Feeling unwell, "so was their due" : women and their perception of health in Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To analyse the implicit social process between feeling unwell and seeking for health services help, in women from five Mexizan regions. Material and methods: Forty interviews to women aged 35-65 years within the National Health Survey 1994 were qualitatively analysed. These women came from five different Mexican regions: a metropolitan area, the north, the south, the centre and a depressed area. Results: Research findings show that women’s perception of health is about “feeling constantly unwell”; nevertheless, they do not “lay on bed”. The seek for health services help is always a late one, due to the role they play as social reproducers within their families and communities. Conclusion: Health professionals’ knowledge about women’s experiences regarding their perception and health care, will allow them to become aware of the reasons for these women’s late seek for health services help.

Keywords

• Salud de las mujeres
• Género
• México