title: Factors affecting Latina immigrants' perceptions of maternal health care: findings from a qualitative study.
abstract: Due to the influx of Latino immigration in the United States, health care services are faced with the challenge of meeting the needs of this growing population. In this qualitative study, we explored Latina immigrants' experiences with maternal health care services. We found that despite enduring language barriers and problems, Spanish-speaking women expressed satisfaction with their care. Factors influencing women's perceptions of care included sociocultural norms (respeto, personalismo, and familismo), previous experiences with care in their countries of origin, having healthy babies, and knowledge about entitlement to interpreter services. We offer recommendations for public health practice and research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. tgurman@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: Tilly A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Gurman
authors.forename: Davida
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health / Q000208:ethnology