Objective: To investigate access to and use of health services, particularly maternal and child health care, in the UK by Palestinian women. Design: A qualitative study using a pragmatic approach for exploration and description. Data were transcribed ad verbatim and analysed using framework analysis and the NVivo 9 computer program. Setting: Interviews were conducted in participants' homes, the researcher's home and in Arabic schools. Participation: Twenty-two interviews were conducted. Participants were living in different geographic areas in Manchester, and were recruited through Arabic schools and the main mosque in the city. Findings: Four themes emerged from the qualitative interviews, which were: ‘cultural variations’; ‘knowledge of the NHS and the UK health-care system’; ‘health care services and their utilisation, focusing on maternal and child health-care services’; and ‘communication, information provision and needs’. Conclusion: Culturally competent care is required to reduce the inequity of maternal and child health-care services; this study recommended the following points: In delivering the information for BME groups, it is inappropriate to implement a ‘one-size-fits-all’ programme; culturally appropriate care could be satisfactorily achieved through effective and continuous training programmes based on culture, ethnicity and religion for all health professionals; and effective interpretation services are vital so there is no need to rely on family members and friends as was clearly the case for the participants in this study.

Title

British Journal of Midwifery, 21(8) pp. 571-577

Publisher

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Publisher Country

Palestine

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

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Year

2013

Pages

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