Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
2019

A Qualitative Exploration of Somali Refugee Women’s Experiences with Family Planning in the U.S. (Article)

Zhang Y.* , McCoy E.E. , Scego R. , Phillips W. , Godfrey E.
  • a Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Ave, Box 359846, Seattle, WA 98104, United States
  • b Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
  • c Franciscan Women’s Health Associates, 16045 1st Ave S., Second Floor, Burien, WA 98148, United States
  • d Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, 4245 Roosevelt Way NE, Box 354982, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
  • e Departments of Family Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Washington, 4245 Roosevelt Way NE, Box 354982, Seattle, WA 98105, United States

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of Somali refugee women with family planning in the U.S. We conducted focus groups of Somali refugee women and used grounded theory methodology to identify emergent themes. Fifty-three women, aged 18–49 years, participated. Somali refugee women’s cultural and religious beliefs and social identities strongly influence their conceptualization of family planning. Participants agreed that a woman’s fertility is ultimately decided by Allah and identified environmental changes after immigration and the desire to optimize maternal health as facilitators to modern contraceptive use. Misconceptions about and fear of side effects of modern contraceptive methods, including a fear of infertility, were identified as barriers to use. To deliver patient-centered family planning counseling to Somali refugee women, it is essential that healthcare providers approach these discussions with cultural humility and consider employing community partners or cultural brokers to help provide family planning education. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Author Keywords

Family planning Birth spacing Somali refugees Contraception qualitative

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85064460386&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-019-00887-5&partnerID=40&md5=29a480bc47211caecd409cf873974b7f
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00887-5
ISSN: 15571912
Original Language: English