Taking care of foreign users: what training is needed for the healthcare workers at the Municipal Health and Science Agency of Torino?

Abstract

Immigration is growing and immigrants' presence is important also in the health care system, thereby services reorientation and a multicultural approach are needed. To explore health care professionals' training needs of Turin Azienda Città della Salute e della Scienza in taking care of foreign users. An ad hoc 4-sections questionnaire was built: (1) Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions; (2) Lived and Training; (3) Improvement in cultural competence; (4) Socio-demographic data. Questions were dichotomous (yes/no), closed and short open. Doctors, nurses, speech therapists and support staff of the "Head and Neck" Department were involved. One hundred seventy-six operators answered (75%). Less than 20% (n=34) knew the normative concerning immigrants' health services use; tubercolosis, venereal diseases and AIDS were believed to be the most frequent diseases in foreign users. Female sex (p=0.008) and allied health care profile (trend p=0051) were significantly associated to consider clients' values important, while a previous training was associated to the need of improving their knowledge (p=0.0002). The most important training needs were: meaning of illness and care, perception of prevention, hygiene and self-care practices and perception of care. Among the most effective strategies: lecture and discussion, group work and filmography. The analysis shows the main needing education areas and the training strategies which operators considered more effective.