TY - JOUR T1 - Immigrants’ access to health care: Problems identified in a high-risk tuberculosis population JO - Pulmonology T2 - AU - Linhas,R. AU - Oliveira,O. AU - Meireles,P. AU - Oliveira,P. AU - de Melo,M.B. AU - Lourenço,J. AU - Ferreira,F. AU - Gaio,R. AU - Duarte,R. SN - 25310437 M3 - 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2018.04.002 DO - 10.1016/j.pulmoe.2018.04.002 UR - https://www.journalpulmonology.org/en-immigrants-access-health-care-problems-articulo-S2531043718300710 AB - IntroductionImmigrants may utilize health care services differently than other residents and may also have a greater risk for tuberculosis (TB). ObjectiveIdentify barriers to healthcare access by immigrants, factors associated with these barriers, and discuss strategies that may reduce these barriers. Material and methodsAnonymous questionnaires were given to immigrants at National Immigrant Support Centres between 2015 and 2016. Barriers to healthcare were identified using logistic regression. ResultsOne-hundred and nineteen questionnaires were administered to immigrants, 9 of whom (8%) presented with TB while in Portugal. Twenty-one percent of immigrants reported barriers to healthcare access, and 69% had general practitioners (GPs). The presence of barriers to healthcare access was negatively associated with having a GP and with being married or in a de facto union. ConclusionsA considerable proportion of immigrants reported having difficulties accessing healthcare services in Portugal where legally these barriers are nonexistent. Certain factors were associated with these difficulties. ER -