[Improving access to migrant populations for epidemiological research-guided interviews with German experts]

Recruiting people with selected citizenships for the health interview survey GEDA Fokus throughout Germany: evaluation of recruitment efforts and recommendations for future research

BACKGROUND

Germany is the second most common country of immigration after the US. However, people with own or familial history of migration are not represented proportionately to the population within public health monitoring and reporting. To bridge this data gap and enable differentiated analyses on migration and health, we conducted the health interview survey GEDA Fokus among adults with Croatian, Italian, Polish, Syrian, or Turkish citizenship living throughout Germany. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of recruitment efforts regarding participation and sample composition.

METHODS

Data collection for this cross-sectional and multilingual survey took place between 11/2021 and 5/2022 utilizing a sequential mixed-mode design, including self-administered web- and paper-based questionnaires as well as face-to-face and telephone interviews. The gross sample (n = 33436; age range 18-79 years) was randomly drawn from the residents' registers in 120 primary sampling units based on citizenship. Outcome rates according to the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the sample composition throughout the multistage recruitment process, utilization of survey modes, and questionnaire languages are presented.

RESULTS

Overall, 6038 persons participated, which corresponded to a response rate of 18.4% (range: 13.8% for Turkish citizenship to 23.9% for Syrian citizenship). Home visits accounted for the largest single increase in response. During recruitment, more female, older, as well as participants with lower levels of education and income took part in the survey. People with physical health problems and less favourable health behaviour more often took part in the survey at a later stage, while participants with symptoms of depression or anxiety more often participated early. Utilization of survey modes and questionnaire languages differed by sociodemographic and migration-related characteristics, e.g. participants aged 50 years and above more often used paper- than web-based questionnaires and those with a shorter duration of residence more often used a translated questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

Multiple contact attempts, including home visits and different survey languages, as well as offering different modes of survey administration, increased response rates and most likely reduced non-response bias. In order to adequately represent and include the diversifying population in public health monitoring, national public health institutes should tailor survey designs to meet the needs of different population groups considered hard to survey to enable their survey participation.

Access Barriers to Dental Treatment and Prevention for Turkish Migrants in Germany – A Qualitative Survey

Introduction

The worldwide migration movement is growing and thereby challenging the health care systems of immigration countries like Germany to make health care equally accessible for all people. Due to their low oral health status and low uptake rates of dental treatment and prevention, migrants were detected as a vulnerable group. Data regarding dental care access barriers of this group is limited. Therefore, the following study established a deeper understanding of unknown access barriers.

Methods

Nine expert interviews and one focus group interview were conducted semi-structured via interview guideline in the period of August until October 2018. The experts were persons with strong vocational interactions and experiences with the sector oral health care and migration. The focus group participants had a Turkish migration background.

Results

The expert and focus group interviews revealed a variety of barriers that exist toward dental treatment and prevention for migrants. Language, perceived significance of oral health, oral health knowledge, health socialization and patient-dentist interaction were detected to be the main barriers with underlying subthemes and interactions. Furthermore, a predominantly not precaution-oriented dental service utilization of migrants was underlined by the interviewees. Additionally, ways to reach a higher cultural sensitivity in oral health care were stated.

Conclusion

With respect for research, there is a need for the integration of migrant-specific items when collecting health data from people. With respect for policy, there is a need for more structural and individual attention for promoting equal access to oral health care and prevention measures for people with a migrant background.

Results and Strategies for a Diversity-Oriented Public Health Monitoring in Germany

Germany is a country of immigration; 27% of the population are people with a migration background (PMB). As other countries, Germany faces difficulties in adequately including hard-to-survey populations like PMB into national public health monitoring. The IMIRA project was initiated to develop strategies to adequately include PMB into public health monitoring and to represent diversity in public health reporting. Here, we aim to synthesize the lessons learned for diversity-oriented public health monitoring and reporting in Germany. We also aim to derive recommendations for further research on migration and health. We conducted two feasibility studies (interview and examination surveys) to improve the inclusion of PMB. Study materials were developed in focus groups with PMB. A systematic review investigated the usability of the concept of acculturation. A scoping review was conducted on discrimination as a health determinant. Furthermore, core indicators were defined for public health reporting on PMB. The translated questionnaires were well accepted among the different migrant groups. Home visits increased the participation of hard-to-survey populations. In examination surveys, multilingual explanation videos and video-interpretation services were effective. Instead of using the concept of acculturation, we derived several dimensions to capture the effects of migration status on health, which were more differentiated. We also developed an instrument to measure subjectively perceived discrimination. For future public health reporting, a set of 25 core indicators was defined to report on the health of PMB. A diversity-oriented public health monitoring should include the following: (1) multilingual, diversity-sensitive materials, and tools; (2) different modes of administration; (3) diversity-sensitive concepts; (4) increase the participation of PMB; and (5) continuous public health reporting, including constant reflection and development of concepts and methods.

["We knew it was going to be tough, but we didn't expect this!" Experiences with the inclusion of cancer patients with a migrant background and their relatives in the field of psycho-oncology]

Hintergrund

Der Prozess des Studieneinschlusses von Teilnehmenden ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil und oftmals aufwendiger Arbeitsschritt in wissenschaftlichen Forschungsprojekten. Aufgrund unterschiedlicher finanzieller, organisatorischer und ethischer Rahmenbedingungen stellt die fristgerechte Gewinnung von Teilnehmenden häufig eine Herausforderung dar. In diesem Beitrag berichten wir über unsere Erfahrungen hinsichtlich des Studieneinschlusses, die wir im Projekt „Psychoonkologische Versorgung von Krebspatienten mit Migrationshintergrund – eine Mixed-Methods-Studie“ (POM) gemacht haben.

Methode

Die Gewinnung von Teilnehmenden erfolgte über ambulante hämato-onkologische Schwerpunktpraxen. Patient*innen und Angehörige wurden in erster Linie durch die behandelnden Ärzt*innen auf das Projekt aufmerksam gemacht und für eine Teilnahme an qualitativen Interviews gewonnen.

Ergebnisse

Es wurden bundesweit neun Patient*innen und Angehörige in qualitativen Einzelinterviews befragt. Abgesehen von der COVID-19-Pandemie gab es weitere Herausforderungen beim Studieneinschluss. In vielen Fällen wurde eine Teilnahme von Patient*innen abgelehnt. Gründe hierfür waren u.a. „kein Interesse“, der Gebrauch der Begriffe „Psychoonkologie“ oder „Mensch mit Migrationshintergrund“, ein Verbot der Teilnahme durch die Angehörigen, kein persönliches Interview aufgrund der COVID-19-Pandemie sowie eine zu starke emotionale Belastung und Verschlechterung des Gesundheitszustands nach vorheriger Einwilligung.

Diskussion

Die Gewinnung von Studienteilnehmenden aus vulnerablen Gruppen für ein sensibles Thema wie der Psychoonkologie bringt vielfache Herausforderungen mit sich. Um dennoch einen erfolgreichen Studieneinschluss zu erlangen, erwies sich ein regelmäßiger telefonischer und schriftlicher Austausch mit den jeweils zuständigen Praxismitarbeitenden als hilfreich, wodurch ein Überblick über Herausforderungen erlangt und der Studieneinschluss evaluiert und zeitnah angepasst werden konnte.

Schlussfolgerung

In Forschungsprojekten mit vulnerablen Gruppen und zu sensiblen Themen sollten sowohl eine zielgruppenspezifische, feinfühlige und laienverständliche Ansprache als auch regelmäßige Rücksprachen mit den Personen erfolgen, die für den Studieneinschluss in Versorgungseinrichtungen verantwortlich sind, um ggf. im Laufe des Studieneinschlusses das bisherige Verfahren anzupassen. Basierend auf den Erfahrungen der POM-Studie werden Lösungsansätze für Versorgungsforschungsstudien mit vulnerablen Gruppen und bei sensiblen Themen aufgezeigt.

Process- and outcome evaluation of an orientation programme for refugee health professionals

Refugee health professionals experience several barriers on their path to re-entering their original occupations in host countries. Several training programmes exist in order to address these barriers and enable a successful labour market integration.Objective: This study aims to evaluate a specific orientation programme for the labour market integration of refugee health professionals in Germany. The programme lasts three months and comprises three elements (German technical terminology language course, cross-cultural coaching and a job shadowing).Design: A mixed-methods design was implemented to evaluate the programme. To assess participants' skills improvement and satisfaction, self-developed questionnaires were used. For in-depth-evaluation of individual experiences, qualitative interviews were conducted at four time points (pre, half-time, post, follow-up) with both programme participants and programme providers about their experiences.Results: Participants described impacts on their personal situation and improvement of their language, professional and formal skills. Some participants also described negative effects mostly due to unsupervised shadowing. Additional barriers, such as cost of travel were identified as challenges for participation.Conclusion: Training programmes may affect language skills, professional skills and formal resources. However, programme providers need to anticipate negative effects and introduce actions for preventing negative outcomes. Moreover, programmes should be designed to reduce work-related fear and anxiety amongst participants.