Page 50 - S. Ličen, I. Karnjuš, & M. Prosen (Eds.). (2019). Women, migrations and health: Ensuring transcultural healthcare. Koper, University of Primorska Press.
P. 50
ž Lenarčič and Mateja Sedmak
regulates healthcare for women (contraception, abortion, healthcare during
pregnancy and while giving birth).⁹
Existing National Topic-Related Literature
Reproductive health in relation to migrant women is an under-researched
topic in Slovenia. However, there are a few articles which deal with the issue
of reproductive health and indirectly mention migrant women as a vulner-
able group that demands special attention. In addition, the academic liter-
ature on health issues of migrants encompasses a range of views from dis-
ciplines including social work, law, anthropology, sociology and health sci-
ences as well.
The literature review revealed that health issues in relation to immigration
began to generate attention among academics from the late 1990s, with the
arrival of refugees from the countries of former Yugoslavia. For example, in
their 2010 literature review Bufolin and Bešter cite Health Protection of Special
Social Groups published in 1996 by the National Institute for Public Health, in
which refugees and migrants were recognized as special social group. In this
volume Mikuš Kos (1996) published an article theorizing on the issue but em-
phasizing that there are among migrants and refugees certain characteristics
(e.g. high level of mortality, modest use of support services, lack of knowl-
edge of (health) rights, low quality of life, high degree of dissatisfaction with
life, poor functional literacy and marginalization) which make them vulner-
able and consequently require special attention. Some of the earliest em-
pirical work related to the reproductive health of women in Slovenia came
from the field of social work. In 2005 Ličer published an article entitled ‘So-
cial Aspects of Women’s Reproductive Health Protection.’ For the purposes of
her study she conducted ten interviews with women who went through their
pregnancy without regular gynaecological examinations (not by choice); two
women from the sample were immigrants. The results of the study revealed
that for all women included in the sample the main reasons for not attend-
ing gynecological examination during the pregnancy derived from unregu-
lated medical insurance, time constraints of being a single mother and pri-
vacy issues in the treatment room. The common denominator in the sample
of interviewees was difficult socio-economic circumstances (unemployment,
single-parent family and social exclusion). Based on the study results, it can
be concluded that women have less information about reproductive health
(1) when they are out of regular education and employment, (2) where ac-
⁹ Zakon o mednarodni zaščiti, see http://pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO7103.
48
regulates healthcare for women (contraception, abortion, healthcare during
pregnancy and while giving birth).⁹
Existing National Topic-Related Literature
Reproductive health in relation to migrant women is an under-researched
topic in Slovenia. However, there are a few articles which deal with the issue
of reproductive health and indirectly mention migrant women as a vulner-
able group that demands special attention. In addition, the academic liter-
ature on health issues of migrants encompasses a range of views from dis-
ciplines including social work, law, anthropology, sociology and health sci-
ences as well.
The literature review revealed that health issues in relation to immigration
began to generate attention among academics from the late 1990s, with the
arrival of refugees from the countries of former Yugoslavia. For example, in
their 2010 literature review Bufolin and Bešter cite Health Protection of Special
Social Groups published in 1996 by the National Institute for Public Health, in
which refugees and migrants were recognized as special social group. In this
volume Mikuš Kos (1996) published an article theorizing on the issue but em-
phasizing that there are among migrants and refugees certain characteristics
(e.g. high level of mortality, modest use of support services, lack of knowl-
edge of (health) rights, low quality of life, high degree of dissatisfaction with
life, poor functional literacy and marginalization) which make them vulner-
able and consequently require special attention. Some of the earliest em-
pirical work related to the reproductive health of women in Slovenia came
from the field of social work. In 2005 Ličer published an article entitled ‘So-
cial Aspects of Women’s Reproductive Health Protection.’ For the purposes of
her study she conducted ten interviews with women who went through their
pregnancy without regular gynaecological examinations (not by choice); two
women from the sample were immigrants. The results of the study revealed
that for all women included in the sample the main reasons for not attend-
ing gynecological examination during the pregnancy derived from unregu-
lated medical insurance, time constraints of being a single mother and pri-
vacy issues in the treatment room. The common denominator in the sample
of interviewees was difficult socio-economic circumstances (unemployment,
single-parent family and social exclusion). Based on the study results, it can
be concluded that women have less information about reproductive health
(1) when they are out of regular education and employment, (2) where ac-
⁹ Zakon o mednarodni zaščiti, see http://pisrs.si/Pis.web/pregledPredpisa?id=ZAKO7103.
48
