| A growing body of research on the cultural aspects of health, illness, and healing has focused on how immigrants conceptualize health and illness, and on their practices associated with care and cure in the country of settlement. However, there also is a need to address how immigrants experience illness in the context of their lives, involving cultural dimensions, social relations, and their day-to-day existence.;This dissertation examines the illness-experiences of Salvadoran women immigrants who also experienced civil war in their country before emigrating to the United States and settling in Northern Virginia. They brought with them their own culturally-based beliefs about illness and ways of curing. Data were collected through interviews, participant observation, and life histories. The research analyzed the life histories of two groups of women---one healthy group designated the non-clinical group, and one group under medical care designated the clinical group---to assess if there were differences in the life-circumstances between the two groups.;Male-female relations, especially with mates and spouses, and economic problems, were two salient themes reflected in the lives and health of the women. When they spoke about health and illness, they had their own conceptions about what health meant and what illness meant. Having energy to work in order to meet economic needs was an important dimension of health, and being tired, sad, and worried were perceived as agents of illness. |
