Transnational health and treatment networks: Meaning, value and place in health seeking amongst southern African migrants in London

‘I think that Polish doctors are better’: Newly arrived migrant children and their parents׳ experiences and views of health services in Scotland

“…The value of migrants" social networks has been explored mainly in relation to social mobility (Migge and Gilmartin, 2011;Ryan, 2011) and less in relation to migrants" health. The significant changes to individuals" networks after migration, place them in often contradictory socio-cultural contexts (Thomas, 2010). While they may be under pressure to engage in new networks and comply with expectations of health behaviours customary in their new country, their intra-ethnic ties may encourage them to retain health practices from their homeland.…”

“…The significance of migrants" social capital and networks needs also to be seen through a transnational perspective (Glinos et al, 2010;Thomas, 2010). In this paper, we adopt Vertovec"s (2009) definition of migrant transnationalism as "a broad category referring to a range of practices and institutions linking migrants, people and organisations in their homelands and elsewhere in a diaspora" (2009:13).…”

“…This suggests that policies which emphasise restrictions on provision of healthcare to migrants, combined with a generally negative portrayal of migrants in public debates, may result in migrants" uncertainty over entitlements and resistance to engage with services. For better off migrants, barriers to engaging with services may result from factors such as different expectations of health care and cultural beliefs which may make them reject expected health practices (Thomas, 2010). Political, social and economic forces will thus shape the conditions under which individual and community characteristics influence people"s health.…”

Transnasjonale helsepraksiser. Bruk av helsetjenester blant polske arbeidsinnvandrere i Norge

“…For transnasjonale migranter er nettverk og sosial kapital viktige ressurser (La Frombiose, Coleman og Gerton 1993), og ikke minst i situasjoner knyttet til migrantenes helse kan nettverk representere en viktig ressurs (Krause 2008;Thomas 2010). Våre informanter mobiliserte sine polske nettverk på flere måter for å kunne håndtere sine helseproblemer, og for mange spilte familiemedlemmer og venner en avgjørende rolle i tilrettelegging av forbruket av helsetjenester i hjemlandet.…”

“…I intervjuene forteller informantene hvordan de kompenserer for sin ofte uprivilegerte posisjon i mottakersamfunnet gjennom anvendelse av ulike kreative løsninger som involverer deres hjemland. Det å vaere transnasjonal arbeidsinnvandrer åpner for nye muligheter som tilbyr et spekter av alternativer man kan velge mellom og anvende situasjons-og behovsavhengig (Krause 2008;Thomas 2010). Det som oppfattes som utfordrende i det ene landet, kan overkommes ved at man undersøker og igangsetter løsningsalternativer i det andre landet.…”