Women from Ethnic Minorities often Neglected (press release)

Sunday, August 28, 2005 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: health news, Natural News, nutrition

https://www.naturalnews.com/011309.html

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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.