Maternal Health Literacy among Migrant Women: A Co-Design Study in Portugal

Migrant women often experience significant disparities in maternal health outcomes compared to host populations, due to language barriers, cultural differences, and limited maternal health literacy (MHL). Despite its importance, there is a shortage of tailored interventions specifically designed for migrant communities, namely, African migrant women in Europe.

This qualitative study applied a co-design approach using the Optimizing Health Literacy and Access (Ophelia) methodology. Two separate idea generation workshops were conducted in Lisbon - one, involving pregnant migrant women (n = 6), and another with community-based healthcare and social professionals (n = 10). Discussions were guided by vignettes developed prior to the sessions to reflect real-life challenges. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was complemented by descriptive analysis of sociodemographic questionnaire data.

Three main themes emerged: (1) health literacy barriers (e.g., low digital literacy, lack of information, cultural and bureaucratic obstacles); (2) strengths and resources (e.g., personal resilience, proactive behaviours, and community associations); (3) co-created interventions (e.g., community support groups, culturally sensitive maternal education, and healthcare providers training).

The study highlights the value of a participatory co-design approach in identifying context-specific, culturally relevant interventions to enhance MHL among African migrant women. The insights gained provide valuable direction for future research and policy development aimed at enhancing access to maternal healthcare for migrant populations.