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Barriers to health care access and service utilization of refugees in Austria: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey

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  • Kohlenberger, Judith
  • Buber-Ennser, Isabella
  • Rengs, Bernhard
  • Leitner, Sebastian
  • Landesmann, Michael

Abstract

This paper provides evidence on (1) refugees’ subjective well-being, (2) their access and barriers to health care utilization and (3) their perception of health care provision in Austria, one of the countries most heavily affected by the European ‘refugee crisis.’ It is based on primary data from the Refugee Health and Integration Survey (ReHIS), a cross-sectional survey of roughly five hundred Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees. Results indicate that refugees’ self-rated health falls below the resident population’s, in particular for female and Afghan refugees. Whereas respondents state overall high satisfaction with the Austrian health system, two in ten male and four in ten female refugees report unmet health needs. Most frequently cited barriers include scheduling conflicts, long waiting lists, lack of knowledge about doctors, and language. Although treatment costs were not frequently considered as barriers, consultation of specialist medical services frequently associated with co-payment by patients, in particular dental care, are significantly less often consulted by refugees than by Austrians. Refugees reported comparably high utilization of hospital services, with daycare treatment more common than inpatient stays. We recommend to improve refugees’ access to health care in Austria by a) improving the information flow about available treatment, in particular specialists, b) fostering dental health care for refugees, and c) addressing language barriers by providing (web-based) interpretation services.

Suggested Citation

  • Kohlenberger, Judith & Buber-Ennser, Isabella & Rengs, Bernhard & Leitner, Sebastian & Landesmann, Michael, 2019. "Barriers to health care access and service utilization of refugees in Austria: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(9), pages 833-839.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:123:y:2019:i:9:p:833-839
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2019.01.014
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    1. Isabella Buber-Ennser & Judith Kohlenberger & Bernhard Rengs & Zakarya Al Zalak & Anne Goujon & Erich Striessnig & Michaela Potančoková & Richard Gisser & Maria Rita Testa & Wolfgang Lutz, 2016. "Human Capital, Values, and Attitudes of Persons Seeking Refuge in Austria in 2015," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(9), pages 1-29, September.
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    2. Saleh Aljadeeah & Veronika J. Wirtz & Eckhard Nagel, 2021. "Barriers to Accessing Medicines among Syrian Asylum Seekers and Refugees in a German Federal State," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Yonas Semere Kidane & Sandra Ziegler & Verena Keck & Janine Benson-Martin & Albrecht Jahn & Temesghen Gebresilassie & Claudia Beiersmann, 2021. "Eritrean Refugees’ and Asylum-Seekers’ Attitude towards and Access to Oral Healthcare in Heidelberg, Germany: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Ellen Heidinger, 2023. "Overcoming Barriers to Service Access: Refugees’ Professional Support Service Utilization and the Impact of Human and Social Capital," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 271-312, March.
    5. Stefan Jestl & Michael Landesmann & Sebastian Leitner & Sandra M. Leitner & Isilda Mara & Maryna Tverdostup, 2023. "wiiw Studies on the Integration of Middle Eastern Refugees in Austria, Based on FIMAS Surveys and Register-based Labour Market Career Data," wiiw Policy Notes 74, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    6. Clara Albrecht & Maria Hofbauer Pérez & Tanja Stitteneder, 2021. "Migration Monitor: The Importance of Gender-Specific Approaches for the Integration of Female Refugees," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 74(04), pages 63-69, April.
    7. Nazik M. Nurelhuda & Mark T. Keboa & Herenia P. Lawrence & Belinda Nicolau & Mary Ellen Macdonald, 2021. "Advancing Our Understanding of Dental Care Pathways of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Canada: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-11, August.
    8. Qingjun Zhao & Meijing Song & Hanrui Wang, 2022. "Voting with Your Feet: The Impact of Urban Public Health Service Accessibility on the Permanent Migration Intentions of Rural Migrants in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    9. Theodorou Andreas & Koufioti Georgia & EKounios Athanasios & Dr. Vlachadi Maria, 2023. "A Study of the Factors Affecting Dental Community Health in a Multicultural Immigrant Educational Environment. A Systematic Review of the Recent Scientific Articles," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(4), pages 278-297, April.
    10. Sadatoshi Matsuoka & Madhu Kharel & Kyoko Koto-Shimada & Maiko Hashimoto & Hiroyuki Kiyohara & Azusa Iwamoto & Mika Nishihara & Masami Fujita, 2022. "Access to Health-Related Information, Health Services, and Welfare Services among South and Southeast Asian Immigrants in Japan: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, September.
    11. Christine Happle & Christian Dopfer & Diana Ernst & Evelyn Kleinert & Annabelle Vakilzadeh & Susanne Hellms & Iro Evlampidou & Nele Hillermann & Reinhold E. Schmidt & Georg M. N. Behrens & Frank Mülle, 2019. "Pediatric Healthcare Utilization in a Large Cohort of Refugee Children Entering Western Europe During the Migrant Crisis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-11, November.
    12. Nielsen, Maj Rørdam & Jervelund, Signe Smith, 2023. "Impacts of an interpretation fee on immigrants’ access to healthcare: Evidence from a Danish survey study among newly arrived immigrants," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    13. Stefan Jestl & Maryna Tverdostup, 2023. "The Labour Market Entry and Integration of Refugees and Other Migrants in Austria," wiiw Working Papers 231, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    14. Anna Christina Nowak & Yudit Namer & Claudia Hornberg, 2022. "Health Care for Refugees in Europe: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-10, January.
    15. Judith Kohlenberger & Milda Žilinskaitė & Aida Hajro & Irina Vafiadis & Sabina Bikic, 2021. "Essential, yet invisible: working conditions of Amazon delivery workers during COVID-19 and beyond," Working Paper Reihe der AK Wien - Materialien zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 230, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik.

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