex, year of inscription in the public health service. The health card and OMI-AP programme databases were used. A qualitative methodology of focus groups and in-depth interviews was employed. RESULTS: Seventy-two point four percent of immigrants requested care from the primary care professionals in 2006, of whom 50% proceeded from Ecuador and 70% were between 25 and 44 years old. Eighty-two percent of the natives made consultations and required more referrals to specialised care than the immigrants of the same age group. The most frequent consultation with natives and with immigrants was "acute respiratory infections" (7 to 23% according to age group). The second most frequent with immigrants was "administrative problems". The consultations with immigrants were not related to preventive aspects such as smoking and there were more consultations (p>0.001) for gynaeco-obstetric episodes (10.7%) and those related to work (19%) or psychosomatic problems (8.5%). The perception of the primary care professionals was that the immigrants carry out more consultations than the natives and generate a certain "disorder" in the clinic. CONCLUSION: Immigrants use healthcare services less than the native population. Nonetheless, this fact is not perceived in this way by the primary care professionals. Fewer preventive activities are carried out with immigrants, who suffer from more labour and psychosomatic problems.

Atención al paciente inmigrante: realidad y percepción de los profesionales de 6 zonas de Atención Primaria de Navarra / Care for immigrant patients: facts and professionals’ perception in 6 primary health care zones in Navarre

Fundamento. Describir la utilización de servicios y motivos deconsulta en Atención Primaria entre población autóctona e inmigrantey contrastarla con la percepción que tienen los profesionalesde atención primaria.Material y métodos. Se recogieron datos de actividad asistencialdurante el año 2006 de la totalidad de personas adscritas(N=86.966) a las 6 zonas básicas con mayor proporción de poblacióninmigrante (14,4 %) y las variables: país de origen, edad,sexo, año de alta en el sistema sanitario. Se utilizaron bases datosde tarjeta sanitaria y de programa OMI-AP. Se utilizó metodologíacualitativa de grupos de discusión y entrevistas en profundidad.Resultados. El 72,4% de inmigrantes solicitaron atención de profesionalesde atención primaria en 2006, de los cuales un 50%procedía de Ecuador y un 70% tenía entre 25 y 44 años. Los autóctonosconsultantes fueron el 82% y requirieron más derivacionesa atención especializada que los inmigrantes del mismo grupode edad. La consulta más frecuente en autóctonos e inmigrantesfue «infecciones respiratorias agudas» (7 al 23%, según gruposde edad). La segunda en inmigrantes fue «problemas administrativos». Las consultas de inmigrantes no se relacionan conaspectos preventivos como tabaquismo y sí tuvieron más consultas(p>0,001) de episodios gineco-obstétricos (10,7%) y de losrelacionados con problemas laborales (19%) o psicosomáticos(8,5%). La percepción de los profesionales de atención primariaera que la población inmigrante consulta más que la autóctona ygenera cierto «desorden» en la consulta.Conclusión. Los inmigrantes son menos utilizadores de serviciossanitarios y frecuentadores que los autóctonos. Sin embargo,este hecho no es percibido así por los profesionales de atenciónprimaria. Con inmigrantes se realizan menos actividades preventivasy padecen más problemas laborales y psicosomáticos(AU)

Background. To describe utilisation of health care services andmotives for consultation in Primary Care in the native and theimmigrant population, and compare this with the perception ofprimary care professionals.Methods. Data was collected on health care activity during theyear 2006 for all people registered (N=86,966) in the 6 basic healthcare zones with the highest proportion of immigrants (14.4%) andon the following variables: country of origin, age, sex, year of inscriptionin the public health service. The health card and OMI-APprogramme databases were used. A qualitative methodology offocus groups and in-depth interviews was employed.Results. Seventy-two point four percent of immigrants requestedcare from the primary care professionals in 2006, of whom 50% proceededfrom Ecuador and 70% were between 25 and 44 years old.Eighty-two percent of the natives made consultations and requiredmore referrals to specialised care than the immigrants of the sameage group. The most frequent consultation with natives and with immigrantswas «acute respiratory infections» (7 to 23% according toage group). The second most frequent with immigrants was «administrativeproblems». The consultations with immigrants were notrelated to preventive aspects such as smoking and there were moreconsultations (p>0.001) for gynaeco-obstetric episodes (10.7%) andthose related to work (19%) or psychosomatic problems (8.5%).The perception of the primary care professionals was that the immigrantscarry out more consultations than the natives and generate acertain «disorder» in the clinic.Conclusion. Immigrants use healthcare services less than thenative population. Nonetheless, this fact is not perceived in thisway by the primary care professionals. Fewer preventive activitiesare carried out with immigrants, who suffer from more labourand psychosomatic problems(AU)