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When to see a doctor for common health problems: distribution patterns of functional health literacy across migrant populations in Switzerland

Ackermann Rau, Sabine ; Sakarya, Sibel ; Abel, Thomas

In: International Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 59, no. 6, p. 967-974

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    Titre
    • When to see a doctor for common health problems: distribution patterns of functional health literacy across migrant populations in Switzerland
    Auteur
    • Ackermann Rau, Sabine. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Bern, Bern, Switzerland
    • Sakarya, Sibel. School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
    • Abel, Thomas. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Bern, Bern, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Langue
    • Inglese
    Publié dans
    • International Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 59, no. 6, p. 967-974. Springer Basel
    Autre version électronique
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:326131
    Summary
    Background: Knowing when to seek professional help for health problems is considered an important aspect of health literacy. However, little is known about the distribution of help-seeking knowledge in the general population or specific subpopulations. Methods: We analysed data from the "Health Monitoring of the Swiss Migrant Population 2010” and used a short survey tool to study the distribution of help-seeking knowledge. We sampled members of four migrant groups (from Portugal, Turkey, Serbia and Kosovo; n=2,614). Our tool contained 12 items that addressed common physical and psychological health problems. A total sum score measured help-seeking knowledge. Two sub-scores analysed knowledge related to potential overuse (minor symptoms) or potential underuse (major symptoms). We applied linear regression to show variations in help-seeking knowledge by age, sex, region of origin and length of stay. Results: Controlling for self-rated health, we found that region of origin, higher education, female gender and younger age were significantly associated with higher knowledge scores. Conclusions: We present empirical evidence of unequal distribution of help-seeking knowledge across four migrant populations in Switzerland. Our findings contribute to current conceptual developments in health literacy, and provide starting points for future research.