Several cases of ethnic discrimination, harassment and racism surfaced in Swedish Health Care
Timeline
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A ten year old Somali girl was subjected to forced gynaecological examination
A ten year old Somali girl was subjected to forced gynaecological examination after suspicion that her parents had genital mutilated her. The Social Services Committee reported the parents to the Police after a complaint by a district nurse. The girl was picked up by the police from school to undergo the forced gynaecological examination. The Equality Ombudsman sued the municipality for allowing such an intrusion in the girl’s privacy, based on just suspicion. DO argued that the suspicions and the ...
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A doctor discriminated a migrant woman
In December 2010, the Equality Ombudsman (DO) and the County Council of Västra Götaland, represented by Primary Care in Southern Bohuslän, made a settlement that awarded a migrant woman 25,000 SEK (2,500 euro). The woman sought treatment for a long-lasting, severe psychological disorder. Instead the doctor asked the woman, “Why do you need to stay in this country if you do not like it here?”. Primärvården i Södra Bohusl...
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A Kurdish Woman offended by a doctor
A doctor offended a Kurdish woman during a visit to the orthopaedic clinic at the Central Hospital in Karlstad. The woman sought treatment for pain in her knees and thighs. When she walked into the reception room together with the interpreter the doctor asked why she has not learned Swedish, despite living in Sweden for 15 years. He repeated the question several times and also commented on her facial tattoos. The woman felt so bad after the visit that she did not seek medical attention again, even though...
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Study shows that refugees experience anxiety, headache and trouble with sleeping
The Centre for Health and Integration (Centrum för hälsa och Integration) published a study showing that refugees with a residence permit experienced anxiety, headache and trouble with sleeping and concentration difficulties. Among the 44 respondents, these problems were strongly related to various traumatic events in their lives. 93% of the men had been victims of violence, and over 70% of the women and 40% of the children had witnessed violence towards a loved one. Nearly one third of the chi...
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People born in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey are denied sick benefits
The Swedish Newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) published their review of the statistics from Sweden's Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) which revealed that people born in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey are denied sick benefits twice as often as applicants born in Sweden. Proof was found that in 2010 one in three Swedish-born applicants had claims denied by the agency. However, applicants from Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey had their claims denied twice as often.
A doctor told a woman from Somalia ” to go back to Africa and get help from a witch doctor"
A woman from Somalia was offended by a doctor in the City of Borås. The doctor told the woman ”go back to Africa and get help from a witch doctor for your pain in the legs." The woman, considered the doctor's statements to be racist and degrading, and filed a complaint against the clinic with Sweden's Equality Ombudsman (DO). Tomas Flodin, the chair of the medical association's ethics committee for the Swedish Medical Association condemned the doctor's statements a...
During the last year the Equality Ombudsman has focused on the right to health care on equal terms. DO has had workshops with representatives of different interest groups, patient organisations and researchers. DO has examined gender action plans and plans for equal rights and opportunities among ten counties. In spring 2012, a report will be published with the DO's collective experience of the focus work.
These cases have often involved professional doctors and nurses harassing and offending migrant women during their visits to hospitals. The first case involves a Kurdish woman who was offended by a doctor during a visit to the orthopaedic clinic at the Central Hospital in Karlstad. The woman sought treatment for pain in her knees and thighs. When she walked into the reception room together with the interpreter the doctor asked why she has not learned Swedish, despite living in Sweden for 15 years. He repeated the question several times and also commented on her facial tattoos. The woman felt so bad after the visit that she did not seek medical attention again, even though the symptoms continued. DO sued the County Council for direct discrimination and harassment due to ethnicity. A settlement was reached with the County Council that awarded the woman 30,000 SEK (3,000 euro).
Another similar case involved a woman from Ukraine who was offended by a nurse in Norrköping who told the female patient, "If you do not like the system here, go back to Ukraine". In a similar case, an African woman was offended by a doctor in the City of Borås. The doctor told the woman ”go back to Africa and get help from a witch doctor for your pain in the legs."
Furthermore, a ten year old Somali girl was subjected to forced gynaecological examination after suspicion that her parents had genital mutilated her. The Social Services Committee reported the parents to the Police after a complaint by a district nurse. The girl was picked up by the police from school to undergo the forced gynaecological examination. The Equality Ombudsman sued the municipality for allowing such an intrusion in the girl’s privacy, based on just suspicion. DO argued that the suspicions and the entire investigation was based on ethnic prejudice. The district court shared DO's view, ruling the municipality to pay 60 000 SEK (6,000 euro) in damages to the family. The municipality appealed against the court decision, but the leave to appeal was rejected, therefore, the district court's ruling is final.
In December 2010, the Equality Ombudsman (DO) and the County Council of Västra Götaland, represented by Primary Care in Southern Bohuslän, made a settlement that awarded a migrant woman 25,000 SEK (2,500 euro). The woman sought treatment for a long-lasting, severe psychological disorder. The doctor refused to write out a sick leave letter for her. Instead the doctor asked the woman, “Why do you need to stay in this country if you do not like it here?”.
The Swedish Newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) published their review of the statistics from Sweden's Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan) which revealed that people born in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey are denied sick benefits twice as often as applicants born in Sweden. Proof was found that in 2010 one in three Swedish-born applicants had claims denied by the agency. However, applicants from Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey had their claims denied twice as often.
Sources: The Equality Ombudsman, 02.09.2011, http://www.do.se/sv/Press/Debattartiklar/Varden-maste-sluta-diskriminera-patienter/
Dagens Nyheter, http://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/utlandsfodda-nekas-oftare-sjukpenning (Accessed 2011-02-23)
