The first contacts between healthcare providers and newly-arrived asylum seekers: a qualitative study about which issues need to be addressed

Asylum seekers have been recognized as having unique and complex health needs which require attention upon arrival in the host country. Not much is known about what issues to address in first contacts with asylum seekers. The purpose of this study is to give insight in the specific issues that healthcare providers need to address in the first contacts with newly arrived asylum seekers. A qualitative study using different types of data in 2007 and 2008. Questionnaires (n = 89) were used as input for seven group interviews with Dutch care providers (n = 46) working with asylum seekers in the Netherlands, were qualitatively analysed, using a framework method. Healthcare providers identified four issues they aimed to address in first contacts with asylum seekers: (1) assessing the current health condition; (2) health risk assessment; (3) providing information about the healthcare system of the host country; and (4) health education. The first contacts between healthcare providers and asylum seekers serve different goals, especially assessing health problems and risks, and providing health information. These issues may, however, be addressed differently by different healthcare providers, across different host countries, dependent on the way healthcare and medical insurance for asylum seekers are organized