Supporting Pregnant Immigrant Patients: Overcoming Barriers and Improving Health Literacy through Provider and Community Collaboration
Koulong, Osee Mokhtarian, Sophia Osmani, Hiba Suvarna, Sudhanva Roderigue, Alicia Clements, Ben Pasanen, Mark
Koulong, Osee
Mokhtarian, Sophia
Osmani, Hiba
Suvarna, Sudhanva
Roderigue, Alicia
Clements, Ben
Pasanen, Mark
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Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
Abstract
2025 Immigrant Health project Abstract
Pregnant immigrant patients often face language and cultural barriers that make it difficult to navigate the U.S. healthcare system. These challenges highlight the importance of health literacy, which we define as familiarity with the U.S. healthcare system. This project looks at the specific obstacles these patients encounter and explores strategies to improve the quality of the care they receive.
We contacted key community stakeholders to learn more information about pregnant immigrant patients. We conducted pre-survey informational interviews with two community health partners, a midwife and two family medicine physicians. A 14-question survey was developed and distributed to a sample of approximately 750 healthcare providers as well as community health partners in Burlington. Of the 61 survey responses we received, 38 respondents had experience working with pregnant immigrant patients, 84% clinical providers and 16% non-providers.
Responses indicated that the most common strategy used to support patients’ health literacy is pausing to check for understanding or having patients repeat back information. This was followed by extending visit times and using medical interpreters. The strategies that were ranked as most important included use of interpreters, more time during visits, and collaboration with community health workers. The greatest communication challenges faced by healthcare providers and community health workers were difficulty verifying patient understanding, inability for patients to access patient portal, and over-reliance on virtual interpreters. Survey respondents cited social workers as most helpful for improving health literacy followed by Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) and Bridges to Health community health workers.
This study emphasizes the need for both provider and patient education that goes beyond language translation. Enhancing patients’ familiarity with the healthcare system and strengthening collaboration with community health workers and cultural liaisons may offer an effective path forward.
Description
We aim to identify the challenges pregnant immigrant patients face in navigating healthcare and the strategies that can improve the quality of care they receive.
Date
2025