Medical Tourism in Guatemala: Qualitatively Exploring How Existing Health System Inequities Facilitate Sector Development
Publication Date
7-26-2019
Document Type
Article
Organizational Units
College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Anthropology
Keywords
Guatemala, Health inequities, Health systems, Medical tourism, Qualitative methods, Regulation
Abstract
This article explores how existing health inequities in the Guatemalan health system facilitate the emergence of its medical tourism industry. We report on our thematic analysis of 50 key informant interviews conducted with 4 groups of stakeholders in the local medical tourism sector. Participants frequently discussed the interplay between the country’s longstanding health inequities and the promotion of medical tourism, characterized by 4 thematic viewpoints: the private health sector is already flourishing; the highly fragmented health system already faces multiple challenges; the underfunded public health sector has a weak regulatory capacity; and the commodification of health care has already advanced. Medical tourism and health inequities shape each other in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to the potential for medical tourism to exacerbate health inequities, previously existing health inequities create opportunities for the industry’s growth. Although regulation of the medical tourism industry is necessary, it needs to be implemented both at the domestic and supranational levels for it to be effective in preventing greater health inequities, and it needs to address the political and economic drivers that make health systems generate health disparities.
Copyright Date
7-26-2019
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Rights Holder
The Authors
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
18 pgs
File Size
253 KB
Publication Statement
Copyright held by the authors. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Publication Title
International Journal of Health Services
Volume
49
Issue
4
First Page
754
Last Page
772
ISSN
0020-7314
Recommended Citation
Cerón, Alejandro et al. Medical Tourism in Guatemala: Qualitatively Exploring How Existing Health System Inequities Facilitate Sector Development. International Journal of Health Services, vol. 49, no. 4, 2019, pp. 754–772. DOI: 10.1177/0020731419866085.