Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42731836›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Intercultural interpreters' perspectives on the provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare to Eritrean and Somali forced immigrant women in Switzerland: a qualitative exploration.

Nejimu Biza Zepro, Rahel Milena Erhardt, Charles Abongomera, Daniel H Paris, Julia Bohlius, Afona Chernet, Sonja Merten

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Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Nejimu Biza ZeproUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland nejim76@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8502-7605
Rahel Milena ErhardtUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Charles AbongomeraUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Daniel H ParisUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Julia BohliusUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1955-1585
Afona ChernetUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Sonja MertenUniversity of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4115-106X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aimed to explore and synthesise interpreters' perspectives on the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care to Eritrean and Somali migrant women in Switzerland, and to identify and analyse the professional and ethical challenges they encounter in this context.

designAn exploratory qualitative study from a social constructionist perspective. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, categorised and analysed through thematic analysis. SETTING AND

participantsThe study was conducted in the canton of Basel-Stadt, northwestern Switzerland. We have purposively selected 10 Eritrean and Somali intercultural interpreters serving as crucial intermediaries in assisting immigrant women to access SRH services.

resultsOur analysis of the interpreters' perspectives revealed three key thematic areas that they identified as central challenges for their Eritrean and Somali immigrant women: (1) perceived limited health literacy among patients, (2) sociocultural barriers that interpreters observed hindering patient provider communication and (3) structural difficulties that interpreters reported their patients faced in navigating the Swiss healthcare system. These challenges have now persisted for a long time, and research findings and recommendations do not appear to have changed practices. For example, while abortion services are fully covered by Swiss health insurance, contraceptive methods often require out-of-pocket payments. This financial disparity may discourage appropriate use of SRH services among immigrant women. The lack of culturally competent care and the limited availability of funding for intercultural interpreters were among important bottlenecks identified.

conclusionsThis study explored interpreters' perspectives on the provision of SRH care to Eritrean and Somali immigrant women in Switzerland. Despite the outstanding Swiss healthcare system, a majority of Eritrean and Somali refugee women struggle to benefit from SRH services due to limited health literacy, language barriers and challenges in navigating the Swiss healthcare system. Partnerships and integration of community entities, such as the Swisso-Kalmo association for Somali women and different Eritrean communities, could contribute via facilitating entry points for access to SRH healthcare.

Indexed as

Emigrants and ImmigrantsHealth Services AccessibilityReproductive Health ServicesAdultCommunication BarriersEritreaFemaleHealth LiteracyHumansMedical InterpretingQualitative ResearchSomaliaSwitzerlandHealth EquityHealth Services AccessibilityPrimary Health CarePUBLIC HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID42731836
PMCPMC13583749

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.