Objective: This study aimed to explore the health care professional (HCP) experiences of working with interpreters when consulting refugee and migrant women who are not proficient in English around sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues, in order to identify service and policy implications. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 HCPs, including: nurses (8), general practitioners (GP) (5), health promotion officers (5), sexual therapists (2) and one midwife. Interviews were audio-recorded, professionally transcribed and thematically analysed using socio-ecological theory. Results: Overall HCPs stated that language and cultural discordance were barriers to SRH communication with refugee and migrant women. The lack of women interpreters and concerns with the interpreters such as lack of health/SRH knowledge were the main considerations HCPs reported related to working with interpreters when consulting refugee and migrant women. Conclusion: Communication barriers in the provision of SRH services to refugee and migrant women may not be avoided despite the use of interpreters. Great attention needs to be paid to the availability of women interpreters and training of interpreters to work in SRH. © 2018

Refugee and migrant women Interpreters Health care professionals sexual and reproductive health Language barrier

information processing Health Personnel cultural anthropology communication barrier Communication Barriers refugee health promotion nurse health care personnel human Refugees middle aged Interprofessional Relations health service priority journal Aged general practitioner language qualitative research Professional Competence health personnel attitude Attitude of Health Personnel Reproductive Health Services Humans migrant semi structured interview female patient referral Referral and Consultation sexual health Article translating (language) Translating migration midwife adult Reproductive Health Transients and Migrants public relations Focus Groups Culture