Barriers to Accessing Health Care Services for West African Refugee Women Living in Western Australia

Abstract

Help-seeking pathways and barriers to accessing health care services were surveyed in 51 West African refugee women who had settled recently in Perth, Western Australia, and in 100 Australian women. Shame or fear of what family and friends might think, fear of being judged by the treatment provider, fear of hospitalization, and logistical difficulties were significant impediments to accessing health care services for the refugee women. Surprisingly, barriers often were greater for the more-educated refugee women and strengthened with years of residence in Australia. Strategies to help at-risk women overcome these barriers need to be implemented to ensure appropriate access to health care services.

This project was supported by the Sexual Health and Blood-Borne Virus Programme of the Health Department of Western Australia. We thank the West African Women's Group (Western Australia) for their participation, in particular Ruth Sims (coordinator and interviewer), Annie Gondor, Mercy Kennedy, Evelyn Saah, Fatmata Koromah, Josephine Doe, Mary Mansaray, and Kadi Ngele (interviewers). We also thank Lynette Verrall, Fiona Renton, Katie Wake, Beth Cornish, Jennifer Bradbury, Manda Martinovich, Kate Evans, and Diana Roach for their contributions.