| dc.description.abstract | Health is one of the most important assets of a society; it is necessary for social and economic development and for achieving ample length and quality of life for its members. This thesis asserts that health should be a basic resource of the individual and of society as a whole. Understanding health as a fundamental right of every human being is the basis for taking action to improve the health of a society and its development.
The aims of this doctoral thesis are to indicate the role of access to health services in improving the health of immigrants, as well as to identify and present the economic and social conditions and consequences of immigrants' limited access to health benefits in Norway. The study also examines the impact of health on the formation of human capital.
The hypothesis of the field study is that there is a relationship between a society’s state of health and the availability of its health services. The most important research questions are whether health services and health facilities are available to immigrants in Norway, whether the Norwegian health care system responds to the economic and health needs of immigrants, and whether activities in the field to solve immigrants' health problems and enhance their access to health services improve their health.
To answer these questions, a field study was conducted of 60 people living in Norway: 20 African immigrants, 20 European immigrants, and 20 native Norwegians (45 men and 15 women). The study consisted of interviews, observations, and surveys, which were supported by a review of literature. An interdisciplinary approach was applied, referring to areas such as economics and social policy, including health policy and political sciences, to better understand the determinants of the state of health of immigrants.
The findings show that there are differences in the ease or difficulty of access to health services between Norwegian citizens and immigrants, as well as among immigrants. The differences in access among immigrants depend on their origins, genders, incomes, and educations. The findings also show that although the Norwegian government has taken significant steps to ensure that the health of both documented and undocumented immigrants is addressed, immigrants still face health-related challenges, and most end up not seeking medical assistance in times of need. Stress associated with financial adversity and hardship resulting from the social challenges of integrating, together with low socio-economic status, 9 have negative impacts on health. Feelings of social exclusion, lack of knowledge about the health-care system, and socio-economic barriers limit access to health-care services.
The findings indicate that a higher level of social, economic, and political integration could enable migrants to understand the Norwegian healthcare system and, thus, give them the opportunity to better access health services. Because immigrants are a such an important source of human capital, an investment in immigrants as such and in their overall health could provide a subsequent increase in productivity, which in turn could promote the economy.
Therefore, the Norwegian Government should take steps to ensure that any barriers to access to health care services, in particular its high costs and sometimes the unfavorable attitude of Norwegians toward immigrants, are eliminated. The social, economic, and political integration of migrants, the existence of local health-care services and education, the use and involvement of mediators from immigrant communities, and the recognition of individual needs are found to be key factors that would enable improved immigrant access to health services. | en_US |
