Issues of trust: A thematic analysis of the lived experiences of four mothers living in Istanbul during the COVID-19 pandemic

Year 2022, Issue: 43, 43 - 49, 30.06.2022

Nesli Bilge Öztürk , Gulkizilca Yurur

https://doi.org/10.33613/antropolojidergisi.983898

Abstract

The COVID-19 experience of medical professionals in Turkey is strongly determined by the absence of transparent networks to share or receive information, lack of administrative coordination and few channels for direct communication with the public. The Turkish Ministery of Health provides healthcare workers with no clear instructions on how to share pandemic-related data and the Ministery fails to make relevant public health decisions together with the active participation of medical experts working in healthcare facilities. How do these organisational and political shortcomings determine the attitudes, approaches and survival strategies of people in the daily homesetting? This qualitative study is structured around the narrative analysis of the lived experience of this group of mothers during the pandemic,where by the narratives most of all indicate a strong mistrust towards governmental authorities and private enterprises active in the provision of healthcare services. This attitude of mistrust is rooted in the actual conditions of increasing economic inequality in Turkey. The interview results indicate that a stronger cooperation and a more transparent exchange of information between government agencies and autonomous associations of medical professionals is needed to reduce fear and anxiety among the population and increase compliance to healthcare policies, especially during times of big scale public health emergencies.

Keywords

Covid-19, mothers as care givers, Government policies, Medical associations, Information exchange, Public trust

Güven sorunları: COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında İstanbul’da yaşayan dört annenin yaşadığı deneyimler üzerine tematik bir analiz

Abstract

Bu nitel çalışma, İstanbul’da COVID-19 pandemisini geçirmiş dört annenin yaşadığı deneyimlerin anlatı analizi etrafında yapılandırılmıştır. Yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla toplanan anlatılar, sağlık hizmetlerinin sağlanmasında aktif rol oynayan hükümet yetkililerine ve özel hastanelere karşı güçlü bir güvensizlik olduğunu göstermektedir. Türkiye’deki doktorların meslek örgütü TTB (Türk Tabipleri Birliği), pandemi sırasında bilgi paylaşmak veya almak için meslekler arası resmi ağların yokluğundan, idari koordinasyon eksikliğinden ve doktorların halkla doğrudan etkileşimi için az sayıda iletişim kanalı olmasından şikâyet etti. Tabipler Birliği’nin ifade ettiği bir diğer sorun ise pandemi sürecinde alınan halk sağlığı kararlarına sağlık kuruluşlarında çalışan tıp uzmanlarının aktif katılımının olamamasıydı. Bu örgütsel ve politik eksiklikler, Türk ailelerinin gündelik ev ortamındaki tutumları, yaklaşımları ve hayatta kalma stratejileri ile örtüşüyor mu? Bu çalışma, halk arasındaki korku ve endişeyi azaltmak ve özellikle de büyük ölçekli acil halk sağlığı durumlarında sağlık politikalarına uyumu artırmak için devlet kurumları, halk ve tıbbî meslek kuruluşları arasında daha güçlü bir iş birliğine ve daha şeffaf bir bilgi alışverişine ihtiyaç olduğunu savunmaktadır.

Keywords

Bilgi alışverişi, Kamu güveni, Covid-19, sağlık bakımı sağlayanlar olarak anneler, hükûmet politikaları, tıbbî meslek birlikleri

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