RESUMO
BACKGROUND: National as well as international research often shows differences in health and health behavior between children and youth with and without migration background. It is also noted that there are differences in the use of health services depending on the migration background. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 266 pediatric patients, regarding their hospitalization, general impression of health status and length of stay in a hospital, were analyzed depending on the migration background. Information on migration background and treatment-related data were obtained from the parents of the patient or from the hospital information system (SAP). 20.7% of patients (n=55) had a migration background. RESULTS: Migrants were hospitalized more often under a participation of the emergency room than non-migrants; also migrants showed a more severe illness picture. Regarding the number of diagnoses and length of stay as well as the distribution of the main diagnoses, no differences were found. DISCUSSION: Language barriers, culture-specific ideas about illness and insufficient knowledge of the German health care system were discussed as possible reasons to for the differences between migrants and non-migrants. CONCLUSION: This study confirms already known differences in the use of health services by people with and without migration background. The results indicate worse health status in migrant patients compared to non-migrants by hospitalization. Future research with greater numbers of participants should specifically investigate on this point.