Strengthening Diversity – Promoting Health

Migration and integration

The demographic changes in Germany, the large number of people with a migration history who have been living in Germany for many years and the intensive skilled labour recruitment drive have also led directly to various policy-making tasks for the Federal Ministry of Health. For example:

• Analysing and assessing public health issues in connection with migrant healthcare.
• Supporting national, European and international legislative proposals on migration and integration.
• Assisting in international political processes in the area of migration
• Shaping the Federal Government’s integration policy with regard to health
• Developing and funding innovative measures and pilot projects

When planning and implementing measures, the Federal Ministry of Health’s entire thematic spectrum is covered.

Target group-specific communication and information

People who need medical or care-related assistance can count on Germany’s healthcare system. Reliable and efficient, it ensures that all people receive the treatment and support they need.

Multilingual information materials facilitate access to healthcare for people with migration histories and enable better health literacy. The ongoing improvement of target group-specific information on the German healthcare system is a key priority for the Federal Ministry of Health. The Ministry provides publications and materials on various health topics in over 40 languages on its multilingual portal “Migration und Gesundheit” (Migration and health).

Transcultural opening

In healthcare and long-term care, people from very different cultures meet in very sensitive situations. Interacting with people, whose roots are outside Germany, represents a particular challenge in health and long-term care. The Federal Ministry of Health strengthens culture-sensitive communication in outpatient and inpatient settings by developing and implementing measures to promote transcultural skills, for instance in long-term care, hospice care and palliative care.

Skilled labour recruitment and integration

Due to the demographic trends in Germany, the need for health and care professionals is also growing. Increasing the number of immigrating professionals and sustainably integrating people with a migration history into the health and care profession labour market is one of the most important political tasks. The Federal Ministry of Health is therefore piloting projects on professional, linguistic and sociocultural integration. These also include instruments to convey quality-assuring training, occupation and job-related language skills, such as blended specialist language learning.

Prevention

It is in the Federal Ministry of Health’s interests to improve access to preventive and health promotion services for people with migration histories. This should help prevent health risks and strengthen health awareness. The Federal Ministry of Health is developing and funding projects to strengthen primary and secondary prevention, for instance in the areas of vaccination and diabetes or to promote health among older people with migration histories through sports and exercise.

Improving the body of data

Good healthcare for everyone is only possible when a specific healthcare need is determined in concrete terms. A meaningful body of data on the health status of people with migration histories allows for better identification of needs and, as a result, target group-specific optimisation. The Federal Ministry of Health is therefore promoting various research projects in order to improve the data basis upon which public health decisions are made.

Cooperation with migrant organisations

Migrant organisations are important stakeholders within civil society and form a bridge to people with migration histories through their specific access. With their work in various areas of society, they contribute significantly towards integrating people, irrespective of whether these have lived here for longer or are only just arriving in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Health is working together with various clubs and organisations in a spirit of partnership to, for instance, jointly develop and implement measures to eliminate barriers to accessing healthcare.