Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare
Volume 10, 2016, Pages 14-18

Equitable abortion care – A challenge for health care providers. Experiences from abortion care encounters with immigrant women in Stockholm, Sweden (Article)

Larsson E.C.* , Fried S. , Essén B. , Klingberg-Allvin M.
  • a Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Department of Women's and Children's Health/IMCH, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
  • b Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
  • c Department of Women's and Children's Health/IMCH, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
  • d Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, School of Education, Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden

Abstract

Objective To explore health care providers’ experiences of providing care to immigrant women seeking abortion care. Methods A qualitative study including interviews with ten midwives and three medical doctors at four abortion clinics in the Stockholm area. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Initially, health care providers were reluctant to make statements concerning the specific needs among immigrant women. Yet, the health care providers sometimes found it challenging to deal with the specific needs among immigrant, mostly non-European, women. Three themes were identified: (1) Reluctance to acknowledge specific needs among immigrant women; (2) Striving to provide contraceptive counselling to immigrant women; (3) Organizational barriers hindering patient-centred abortion care to immigrant women Conclusions Health care providers’ experiences of the specific needs among non-European, immigrant women are not openly discussed, although they are acknowledged. To achieve equitable access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH), health care providers need to be better equipped when encountering immigrant women in abortion care, especially regarding contraceptive counselling. The potential impact of patients’ knowledge, norms and values is not adequately dealt with in the clinical encounter. Moreover, to provide patient-centred care, it is crucial to understand how to develop and implement SRH care that ensures equal access to high-quality care. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Author Keywords

Immigrant Qualitative method sexual and reproductive health Induced abortion Patient-centred care Equity in care

Index Keywords

patient care induced abortion Abortion, Induced Communication Barriers immigrant Family Planning Services human communication disorder statistics and numerical data health service priority journal ethnology qualitative research health personnel attitude interview patient counseling Reproductive Health Services Sweden Humans migrant Emigrants and Immigrants female attitude to abortion standards contraceptive agent Article organization and management thematic analysis midwife physician utilization abortion family planning attitude to health Health Services Accessibility public health health care delivery National Health Programs

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85001055754&doi=10.1016%2fj.srhc.2016.10.003&partnerID=40&md5=edd3e0e84d676c8f801e80fa2086e7c8

DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2016.10.003
ISSN: 18775756
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English