Patient participation: A qualitative study of immigrant women and their experiences

Patient participation in healthcare is a neglected area of interest in the rather extensive amount of research on immigrant so-called Selma patients in Swedish health care as well as worldwide. The aim is to explore the phenomenon “patient participation” in the context of the Swedish health care from the perspective of immigrants non-fluent in Swedish. A phenomenological lifeworld approach was chosen. Data were collected from patients within a municipal home care setting in Sweden. Eight women agreed to participate. In seven interviews, an interpreter was necessary for the translation of the interview. Five authorized interpreters were used. Data were analysed in accordance to a descriptive phenomenological method for caring research. The analysis led to an essence of the phenomenon with three constituents, “to experience participation,” “to refrain from participation,” and “to be deprived of participation.” Patient participation from the perspective of immigrant women means that patients are involved and active in their own health and caring processes. For these women, it is particularly important to have the opportunity to express themselves. Patient participation presupposes professional caregivers who act in a way that increases the patients' opportunities to take part. A skilled interpreter is often necessary in order to enable the patient participation

To be an immigrant and a patient in Sweden: A study with an individualised perspective

The aim is to describe how experiences of being an immigrant can influence the situation when becoming a patient in Swedish health care. A hermeneutic approach was used. Sixteen persons born in non-Nordic countries were interviewed. The data was analysed with an empirical hermeneutical method. The findings indicate that positive experiences (i.e., establishing oneself in a new home country) enhance the possibilities of taking part in caring situations and vice versa. Hence, there is a need for individually adapted care that takes one's whole life situation into consideration. Consequently, it is suggested that the concept, “cultural competence” merely serves the purpose of illuminating caregivers' need for categorisation. It does not illuminate individual needs in a caring situation

Pensamiento social sueco sobre América Latina

El presente volumen agrupa una selección de disertaciones que fueron producidas en diferentes universidades suecas en años recientes. Decidimos incluir estudios de diversas disciplinas, sobre diferentes países latinoamericanos y temas de investigación. También incluimos autores de distintas universidades para presentar un ejemplo amplio de las investigaciones que tienen lugar en las distintas instituciones suecas. Esta selección no pretende ser representativa de la investigación sueca sobre Latinoamérica. Además, y como será señalado en el anexo, hay un gran número de estudios recientes de excelente nivel que no ha sido posible incluir. Esperamos, sin embargo, que esta selección permita comprender cómo se desarrollan en Suecia los estudios sobre Latinoamérica; cuáles son algunos de sus áreas de interés, así como los desafíos que enfrentan los académicos que se embarcan en la tarea de estudiar un continente lejano. Pero, sobre todo, esperamos que este libro cumpla con el propósito de servir como estímulo para generar más vinculos de investigación entre Suecia y América Latina