Health services for the Chinese minority in manchester

This article describes a small-scale study which examined the views of both users and providers of primary healthcare services for the Chinese minority in Manchester. Thirty Chinese mothers of pre-school children were selected from immunization records and interviewed face-to-face at their homes using structured questionnaires and unstructured discussions. Thirty-eight GPs who had the largest number of Chinese patients (n=10) registered with them, and 26 health visitors who worked with these GPs were also interviewed, using semi-structured questionnaires. The findings indicate that a discrepancy exists between the views of GPs, health visitors and Chinese mothers on the use of primary healthcare services. The health professionals’ awareness of the effects of socioeconomic characteristics, demographic profile and indigenous health beliefs and attitudes on the quality of primary healthcare services for Chinese families in Manchester is discussed. Copyright © 2000 MA Healthcare Ltd,