Healthcare providers' experiences of promoting health literacy in migrant women after pregnancy: a qualitative study.

Abstract

Low health literacy is linked to poorer health outcomes, higher mortality, and reduced quality of life. Forced migrant women may face disrupted health literacy upon arrival, leading to decreased healthcare seeking and delayed maternity care. As migrant reproductive health is a key public health priority, it is vital to understand how to effectively deliver postnatal health information. The aim of this study was to explore healthcare providers' experiences of providing health information after pregnancy to women who have migrated to Sweden. A qualitative interview study was conducted, in which purposive sampling was used to recruit twenty healthcare professionals with a variety of occupational backgrounds and expertise. Inclusion criteria included having experience working with migrant women who had given birth. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified in the study. These include building trust and confidence at the organizational level, providing health information in native languages through various settings, and adapting information to the varied needs and circumstances of the target group. Migrant women's health literacy can be improved by fostering trust through continuous, culturally sensitive care that spans pregnancy and the postnatal period. Healthcare providers emphasized the need for personalized support and communication tailored to language, culture, and understanding. Organizational support such as interprofessional collaboration, continuity of care, and use of community-based resources was seen as essential. Providing information in native languages was identified as a key strategy for making health information accessible and actionable.