Women from Ethnic Minorities often Neglected

Women from ethnic minorities who live in Western societies are exposed to
substantial health risks. The reason is that modern health care does not
always take cultural values into account. These are the findings of a
continent-spanning project by the Austrian Science Fund FWF and identifies
the lack of cultural and gender-sensitive health care and its consequences,
based on the example of New Zealand and Austria.


Up to the present day, special social and cultural needs have hardly been
taken into consideration in health care facilities in the modern Western
world. Those affected are mainly migrants residing in these countries and
women belonging to ethnic minorities, who resist tests and treatment methods
that do not correspond to their own living environments. Dr. Christine
Binder-Fritz from the Institute for the History of Medicine at the Medical
University of Vienna has ascertained that these women are especially prone
to refusing preventive medical check-ups for cancer, thus jeopardising their
own health.


Consequences for Health


Dr. Binder-Fritz made this observation during a 16-month stay researching
the issue in New Zealand. Many women - especially the elderly - from the
native Maori people in New Zealand do not visit a gynaecologist or any other
doctor for fear of violating their cultural sense of privacy. It is
inconceivable for them to bare intimate parts of their body to a doctor from
a foreign culture.


The consequence is a serious threat to the health of these women. As Dr.
Binder-Fritz explains: "The indigenous people, who are often socially
disadvantaged, have a much lower life expectancy than the non-Maori
inhabitants, whereby the higher mortality rate in Maori women is to be
principally attributed to the extremely prevalent contraction of malignant
tumours, especially breast cancer or cervical cancer, as well as illnesses
like diabetes." These female-specific diseases often end fatally for many of
these women, as regular check-ups are missed, which is also related to
culturally specific perceptions of health and disease.


The experiences gained from the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand are
not the exception but the rule in Western societies, as the project has
shown. In Austria, problems related to the gynaecological and obstetrical
health care of migrants are frequent as well. Dr. Binder-Fritz, who herself
spent many years working as a medical laboratory technician in a
gynaecological hospital while completing her studies in Medical
Anthropology, was mainly able to observe areas of conflict in the field of
obstetrics in Austria.


Diversity in Birthing


For ethnic women, the perception of an ideal birth can greatly differ from
that of the Western world. Biomedical practices depend on one's culture,
according to Dr. Binder-Fritz. "Many women are not used to being accompanied
by a physician or having regular gynaecological check-ups throughout
pregnancy. The fear - due to language barriers - of not being able to ensure
their own interests or perceptions puts many migrants in a state of tension,
which can have a negative impact on the health of expectant mothers and
their unborn babies. Birth complications can be the result."















The public is growing more aware of the socio-cultural barriers of Western
health care systems and the resulting fatal consequences thanks to this
project. There has already been a change in thinking in New Zealand. Special
health centres have been set up on the motto "With Maoris for Maoris". The
centres guarantee adequate health care thanks to specially trained Maori
nurses.


The results and findings gained within the framework of this Austrian
Science Fund (FWF) project should now also serve as the basis for increased
cultural and gender-conscious medical care in Austria - something that can
only be made possible through the training and further specialisation of
medical personnel and through the incorporation of ethnic minorities and
migrants in the future, according to Dr. Binder-Fritz. A research project on
this matter is in the works.


Scientific Contact:

Dr. Christine Binder-Fritz

Medical University of Vienna

Institute for the History of Medicine

W?hringerstra?e 25

A-1090 Vienna, Austria

+43 / 664 / 76 74 941

christine.binder-fritzmeduniwien.ac.at


Austrian Science Fund (FWF):

Mag. Stefan Bernhardt

W?hringerstra?e 35

A-1040 Vienna, Austria

+43 / 1 / 505 67 40 - 36

bernhardtfwf.ac.at


Copy Editing & Distribution:

PR&D - Public Relations for Research & Development

Campus Vienna Biocenter 2

A-1030 Vienna, Austria

+43 / 1 / 505 70 44

contactprd.at


prd.at