Barriers faced by Vietnamese immigrant women in Taiwan who do not regularly undergo cervical screenings: a qualitative study

Aim To assess and understand the barriers faced by Vietnamese marital immigrant women who do not regularly undergo cervical screenings in Southeast Taiwan. Background Studies have shown a low uptake rate of preventive medical services among immigrants. As immigrant women may not be aware of the healthcare delivery system in their host country, their uptake of and access to healthcare services might be limited. Design A qualitative, descriptive inquiry design was adopted. Methods This qualitative study employed semi-structured, individual, in-depth interviews of 17 Vietnamese immigrant women. Data were collected from February–July 2011 and analysed using content analysis. Findings The barriers to receiving cervical screening were lack of health literacy, lack of female healthcare providers, negative perceptions of cervical screening and personal reasons. Conclusion The results might serve as a reference for government entities and healthcare providers in Taiwan to improve cervical screening rates; this should help enhance the effectiveness of healthcare services for Vietnamese immigrant women. The findings can also provide a reference for making appropriate healthcare policies for immigrant women in other countries.