A critical examination of empowerment discourse in medical tourism: the case of the dental tourism industry in Los Algodones, Mexico

Globalization and Health
Krystyna AdamsNicole S Berry

Abstract

Medical tourism is a term used to describe the phenomenon of individuals intentionally traveling across national borders to privately purchase medical care. The medical tourism industry has been portrayed in the media as an "escape valve" providing alternative care options as a result of vast economic asymmetries between the global north and global south and the flexible regulatory environment in which care is provided to medical tourists. Discourse suggesting the medical tourism industry necessarily enhances access to medical care has been employed by industry stakeholders to promote continued expansion of the industry; however, it remains unknown how this discourse informs industry practices on the ground. Using case study methodology, this research examines the perspectives and experiences of industry stakeholders working and living in a dental tourism industry site in northern Mexico to develop a better understanding of the ways in which common discourses of the industry are taken up or resisted by various industry stakeholders and the possible implications of these practices on health equity. Interview discussions with a range of industry stakeholders suggest that care provision in this particular location enables internat...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 18, 2018·Globalization and Health·Daniel Béland, Amy Zarzeczny

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