Perspective of health professionals on the cross-cultural challenges in prenatal care for pregnant Venezuelan immigrant women.

Abstract

Objective: To identify the challenges faced by healthcare professionals in prenatal care for pregnant Venezuelan immigrant women from a cross-cultural perspective.

Method: This was an exploratory, qualitative study that employed snowball sampling. Data collection (March-April 2024) was conducted via interviews and subjected to Bardin's content analysis.

Results: Interviewees' experiences with pregnant immigrant women ranged from 1 to 10 years; five had specialized in Primary Care. Two categories emerged: 1) Challenges in cross-cultural communication - language as an obstacle, especially for less experienced professionals; 2) Cross-cultural challenges in prenatal care - culture and behaviors: preference for cesarean section, low adherence to prenatal care, and resistance to practices such as family planning, partner monitoring, vaccination, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Dietary differences and a lack of knowledge about the Brazilian healthcare system were also mentioned.

Final considerations: The conclusion is that the quality of care is compromised by linguistic and cultural barriers, which also contribute to an elevated clinical risk. To overcome these barriers, the adoption of transcultural competencies and cultural mediation of care is required. Therefore, investing in professional training for cultural negotiation will positively impact patient care and the organizational structure of health services.