Access to Formal Maternal Health Services and Informal Supports for Resettled Refugee Mothers in the Postnatal Period: A Scoping Review Protocol

Abstract

Background: The postnatal period is a critical time when women may need access to formal maternal health services (e.g., family physicians) and informal supports (e.g., family, friends). Resettled refugee women often encounter a myriad of barriers and challenges when attempting to access these services and supports in resettlement countries, including language and communication differences, socioeconomic constraints, challenges navigating foreign healthcare systems, and reduced social support networks. This has contributed to health inequities among postnatal resettled refugee women, including low self-reported health, five-times higher rates of postpartum depression, and social isolation. The purpose of this review is to understand access to formal maternal health services and informal supports for resettled refugee women during the postnatal period. Methods: This review will be conducted in accordance with JBI methodology for scoping reviews. A comprehensive search strategy, developed with a librarian scientist, will be used to identify relevant sources. Titles, abstracts, and full texts will be evaluated against inclusion criteria. Evidence from peer-reviewed and gray literature published after 2003 will be included. This review will focus only on studies conducted in middle- and high-income resettlement countries. Information will be extracted by two independent reviewers using a screening tool. Data will be synthesized and presented narratively, with tables and figures where appropriate. Discussion: This scoping review will provide an overview of resettled refugee women’s experiences during the postnatal period, with a focus on understanding access to health services and the availability and use of informal supports. It is expected that this review will outline both the barriers and facilitators affecting resettled refugee women seeking formal and informal care during the postnatal period. Findings will help to inform policy direction and future interventions seeking to improve postnatal care for resettled refugee women.Systematic Review Registration: This scoping review protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework database, https://osf.io/rkqj6.