This introductory literature review provides an overview of the phenomenon of migrants' temporary travels to their home country for the purpose of receiving medical care, often referred to as "transnational health care practices" (THCP). The review explores backgrounds and reasons behind migrants' travels for health care. The reasons for such medical travels vary and include factors such as affordability, availability of specific treatments, dissatisfaction with the host country's health system, perceived better quality of treatment in the home country, language barriers, and cultural preferences.
Additionally, the study discusses the role of social class as well as social integration and its relation with the use of transnational health care. The review concludes by highlighting the need for further research to explore the specific circumstances and experiences of different migrant groups and to develop better health care provision strategies in the host countries.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Methods
3 Results
3.1 Reasons for migrants’ THCP
3.2 Research on specific aspects of transnational health care practices
4 Quality and ethics
5 Conclusions and further research
Research Objectives and Themes
This review explores the phenomenon of transnational health care practices (THCP) among migrants, specifically focusing on the motivations and drivers behind temporary travel to their home countries for medical treatment to address the gap in adequate health care provision in host countries.
- Drivers of transnational medical travel among migrants.
- The impact of socioeconomic status and integration on health-seeking behavior.
- Methodological approaches in social science research on migrant health.
- The role of information technology and personal networks in medical tourism.
- Ethical considerations and challenges in researching migrant health populations.
Excerpt from the Publication
1 Introduction
Migrants and their use of and access to health care in their current country of residence have been studied for some time (e.g. Dias et al. 2008; Leduc & Proulx 2004). The results show that they often have no access to health care or have had negative experiences such as discrimination (ibid.). In response, many migrants make use of health care services from their home country, e.g. through the delivery of medicines, online or telephone counselling or through travelling to their country of origin (Jang, 2016). The focus of this literature review is on migrants' temporary travels to their home country for the purpose of receiving medical care. The literature refers to this practice with keywords like “medical returns” (Horton & Cole, 2011), “diaspora patients” (Hanefeld et al., 2015), “cross-border health care” (Kemppainen et al., 2018) or “transnational health care practices (THCP)” (Stan, 2015).
Medical travels of migrants are a relatively recent phenomenon, which has only been made possible to this extent by certain developments that are often associated with the process of globalisation. New information and communication technologies such as the Internet, the gradual opening of the EU labour market, technical advances in medicine and the ease of international travel are important enabling factors (Connell, 2015; Main, 2014). The internet is seen as crucial in providing information in different languages about hospitals, doctors, communities of fellow patient-consumers as well as travel options (Horsfall et al. 2013). Furthermore there have been quantitative and qualitative changes in migration patterns.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of migrants' challenges in accessing health care and introduces the concept of transnational health care practices (THCP).
2 Methods: Outlines the criteria for the systematic review, including the selection of eight peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2018.
3 Results: Analyzes the reasons for medical return travel and discusses specific findings regarding integration, network influence, and parallel health care use.
4 Quality and ethics: Critically evaluates the research designs, gender perspectives, and ethical implications of conducting studies on migrant populations.
5 Conclusions and further research: Synthesizes findings and calls for more differentiated research into the diverse experiences and socioeconomic backgrounds of migrant groups.
Keywords
Transnational health care, migrants, medical travel, medical returns, migration, social integration, health policy, global health, patient agency, diaspora patients, health inequality, medical tourism, qualitative research, health systems, transnationalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the phenomenon where migrants travel back to their home countries to access medical care, analyzing the motivations and systemic factors involved.
What are the primary themes discussed in the literature?
Central themes include the affordability and availability of care, the role of digital information, social integration, and the psychological pursuit of affective, culturally familiar care.
What is the main research objective of this work?
The objective is to synthesize existing social science literature to better understand why migrants engage in transnational health care practices and to identify gaps for future research.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The author conducted a systematic literature review of eight peer-reviewed articles, focusing on empirical studies published between 2010 and 2018.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body investigates the push and pull factors for medical travel, the distinction between migrants and "tourists," and the role of social networks and class advancement.
Which keywords best characterize this document?
Key terms include Transnational health care, migrants, medical returns, social integration, and patient agency.
How does the author define the concept of 'home'?
The author highlights that 'home' is not just a place of birth but a physical and emotional sense of familiarity, trust, and belonging, which influences medical decisions.
Why is the term 'medical tourism' criticized by the author?
The term is considered problematic because it may trivialize a patient's health condition and fails to capture the complex, often non-voluntary nature of medical return travel for migrants.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Lea Lösch (Autor:in), 2018, Migrants’ transnational health care practices. An introductory review, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1361941
