Factors associated with utilization of reproductive healthcare services among migrant women workers in Chong Qing, China

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the use of reproductive healthcare services among migrant women workers in Chong Qing, China, and provide suggestions to improve the utilization of these services by young women.

Methods: In a qualitative interview-based study between March, 2013 and June, 2013, personal in-depth interviews were conducted among young women workers, factory doctors, healthcare service providers, and policy-makers in Chong Qing, China.

Results: Women workers seldom visited hospitals and did so only when their pain became unbearable. The workers' use of reproductive healthcare services was particularly influenced by the high cost of hospitalization and long waiting periods. Factory doctors could only solve minor problems. Public healthcare providers stated that migrant women had a higher morbidity rate from reproductive tract infections as compared with local women. The policy-makers considered that the health system was beneficial to women's reproductive health; however, few workers had good comprehension of government policies.

Conclusion: Migrant women workers are vulnerable owing to lack of reproductive health care. The government and both social and health enterprise should consider the convenience of these women and the affordability of treatments when formulating reproductive healthcare policies. Effective measures should be taken to improve the use of these services by migrant women workers.

Keywords: China; Low-resource country; Migrant female workers; Reproductive health.