Rossmary Márquez-Lameda
Rossmary Márquez-Lameda is a Latin American researcher currently pursuing a doctoral program in Health Behavior at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Her work focuses on forced migration, refugee health and reproductive health, with a particular emphasis on the recent displacement of Venezuelans across Latin America.
Venezuelan Migrant and Refugee Women’s Access to Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Services in Peru: A Qualitative Interview Study
Background: As 2022, more than 6 million Venezuelans have left the country. Peru hosts over 1 million Venezuelans, who are considered the largest group of immigrants in the country. Access and utilization of sexual and reproductive health care services (SRHS), particularly modern forms of contraception, is concernedly low among Venezuelan migrant and refugee women residing in Peru. To this date, research examining how this migrant group access these services is limited.
Methods: Using a qualitative thematic analysis approach, I conducted 20 in-depth phone interviews in Venezuelan Spanish with Venezuelan women of reproductive age (18-49 years old) who had relocated to Peru after 2016 and were seeking to use or using contraception.
Results: Venezuelan women delayed seeking SRHS early in the resettlement due to lack of financial resources and limited understanding of the Peruvian healthcare system. Women normally accessed modern contraceptives through the pharmacy, which they paid out of pocket. Mistrust in the medical system, mistreatment by healthcare providers, deficit of information regarding access to SRHS and other infrastructure limitations were among the barriers to access these services. During a peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal health and family planning services were severely limited.
Conclusions: Venezuelan migrant and refugee women do not have their SRH needs met. Issues of mistrust in the medical system, healthcare access disinformation and xenophobia should be addressed as we aim to guarantee this population’s right to receive healthcare services that are adequate and humane.
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