Body in medical encounters of Romanian female patients in (S)pain

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to check whether the bodily self-perception factor plays any role in (female) migrants’ alleged underuse of health services. Out of the four main reasons identified by scholars, the “cultural specificity” factor is tackled here from an intersectional perspective that envisages gender, migration and totalitarianism. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted on 20 Romanian women living in Spain. Two categories were analysed (body as image and body as discourse) to detect perceptions in consultations in Spain as compared to Romania. The assumption that their perceptions varied between the period prior and subsequent to the fall of the dictatorship was contrasted with the information provided by a sample of 25 Spanish women. Findings – The analysis revealed perceptions of a more relaxed medical relationship for Romanian patients in Spain, hence the possibility that migration (normally stressful) gave them a sense of freedom and empowerment. Originality/value – The intersectional perspective in health communication is original. This study opens a research avenue in health services’ underuse by migrants.