Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study
IntroductionImmigrants and refugees giving birth in the United States face challenges in receiving high-quality maternity care. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of recent refugees from ethnic communities displaced from southern Asia and resettled in the United States.Mater...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1613249/full |
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| author | Denise C. Smith E. Brie Thumm Nai Chieh (Geri) Tien Katherine Kissler |
| author_facet | Denise C. Smith E. Brie Thumm Nai Chieh (Geri) Tien Katherine Kissler |
| author_sort | Denise C. Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionImmigrants and refugees giving birth in the United States face challenges in receiving high-quality maternity care. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of recent refugees from ethnic communities displaced from southern Asia and resettled in the United States.Materials and methodsThe qualitative study used focus group discussions with three refugee communities who have given birth since resettlement in the United States. Using thematic analysis, we applied the concepts of respectful maternity care to identify themes.ResultsFive themes emerged from the analysis: (1) interpersonal caring, (2) flaws in US maternity care are amplified for refugees, (3) multidimensionality effects knowledge, preferences, and expectations, (4) complexity of the US health system combined with unfamiliarity contributes to lack of confidence, and (5) problems with language interpretation.DiscussionThe identified themes can inform specific, actionable policies and programs that improve care for immigrant and refugee communities including investment in nursing care, implementation of multilingual doula care, improvements in language services, and robust childbirth education. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d73b28086d0a4e258b72d2be1729d995 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-d73b28086d0a4e258b72d2be1729d9952025-08-20T03:34:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-08-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.16132491613249Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative studyDenise C. Smith0E. Brie Thumm1Nai Chieh (Geri) Tien2Katherine Kissler3College of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United StatesCollege of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United StatesAsian Pacific Cultural Development and Wellness Center, Aurora Mental Health and Recovery, Aurora, CO, United StatesCollege of Nursing, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United StatesIntroductionImmigrants and refugees giving birth in the United States face challenges in receiving high-quality maternity care. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of recent refugees from ethnic communities displaced from southern Asia and resettled in the United States.Materials and methodsThe qualitative study used focus group discussions with three refugee communities who have given birth since resettlement in the United States. Using thematic analysis, we applied the concepts of respectful maternity care to identify themes.ResultsFive themes emerged from the analysis: (1) interpersonal caring, (2) flaws in US maternity care are amplified for refugees, (3) multidimensionality effects knowledge, preferences, and expectations, (4) complexity of the US health system combined with unfamiliarity contributes to lack of confidence, and (5) problems with language interpretation.DiscussionThe identified themes can inform specific, actionable policies and programs that improve care for immigrant and refugee communities including investment in nursing care, implementation of multilingual doula care, improvements in language services, and robust childbirth education.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1613249/fullmaternal healthrefugeelanguage interpretationUnited Statesmaternity carequalitative research |
| spellingShingle | Denise C. Smith E. Brie Thumm Nai Chieh (Geri) Tien Katherine Kissler Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study Frontiers in Public Health maternal health refugee language interpretation United States maternity care qualitative research |
| title | Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Respectful maternity care experiences of South Asian refugees in the US: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | respectful maternity care experiences of south asian refugees in the us a qualitative study |
| topic | maternal health refugee language interpretation United States maternity care qualitative research |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1613249/full |
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