title: Factors affecting access to healthcare services by intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Access to health care services is vital for every migrant's health and wellbeing. However, migrants' cultural health beliefs and views can hinder their ability to access available services. This study examined factors affecting access to healthcare services for intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was employed to investigate the factors affecting access to healthcare services for 30 intermarried Filipino women in rural Tasmania. The study used grounded theory and thematic analysis for its data analysis. Nvivo v8 (www.qsrinternational.com) was also used to assist the data coding process and analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five influencing factors were identified: (1) language or communication barriers; (2) area of origin in the Philippines; (3) cultural barriers; (4) length of stay in Tasmania; and (5) expectations of healthcare services before and after migration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors affecting intermarried Filipino women in accessing healthcare services are shaped by their socio-demographic and cultural background. The insights gained from this study are useful to health policy-makers, healthcare professionals and to intermarried female migrants. The factors identified can serve as a guide to improve healthcare access for Filipino women and other migrants.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Rural Health, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. channah@postoffice.utas.edu.au
authors.forename: Chona T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hannah
authors.forename: Quynh
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lê
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008393:Marriage / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses; D013648:Tasmania / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*