Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Volume 11, Issue 1, 2000, Pages 33-44

Barriers to health care for abused Latina and Asian immigrant women (Article)

Bauer H.M.* , Rodriguez M.A. , Quiroga S.S. , Flores-Ortiz Y.G.
  • a University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • b University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States, Dept. of Fam. and Community Medicine, Univ. of California, San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States
  • c University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States, Medical Anthropology Program, School of Medicine, Univ. of California San Francisco, 333 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94143-0850, United States
  • d University of California, Davis, CA, United States, Chicana/Chicano Studies Program, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States

Abstract

This study identifies social, political, and cultural barriers to help seeking from health care organizations faced by abused Latina and Asian immigrant women. Qualitative data were collected through four semistructured ethnic-specific focus group interviews with 28 abused Latina and Asian immigrant women. Participants who had suffered intimate partner abuse were recruited through urban community-based organizations in San Francisco, California. Sociopolitical barriers to help seeking and patient-provider communication included social isolation, language barriers, and, for some, discrimination and fears of deportation. Sociocultural barriers included dedication to the children and family unity, shame related to the abuse, and the cultural stigma of divorce. Abused Latina and Asian immigrant women face significant social, cultural, and political barriers to patient-provider communication and help seeking. Medical and social service providers and policy makers may improve the quality of care for these women by understanding and addressing these barriers.

Author Keywords

culture domestic violence Ethnic groups Asian Americans Patient acceptance of health care Hispanic Americans Spouse abuse

Index Keywords

information processing Communication Barriers social psychology human communication disorder statistics ethnology San Francisco Hispanic Americans Spouse Abuse United States Humans Hispanic Asian Americans Asian American female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics questionnaire Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice women's health Article Questionnaires partner violence adult migration Prejudice politics standard Emigration and Immigration Focus Groups attitude to health Health Services Accessibility health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0034137851&doi=10.1353%2fhpu.2010.0590&partnerID=40&md5=7ccb51ce1c0f41c48a5eb14eb3a3748a
DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2010.0590
ISSN: 10492089
Cited by: 208
Original Language: English