Making Sense of Chagas Disease among Mexican Immigrants in California

Abstract

Mexican immigrants are affected by Chagas disease (CD) in California. It is through the representation of Chagas as a rare disease that participants make sense of the disease. A positive diagnosis has meant the disruption of patients' sense of normality and self-image, as well as their memories of homeland both reproducing and challenging hegemonic and stigmatized ideas of the disease associated with rurality and poverty. Access to treatment and medical care was the major coping mechanism. Health programs on CD should consider the emotional and social impact of the disease on people's self-perceptions to develop better medical care and prevention.

Keywords: Chagas disease; Estados Unidos; Mexican immigrants; United States; antropología; enfermedad de Chagas; estudio cualitativo; migrantes Mexicanos; qualitative study; representaciones sociales; social representations.