en 
According to a study by the National School of Public Health (ENSP), which included the participation of 1,126 immigrants of different nationalities residing in the metropolitan area of Lisbon, half of the respondents felt they did not have enough information to manage their own health and that 62% would like more support from health professionals to help them understand and manage the system.
Entitled “Health Literacy, Health Promotion and Social Cohesion in Migrant Populations”, the ENSP document from the Universidade Nova de Lisboa highlighted as major challenges for these populations the access to sufficient information to be able to make decisions, the identification of credible sources of information and the relationship with professionals in the sector.
“Thinking about health literacy means thinking about the person's life path, in a multisectoral approach, where policies and interventions are integrated to respond to people's real needs, enhancing their resources, knowledge and skills. Understanding this dynamic is fundamental for the adequacy of interventions to different profiles of health literacy”, said Sónia Dias, coordinator of the study and professor at ENSP.
Within the immigrant community, there are still inequalities in terms of health literacy that weigh, according to the document, especially on women, those over 45 years of age and those with less education or income. This reality also extends to foreigners in an irregular situation in the country and to newcomers, who display greater ignorance of the national health services.
The study did not ignore the covid-19 pandemic and also analyzed its effects on the immigrant population, confirming the worsening of inequalities and the significant impact on these people's health. One in five recognized that the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus had affected their health, with the numbers being more negative among women, the elderly, the most disadvantaged and those with more precarious migration status.
“Given the characteristics of these communities, it is urgent to think of interventions aimed at immigrants in order to bring them closer to care or, in the other sense, to bring care closer to the population. Another relevant aspect is to strengthen support for organizations that are in the field and work with these communities”, explained Sónia Dias.
English
Nederlands
Deutsch
Français
Español
Italiano
Svenska
Pусский
Română
中文
Türkçe
हिन्दी
Português
Українська
اردو
Polski
عربي
Suomi
עִברִית
Afrikaans
Português (Brasil)
Personally, I have found the Portuguese NHS to be excellent, appointments with my doctor at my local Saude, even during the pandemic, are given in days and the care I have received from both my doctor and medics in the hospital for a life threatening condition have been exemplary. Had I still been living in the UK, I would very likely not been writing this now!
By Simon from Other on 02 Oct 2021, 10:39
I was given to believe by your paper Portugal have the best Medical service in the world.!!!!!
By J from Lisbon on 02 Oct 2021, 12:31
It’s been more than three month to sent my all documents for registration. also many visits they are not registering my child , i need his local vaccine card , even security Gaurd not allowing to enter in the centre de saúde , many politicians saying they need population healthy child for future.picture is very different on the ground.
By Ravi from Lisbon on 03 Oct 2021, 13:30
I understand nothinggggg. One year. My teeths fall. My lumb hurt. I go emergency. But nothing.please explain where to go and in which case?
By Fabien from Porto on 05 Oct 2021, 14:24
Personally I have been treated fairly by my SNS health centre. However trying to see a specialist on the medical centres request is utterly ridiculous. I waited a year to see an orthopedic guy and quite honestly I felt fobbed off and that he really didn’t intend to be much help to me. I think there is no money in the health service here. Instead the govt wants to prop up ailing banks with dishonest management and a failing airline.
By Lauree from Other on 05 Oct 2021, 15:32
Personally in my first few years here I was most impressed by the Portuguese NHS. I had one emergency which was actioned quickly an efficiently with entirely appropriate actions and treatment. I then moved. I wen to register on the day the Brexit results came out. Despite having all the correct documentation, having my Portuguese wife there as interpretor, I was met with a frankly abusive and ignorant receptionist, "You're not in the EU anymore. All British are child abusers, they give their babies drugs so they can go drinking all the time." I had to go to her superior to get registered at the new centre, there they were helpful and friendly. Unfortunately I still had the abusive receptionist to deal with, at the local health centre, as she still has her job. I then found out that she has been there for years and is rude to everyone. On the other hand I needed more treatment, the GP was great explained everything and helped me organsie the tests needed and some minor surgery. Sadly the GP retired more than a year ago and we still don't have a replacement.
By Steve Cook from Beiras on 05 Oct 2021, 15:35
The reception staff at my local health centre had no clue. To register me, they insisted on a social security number, which is not needed - in any case, I don't have one. All you need is your residency certificate, as that is what entitles a person to use the Portuguese public health service.
Once I was finally registered, the social security office refused to issue me an EHIC, the European health insurance card. However, that is an automatic right for anyone who is registered in the Portuguese health system. "You can get it in your own country" was what I was incorrectly told!
Note that an EHIC is only valid if you are a resident of the country that issued it. So if you now live in Portugal and have an EHIC from another EU country, it is no longer valid, and you should apply for a Portuguese one.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 05 Oct 2021, 18:05
Amusingly, the headline could have been ‘Readers struggling with waffly language used in study report’.
Presumably, statements like “Thinking about health literacy means thinking about the person's life path, in a multisectoral approach, where policies and interventions are integrated to respond to people's real needs, enhancing their resources, knowledge and skills….” could have been “Helping people understand what health service are available and how to access them.” Of course, that might not have impressed the top health professionals who prefer obscure jargon to clear language, but it might have helped most others who read the study.
By Paula from Other on 06 Oct 2021, 07:20
On the whole I have found the Health Service in Portugal excellent, all except our local doctor. You would be better off going to see the local greengrocer. He just doesn't want to know the English. However if we go to the main health centre in town it's fine. Once in the system to see specialists we have never had a problem. Excellent.
By Martin from Lisbon on 08 Oct 2021, 11:58
I'm a Portuguese emigrant and citizen of two countries. Over the last 40 years I often visit Portugal and lately have stayed there over extended periods of time. During some of those stays members of my family and myself have required medical assistance. Each time the private hospital health care services received were excellent and generally better in terms of waiting times and quality than those provided under the public/private health care service plans of the country/province where I live. I never used the "SNS", so I can't comment on that. Otherwise, just praise! When back I was always promptly reimbursed for my medical expenses under my private and public health care insurance plans.
By Tony Fernandes from Other on 11 Oct 2021, 19:16
In my area, it is not the medical staff who are obstructive, but the administrators. It is vital in health above all other fields that those in control try to accommodate the language difficulties of their clients. Where I live, they absolutely refuse to do so.
By David Littlewood from Algarve on 11 Oct 2021, 20:14