Improving access to health of Migrants in France. Qualitative assessment of a national guide

Abstract

Abstract The National Public Health Agency and the Committee for the healthcare of persons in exile are providing, in the service of professionals, a Practical Guide for the care and the accompaniment of Migrants Foreigners living in precarious conditions, in France. The 2015 edition of this guide has been subjected to qualitative assessment in order to gather information regarding its use, the way it is perceived by its users, as well as their subsequent expectations, in order to design a new version that is more adapted to their needs. The study was carried out in December 2018 by an independent market research institute with the following design: 24 face-to-face interviews, whose duration was 1h30min, involving current users or past users: 6 working in structures specialised in accommodation for migrants, 6 in health care facilities, 6 in municipal or departmental social service facilities.3 focus groups, of 7-8 people, whose duration was 2H30min, involving potential future users of the guide. The recruitment of the participants took place in 3 cities as well as the overseas departments. The findings show: the legitimacy of this guide which is co-produced by an official national agency and an association recognized for its expertise.the interest of a transversal and multi-professional approach which allows to better grasp the social, legal and medical support and carethe need for information and operational resources This assessment underlines the relevance of the content and the symbolic importance of this guide which ’materializes’ the needs in terms of access to the rights and health of migrant people, often overlooked by professionals and administrations. It is thus a vehicle of vocational training and advocacy on this subject. The study provides concrete ways of optimization, particularly via digitalization, in order to cope with the rapid obsolescence of information, the availability of local directories and the need for exchange of professional practices. Key messages A national guide co written by a national agency and an association is a relevant tool to draw attention to migrants needs. Qualitative assessment highlighted the operationnal and symbolic role of this guide to foster cross professionnal work.