Women and health care on a Guatemalan plantation

Cosminsky, Sheila

doi:10.1016/0277-9536(87)90358-3

Cited by 38 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Failure to consider social and cultural factors in affecting pregnancy care decisions may explain in part why policies often produce ineffective health services (Justice, 1986). Previous ethnographic studies cite a number of such sociocultural barriers: fear of medical personnel (particulary ladinos), rude or condescending treatment by medical personnel, refusal of the spouse, inability of medical staff to speak indigenous languages, and (because most doctors are male) embarrassment over being examined (Cosminsky, 1987(Cosminsky, , 2001aHurtado & S! aenz de Tejada, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Traditional beliefs remain common in Guatemala (Cosminsky, 1987;Scrimshaw & Hurtado, 1988), although biomedical beliefs may be increasing (Goldman, Pebley, & Beckett, 2001b). Previous research on child illness in Guatemala has revealed that women who hold biomedical beliefs related to the causes of diarrhea are much more likely to take their sick children to private doctors as compared with other women (Goldman & Heuveline, 2000).…”

Section: Social Economic and Cultural Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Utilization of care during pregnancy in rural Guatemala: does obstetrical need matter?

Glei

Goldman

Rodrı́guez

2003

Social Science & Medicine

145

104

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This study examines factors associated with the use of biomedical care during pregnancy in Guatemala, focusing on the extent to which complications in an ongoing or previous pregnancy affect a woman's decisions to seek care. The findings, based on multilevel models, suggest that obstetrical need, as well as demographic, social, and cultural factors, are important predictors of pregnancy care. In contrast, measures of availability and access to health services have modest effects. The results also suggest the importance of unobserved variables-such as quality of care-in explaining women's decisions about pregnancy care. These results imply that improving proximity to biomedical services is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on utilization in the absence of additional changes that improve the quality of care or reduce barriers to access. Moreover, current efforts aimed at incorporating midwives into the formal health-care system may need to extend their focus beyond the modification of midwife practices to consider the provision of culturally appropriate, high-quality services by traditional and biomedical providers alike. r

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Social Economic and Cultural Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilization of care during pregnancy in rural Guatemala: does obstetrical need matter?

Glei

Goldman

Rodrı́guez

2003

Social Science & Medicine

145

104

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“…There is considerable evidence that women in developing countries seek out a wide variety of health care, ranging from self-treatment to voluntary and government centres (Cosminsky, 1987;Raikes, 1989;Reuben, 1992). Women have to weigh the potential advantages of treatment-seeking against known negative factors such as walking long distances, missing work or foregoing domestic tasks, and possible disappointment if the medical practitioner is absent or if drugs or other supplies are not use, available at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms.…”

Section: Social Consequencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Guatemala, for example, Cosminsky (1987) reported that women preferred spiritual healers because they provided explanations for illness that corresponded to women's socio-cultural reality. Traditional practitioners attributed an illness to someone's evil wish, while medical personnel simply instructed patients on treatment procedures.…”

Section: A9mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Philippines, Lariosa, Abaya & Ventura (1987) found that patients' negative perceptions of health workers negatively affected their use of biomedical health services. Cosminsky (1987) drew attention to another problem traditional women felt in Guatemala, namely that health personnel did not respect deep-seated cultural norms of privacy. Even for serious problems such as 'fallen uterus' which interfered with their activities, women preferred to consult midwives because they were examined clothed, a factor of special sensitivity with respect to the lower part of the body.…”

Section: A9mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender-related differences in the impact of tropical diseases on women: what do we know?

Vlassoff

1994

J. Biosoc. Sci.

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Summary. This paper explores the importance of gender differences in the impact of tropical diseases on women. Malaria and schistosomiasis are used as examples but most of the observations also apply to other diseases endemic to developing countries. The distinction between sex and gender is discussed and evidence of sex and gender differences in the determinants and consequences of malaria and schistosomiasis, particularly their economic, social and personal dimensions, is reviewed. Issues on which research and intervention studies are needed are identified.

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Red Blood Cell Folate Insufficiency among nonpregnant Women of Childbearing age in Guatemala 2009 to 2010: Prevalence and predicted Neural Tube Defects risk

Rosenthal

Reeve²,

Ramirez

et al. 2016

Birth Defects Research

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Background The World Health Organization recently released recommendations stating that red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations should be above 400 ng/L (906 nmol/L) for optimal prevention of folate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs). The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of folate insufficiency (FI) (<906 nmol/L) and potential risk of NTDs based on RBC folate concentrations among nonpregnant women of child-bearing age in Guatemala. Methods A national and regional multistage cluster probability survey was completed during 2009 to 2010 among Guatemalan women of child-bearing age 15 to 49 years of age. Demographic and health information and blood samples for RBC folate analyses were collected from 1473 women. Prevalence rate ratios of FI and predicted NTD prevalence were estimated based on RBC folate concentrations comparing subpopulations of interest. Results National FI prevalence was 47.2% [95% confidence interval, 43.3–51.1] and showed wide variation by region (18–81%). In all regions, FI prevalence was higher among indigenous (27–89%) than among nonindigenous populations (16–44%). National NTD risk based on RBC folate concentrations was estimated to be 14 per 10,000 live births (95% uncertainty interval, 11.1–18.6) and showed wide regional variation (from 11 NTDS in the Metropolitan region to 26 NTDs per 10,000 live births in the Norte region). Conclusion FI remains a common problem in populations with limited access to fortified products, specifically rural, low income, and indigenous populations. However, among subpopulations that are most likely to have fortified food, the prevalence of FI is similar to countries with well-established fortification programs.

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Women and health care on a Guatemalan plantation

Cited by 38 publications

References 2 publications

Utilization of care during pregnancy in rural Guatemala: does obstetrical need matter?

Utilization of care during pregnancy in rural Guatemala: does obstetrical need matter?

Gender-related differences in the impact of tropical diseases on women: what do we know?

Red Blood Cell Folate Insufficiency among nonpregnant Women of Childbearing age in Guatemala 2009 to 2010: Prevalence and predicted Neural Tube Defects risk

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