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- Gustafsson, Cecilia, 1977-
(author)
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"For a better life..." : a study on migration and health in Nicaragua
- 2014
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis explores and analyses the manifold relations between migration and health, what I call the migration-health nexus, in the contemporary Nicaraguan context. The study is based on fieldwork in León and Cuatro Santos and a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative in-depth interviews and quantitative survey data. In the thesis health is “traced” within the migration process; i.e. in places of origin, during travel, at the destination and after return, including the situation and consequences for both migrants and family members to migrants (“left-behinds”). The study shows that migration-health relations in Nicaragua are connected to broader economic, social and political factors and to the country’s historical experiences of colonization, neo-colonization and structural adjustments. Contemporary Nicaraguan migrations are primarily related to the strategies of making a living and the struggle for a better life (i.e. a practice of mobile livelihoods). In the study setting health concerns were both indirectly embedded in people’s mobile livelihoods, as well as directly influencing decisions to move or to stay, and migration involved both advantages and disadvantages for health. Through migration, women could see an end to physical violence and sexual abuse. Internal migrants could improve their access to health care and medicine. Vulnerabilities related to the unpredictable nature conditions could be avoided through moving. And, through the money made from migrant work people’s everyday lives and health could be improved, in terms of better nutrition, housing, and access to education, health care and medicine. However, remittances do not necessarily lead to development, as they are used to compensate for the lacking public sector in Nicaragua. Under these circumstances, I argue that the Nicaraguan population is not guaranteed their social rights of citizenship. I also argue that the negative aspects surrounding migration must be taken into account when discussing the development potentials of migration and remittances. Both internal and international migrants in this study experienced stress while moving to a new place. International migrants had difficulties accessing health care in the destination, particularly those lacking documentation. The separation within families due to migration often caused emotional pain. Family members left behind did not rate their physical health as good as often as non-migrant families. The vulnerability, stress experiences and sufferings of migrants and left-behinds varied, however. I therefore conclude that social differences (in terms of e.g. gender, class, skin colour, and legal immigration status) are key for the enactment of the migration-health nexus, and that an interplay of individual, social and structural factors influence the outcome.
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- Gustafsson, Cecilia, 1977-
(author)
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‘“For a better life …“ A study on migration and health in Nicaragua’
- 2018
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In: Global Health Action. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 11:1
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Nicaraguans have migrated internally and internationally for centuries due to economic, political and sociocultural factors. Deficiencies in the country’s health care system have produced inequities in people’s access to health care and medicines. Remittances have become an important source of income, partly invested in health.Objectives: The overall aim of the study was to analyse migration–health relations in contemporary Nicaragua within a broader context of socio-economic transformations.Methods: The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interview data and quantitative survey data.Results: The findings show that migration is commonly practised as a strategy for making a living and is related to the struggle for a better life. Health concerns are indirectly embedded in people’s mobile livelihoods, but also directly influence migration motives. Furthermore, migration involves both advantages and disadvantages for health. Physical and sexual violence can come to an end for migrating women, health care and medicine can become more accessible for internal migrants, and vulnerabilities caused by environmental disasters can be avoided by moving. Moreover, remittances can improve people’s everyday life and health. Yet migration can also be a stressful and health-damaging event. International migrants, particularly the undocumented, can have problems accessing health care, and also experience much danger at border crossings. Transnational families can suffer emotionally as well as physically due to separation. Findings from the survey show that family members of migrants do not rate their physical health as good as often as non-migrating families.Conclusions: The Nicaraguan population is not guaranteed its social rights of citizenship. This results in mobile livelihoods and the need for translocal social support (e.g. remittances). Migration can have both positive and negative effects on health for migrants and their family members; geographical distance and social differences are key to the outcome.
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- Gustafsson, Cecilia, 1977-
(author)
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Resumen de "'Para un vida mejor...' Un estudio sobre migración y salud en Nicaragua"
- 2016
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In: Revista de Temas Nicaragüenses. - Los Angeles. - 2164-4268. ; 104:Diciembre, s. 84-99
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Este es el Resumen en Español de la tesis doctoral "'Para un vida mejor...' Un estudio sobre migración y salud en Nicaragua" [“’For a better life…’ A study on migration and health in Nicaragua”] escrito por Cecilia Gustafsson, y publicado en 2014 en el Department of Geography and Economic History, Umeå University, Sweden (Series: GERUM 2014:2; ISSN:1402-5205; ISBN: 9789176011928). El Resumen en Español se republica en Revista de Temas Nicaragüenses con la autorización del autor y editor. Esta nueva versión contiene un cambio moderado del Resumen en Español originalmente publicado en la tesis doctoral; La autora ha hecho algunos cambios en los encabezados y las referencias, y ha incluido una lista bilbiográfica. La tesis doctoral fue escrita enteramente en inglés y puede descargarse de la URL: http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:773256/FULLTEXT01.pdf.
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