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Exploring Trauma- and Violence-Informed Pregnancy Care for Karen Women of Refugee Background: A Community-Based Participatory Study

Author

Listed:
  • Shadow Toke

    (Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
    Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia)

  • Ignacio Correa-Velez

    (School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia)

  • Elisha Riggs

    (Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
    Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia)

Abstract

Women of refugee background experience poorer perinatal outcomes when compared to their local-born counterparts. Women of refugee background have often experienced trauma and are likely to encounter barriers to accessing health services in host countries which can exacerbate their recovery from trauma and contribute to poor health outcomes. Trauma- and violence-informed approaches to care offer opportunities to address barriers to pregnancy care which may, in turn, improve these poor outcomes. Trauma- and violence-informed care is a framework that acknowledges a person’s experiences of trauma, recognises its impact and symptoms, and works toward resisting re-traumatisation by integrating knowledge into practice. Despite this, trauma- and violence-informed care in maternity care settings has rarely been explored from the perspectives of women of refugee background. This study aimed to explore trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care from the perspectives of Karen women of refugee background using Community-Based Participatory Research methods. The lead researcher is a Karen–Australian woman with lived refugee experience. A Community Advisory Group was formed to support the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Karen women of refugee background who had recently had a baby in Western metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Karen women shared what they considered to be important elements of trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care. Three major elements were identified: (1) care design and accessibility; (2) promoting choice and control; and (3) trauma-informed interpreting. The critical importance of the interpreter-mediated setting was highlighted as women reported that they may not experience trauma- and violence-informed maternity care if they cannot access an interpreter or their relationship with the interpreter is unsafe. This study offers critical insights regarding the elements of trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care that are important to Karen women of refugee background.

Suggested Citation

  • Shadow Toke & Ignacio Correa-Velez & Elisha Riggs, 2024. "Exploring Trauma- and Violence-Informed Pregnancy Care for Karen Women of Refugee Background: A Community-Based Participatory Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:3:p:254-:d:1344054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bollini, Paola & Pampallona, Sandro & Wanner, Philippe & Kupelnick, Bruce, 2009. "Pregnancy outcome of migrant women and integration policy: A systematic review of the international literature," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 452-461, February.
    2. Paul E Farmer & Bruce Nizeye & Sara Stulac & Salmaan Keshavjee, 2006. "Structural Violence and Clinical Medicine," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(10), pages 1-6, October.
    3. Øivind Solberg & Mathilde Sengoelge & Alexander Nissen & Fredrik Saboonchi, 2021. "Coping in Limbo? The Moderating Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship between Post-Migration Stress and Well-Being during the Asylum-Seeking Process," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.
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