Using Ethnography to Study Indigenous Women’s Agency in Reproductive Health Care

Abstract

In this case study, I discuss how I used ethnographic methods to examine indigenous women’s agency in the area of reproductive health care in the context of Prospera, an influential Mexican national anti-poverty program. Methods included direct observations and audio-recordings of required clinical consultations, educational health care talks, home visits, and program-related meetings. These were supplemented with semi-structured interviews with health care workers and program beneficiaries/patients. I discuss the benefits and challenges of using these methods particularly for examining complex constructs such as agency and empowerment that are difficult to assess using more structured methods. I focus on the importance of knowing the local language, culture, and norms, and discuss the challenges I faced obtaining informed consent, avoiding potential conflicts of interest, and maintaining positive relationships with health care workers, community members, and local authorities.

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