The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America.
Education and Language Education Department, International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan.
PLoS One. 2024 Aug 16;19(8):e0307192. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307192. eCollection 2024.
Although a large number of Muslim refugees have resettled in the United States for the last decades, few studies have looked into maternal healthcare access and utilization among Muslim refugee women in the country. This qualitative study was conducted to explore the factors influencing maternal healthcare access and utilization among Muslim refugee women resettled in the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted among Afghan, Iraqi, and Syrian refugee women (n = 17) using an interview guide informed by Social Cognitive Theory and its key constructs. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, imported into MAXQDA 2020 (VERBI Software), and analyzed based on qualitative content analysis. Data analysis revealed several themes at the micro, meso, and macro-levels. Micro-level factors included women's attitudes toward hospitals and prenatal care, as well as their life skills and language proficiency. Meso-level factors, such as cultural norms and practices, social support and network, as well as health care provider characteristics, were also identified. Macro-level factors, such as the complex healthcare system and access to insurance, also appeared to influence maternal healthcare access and utilization. This study revealed the complex contextual factors that refugee populations face. Given the population's heterogeneity, a more nuanced understanding of refugee maternal health is required, as are more tailored programs for the most vulnerable groups of refugee women.
尽管在过去几十年里，大量穆斯林难民已经在美国重新安置，但很少有研究关注该国穆斯林难民女性的母婴保健服务获取和利用情况。本定性研究旨在探索影响在美国重新安置的穆斯林难民女性获取和利用母婴保健服务的因素。研究采用社会认知理论及其关键结构要素制定的访谈指南，对 17 名来自阿富汗、伊拉克和叙利亚的难民女性进行了深入访谈。访谈进行了录音并逐字记录，然后导入 MAXQDA 2020（VERBI 软件），并根据定性内容分析进行了分析。数据分析揭示了微观、中观和宏观层面的几个主题。微观层面的因素包括女性对医院和产前护理的态度，以及她们的生活技能和语言能力。中观层面的因素，如文化规范和习俗、社会支持和网络，以及医疗保健提供者的特点，也被确定。宏观层面的因素，如复杂的医疗保健系统和获得保险的机会，似乎也影响了母婴保健服务的获取和利用。这项研究揭示了难民群体所面临的复杂背景因素。鉴于该人群的异质性，需要更细致地了解难民产妇的健康状况，并为最脆弱的难民妇女群体制定更有针对性的方案。
