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- Convenors:
-
Clara Carvalho
(ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon)
Iolanda Évora (Instituto de Economia e Gestao, ISEG, Univ Tecn Lisboa )
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- Format:
- Workshops
- Location:
- Chem E401
- Start time:
- 19 September, 2006 at
Time zone: Europe/London
- Session slots:
- 3
Short Abstract:
This workshop will discuss the definition of health and illness, and the different uses of therapeutic practices, including access to health care services, amongst migrant populations. The workshop focuses on migrant movements that invert the fluxes and logics of the colonial enterprise.
Long Abstract:
The aim of this workshop is to introduce the debate about health strategies followed by migrant populations in Europe. The focus groups studied are African migrants, and our main goal is to identify the different health strategies followed as well as the conditionalisms found by migrant groups in accessing health services. Some of the topics that we shall discuss are: analysing the difficulties in accessing health care services of refugees and undocumented migrants; identifying the process of collective elaboration of protection systems; identifying original spaces and strategies of encounter between different nosological systems; exposing the circulation of cultural referents, related to therapeutic practices, in the migratory movements; identifying the risks of excessive biologisation, and cultural essentialisation, in therapeutic practices by health care professionals. The workshop convenors are looking forward to having different experiences and case studies presented. These should present original research but also focus on the work of NGOs and the influence of local policies concerning health activities amongst migrant populations.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Hanne Mogensen (University of Copenhagen)
Paper short abstract:
By comparing the lives of HIV-positive Africans on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Africa and Denmark and by tracing the paths of HIV-positive Africans who have reached Denmark, the paper explores not just African networks and HIV – but also Danish society and its health care system.
Paper long abstract:
About one third of new cases of HIV in Denmark are found among migrants and refugees from Africa South of Sahara, Ugandans being by far the largest group. In spite of the availability of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) fear of stigma and disclosure remains as high as ever within the African communities, and much higher than what is now found in e.g. Uganda itself. In Uganda where ART is also becoming increasingly available it is bringing with it a new openness towards the disease.
By comparing the lives of Africans living with HIV and ART in Africa and Denmark and by tracing the paths of HIV positive Africans (primarily Ugandans and Zambians) who have reached Denmark, the paper will explore not just African networks and their life with HIV - but also Danish society and health care system. Why is it so difficult for Africans in Denmark to be open about their HIV status? How do they get access to treatment and what does their experience teach us about African communities and their position in Danish society?
Iolanda Évora (Instituto de Economia e Gestao, ISEG, Univ Tecn Lisboa )
Paper short abstract:
From a qualitative study made upon youngsters of Cap Verdian origin we identified the way that the system of cultural convictions of the group and their social experience and vulnerability influenced the practices and the discourse of the youngsters towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS. We discussed how the belongs of immigrant groups and of underprivileged social class interfere in its perception to risk, in its sexual behaviour, in the asymmetries which are attributed to the male and female roles and in their beliefs and prejudice regarding HIV/AIDS.
Paper long abstract:
This paper deals with the preventive AIDS behaviour of youngsters of Cape-verde origin living in Lisbon. It focuses on the group practices and representations of AIDS and gender oriented sexual behaviour. Based on an ongoing research project, the paper discusses how AIDS has the potential to become another discriminatory factor in a group already racially and socially stigmatized.
Silvia Büchi
Paper short abstract:
Our African-Swiss team explored health concepts and activities of resilient migrants. We look at their understanding of 'staying healthy' under difficult life conditions as a task and their interpretation of their difficulties as 'stress', a popular illness concept in Switzerland.
Paper long abstract:
Despite growing demand for changing research perspectives since the 1992 WHO-Conference "Migration and Health", only few researchers studied health and wellbeing of migrant people instead of disease and illness. Very little is known about the experience of health and daily health activities of migrants. Our qualitative research, carried out 2004/2005, aimed at knowing more about resilience and health resources mobilised by migrant people. The mixed African-Swiss research team explored health concepts and daily activities of resilient African women and men living in Zurich and Basel through in-depth interviews and participant observation. Based on these case studies, resarch instruments for a participatory rapid assessment were developed and tested in group discussion. Data were analysed in an iterative process of team discussion.
The studied African migrants understand health as dynamic and multidimensional. Staying healthy is closely related to various personal, social and material resources they mobilise in response to the demands of difficult life conditions. Resilient migrants in our study have appropriated the illness concept of stress, popular in Switzerland and Europe but hardly known in their home countries. The concept of stress not only gives meaning and helps to explain their bodily and emotional symptoms, it also offers an agenda for action and their feelings of social belonging in the host country.
(This research project was supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health in the context of his strategy "Migration and Health 2002-2007", which aims for a better understanding of migrant health and illness and for a better access to the Swiss health services for the migrant people)
Cristina Santinho (ISCTE)
Paper short abstract:
What kind of problems face African immigrants in the Lisbon area? What is the connection between lack of health and poverty, using the definition of health described by the WHO? What kind of approach do we need in order to preserve cultural identity among immigrants?
Paper long abstract:
What kind of problems face the african immigrants in Lisbon Area?
How is it made the access to Health National Sistem?
What kind of alternativs do they found to face desease, pain or bad feelings?
Hich are their particular deseases?
What is the connection between lack of health and poverty, regarding the deffinition of health described by WHO?
What kind of approche do we need in order to preserv cultural identity among immigrants?
Christine Boyd (American University)
Paper short abstract:
This project, based on current fieldwork, seeks to explain transformations in health care strategies of Roma communities during the market transition in Romania. It examines how the persistence of old, and the emergence of new, economic inequalities among the Roma affect access to health care.
Paper long abstract:
The introduction of a market economy in post-socialist Romania has given rise to an increase in relative poverty, while transformations in the health care system have improved the quality of care for many citizens. Yet despite government claims of universal coverage, less than a third of Romania's estimated 2.5 million Roma have adequate access to health care. This project seeks to explain transformations in healthcare strategies of both documented and undocumented Roma throughout the market transition. It examines 1) how the persistence of old, and the emergence of new, economic inequalities among the Roma affect access to health care and 2) the effects of citizenship laws, educational disparities, cultural barriers, and nationalism on Roma access to health care. These concerns impact how Roma strategize healthcare and consequently, how family and individual health is affected. This project is based on current ethnographic fieldwork in Cluj Napoca, Romania.
Clara Carvalho (ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon)
Paper short abstract:
Guinea-Bissau exports traditional therapists, who have a large influence both in their communities of origin and in their migrant working places. This paper deals with the role played by these professionals as transcultural mediators, dealing with illness and health among different populations.
Paper long abstract:
From sometime now, Guinea-Bissau has been exporting traditional therapists that have a large influence both in their communities of origin, as in their migrant working place. This paper deals with the role played by these professional as transcultural mediators, dealing with the representations of illness and health among different populations.
Arantza Meñaca (Centre for Int. Health Research (CRESIB - Hospital Clínic - Univ. de Barcelona))
Paper short abstract:
In the last decade the importance of transnational networks for migrants and their origin communities was recognised. In my paper, this argument is developed using data collected in a four-year fieldwork programme with Ecuadorian migrant families and health professionals, both in Spain and in Ecuador.
Paper long abstract:
In the last decade it has been recognized the importance of transnational networks for migrants and their origin communities. They keep connected in different economical, political, social and emotional ways, which are not only relevant to sustain migration dynamics, reinforce migrants' identities, or improve the quality of life of migrant families, but also play a significant role in their health (care) seeking behaviour. The activation of transnational networks in migrant families' health strategies results in different kind of flows: including money, medicines -both traditional and biomedical, sick people and carers. These flows are asymmetrical -like the relations between countries of origin and reception- and constrained by the economical and political factors that rule migration in a globalized world. These transnational strategies complement those others carried in relation with the health care systems of the reception countries, and its in-depth study help us understanding migrants' active role in the search of care and their interaction with European health care systems, avoiding cultural essentialism. In my paper, this argument is developed using the data collected in a four years fieldwork with Ecuadorian migrant families and health professionals, both in Spain and in Ecuador.