Differences between German and foreign-born patients with regard to gynaecological care in an emergency department.

Background: Analyse of factors referring to ethnical origin that indicate unequal approach as well as different care conditions for foreign-born female patients compared to German female patients in hospital. Study design and methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was based on the examination of 258 German and 311 non-German female patients in the Emergency Department of Gynaecology of a Berlin hospital affording maximum care. Statistical evaluation of data was performed, the data having been selected according to defined criteria (p < 0.05). Results: There is a very high presentation of foreign-born female patients in the emergency department, although an adequate infrastructure is lacking. Foreign-born women frequent the gynaecological emergency department more often on weekends and in the late evening probably for social reasons. An almost equal spectrum of symptoms an equal proportion of psychosomatic diagnoses was seen. The results do not indicate any significant difference in the type and frequency of treatment for psychosomatic disease. Foreign-born female patients were given treatment more frequently than German female patients, This "overtreatment" might be a compensation for language difficulties. Conclusion: There is less medical documentation on foreign female patients. Deficient or no documentation may express different medical behaviour in respect of female patients and point to unequal care conditions. Fortunately, insufficient or incomplete health history of foreign female patients do not influence the quality of diagnosis and treatment.