The CHANCE consortium will held a workshop on the 4th Conference on Migrant and Minority Health in Europe, in Milan, Italy.
HRC building: Need for health professionals trained to work in a multicultural environment
With the growing number of migrants into the EU their physical and mental status of health gets an increasing relevance. Following factors have an important impact on migrants` health:
biological and genetic preconditions, cultural and political requirements of their home- and host country, experiences during the process of migration, social conditions etc.
For protecting the physical and mental health of migrants in their host country, a multifactorial approach on the background of the bio-psycho-social model of health is therefore needed. Experts with specific migrants-related knowledge have to be trained by institutions of higher academic education to enable them to meet the complex task of migrants’ health assurance.
In such a training programme, two dimensions are of particular importance:
- Assessment of risk-factors on the physical and mental health of migrants
- Development and implementation of intervention strategies for maintaining a sustainable health status in migrants.
Following core competencies have to be trained:
- Intercultural competences
- Risk-assessment strategies from a bio-psycho-social perspective
- Problem-solving-, cooperation- and communication-skills.
Funded by the European Commission ERASMUS program, the CHANCE consortium of European universities is developing an MSc curriculum for future experts in migrants’ health. It includes the modules:
- Economic and health economic impacts on migration (University of Pécs, Hungary)
- Organisation and system management ( Donau-University Krems, Austria)
- Epidemiology and research methods ( University of East-Anglia, Norwich, UK)
- Clinical and public health assessment ( University of Kosice, Slovakia)
- Social and cultural aspects on migrants ‘physical and mental health ( University Medicine Greifswald, Germany, Medical University Graz, Austria)
- Environmental and occupational Aspects on Migrants `Health ( University of Pécs, Hungary)
The graduates of this programme will attain a European Master in Migrants Health. By supporting a successful integration of migrants into their host country the future experts will thus make a contribution to maintain the health of an important population group in modern western societies.