Exploring maternity care for asylum seekers and refugees
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore and synthesize the experience of maternity care by female asylum seekers and refugees. The approach was a longitudinal exploratory multiple case study that used a series of interviews, photographs taken by the women, field notes and observational methods to contextualize data obtained during 2002 and 2003. Data was collected in the women's home and a hospital trust. Four women agreed to participate, three women were asylum seekers and one woman was a refugee. Three key themes were generated: the perception of ‘self’ understanding in practice, and the influence of social policy. The women perceived ‘self’ as a response to social interaction. At times, ‘taken for granted’ communication in practice created a barrier to understanding for the women. Social policy related to seeking asylum, dispersement, housing and health directly affecting the lives and subsequent maternity experiences of the women. The theory of symbolic interactionism and transformational educational theory was applied to the findings, highlighting that self-awareness is of paramount importance in care delivery. The strength and resilience of migrating women is acknowledged and should be used as a starting point to develop partnerships in care and to build the woman's self-esteem during their maternity experiences.
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When language could not be accommodated, some care-providers used smiling and a kind demeanor to make women feel accepted and to show compassion and empathy, regardless of language barriers.
“When language could not be accommodated, some care-providers used smiling and having a kind demeanor as a means to make women feel accepted and to show compassion and empathy, regardless of language barriers [59, 104].”
From Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [59]
Families worried about relatives, including children who remained in the home country.
“This included references to families worrying about relatives, including children who remained in the home country [54, 55, 59, 60, 67, 86, 105]”
From Transnationalism and care of migrant families during pregnancy, postpartum and early-childhood: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [59]
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- Authors
- Briscoe, L., & Lavender, T.
- Affiliations
- Edge Hill University (GB)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- Venue
- British Journal of Midwifery
- Publisher
- Mark Allen Group
- Published
- 2009-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 17-23
- ISSN
- 0969-4900 (ISSN-L)
- 2052-4307
- OpenAlex
- W2107077093
- Cited by
- 46
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Midwifery (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (submittedVersion)
- Edge Hill University Research Information Repository (Edge Hill University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Cultural Competency in Health Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Maternal and Perinatal Health Interventions
- Keywords
- obstetric care, asylum seekers, refugees, migrant women, self-awareness, social policy, symbolic interactionism, resilience, self-esteem, partnership in care
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