“Falling off the radar” – uninsured Chinese patients in Austria

Abstract

Abstract Background Even in European welfare states with close to universal health coverage, undocumented migrants often fail to gain access to essential health services, falling “off the radar” of public health policies. Our study aimed to explore the characteristics, health problems and health care needs of undocumented Chinese migrants in Vienna, Austria. Methods We analysed anonymized medical records of 74 Chinese migrants utilizing the services of a non-governmental organization (NGO) providing primary care to uninsured people in Vienna during a three-month period. The medical data was then coded using the International Classification of Primary Care, 2nd version. Results At present, NGOs in Austria fill major gaps in access to health services that exist in the public system. The most frequently diagnosed health problems in the study sample were cardiovascular and metabolic-related diseases (hypertension and diabetes) and there was a high burden of multiple chronic non-communicable diseases. Conclusions NGOs can play a vital role in providing health services to underserved groups, and they can also contribute to public health surveillance and the collection of high-quality data.