Cultural and Language Discrimination in Healthcare as Experienced by Basque Women and Gender Non-Normative Individuals in the Basque Country.

Abstract

Basque women and gender non-normative individuals are a part of an Indigenous and ethnic minority culture, thus more likely to be exposed to discrimination and sub-optimal healthcare services. This study explores their experiences with healthcare and identifies the barriers and facilitators to implement culturally safe healthcare practices in the Basque Country. We used a critical ethnographic approach to conduct 37 semi-structured interviews, 36 hours of health clinic observations, and 4 focus groups. Using a thematic analytic approach, we find that euskalfobia in the healthcare system presents a major barrier to culturally safe healthcare through the normalization of euskarafobia, systematic invisibilizing of Basque language and culture, and the devaluing of cultural healing practices. Language and culturally concordant care, acknowledgment of cultural healing practices, and training regarding the concept of cultural safety at an individual and institutional level can facilitate the implementation of cultural safety in the Basque context.