Description
Introduction:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) defines good Sexual Reproductive Health to be a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being in all aspects of the reproductive system including having a safe and satisfying sex life, the capacity to reproduce and the liberty to decide when and how often to do so. According to the UNHCR, “refugees” are people who have been forced to flee their homes and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country and are unwilling or unable to return to their country of origin. Despite the formal health access granted in Austria, studies have shown that disadvantaged groups such as undocumented migrants amongst others face diverse barriers to healthcare services. Research done in two high-income countries (Australia and Canada) reveals that despite access to Sexual Reproductive Health services, low uptake of such services was recorded because of the hush culture of shame associated with such topics. This qualitative study therefore aimed to evaluate the factors that influence the acceptability of Sexual Reproductive Health Services amongst Refugee Women in Igls Camp in Tyrol, Austria.
Research Objective: This study aims to examine and evaluate how receptive Refugee Women in the Igls camp are to SRH Services in a high-income humanitarian setting like Innsbruck, Austria amidst the cultural and religious differences.
Methodology: A total of 11 interviews were conducted, 9 being with women refugees and the other 2 consisting of a social worker and the Camp Coordinator of the Igls Camp in Tyrol, Austria. Gatekeeper and snowballing methods of sampling were used. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis with codes being generated using inductive methods according to Braun & Clarke.
Results & Discussion: Barriers to accepting available sexual reproductive health services include language, gender preference for translators and a lack of trust in social workers. Enablers of SRH acceptability are good working relationships with the camp coordinator and other general support from the camp such as booking hospital appointments and making translation arrangements to make up for a lack of or limited access to such services. Other ambivalent factors identified are waiting times being subject to communication of need and how long the workers have been with the women.
Conclusion: Cultural sensitivity is a significant factor in the provision and acceptance of SRH services to people of refugee background in that it creates a sense of safety and an enabling environment to achieve good health outcomes. Participants in this study despite a gender preference for HCPs gladly accepted male HCPs who had a rich understanding of their culture and spoke the same language as they did.
Acknowledgement: I would like to acknowledge my supervisor, Lukas Kerschbaumer for his guidance and critical observations before, during and after the compilation of this research. I am indebted to Igls Camp coordinator, Patrizia and all the refugee women inmates at the Camp for their wonderful cooperation, especially during the interviews and discussions.
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