Cancer as communication work: A qualitative study of Filipino migrant domestic workers with cancer in Hong Kong

Communication is crucial across all stages of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. However, engaging in consistently high levels of interpersonal communication can generate additional burdens for people with cancer. Despite increasing rates of diagnosis in Asia and the dominance of intraregional migration for employment, limited research has focused on the cancer experiences of migrant women. This article presents a unique study of communication 'work' done by female Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) diagnosed with cancer in Hong Kong.

Qualitative data were collected between June and December 2023 through semi-structured interviews with 22 MDWs from the Philippines who were diagnosed with cancer in Hong Kong. Data were analyzed using the Integrative Theory of Communication (ITC). This framework examines communication in relation to: information and instruction work, emotion work, identity work, relational work, and articulation and coordination work.

Results indicated that MDWs engaged in all types of communication work described in the ITC. Each type of communication was uniquely shaped by their position as MDWs in Hong Kong with specific links to their relationship with their employer, the precarious nature of their employment, and comparisons of oncology services available in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Our study highlights how interpersonal communication is complicated by migrant status, the intersection of individuals' multiple identities, and family financial vulnerability. These factors increased the complexity of MDWs' efforts to manage relationships, financial responsibilities, and employment to maintain access to treatment, placing a greater physical and emotional burden on them during treatment and recovery.