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Research
Projects
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Health
and Co-operatives: Three New Papers From the Centre
Home Care and Home Support
Home care is, for
many people, preferable to conventional clinical and institutional
methods of health care, and home care co-operatives are responding
to this choice. Co-operative home care and home support presents
an opportunity for innovation and local control over the development
of health care that usual methods do not offer.
BCICS researcher Victoria Bowman's paper "Home Care/Home Support
and the Co-operative Model: A Research Report" argues these points.
The objectives of her report are threefold: to discover how co-operative
models of community economic development can meet the needs of both
consumers of home care/ home support and the providers of that health
care; to consider available case studies, focussing on the impetus
for development for particular co-ops; and to reflect upon the need
for home support co-ops in the Capital Health Region in Victoria,
British Columbia.
In her paper Victoria introduces concepts important to a discussion
of health, home care, and home support. In particular, and perhaps
somewhat controversially, she discusses ways in which language is
capable of forming people's conceptions of health and illness. She
provides an analysis of two models of co-operatives working to supply
home care/ home support to consumers. And finally, she examines
the potential for co-operative home support delivery as an alternative
to the current models of home health care.
Co-operative Community Health Care Centres
Co-operative Community
Health Care Centres, are another way co-ops help provide health
care to Canadians, one which stands outside of a politically charged
debate over the provision of health services. With increased tension
on the Health Care profession for resources, alternatives to conventional
practices are being sought. Co-operatives are increasingly being
recognised as an alternative to slipping into a two-tiered system
of health care.
Kristen Sinats' research on health co-operatives raises awareness
of the co-operative model and the role it can play in the Canadian
health care system. By studying existing co-operatives, we may understand
the structure and services a health co-operative can provide. Kristen
reviews several types of health co-operatives, but focusses on primary
health care co-operatives that operate as community health centres.
Citizen participation is an important aspect of co-operatives, and
Kristen's research also looks at how co-operatives can contribute
to building healthy communities. As part of her research, she conducted
literature reviews, analysed existing case studies, and located
information about international health co-operatives through the
Internet. She is currently researching health policy and areas where
there is a perceived need for change in the methods of providing
health care.
In conjunction with her research on health co-operatives, Kristen
compiled a number of key readings and resources that will be of
interest to people investigating the possibilities of health co-operatives.
The searchable database that is part of BCICS website contains this
information. In the future, the Institute plans to put together
information packages on Health Co-operatives.
Immigration and Health Co-operatives
New Canadians, especially those with few resources and language
barriers, are often faced with obstacles in their search for familiar
health care. Cultural issues and conceptions of health also play
a part in further removing people from a health system that addresses
their needs. Health co-operatives are able to address this issue.
In Canada, about 40 health co-operatives exist; however, the Rainbow
Community Health Co-operative, one staffed and serving predominantly
British Columbians of South Asian descent, is the only one in the
Province.
Upkar Singh Tatlay, a BCICS researcher, has conducted extensive
field research with members and employees of the Rainbow Community
Health Co-operative, located in Richmond BC. In general, his report
addresses some of the problems associated with health co-ops in
Canada; it also looks at different solutions to these problems.
More specifically, Upkar's report shows how co-ops can be organised
to be culturally sensitive.
All of the above reports will soon be available at web.uvic.ca/bcics
or through the Institute.
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Spring 2001: V1 - I1
Summer 2001: V1 - I2
Fall 2001: V1 - I3
Fall 2002: V2 - I1
Spring 2003: V3 - I1
Fall 2004: V4 - I1
Spring 2005: V5 - I1
Fall 2005: V5 - I2
Spring 2006: V6 - I1
Fall 2006: V6 - I2
Fall 2007: V7 - I1
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