The Short Notes series intends to provide analyses on key topics related with the health sector. This Short Note explores how immigrants' origin (born within or outside the European Union) and their reasons for migrating (economic or non-economic) influence their mental health, access to health care, and health risk behaviors in Portugal.
Data show that immigrants from other EU countries tend to have better mental health than natives – a phenomenon known as the healthy immigrant effect. This effect is also observed among immigrants who move to Portugal for non-economic reasons. The analysis further reveals that certain groups of immigrants (those born outside the EU; those who migrate to Portugal for economic reasons) face greater financial vulnerability regarding health care expenses, as they are less covered by health subsystems or private health insurance. Additionally, immigrants visit General and Family Medicine consultations less frequently than natives.
Although no significant differences are found in the use of mental health care services between immigrants and natives, a high percentage of individuals with clinically significant depressive symptoms—both natives and immigrants—do not recognize the need for care. The findings highlight the importance of deepening the understanding of health care access inequalities between immigrants and natives to support the development of public policies that promote equity in the Portuguese health system, particularly within the National Health Service.
🌐 See report in Portuguese.
🌐 See annexes in Portuguese.
This report is part of the Social Equity Initiative , a partnership between Fundación ”la Caixa”, Banco BPI and Nova SBE.
Author of the study: Pedro Pita Barros and Carolina Borges da Cunha Santos.