Family Planning Research in African Immigrant and Refugee Women: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: African immigrants are a vulnerable population who are seldom seen in the literature, however, the scant research available reports that they experience increased challenges when making family planning decisions. A robust understanding of their specific family planning practices is imperative to providing appropriate, culturally congruent care. Considering this disparity, a scoping review was conducted to synthesize empirical knowledge and identify gaps in the literature around family planning in African immigrant populations in the United States. Methods: Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, EMBASE, Global Health Database, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and PubMed were searched for literature regarding family planning topics such as decision-making and health care access among African immigrant women in the United States in June 2020. Results: The small number of retrieved studies for the literature review clearly highlights a dearth of research. Available evidence indicates stark disparities in health care access, unmet individual needs, and unacknowledged preferences. Discussion: Ignoring cultural considerations for the growing African immigrant population perpetuates the divide in family planning practices.