Caracterización del turismo médico transfronterizo en Ciudad Juárez motivado por la crisis derivada del COVID-19

María Teresa Martínez Almanza; Santos Morales; Jorge Antonio Breceda Pérez

doi:10.21670/ref.2206090

Authors

María Teresa Martínez Almanza Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1056-9204
Santos Morales Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5330-9974
Jorge Antonio Breceda Pérez Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5280-6936

Keywords:

medical tourism, pandemic, cross-border health, welfare state

Abstract

The work links cross-border mobility and medical tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to analyze the behavior of medical tourism in Ciudad Juárez during October 2020 to July 2021 of this pandemic. The contextual variable is regular mobility compared to the activity of the trade in health services in border cities. It is a qualitative and exploratory study of 34 semi-structured interviews of real cases. Cross-border patients who come to Ciudad Juárez in search of health care for COVID-19 disease in public and private hospitals and for the care and follow-up of the related sequelae were found. The conclusions expose the vulnerability of people who carry out medical tourism and the institutional deficiencies that contribute to the challenges of the welfare state during the COVID-19 pandemic. The notion of the functionality of borders is identified.

Resumen

El trabajo vincula la movilidad transfronteriza y el turismo médico durante la pandemia de COVID-19. El objetivo fue analizar el comportamiento del turismo médico en Ciudad Juárez durante octubre de 2020 a julio de 2021 de esta pandemia. La variable contextual es la movilidad regular frente a la actividad del comercio de servicios de salud de las ciudades fronterizas. Es un estudio cualitativo y exploratorio de 34 entrevistas semiestructuradas de casos reales. Se encontraron pacientes transfronterizos que acuden a Ciudad Juárez en busca de atención sanitaria para la enfermedad de COVID-19 en hospitales públicos y privados y para la atención y seguimiento de las secuelas relativas. En las conclusiones se expone la vulnerabilidad de las personas que realizan turismo médico y las deficiencias institucionales que abonan a los desafíos del estado de bienestar durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Se identifica la noción de la funcionalidad de las fronteras.

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