Contextuality of Healthcare Choices in Pakistan

by Sara Rizvi Jafree (Foreword by), Shehzad Ali (Contribution by), Husan Bano Channar (Contribution by), Abdullah Emran (Contribution by), Hafsa Hina (Contribution by)

Overview

Contextuality of Healthcare Choices in Pakistan analyzes the contextual factors shaping healthcare decision-making in Pakistan. Divided into three thematic areas—contextuality of healthcare choices, power dynamics and the health of the marginalized, and emerging challenges and healthcare response—the book explores the complex interplay of social, cultural, and institutional influences on health-seeking behaviors.

The book examines the nuanced fabric of healthcare decision-making in Pakistan through a series of nine meticulously crafted chapters. From the influence of geography and social context on health-related choices to the power dynamics inherent in patient-doctor interactions, each chapter offers valuable insights into the myriad factors shaping individuals' healthcare decisions. Moreover, the book sheds light on overlooked aspects of healthcare decision-making, including the experiences of marginalized communities such as the transgender population and individuals seeking mental healthcare.

Drawing on diverse theoretical perspectives and empirical evidence, this book challenges simplistic notions of healthcare decision-making as solely individual and rational. Instead, it argues for a comprehensive understanding of how communal, social, and institutional factors intersect to shape health-seeking behaviors. By illuminating the contextual complexities inherent in healthcare decision-making, this book offers invaluable insights for researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the wider public interested in understanding and improving healthcare outcomes in Pakistan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666962710
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/30/2024
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Saman Nazir is senior researcher at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE).

Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword, by Sara Rizvi Jafree

Acknowledgments

Introduction, by Saman Nazir

Section I. Contextually of Healthcare Choices

Chapter 1. Reflecting with Bourdieu: Understanding Healthcare Choices in Pakistan, by Saman Nazir and Abdullah Emran

Chapter 2. Situation Analysis of Non-degree Allopathic Practitioners (NDAPs) in Pakistan, by Asad Saleem and Saman Nazir

Chapter 3. Exploring the Choice of Non-exclusive Breastfeeding in Pakistan, by Saman Nazir

Section II. Power Dynamics and the Health of the Marginalized

Chapter 4. Reframing Doctor-Patient Interactions in Pakistani Healthcare: A Foucauldian Analysis of Power/Knowledge Relationship, by Ayesha Nazir and Saman Nazir

Chapter 5. Understanding Mental Health Barriers in Pakistani Society, by Halima S. Qureshi

Chapter 6. Contextual Correlates for the High Prevalence of HIV/AIDS At-Risk Behaviors in Transgender Community of Pakistan, by Fahd Zulfiqar

Section III: Emerging Challenges and Healthcare Response

Chapter 7. Understanding the Sehat Sahulat Program: Insights from Public and Private Healthcare Providers in Pakistan, by Sumaira Yasmin and Hafsa Hina

Chapter 8. Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in Sindh Province, Pakistan, by Ayaz Ali Samo, Zulfiqar Ali Laghari, Husan Bano Channar, and Arsalan Ahmed Uqaili

Chapter 9. Social and Economic Burden of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Pakistan, by Muhammad Ashar Malik, Shehzad Ali, and Mohammad Wasay

About the Contributors

Editorial Reviews

"Contextuality of Healthcare Choices in Pakistan substantially contributes to the literature on healthcare decision-making by not only addressing cultural barriers to healthcare resources but by incorporating research concerning alternative healthcare. Each chapter presents thought-provoking findings which are also relevant to other countries around the globe. The contributors demonstrate that health can be a privilege, a status commodity, a lifestyle, or an expression of sustained stratification depending on one’s socioeconomic status. This book is critical for sociologists (especially medical sociologists), students and professionals in healthcare, academicians interested in health, wellness specialists, and policymakers."

Giselle C. M. Greenidge

This text provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare choices in Pakistan from a sociological perspective. Firmly grounded in sociological theory, the authors delve into the contexts in which individual choices are made. A compelling addition to literature, providing much-needed insights into the Pakistani health care system.”

Jessica Smartt Gullion