Barriers to prenatal care among Black women of low socioeconomic status.
OBJECTIVE
To qualitatively identify attitudinal and psychosocial determinants of early prenatal care among Black women of low socioeconomic status (SES).


METHODS
Focus group discussions were conducted among Black women who attended community clinics for prenatal care.


RESULTS
Early initiators of prenatal care, compared with late initiators, had positive attitudes toward pregnancy, were knowledgeable about pregnancy signs/symptoms, and thought prenatal care was important. All participants indicated strong social support during pregnancy. Late initiators, particularly multiparous women, perceived clinic staff to be insensitive.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings provide valuable insight into overcoming barriers to early initiation of prenatal care among low SES Black women.
Program for Healthcare Effectiveness Research, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. pdaniels@msm.edu
Pamela
P
Daniels
Godfrey Fuji
GF
Noe
Robert
R
Mayberry
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors