ArticleBMC health services research2015
"Why should I have come here?"--A qualitative investigation of migration reasons and experiences of health workers from sub-Saharan Africa in Austria.
Article in BMC health services research, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Drivers of health workers' migration, intention to migrate and non-migration from low/middle-income countries, 1970-2022: a systematic review.BMJ global health · 2023Pooled it
- Pooled it
- African nurses on the move: decisions, destinations and recruitment practices - a scoping review.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Inequitable treatment as perceived by international medical graduates (IMGs): a scoping review.BMJ open · 2023Article
- Workloads and activity standards for integrated health service delivery: insights from 12 countries in the WHO African region.BMJ global health · 2022Article
- Professional experiences in the transition of Cuban-trained South African medical graduates.South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care · 2021Article
- Job satisfaction among Syrian healthcare workers in refugee health centres.Human resources for health · 2021Article
- Process- and outcome evaluation of an orientation programme for refugee health professionals.Medical education online · 2020Article
- 'Wait and wait, that is the only thing they can say': a qualitative study exploring experiences of immigrated Syrian doctors applying for medical license in Germany.BMC health services research · 2020Article
- Understanding the healthcare experiences and needs of African immigrants in the United States: a scoping review.BMC public health · 2020Article
- Experiences of foreign medical graduates (FMGs), international medical graduates (IMGs) and overseas trained graduates (OTGs) on entering developing or middle-income countries like South Africa: a scoping review.Human resources for health · 2019Article
- Factors influencing the migration of Iranian healthcare professionals: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2018Article
- Article
- Factors affecting intent to immigration among Iranian health workers in 2016.Electronic physician · 2017Article
- Difficulties experienced by migrant physicians working in German hospitals: a qualitative interview study.Human resources for health · 2016Article
- The views of migrant health workers living in Austria and Belgium on return migration to sub-Saharan Africa.Human resources for health · 2016Article
- Diaspora engagement of African migrant health workers - examples from five destination countries.Global health action · 2015Article
- African Female Physicians and Nurses in the Global Care Chain: Qualitative Explorations from Five Destination Countries.PloS one · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are many health professionals from abroad working in the European Union and in Austria. The situation of sub-Saharan health workers in particular has now been studied for the first time. The objective was to explore their reasons for migration to Austria, as well as their personal experiences concerning the living and working situation in Austria.
methodsWe conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with African health workers. They were approached via professional networks and a snowball system. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using atlas.ti.
resultsFor most of our participants, the decision to migrate was not professional but situation dependent. Austria was not their first choice as a destination country. Several study participants left their countries to improve their overall working situation. The main motivation for migrating to Austria was partnership with an Austrian citizen. Other immigrants were refugees. Most of the immigrants found the accreditation process to work as a health professional to be difficult and hindering. This resulted in some participants not being able to work in their profession, while others were successful in their profession or in related fields. There have been experiences of discrimination, but also positive support.
conclusionsAustria is not an explicit target country for health workers from sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the study participants experienced bad work and study conditions in their home countries, but they are in Austria mostly because of personal connections. The competencies of those who are here are not fully utilised. The major reason is Austria's current resident and work permit regulations concerning African citizens. In addition, the accreditation process and the German language appear to be barriers.
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