Page 135 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 135
Migrant Women’s Perspectives on Reproductive Health Issues and Their Healthcare Encounters
their home country based on their socio-economic status. That is why all
the women recognised that superior healthcare services are delivered by the
health system in Slovenia. Due to the women’s previous experiences in their
home country, the key element characterising healthcare services in Slovenia
as superior was that they did not have to pay to obtain good quality services.
It seems the public health policy in Slovenia works for migrant women, al-
though in some cases inadequate health literacy was clearly present. Health
literacy implies the achievement of a certain level of knowledge, personal
skills and confidence to be able to take action to improve personal and com-
munity health (Tsai & Lee, 2016). A lower level of health literacy was clearly
noticeable among the newly arrived women. Inadequate health literacy may
limit migrants’ ability to take full advantage of health information and thus
the services provided by the health system to make appropriate health deci-
sions in the host country (Tsai & Lee, 2016).
The women also recognised the quality of care related to reproductive
health in the host country. As established in previous research (Reeske &
Razum, 2011; Smith et al., 2016), perinatal and maternal morbidity and mor-
tality among migrant women are usually high. The migrations to that extent
made the women more aware of their possibilities regarding reproduction
and the freedom to choose. Religion did not, at least not directly, constrain
the women’s autonomy for reproductive freedom, although it is not easy to
separate religion from sexuality and reproductive health. All major religions
offer a distinct belief system which aims to guide devout followers in sexual
and reproductive matters (Arousell & Carlbom, 2016). Other culturally based
traditions, such as inappropriate use of treatment methods or medications
used for treatment, may also contribute to developing practices that harm
women’s reproductive health. For some, these practices seem to continue
in the host country and this further supports calls for activities to increase
health literacy among migrant women.
In qualitative research, the data as well as the conceptualised findings are
prone to subjectivity. However, they allow an insight into migrant women’s
experiences with healthcare services in the host country from the sexual
and reproductive health perspectives and have helped enrich other parts
of large-scale research within the INTEGRA project. The study was also con-
ducted in one hospital only, which could limit the responses obtained and
the purposive sample could entail selection bias, yet the women selected for
the interviews who had no difficulties communicating and expressing them-
selves in English or in a language familiar to the interviewer (Serbian). Future
research should focus on exploring culturally based practices related to sex-
133
their home country based on their socio-economic status. That is why all
the women recognised that superior healthcare services are delivered by the
health system in Slovenia. Due to the women’s previous experiences in their
home country, the key element characterising healthcare services in Slovenia
as superior was that they did not have to pay to obtain good quality services.
It seems the public health policy in Slovenia works for migrant women, al-
though in some cases inadequate health literacy was clearly present. Health
literacy implies the achievement of a certain level of knowledge, personal
skills and confidence to be able to take action to improve personal and com-
munity health (Tsai & Lee, 2016). A lower level of health literacy was clearly
noticeable among the newly arrived women. Inadequate health literacy may
limit migrants’ ability to take full advantage of health information and thus
the services provided by the health system to make appropriate health deci-
sions in the host country (Tsai & Lee, 2016).
The women also recognised the quality of care related to reproductive
health in the host country. As established in previous research (Reeske &
Razum, 2011; Smith et al., 2016), perinatal and maternal morbidity and mor-
tality among migrant women are usually high. The migrations to that extent
made the women more aware of their possibilities regarding reproduction
and the freedom to choose. Religion did not, at least not directly, constrain
the women’s autonomy for reproductive freedom, although it is not easy to
separate religion from sexuality and reproductive health. All major religions
offer a distinct belief system which aims to guide devout followers in sexual
and reproductive matters (Arousell & Carlbom, 2016). Other culturally based
traditions, such as inappropriate use of treatment methods or medications
used for treatment, may also contribute to developing practices that harm
women’s reproductive health. For some, these practices seem to continue
in the host country and this further supports calls for activities to increase
health literacy among migrant women.
In qualitative research, the data as well as the conceptualised findings are
prone to subjectivity. However, they allow an insight into migrant women’s
experiences with healthcare services in the host country from the sexual
and reproductive health perspectives and have helped enrich other parts
of large-scale research within the INTEGRA project. The study was also con-
ducted in one hospital only, which could limit the responses obtained and
the purposive sample could entail selection bias, yet the women selected for
the interviews who had no difficulties communicating and expressing them-
selves in English or in a language familiar to the interviewer (Serbian). Future
research should focus on exploring culturally based practices related to sex-
133
