Gamma Sigma, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
J Nurs Scholarsh. 2010 Sep 1;42(3):270-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2010.01350.x.
The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore and describe women's participation in a U.S. microcredit program in the Pacific Northwest and to examine the relationship between the participants' businesses and their health.
In 2006, an ethnographic study was conducted with a microcredit organization in the Pacific Northwest using the following methods: (a) 10 audiotaped, semistructured interviews with clientele; (b) observation of microcredit groups four times a month for 6 months; (c) conversations with organization executive directors; and (d) review of organizational documents. The participants were women 32 to 64 years of age who had received one or more loans from the microcredit organization.
Four broad themes emerged from the data: (a) Microcredit: The introduction; (b) Microcredit: The place; (c) Stereotypes; and (d) Health. Despite the challenges associated with participation, all of the study participants were enthusiastic about the advantages of microcredit and would recommend it to others.
Many international microcredit organizations have incorporated health care and health education into their programs and have reported successful economic and social outcomes for women. In the United States (US), reports are varied, and there is a lack of literature that explores the economic and health link that is addressed in some international microcredit literature. The findings from this study might be used to initiate discussions around conjoint health education programs and microcredit as a health intervention.
Nurses, as a trusted presence in the community, are in a position to partner with microcredit organizations to improve the health of clientele.
本民族志研究旨在探讨和描述美国太平洋西北地区女性参与小额信贷计划的情况，并研究参与者的业务与健康之间的关系。
2006 年，对太平洋西北地区的一家小额信贷组织进行了民族志研究，采用了以下方法：（a）对客户进行了 10 次录音、半结构化访谈；（b）每月四次观察小额信贷小组，为期 6 个月；（c）与组织执行董事进行对话；（d）审查组织文件。参与者为年龄在 32 至 64 岁之间的女性，她们已从小额信贷组织获得过一次或多次贷款。
从数据中出现了四个广泛的主题：（a）小额信贷：介绍；（b）小额信贷：地点；（c）刻板印象；（d）健康。尽管参与存在挑战，但所有研究参与者都对小额信贷的优势充满热情，并将其推荐给他人。
许多国际小额信贷组织已经将医疗保健和健康教育纳入其计划，并报告了女性在经济和社会方面的成功成果。在美国，报告结果各不相同，并且缺乏探索国际小额信贷文献中所涉及的经济和健康联系的文献。本研究的结果可用于启动关于联合健康教育计划和小额信贷作为健康干预措施的讨论。
护士作为社区中值得信赖的存在，有能力与小额信贷组织合作，改善客户的健康状况。
