Dignity and Indignity Experienced by Immigrant Women on Long-term Sick Leave: A qualitative Study

Abstract

In her thesis Dignity and indignity experienced by immigrant women on long-term sick leave, Line Nortvedt has studied immigrant women with chronic pain during a rehabilitation period. The main aim of the study was to explore how the immigrant women experience their daily life at home and at the workplace when they are on long-term sick leave. The study is based on participant observations during two rehabilitation courses at an outpatient clinic, and qualitative interviews with the women after the courses. The results demonstrate that the women experience their daily life as lonely and humiliating when being excluded by colleagues, managers or even by family members. The rejection at home and at the workplace reinforces the women's experience of shame and avoidance of telling anybody about their illness, thus contributing to more days on sick leave. The chronic pain is experienced as threatening, incomprehensible and unreal, without meaning or ability to be controlled. Despite the experiences of suffering and humiliation, the participants experience to maintain dignity through love and friendship, by getting connected with their "historical selves", by supporting relatives and being strong. Moreover, they are respected, believed and understood by other patients and healthcare professionals. Additionally, religious faith and hope for the future gave an experience of meaning, peace and dignity. The study concludes that immigrant women may experience poor health because of strains from migration, meaningless pain and humiliation, by being made to feel invisible, not understood, degraded, stigmatized and marginalized. On the other hand, they were able to adapt, learn and endure. Moreover, they find strength in personal relations in their families and with God, and demonstrate a solid integrity, inner strength, proudness, self-respect and acceptance. Hope and dignity serves as a healing force for the immigrant women.