Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Exposure to culturally sensitive sexual health information and impact on health literacy : a qualitative study among newly arrived refugee women in Sweden

Svensson, Pia LU ; Carlzén, Katarina and Agardh, Anette LU orcid (2017) In Culture, Health and Sexuality 19(7). p.752-766
Abstract

In Sweden, migrants have poorer sexual and reproductive health compared to the general population. Health literacy, in the form of the cognitive and social skills enabling access to health promoting activities, is often poorer among migrants, partly due to language and cultural barriers. Culturally sensitive health education provides a strategy for enhancing health literacy. Since 2012, specially trained civic and health communicators have provided sexual and reproductive health and rights information to newly arrived refugees in Skåne, Sweden. The aim of this study was to explore how information on sexual and reproductive health and rights was perceived by female recipients and whether being exposed to such information contributed to... (More)

In Sweden, migrants have poorer sexual and reproductive health compared to the general population. Health literacy, in the form of the cognitive and social skills enabling access to health promoting activities, is often poorer among migrants, partly due to language and cultural barriers. Culturally sensitive health education provides a strategy for enhancing health literacy. Since 2012, specially trained civic and health communicators have provided sexual and reproductive health and rights information to newly arrived refugees in Skåne, Sweden. The aim of this study was to explore how information on sexual and reproductive health and rights was perceived by female recipients and whether being exposed to such information contributed to enhanced sexual and reproductive health and rights literacy. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with nine women and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Two themes emerged: (1) opening the doors to new understandings of sexual and reproductive health and rights and (2) planting the seed for engagement in sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, illustrating how cultural norms influenced perceptions, but also how information opened up opportunities for challenging these norms. Gender-separate groups may facilitate information uptake, while discussion concerning sexual health norms may benefit from taking place in mixed groups.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
health education, health literacy, Migrants, sexual and reproductive health and rights, Sweden
in
Culture, Health and Sexuality
volume
19
issue
7
pages
752 - 766
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:84999752002
  • pmid:27894219
  • wos:000402817200004
ISSN
1369-1058
DOI
10.1080/13691058.2016.1259503
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e5e86211-989f-4f7f-9401-c5b5b39f5d54
date added to LUP
2016-12-19 09:37:01
date last changed
2024-04-05 13:02:11
@article{e5e86211-989f-4f7f-9401-c5b5b39f5d54,
  abstract     = {{<p>In Sweden, migrants have poorer sexual and reproductive health compared to the general population. Health literacy, in the form of the cognitive and social skills enabling access to health promoting activities, is often poorer among migrants, partly due to language and cultural barriers. Culturally sensitive health education provides a strategy for enhancing health literacy. Since 2012, specially trained civic and health communicators have provided sexual and reproductive health and rights information to newly arrived refugees in Skåne, Sweden. The aim of this study was to explore how information on sexual and reproductive health and rights was perceived by female recipients and whether being exposed to such information contributed to enhanced sexual and reproductive health and rights literacy. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with nine women and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Two themes emerged: (1) opening the doors to new understandings of sexual and reproductive health and rights and (2) planting the seed for engagement in sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, illustrating how cultural norms influenced perceptions, but also how information opened up opportunities for challenging these norms. Gender-separate groups may facilitate information uptake, while discussion concerning sexual health norms may benefit from taking place in mixed groups.</p>}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Pia and Carlzén, Katarina and Agardh, Anette}},
  issn         = {{1369-1058}},
  keywords     = {{health education; health literacy; Migrants; sexual and reproductive health and rights; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{752--766}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Culture, Health and Sexuality}},
  title        = {{Exposure to culturally sensitive sexual health information and impact on health literacy : a qualitative study among newly arrived refugee women in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2016.1259503}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13691058.2016.1259503}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}