Journal
MEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Volume 40, Issue 6, Pages 525-540Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2021.1894559
Keywords
United States; Chagas disease; explanatory models; neglected tropical diseases; Trypanosoma cruzi
Funding
- Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres USA
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)
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Chagas disease is the neglected tropical disease with the greatest public health impact in the United States, affecting over 300,000 people. Despite a desire for biomedical treatment, obtaining testing and treatment for Chagas disease poses substantial challenges for US patients. Participant narratives highlight the close intertwining of the physical and emotional impacts of the disease.
Chagas disease is the neglected tropical disease of greatest public health impact in the United States, where it affects over 300,000 people. Diverse barriers limit healthcare access for affected people; fewer than 1% have obtained testing or treatment. We interviewed 50 people with Chagas disease in Los Angeles, California, and administered a cultural consensus analysis questionnaire. Participants were asked about their experiences and perceptions of Chagas disease, access to healthcare, and strategies for coping with the disease. In participants' narratives, the physical and emotional impacts of the disease were closely interwoven. Participant explanatory models highlight difficulties in accessing care, despite a desire for biomedical treatment. Obtaining testing and treatment for Chagas disease poses substantial challenges for US patients.
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