Addressing Healthcare Gaps in Sweden during the COVID-19 Outbreak: On Community Outreach and Empowering Ethnic Minority Groups in a Digitalized Context

Since its early stages, the COVID-19 pandemic has interacted with existing divides by ethnicity and socioeconomic statuses, exacerbating further inequalities in high-income countries. The Swedish public health strategy, built on mutual trust between the government and the society and giving the resp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Healthcare (Basel) 2020-11, Vol.8 (4), p.445
Main Authors: Valeriani, Giuseppe, Sarajlic Vukovic, Iris, Lindegaard, Tomas, Felizia, Roberto, Mollica, Richard, Andersson, Gerhard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Coronaviruses
Country of birth
COVID-19
Disease transmission
e-Health
empowerment
Health care policy
health gaps
Immigrants
Low income groups
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Minority & ethnic groups
Mortality
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Pandemics
Public health
Retirement
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
social determinants of health
Society
Sociodemographics
Womens health
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Summary:Since its early stages, the COVID-19 pandemic has interacted with existing divides by ethnicity and socioeconomic statuses, exacerbating further inequalities in high-income countries. The Swedish public health strategy, built on mutual trust between the government and the society and giving the responsibility to the individual, has been criticized for not applying a dedicated and more diverse strategy for most disadvantaged migrants in dealing with the pandemic. In order to mitigate the unequal burden on the marginalized members of society, increasing efforts have been addressed to digital health technologies. Despite the strong potential of providing collective public health benefits, especially in a highly digitalized context as Sweden, need for a stronger cooperation between the public health authorities and migrant community leaders, representatives of migrant associations, religious leaders and other influencers of disadvantaged groups has emerged. Suggestions are presented on more culturally congruent, patient-centered health care services aimed to empower people to participate in a more effective public health response to the COVID-19 crisis.
ISSN:2227-9032
2227-9032
DOI:10.3390/healthcare8040445