Migrant women’s experiences with discrimination during maternal healthcare: A scoping review using Intersectionality as a framework
2023 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesisAlternative title
Migrerande kvinnors erfarenheter av diskriminering under mödravård : En scoping review med intersektionalitet som ramverk (Swedish)
Abstract [en]
Background: Global migration has increased in the last two decades. There are different reasons behind this, but most common is people’s pursuit for a better life. However, given the intersectional nature of migrant women, this will not always be the result. Many of them experience discrimination, even when utilizing maternal healthcare in their host country.
Aim: This study aimed to explore what is known in current scientific literature about the intersectional nature of being a migrant woman facing discrimination when utilizing maternal healthcare.
Methodology: A scoping review was done to map out all available English, written, scientific literature published between 2012-2022 and relevant to the study’s aim. Collection, charting, and review of included material were done using the Scoping Review Methodological Framework by Arskey and O’Malley (2005). The search strategy included electronic databases,such as Pubmed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus.
Results: A total of 61 articles were included and tabulated. Majority were qualitative in nature and conducted in high-income host countries. None of them originally intended to focus on discrimination. However, their findings exposed the many ways migrant women experienced disrespect and discrimination when using maternal healthcare services—from feeling invisible, to experiencing poorer healthcare services, and perceiving that they were being stereotyped. Those perpetrating these discriminatory acts were healthcare providers themselves.
Conclusions: Migrant women inevitably experience discrimination in many forms when using maternal healthcare services in their host country. This discrimination is created by the intersection of their multiple identities, along with other sociocultural factors. Such a systemic problem requires systemic reevaluation and solutions, which include improving the cultural competence of healthcare providers and abolishing the hierarchical nature of healthcare institutions.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023.
Keywords [en]
migrant women, discrimination, maternal healthcare, intersectionality, sociocultural barriers, scoping review
National Category
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:du-46285OAI: oai:DiVA.org:du-46285DiVA, id: diva2:1773169
Subject / course
Sexual Reproductive Perinatal Health
2023-06-222023-06-22