Publication
Title
The discourse of medical tourism in the media
Author
Abstract
: Purpose Non-discursive practices such as the economy and political constellations have always caused shifts in history. However, in the network society of today, these shifts have become omnipresent. Globalization of health and medical tourism have created a shift or rupture in the history of healthcare provision and into the lives of different stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to detect and assess the rupture caused by global health care or medical tourism within the field of the written media, in order to define the reality of medical tourism as a trans-historical field. Design/methodology/approach The methodology of this study comprised an extensive discourse analysis of written and new media performed over a time frame of more than a decade. Market, medical, ethical and patient discourses were detected along scientific sources, international and local newspapers. Findings Results indicate that a change in the market discourse has caused a shift in the attitude towards medical tourism, where ethical voices are seen as submissive to the market logic. In the current time perspective, medical tourism has become more mature with the development of non-ethical counterparts such as organ tourism and reproductive tourism as a consequence. Originality/value The research framework shows that the general public receives a normative message from the medical tourism sector.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Tourism review. - St. Gallen
Publication
St. Gallen : 2011
ISSN
1660-5373
DOI
10.1108/16605371111127215
Volume/pages
66 :1/2 (2011) , p. 31-44
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
VABB-SHW
Record
Identifier
Creation 14.07.2011
Last edited 04.03.2024
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