Migrants in Palermo: an ethnographic look at their social and health situation

Abstract

Introduction. For decades, migration has been at the centre of the international political agenda, as it is a complex phenomenon with a high impact on societies of origin, transit and destination. These societies are determined by their geopolitical situation, around which migratory networks are created, such as the Central Mediterranean routes, in which cities such as Palermo (Italy) become key migratory transit areas. In the field of research, it is considered necessary to study the migratory phenomenon from different approaches that include the social, cultural and health perspectives that allow us to understand the phenomenon in a holistic manner. Methods. The aim of this study is to find out about and analyse the social and health reality of migrants in the context of Palermo, from which to explore the perception of their state of health, their self-assessment of their quality of life and their experience of the contextual factors involved in their wellbeing and the suffering of pathologies. The methodology used was qualitative, based on an ethnographic approach, which allowed an approach to be made to the experience of life and the meanings assigned to health in a migratory context. For this purpose, 14 semi-structured interviews were carried out with migrants of different nationalities. The analysis of the data obtained was carried out by means of a thematic analysis through which recurrent patterns were identified in the discourses, which allowed for categorisation into four main blocks: perceived state of health, pathologies and mental health, self-perception of health and contextual factors, and satisfaction with health and quality of life. Results. The main results show that, despite the existence of chronic pathologies and mental health problems not formally diagnosed, the participants tend to value their state of health positively. They prioritise aspects such as functional autonomy and emotional resilience. Likewise, the migration experience is perceived as a factor that, in many cases, contributes to an improvement in quality of life compared to the previous situation in the country of origin. However, structural and cultural barriers are identified that hinder access to the health system and whose intervention would require a model of socio-health coordination between the Health System and Social Services. Discussion and conclusions. It highlights the need to address the social and health situation of the migrant population in a comprehensive manner, through health policies that focus on the subjective and holistic part of health and that guarantee the effective right to health care. This study contributes to the theoretical research base on the analysis of migration from a social perspective that goes beyond the biomedical approach, prioritising the voice of migrants as protagonists of their own reality.