A Mixed-Methods Study of Immigrant Somali Women’s Health Literacy and Perinatal Experiences in Maine (2015)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Susan D. Jacoby CNM,Monique Lucarelli,Fowsia Musse,Ashok Krishnamurthy and Vince Salyers
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: Obstretic.
Objective: To explore health literacy and the perinatal experiences of Somali and Somali Bantu women living in Lewiston,Maine
Study Population: Somali and Somali Bantu women living in Lewiston,Maine
Findings: During phase 1,a focus group to discuss the perinatal experiences of Somali women (n = 4) was undertaken and 2 historietas were developed to create greater understanding of emergency cesareans and PPD. In phase 2,Somali and Somali Bantu women (n = 19) completed a health literacy questionnaire and a perinatal experiences questionnaire. A focus group was also conducted during phase 2 to determine the perinatal experiences of the participants. Phase 2 participants validated thehistorietas developed in phase 1. Responses from focus groups were triangulated with data from the perinatal experiences questionnaire completed during phase 2. Overall,none of the phase 2 participants demonstrated adequate health literacy. Problems with gudnin (Somali word for cutting) related to female genital mutilation/cutting and PPD yielded statistically significant results. Somali women expressed dissatisfaction with certain obstetric interventions,especially emergency cesareans. Phase 2 participants unanimously validated the usefulness of the historietas as a clinical teaching tool.
Poor health literacy due to language barriers may have placed Somali women living in the United States at risk for adverse outcomes during pregnancy and/or birth. Complications related to emergency cesareans and postpartum depression (PPD) were identified as significant problems for which Somali women required further knowledge. Historietas addressing knowledge gaps related to emergency cesareans and symptoms of PPD were validated by participants as useful teaching tools
Geographical coverage
Region(s):North America
Country(ies):United States