title: Health Care Experiences and Perceived Barriers to Health Care Access: A Qualitative Study Among African Migrants in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
abstract: Guangzhou, one of China's largest cities and a main trading port in South China, has attracted many African businessmen and traders migrating to the city for financial gains. Previous research has explored the cultural and economic roles of this newly emerging population; however, little is known about their health care experiences while in China. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to assess health care experiences and perceived barriers to health care access among African migrants in Guangzhou, China. Overall, African migrants experienced various barriers to accessing health care and were dissatisfied with local health services. The principal barriers to care reported included affordability, legal issues, language barriers, and cultural differences. Facing multiple barriers, African migrants have limited access to care in Guangzhou. Local health settings are not accustomed to the African migrant population, suggesting that providing linguistically and culturally appropriate services may improve access to care for the migrants.
authors.affiliation: Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road, N.E., Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA, lavinia.lin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lavinia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Katherine B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jingqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Joshua M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schrock
authors.forename: Adams B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Bodomo
authors.forename: Ligang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nehl
authors.forename: Joseph D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Frank Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003219:Confidentiality; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology*; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D063505:Racism; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors