The article "Study Protocol MEDIMIG: Improving MEDical Decision-Making in MIGrant Populations Within a Super-diverse Society: Challenges and Legal Opportunities" was published in the "International Journal of Qualitative Methods". The authors of the article include Veerle Buffel from BRISPO and her doctoral student Amina Yakhlaf.
European societies are increasingly diverse, yet navigating healthcare systems can be challenging for individuals with a migration background due to cultural differences in medical decision-making. This study investigates patient and physician preferences regarding information disclosure and decision-making responsibility within the existing legal framework.
The full text of the article is available here.
Abstract: Background: European society is becoming increasingly diverse due to high levels of migration. Persons with a migration background, especially those from non-western countries, may experience significant challenges when they seek medical care. Some of the main issues arise in the context of medical decision-making (MDM), where cultural preferences for close family involvement may be difficult to reconcile with the western model of medicine, as enshrined in health law and medical deontology. Aim: In this study we aim to shed light on the preferences of both patients and GPs regarding information disclosure and MDM responsibility, while also exploring how these preferences can be accommodated within the existing legal framework. Design: This study is multidisciplinary and brings together state-of-the-art expertise in health sciences, medical sociology, and health law. Methodology: A transversal research design and a tailored medico-socio-legal research methodology will be applied. The project uses a mixed-methods design, combining desk research and quantitative (factorial survey with hypothetical vignettes) and qualitative (focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and nominal group method) research methodologies. The research team will jointly review the results from the three perspectives, by using multiperspective qualitative methods. Discussion: This study is the first comprehensive and interdisciplinary research project on medical decision-making in patients with a migration background undertaken in the European context, bringing together state-of-the-art expertise in health sciences, medical sociology, and health law.
Citation: Van Eekert, N., Bombeke, K., Buffel, V., Łotoczuk, M., Van de Velde, S., van Olmen, J., Van Royen, P., Vansweevelt, T., Vermijs, F., Wouters, E., Yakhlaf, A., & Van Assche, K. (2025). Study Protocol MEDIMIG: Improving MEDical Decision-Making in MIGrant Populations Within a Super-diverse Society: Challenges and Legal Opportunities. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241310278
