Substantial Universalism? The Swedish case

Migrants show on average poorer health conditions than native Swedes, both in mental and physical health. In particular mothers have a higher degree of various forms of reproductive ill health than Swedish-born women. Existing studies show that in the Swedish health system members of ethnic minorities enjoy equal rights and receive equity of treatment. Yet, little is known about the extent to which the needs of ethnic minorities are actually met, the barriers in access, and the specific situation of women. Drawing from existing data and from policyseminars with experts and stakeholders from the civil sector and the public sector, we find that these health inequalities have more structural and cultural than institutional roots. Sweden is surely one country where ethnic minority women’s rights and access to health care is extensive and has been pursued following a multicultural and bottom-up approach. Yet, the reason why ethnic minority women express more unmet needs and report less continuity in care than Swedish-born women seem to primarily lie in persisting forms of “cultural mismatch”. As the good practices selected enlighten, support to health care access and to healthy lifestyles can be improved through better contacts with families and communities and better training both to health care workers and to migrants, to promote health information and to understand and smooth their mistrusts.