Transnational Healthcare Practices of Retired Circular Migrants

Abstract

Studies on healthcare of migrants usually focus on their problems including mental health, psychosomatic complaints, assuming that they mainly use the healthcare services of the host country. As migrants may also use healthcare services in their home countries, we examine empirically the influence of being subject to different healthcare systems and services particulary focusing on the migrants’ consumption of medicine. This paper contributes to the literature by specifically exploring the transnational healthcare practices of retired migrants from Turkey. Drawing on 10 qualitative interviews conducted with migrants from Turkey living in both Germany and Turkey, this paper illustrates a qualitative analysis of healthcare practices and polypharmacy – multiple medicine consumption, of migrants.