Health Mobility between Arica and Tacna: Analyzing an Unsatisfied Demand and an Attractive Offer across the Border

Abstract

Adopting a mixed-methods approach (surveys and interviews), this article addresses the phenomenon of health mobility from Arica to Tacna. It shows that Arica’s inhabitants cross the border to the city of Tacna for purposes such as using the Peruvian health services, purchasing medicines, glasses and other commodities. The argument is that irrespective of border disputes, bordercrossing takes place as a result of the increasing commoditization and low quality of Chile’s public health system. Tacna, instead, offers affordable and generally better services, with quick access to specialists and medical examinations. Yet, while routine controls, health checks and second-opinion visits motivate border-crossing in large measure, complex medical procedures feature less prominently in the study especially due to lack of insurances, lack of information and, in some cases, distrust on the results.