Contacts of general practitioners with illegal immigrants

Violence and economic hardship cause many people to go to industrialized countries, often without obtaining a residence permit. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the factors that determine the occurrence of contacts in primary health care with such illegal immigrants.

Data were analysed on contacts with illegal immigrants from a national survey among Dutch general practitioners (GPs) (n = 1,148; response: 62%).

GPs reported that they have on average 0.74 patient contacts with an illegal immigrant per week (95% CI: 0.56-0.92). This probably includes some over-reporting. Contacts are more likely in practices and communities that comprise more non-Dutch-born people and more (patients with) typically urban health problems. Working experience and demography of the GP are not independently associated with the occurrence of contacts.

Contacts of Dutch GPs with illegal immigrants mostly occur in the deprived areas of the big cities.