Hymy-Kylä: Challenges in the Access and Utilization of Healthcare Services by Elderly Immigrants : a Descriptive Literature Review
Masancay, Michael; Redondo, Elaine Marie; Salayo, Maria Theresa (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202402092743
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202402092743
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this study is to identify the healthcare services utilized by elderly immigrants in their host countries while the aim is to determine the challenges encountered by elderly immigrants.
References were gathered from three (3) reliable academic research databases from the online library of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, namely CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature) with six (6) articles; Medline with 11 articles; and, PubMed with one (1) article included in the study. This study is a descriptive literature review which used a qualitative research design by employing an inductive content analysis to the 18 research materials.
From the 18 references included in the study, findings showed that elderly immigrants utilized primary healthcare services which includes preventive care for treatment of physical condition brought by old age. Secondary healthcare services for chronic conditions such as colorectal cancer and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, isolation, and dementia. Also, elderly immigrants with terminal illnesses utilized palliative care services such as end-of-life care to provide comfort during their remaining days. However, the utilization of such services are hindered by personal, societal, economic and cultural challenges. These were often exacerbated by societal barriers wherein poor communication and unsatisfactory care from healthcare providers result to disappointing experiences causing them to stop from availing the healthcare services.
Elderly immigrants have the tendency to self-manage their illnesses before seeking help from healthcare providers. Their first access to healthcare was the primary care which determined the kind of health services they utilized. These experiences can either proved their inhibitions, reservations, and biases about healthcare services. To invalidate their doubts and promote trust in the host country’s services, this study proposed that both government and the people should act in participating a patient-centred approach to healthcare services because it is a part of the dynamic process of healthcare system.
References were gathered from three (3) reliable academic research databases from the online library of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, namely CINAHL (Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature) with six (6) articles; Medline with 11 articles; and, PubMed with one (1) article included in the study. This study is a descriptive literature review which used a qualitative research design by employing an inductive content analysis to the 18 research materials.
From the 18 references included in the study, findings showed that elderly immigrants utilized primary healthcare services which includes preventive care for treatment of physical condition brought by old age. Secondary healthcare services for chronic conditions such as colorectal cancer and mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, isolation, and dementia. Also, elderly immigrants with terminal illnesses utilized palliative care services such as end-of-life care to provide comfort during their remaining days. However, the utilization of such services are hindered by personal, societal, economic and cultural challenges. These were often exacerbated by societal barriers wherein poor communication and unsatisfactory care from healthcare providers result to disappointing experiences causing them to stop from availing the healthcare services.
Elderly immigrants have the tendency to self-manage their illnesses before seeking help from healthcare providers. Their first access to healthcare was the primary care which determined the kind of health services they utilized. These experiences can either proved their inhibitions, reservations, and biases about healthcare services. To invalidate their doubts and promote trust in the host country’s services, this study proposed that both government and the people should act in participating a patient-centred approach to healthcare services because it is a part of the dynamic process of healthcare system.