Representations of health and illness by Eastern European, South American and Italian care workers: a qualitative study

Abstract

This qualitative research examined the representations of health and illness presented by 30 individuals who work as care workers, from three different locations: Eastern Europe, South America and Italy. We led three focus groups for people who came from the same geographical area (intra-ethnic) and two for those from 'mixed' areas (inter-ethnic). From our content analyses, certain similarities and differences between the conceptualizations of health and illness emerged: in the intra-ethnic focus groups, Eastern Europeans focused on 'inner strengths', South Americans on 'love' and Italians on 'personal autonomy'. These peculiar traits were levelled in the inter-ethnic focus groups.