Unequal neurorehabilitation trajectories–a longitudinal case study combining field structures with social Class–Based Capital Conversion

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

Inequalities in illness, service provision, and outcomes are well documented in the Nordic universal welfare state. The ways in which inequalities are produced during illness recovery trajectories remain largely unknown. Long-term brain injury rehabilitation in this context provides a window into veiled aspects of inequality and the underlying mechanisms. We examine inequality empirically by combing framing field structures with the classed abilities of families to mobilise capital after a severe acquired brain injury (severe ABI). Using a Bourdieuan theoretical framework, informed by the concepts of field, doxa, cultural health capital (CHC), and rehabilitation capital (RC), we designed a longitudinal case study encompassing professional records, observations, and interviews that tracked and analysed subjects' trajectories. We found that families’ consistent accumulation and conversion of capital was crucial after a severe ABI because of the multifaceted rehabilitation process involving many different field specific agendas and doxas. This study supplements previous concepts (CHC and RC) developed in a health care context by including other rehabilitation contexts. These disparities in forms of capital amongst social classes result in winners and losers and were reflected in the rehabilitation trajectories of the young adults, characterised by continuity on one extreme and broken trajectories on the other.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftHealth Sociology Review
Vol/bind31
Udgave nummer3
Sider (fra-til)293-308
Antal sider16
ISSN1446-1242
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2022

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by Health Research Foundation of Central Denmark Region [Grant Number R5-A322]. We would like to thank all the participants who shared their time, perspectives, and stories in making this study possible.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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