Exploring and Overcoming Primary Barriers to Healthcare Access and Utilization During the Perinatal Period for Somali Women in Franklin County, Ohio

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Committee Chair

David Mecksroth

Committee Member

Marnie Shaffer

Committee Member

Brian Colfer

Abstract

Immigrant women face potential barriers when accessing and utilizing healthcare services during the perinatal period, including cultural differences, language barriers, low health literacy, and limited access to healthcare services. These challenges can result in delayed care, insufficient prenatal support, and poor maternal and infant health outcomes, despite the availability of services. Addressing these barriers is important, as they hinder immigrant women from fully benefiting from perinatal healthcare. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the primary barriers immigrant women of Somali descent encounter during the perinatal period and recommend how health policies and administrative procedures can be adapted to improve their access to and utilization of perinatal healthcare services. The researcher employed an exploratory qualitative study and conducted semi-structured interviews with Somali immigrant women in Franklin County, Ohio to gain insights into cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and systemic challenges. The significance of this study lies in their potential to address the challenges in perinatal access and utilization among Somali women by recommending modifications to current healthcare administrative policies and procedures. ATLAS.ti software assisted in identifying the key themes utilizing the data collected from the participants.

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