Ethnomedical perspectives of women´s health: A framework for a transcultural and gender-sensitive health care

Hertha Firnberg Position T 68 Transcultural aspects of women`s health Christine BINDER-FRITZ 29.06.1999 The proposed project has the goal to discuss the issue of women`s reproductive and sexual health by means of cross-cultural comparison. The approach will be from the perspective of a woman`s lifecycle to examine health risks and health problems at various ages. Special reference will be made to ethnic minority groups in Western societies. The task will be to promote the implementation of a gender-sensitive and transcultural health care for female migrants in Austria. The project is based on the following hypotheses: * Women`s experiences of menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause cause them to think about their bodies, their bodily sensations and their health in a different way as men do. * There is a demand to develop alternatives to reduce medicalization of potentially normal physiological processes (e.g. menstruation, menopause) in the woman`s body. * To adress reproductive health issues successfully (e.g. STD, HIV/AIDS prevention), behavioural and cultural practices must also be addressed. * Given the current influx of refugees and immigrants, the question of ethnicity in relation to health care is of some urgency in Austria. The proposed project has three objectives: 1. To determine transcultural aspects of women`s health and to identify the factors that enhance the advancement of a gender-sensitive health care. 2. To include international experiences and identify effective models for health care delivery among diverse population groups of women. 3. To collaborate with national and international service organizations to facilitate the exchange of experiences and ideas among researchers and public health institutions. Research design: This cross-cultural research study in the field of Ethnomedicine will be based on qualitative research methods. Analysis of data will be on three different levels: (1) Field research data from New Zealand, (2) data from courses and seminars in "Transcultural Nursingcare" held in Vienna and (3) relevant literature and running research projects in the field of ethnomedicine at the Institute for the History of Medicine.