Towards the development of shared methodological approaches between anthropology and medicine: the case of Castel Volturno

Resumen

This report offers a methodological reflection based on a medical-anthropological study conducted in Castel Volturno, Italy, with the objective of identifying and addressing barriers to healthcare access for migrant women, particularly mothers and pregnant women. The research began at a primary care clinic run by Emergency NGO, which functions as a frontline service for individuals in conditions of socio-health vulnerability. Castel Volturno, due to its distinctive socio-demographic and urban features, represents a paradigmatic case for analysing tensions between national health systems and migrant subjectivities. Using a qualitative and quantitative methods design, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, textual analysis and cross-coding, the study develops a shared framework that integrates biomedical approaches with anthropological insight. The article advocates for a collaborative model of research and intervention that fosters both epistemological and operational dialogue between medicine and cultural anthropology. Central to this proposal are the co-production of knowledge, the continuous negotiation between disciplinary languages and the participatory development of culturally sensitive health education initiatives.