From december 2002 to May 2003 a questionnaire was administered to a sample of the immigrant population living in Messina (Italy), in order to evaluate their social and health conditions. Of great interest are data revealing that nearly all immigrants, despite being regularly enrolled in the Italian National Health Service (INHS), do not utilize available services when ill. The survey identified one of the reasons for this to be insufficient visibility and accessibility of the INHS in that time period.