title: "This Method, I Think, Can Shed New Light": Haitian-American Women's Reflections on Risk, Culture, and Family Planning Decisions From a Short-Term Trial of a Cervical Barrier (Femcap™).
abstract: Improving the reproductive health of immigrant populations requires understanding the specific context of risk and need. As part of a field trial of the FemCap™, a woman-initiated cervical barrier contraceptive, we conducted postintervention focus group discussions (FGDs) with 20 women (five FGDs) of Haitian background, the majority of whom were born in Haiti and spoke Haitian Créole at home, at a community health center in south Florida. Participants discussed the role of religion and inequitable gender norms in Haitian traditions about family planning decisions and provided important insights into the gender-power nuances of their partnership dynamics vis à vis the use of female barrier methods. Encouraged by more equitable gender norms in the United States, participants were eager to serve as health education agents, with strong altruistic sentiments toward other Haitian girls and women who they felt could be encouraged to negotiate for greater reproductive decision-making power.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Studies, College of Health Professions, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Erica L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Gollub
authors.affiliation: 2 AIDS Prevention Program and Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jessy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dévieux
authors.affiliation: 2 AIDS Prevention Program and Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jean-Gilles
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Michele
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Suzette
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pierre Ste-Rose
authors.affiliation: 2 AIDS Prevention Program and Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Biscayne Bay Campus, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neptune
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Epidemiology, Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pelletier
keywords: Femcap™; Haitian-American women; contraception; family planning; female barrier methods; gender; immigrants; reproductive health multipurpose prevention technologies