524 Overwork - a concept to grasp implications of health inequities for minoritized patients

Sep 30, 2026

Research examining health inequities highlights how ‘race’ and ethnicity connect to racism, xenophobia, and discrimination, shaping how patients experience and negotiate access to healthcare within hospital interactions. Access depends on perceived legitimacy, which requires patient work. The study conducts ethnographic fieldwork (May 2021–January 2022) in orthopedic departments across two Danish hospitals, using participant observations and conversations with patients, relatives, and hospital staff. Results show experiences of inadequate or discriminatory care tied to ethnicised markers, driving patients to work to prevent stigmatizing discourses.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Aims

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

Publication

2nd World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race & Health Abstract Book vi127 Abstract citation ID: ckaf180.352 524 Overwork – a concept to grasp implications of health inequities for minoritized patients Nina Halberg1,2, Trine Schifter Larsen1,3, Mari Holen3 1Hvidovre University Hospital, Hvidovre, Danmark 2Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark 3Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark EP2.2, e-Poster Terminal 2, September 3, 2025, 13:05-14:00 Aims: Research shows that ‘race’ and ethnicity are paramount to health inequities which is connected to racism, xenophobia, and discrimination. Health inequities also arise in access to healthcare and access is negotiated in the social interactions within a hospital context. In here, access to healthcare rely on perceived legitimacy as healthcare recipients, which require work by patients. What workings did ethnically minoritized patients engage in during hospitalization to create legitimacy in access to healthcare? Methodology: An ethnographic study from May 2021 – January 2022 in orthopedic departments in two Danish hospitals including participant observations, conversations, and interactions with patients (n ¼ 13) and their relatives (n ¼ 6), as well as with the hospital staff, including nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and radiographers (n ¼ 79) . Results: All the patients had experiences of receiving inadequate or discriminatory healthcare that they connected to their ethnicised markers of, for example, Muslimness, language, physical appearance or perceived different culture. These experiences were consequential as it caused the patients to work towards avoiding societal and political discourses as potentially problematized. To capture the comprehensive and exhausting impact of having to work towards creating legitimacy, we propose the concept of (over)work. Conclusion: (Over)work is as a theoretical and analytical concept to grasp and elucidate the active yet subtle and covert workings for patients placed in the margins of healthcare. For ethnically minoritized patients, the overwork is closely connected to discourses on Danishness, ethnicity and (the right to) universal healthcare. Ultimately, working towards reducing patients’ overwork is a concrete tool to work towards reducing health inequities in access to healthcare. Publication: Halberg, N., Larsen, T. S., & Holen, M. (2024) . Overwork as a concept to understand health inequities for ethnicised patients in health care. Sociology of Health & Illness

FAQs

What is the study’s primary aim?

To understand how ethnically minoritized patients create perceived legitimacy for access to healthcare during hospitalization and what implications this has for health inequities.

How was the research conducted?

The study used ethnographic methods from May 2021 to January 2022 in orthopedic departments in two Danish hospitals, including participant observations and interactions with patients, relatives, and multiple categories of hospital staff.

What did the study find about patients’ experiences?

Patients reported receiving inadequate or discriminatory healthcare linked to ethnicised markers such as Muslimness, language, physical appearance, or perceived different culture, and these experiences led them to work to avoid potentially problematized societal and political discourses.

How does the paper conceptualize ‘overwork’?

It proposes (over)work as a theoretical and analytical concept to capture active yet subtle and covert patient work undertaken by those positioned at the margins of healthcare, tied to discourses on Danishness, ethnicity, and universal healthcare.

Sep 30, 2026

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