[Postal Survey Among Women With Turkish Migration Background in Germany - Identification, Sample Revision and Response in the InEMa Study]. / Postalische Befragung von Frauen mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund ­ Identifizierung, Stichprobenbereinigung und Response im Rahmen der InEMa-Studie.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Migrants are an important target group for mailed surveys but also difficult to reach. For planning these surveys and invitational health measures, we assessed response figures for women with and without Turkish migration background. METHODS: Women aged 50 years living in Westphalia-Lippe were invited to a postal survey at 2 time points about mammography screening. Turkish migrant women were identified in the contact database by a name-based algorithm. Possible differences in sample revision and response among women with and without Turkish migration background were assessed. RESULTS: Women with Turkish migration background had unknown addresses significantly more often (4.6 vs. 1.7%) and responded to the questionnaires less often (first questionnaire: 14.3 vs. 35.9%; second questionnaire: 70.7 vs. 85.6%). CONCLUSIONS: For postal invitation to participate in healthcare measures, or recruitment of Turkish migrants for studies, differences in current address and readiness to respond must be taken into consideration.

Determinants of mammography screening participation among Turkish immigrant women in Germany--a qualitative study reflecting key informants' and women's perspectives.

Mammography screening programmes aiming to reduce mortality from breast cancer are implemented in most European countries. Immigrant women are less likely to participate than women of the respective autochthonous populations in several European countries but not in Germany. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 key informants and 10 Turkish immigrant women aged 50-69 years to analyse the factors influencing their screening participation in Germany. Interviews were analysed using summarising content analysis. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used for structuring the results. Key informants stated poor German language skills and insufficient knowledge about breast cancer and screening as factors influencing screening participation. Immigrant women demonstrated basic knowledge about screening, but their attitudes towards screening varied. Information from the invitation letter of the screening programme was often filtered by family members. Key informants tended to emphasise barriers and system-related factors while the Turkish women focused more on factors on the individual level. Contrasting both perspectives is helpful for health professionals to critically assess their own views. Measures to improve screening participation need to address not only barriers but also take women's attitudes and norms into account, thus helping women to make an informed decision.

[Health care among older people with Turkish migration background: qualitative survey of health mediators]. / Gesundheitsversorgung älterer Menschen mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund: Qualitative Befragung von Gesundheitsmediatoren.

BACKGROUND: Older people with a Turkish migration background face various barriers in terms of access to and quality of health care. Providing health care according to their subjective and objective needs is of increasing importance considering demographic aging. The aim of this study was to illustrate challenges older migrants experience in the health care process from the viewpoint of health mediators. METHOD: Construct interviews were conducted with six health mediators and were analyzed by means of content analysis. RESULTS: The interviews showed three different challenges in health care for people with a Turkish migration background. These were the patients' coping with the disease, their health beliefs, and factors associated with the health care process and the doctor-patient relationship. CONCLUSION: The study highlights that it is important to make health care institutions aware of the culture specific characteristics of illness and therapy beliefs among people with a Turkish migrations background. Diversity management is an adequate strategy to adjust health care to the needs and requirements of an increasingly diverse population.