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Governing healthy migrant families: Migrants’ and health workers’ views and perceptions of child health and wellbeing services in the UK

McClean, Stuart

Authors

Profile image of Stuart McClean

Dr Stuart McClean Stuart.Mcclean@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor Public Health (Health & Wellbeing)



Abstract

Background: Migrating between countries involves adjustment and movement between healthcare systems, in addition to a changing relationship between the migrant individual/family) and the state. The objective of this paper is to explore how migrant parents and families, originating from different countries of origin (both within and outside of the EU), understand and make sense of the UK health care system, including preventive child health services.
Methods: Five focus groups were held (n=28) with parents of pre-school children who had migrated from Romania, Poland, Pakistan or Somalia in the last ten years. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with key stakeholders who were directly involved in assisting migrant parents to access UK health services, such as refugee health and link workers, an interpreter, and a health visitor.
Findings: Migrant parents’ views reflected the shifting balance between state and parental responsibility, focusing on the values of a child centred society in the UK and the contrast to their country of origin. Whilst lifestyle interventions were mostly viewed positively, some migrants distrusted wider public health interventions and were critical of societal perceptions of risk. Views about acute and preventive services in the UK often reflected a more consumer-oriented value-system.
Conclusion: This study highlights the relational aspects of both migrants’ and health care workers’ views about child health and wellbeing services in the context of both shifting welfare ideology in the UK and perceptions of citizenship rights

Journal Article Type Article
Conference Name World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health
Start Date May 17, 2018
End Date May 19, 2018
Acceptance Date Dec 11, 2017
Online Publication Date Apr 17, 2018
Publication Date May 1, 2018
Journal European Journal of Public Health
Print ISSN 1101-1262
Publisher Oxford University Press (OUP)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 28
Issue S1
Pages 76
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky047.168
Keywords migrant health, wellbeing, child health, qualitative methods
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/868733
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky047.168
Additional Information Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health