April 7-9, 2022 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being
Abstract: Maternal Care Experiences of US-based African Women in COVID-19: Proposing Best Practices through Intersectionality Approaches
Although health disparities have existed in the United States for centuries, the emergence of COVID-19 made it more evident, with black communities experiencing its ramifications the most. Again, although there is no concrete understanding of how COVID-19 affects pregnant women, recent studies indicate that they stand a heightened risk because they are more susceptible to many infections due to their suppressed immune systems. A review of existing literature reveals an extensive examination of how COVID-19 has deepened health disparities and disproportionately affected African American women regarding their maternity care experiences. However, more research is needed to examine African immigrant women's experiences regarding pregnancy and birth in the pandemic because it is erroneous to assume that all black women in the United States have similar experiences with healthcare. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore African women's prenatal and postpartum care experiences in the United States during COVID-19, the meanings they ascribe to these experiences, and the implications for health communication strategizing. The study hinges on two theories of communication, health and feminist studies. First, the uncertainty management theory (UMT) explains the uncertainties that people experience when they lack essential information to make decisions. The uncertainties surrounding pregnancy and birth during COVID-19 have become a source of anxiety and fear for pregnant women or new mothers, especially those who find themselves in minority and underrepresented positions. Second, the intersectionality theory explains the various ways in which people are disadvantaged by race, immigration status, and language, among others. Intersectionality theory is essential in health communication to recognize the unique circumstances of people that marginalize them. These two theories are combined to provide a nuanced understanding of African women's multilayered experiences with maternity care and how recognizing these factors will help design and implement effective health communication strategies that cater to their needs. The research questions are: RQI: What are African women's prenatal and postpartum care experiences in the United States during COVID-19? RQ2: How, if at all, do African women in the United States make meaning of their maternal healthcare experiences during COVID- 19? The research questions will be answered through in-depth interviews with 20 pregnant women and new mothers purposively sampled. The participants must either be pregnant or have a baby six months old baby or younger, have attended maternity care, and are present in the United States. Data will be analyzed through thematic analysis and thick descriptions. This study is currently at the data collection stage and should be completed by April 2022. Exploring African women's maternity care experiences is critical to reveal the complexities and underlying factors associated with healthcare among immigrant populations in the United States. African women in the United States constitute under-studied populations, creating a research gap because their experiences are usually explained from African American women's perspective, thus marginalizing their voices and peculiar needs. Again, studies of this nature are essential to ensure that policies and resources to reduce disparities and improve healthcare access are effectively targeted for desired outcomes.