Acevedo Guerrero, Natalia
(2021)
A Defense of Physician Advocacy: Advocating for the Health of Undocumented Immigrants in the United States and Colombia.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Undocumented immigrants face different difficulties and barriers in order to access the health care system. Even when they get to access medical care, they face situations of xenophobia, discrimination and the fear towards their legal status can affect their experience and can have an impact in the continuity and success of their treatments. In a context of migration emergencies in both the United States and Colombia, immigration measures and policies have directly impacted the health outcomes of undocumented immigrants, creating a situation of a structural health injustice. This thesis argues that advocacy is a way in which physicians can successfully contribute to document, address and tackle this injustice and improve the lives and health of undocumented immigrants. This thesis defends physician advocacy by arguing that: i) Advocacy actions are connected and grounded in the legitimate goals of medicine and their contemporary reinterpretation. In this line, advocacy can be an effective way to promote health justice and contribute to restore the trust that undocumented immigrants have lost in doctors; ii) advocacy actions are an effective way in which physicians can take advantage of their unique position based on their historical social privilege and the access they have to undocumented immigrants´ health. Furthermore, to show how physicians can advocate for the health of undocumented immigrants, using their knowledge and expertise, this work analyses the case of: i) Sanctuary Doctoring, ii) Physicians for Human Rights and iii) Profamilia-Colombia.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
| Creators | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Acevedo Guerrero, Natalia | naa103@pitt.edu | naa103 | |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
3 May 2021 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
26 April 2021 |
| Approval Date: |
3 May 2021 |
| Submission Date: |
23 March 2021 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
152 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > Bioethics |
| Degree: |
MA - Master of Arts |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Undocumented immigrants
Health care justice
Health Care access
Physician advocacy
Goals of medicine
Trust
Physician privilege
Sanctuary Doctoring
Physicians for Human Rights
Bioethics |
| Date Deposited: |
03 May 2021 15:32 |
| Last Modified: |
03 May 2021 15:32 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/40422 |
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