Exploring (Im)mobility of the body in an island territory: Experiences of women in the search for health care

Abstract

This study examines the complex dynamics of mobility and health in women of the Quinchao archipelago exploring the experiences of body (im)mobility in the search for medical care. Taking into theoretical consideration the approach to mobility, and through in-depth interviews, the tensions resulting from the interaction between the spatial and body dimension in this fragmented island territory are analyzed. The intensity and problematic experience of these trajectories at a vital level is highlighted, especially in the context of pregnancies and children. Finally, a reflection on mobility for health in this particular environment is proposed, offering guidelines to integrate the variable of the body in the observation of conflicts and tensions in the archipelago.