Women and healthcare services in Mexico: the struggle to avoid becoming "bedridden"

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify, describe, and analyze the perception of healthcare services by middle-aged women in five different regions of Mexico. The qualitative analysis was based on 24 in-depth interviews with middle-aged women (40-60 years) representing five different regions of the country. The women generally described their health as "constantly poor" but did not allow themselves to become "bedridden". The vast majority of the women postponed going to healthcare services. They considered their health problems insufficiently treated and did not receive enough information for proper self-care. When they did not receive the response they were looking for from healthcare services, women generally sought alternative solutions by regulating their own treatment regimes and self-medication. These experiences provide a strong reference for restructuring key aspects in the current medical model.