Date Approved
2026
Degree Type
Open Access Senior Honors Thesis
Department or School
Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
First Advisor
Maria Luz Garcia, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Julian Murchison, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Ann R. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
Abstract
This research considers the efforts of healthcare practitioners and community workers in enhancing healthcare accessibility for Maya immigrant communities in northeast Ohio. Through ethnographic interviews and participant-observation research, I analyze how practitioners interpret their work with community members to navigate economic disparities and questions of legal standing, as well as cultural and linguistic differences. I also consider ways in which healthcare providers have sought to promote institutional change. This research gives insight into how institutional structures shape efforts for culturally informed care and how healthcare providers and healthcare seekers negotiate relationships within these confines.
Recommended Citation
Barnes, Ellen D., "Enhancing healthcare accessibility for Maya immigrants in Northeast Ohio" (2026). Senior Honors Theses and Projects. 924.
https://commons.emich.edu/honors/924