BackThe European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) recently published a new factsheet concerning multiple discrimination in healthcare. The research looks at cases of 'multiple discrimination' in healthcare experienced, for instance, by older people with an ethnic or minority background. Its results will inform the debate on how best to address multiple discrimination, contributing also to the discussions on the 'horizontal directive' proposed by the European Commission.
The European Union has laws prohibiting discrimination on six major grounds, namely: sex, age, disability, religion or belief, race or ethnic origin, and sexual orientation. If discrimination appears on more than one ground it becomes multiple and can be characterized as either additive, when the specific effect of different grounds can be distinguished, or intersectional, when discrimination is based on the combination of two or more characteristics.
The FRA identified this phenomenon as barrier within the healthcare system, as some people may experience discrimination in accessing healthcare for different and often complex reasons. Therefore, there is a need to understand better the vulnerabilities of those who may experience discrimination because of the interplay of many factors.
Existing evidence shows that factors such as social and economic standing, ethnicity, age, sex, disability and migration status impacts on an individual’s level of health and ability to access healthcare. Elderly people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and women and children with disabilities are examples of vulnerable groups who are particularly susceptible to unequal treatment in access to healthcare; in other words these groups may face multiple or intersectional discrimination.
Find the FRA-Factsheet as well as more information regarding the work of the FRA at the institution's website. The download of the English version can be found below.
