Page 125 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 125
Migrant Women’s Perspectives on Reproductive Health Issues and Their Healthcare Encounters
Assistants of Slovenia (Zbornica zdravstvene in babiške nege Slovenije, 2014)
and the recommendations issued for ethics in qualitative research (British So-
ciological Association, 2002). The study was approved by the National Med-
ical Ethics Committee (26.10.2017; No. 0120-544/2017/7). In addition, permis-
sion was obtained from the hospital.
The study formed part of the INTEGRA project and was co-funded by the
cross-border co-operation Programme Italy–Slovenia 2014–2020 financed by
the European Regional Development Fund.
Findings
Background Information on the Participating Women
The average age of the interviewees was 30.5 (SD = 5.68) years, with the
youngest being 22 and the oldest 37 years. Three interviewees had migrated
from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from Russia and Serbia, one each from
Ukraine, Kosovo and Iran. All, except one, had migrated directly from their
home country to Slovenia. The reason for migration was for six of them to
re-join their family (in most cases, their spouse who was ‘work migrant’ in
Slovenia). Three women had migrated for work opportunities and one to be
married. Two women had finished vocational education, four women sec-
ondary, one high school and three university level. Their lives in Slovenia are
very much defined by their living conditions. More than half (n = 6) of them
live in a rented apartment in an urban area. The average household includes
3.2 (SD = 0.91) members. All interviewees, with the exception of one, have
health insurance in the Republic of Slovenia. From the perspective of obstet-
rics anamnesis, eight women were primipara and two were multipara. Nine
of them gave birth in 2018 in Slovenia. The average age of the first-time moth-
ers was 28.80 (SD = 6.54) years. At the time of giving birth, the youngest was
in their 20s and the oldest was aged 37 years.
Main Themes
Two themes emerged under ‘Migrant women’s perspectives on reproduc-
tive health issues and their encounters within healthcare’ (Table 2). The first
theme ‘Experiences, expectations and barriers of a different healthcare sys-
tem’ summarises the migrant women’s views on the healthcare delivered in
their home country and later on in the host country. Their stories brought
to the fore their perceptions of inequality in the home country and expe-
riences and barriers with the host country’s healthcare system. The second
theme ‘The impact of culture-based beliefs on women’s reproductive health’
123
Assistants of Slovenia (Zbornica zdravstvene in babiške nege Slovenije, 2014)
and the recommendations issued for ethics in qualitative research (British So-
ciological Association, 2002). The study was approved by the National Med-
ical Ethics Committee (26.10.2017; No. 0120-544/2017/7). In addition, permis-
sion was obtained from the hospital.
The study formed part of the INTEGRA project and was co-funded by the
cross-border co-operation Programme Italy–Slovenia 2014–2020 financed by
the European Regional Development Fund.
Findings
Background Information on the Participating Women
The average age of the interviewees was 30.5 (SD = 5.68) years, with the
youngest being 22 and the oldest 37 years. Three interviewees had migrated
from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from Russia and Serbia, one each from
Ukraine, Kosovo and Iran. All, except one, had migrated directly from their
home country to Slovenia. The reason for migration was for six of them to
re-join their family (in most cases, their spouse who was ‘work migrant’ in
Slovenia). Three women had migrated for work opportunities and one to be
married. Two women had finished vocational education, four women sec-
ondary, one high school and three university level. Their lives in Slovenia are
very much defined by their living conditions. More than half (n = 6) of them
live in a rented apartment in an urban area. The average household includes
3.2 (SD = 0.91) members. All interviewees, with the exception of one, have
health insurance in the Republic of Slovenia. From the perspective of obstet-
rics anamnesis, eight women were primipara and two were multipara. Nine
of them gave birth in 2018 in Slovenia. The average age of the first-time moth-
ers was 28.80 (SD = 6.54) years. At the time of giving birth, the youngest was
in their 20s and the oldest was aged 37 years.
Main Themes
Two themes emerged under ‘Migrant women’s perspectives on reproduc-
tive health issues and their encounters within healthcare’ (Table 2). The first
theme ‘Experiences, expectations and barriers of a different healthcare sys-
tem’ summarises the migrant women’s views on the healthcare delivered in
their home country and later on in the host country. Their stories brought
to the fore their perceptions of inequality in the home country and expe-
riences and barriers with the host country’s healthcare system. The second
theme ‘The impact of culture-based beliefs on women’s reproductive health’
123
