Medical Migration As Access To Health Care In The Rio Grande Valley

Authors

Rosalynn A. Vega, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-5-2018

Abstract

This qualitative research explains difficulties among migrants when accessing health care. Many individuals of Mexican origin either travel to more accessible health care in Mexico or arrange to have medical services and pharmaceuticals transported to them in the United States. The research is based in a majority Hispanic and Spanish-speaking county in the US which is characterized by a high degree of poverty and illness, especially diabetes (Melo 2017, Montoya 2011). This article provides an ethnographic approach to medical migration and describes the importance of medical migration for both Mexico and the United States. The article offers recommendations for public policy and explains how telemedicine can improve health care access.

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El presente estudio cualitativo expone las dificultades que enfrentan los migrantes para acceder a la atención médica. Muchas personas de origen mexicano en Estados Unidos viajan a México para acceder a una atención médica más asequible, o hacen arreglos para que les lleven servicios médicos o medicamentos desde México. El trabajo hace referencia a un condado estadounidense de mayoría hispana e hispanohablante, caracterizado por altos índices de pobreza y enfermedad, en especial de diabetes (Melo, 2017; Montoya, 2011). Se basa en un enfoque etnográfico de la migración médica y describe la importancia de este tipo de migración tanto para México como para Estados Unidos. Al final se brindan recomendaciones de política pública y se explica cómo la telemedicina puede mejorar el acceso a la atención médica.

Comments

© 2017 UC Regents: All Rights Reserved. Original published version available at https://hiaucb.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/migracic3b3n-y-salud-2018_web.pdf

Recommended Citation

Vega, Rosalynn. “Medical Migration As Access To Health Care In The Rio Grande Valley.” Migration and Health: Current Challenges and Opportunities, Nov. 2018, pp. 85–105.

Publication Title

Migration and Health: Current Challenges and Opportunities