Factors Influencing Maternal Healthcare Experiences Among Black African Women in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review Protocol.
4 affiliations
- 1Teesside University Middlesbrough UK.
- 2Durham University Durham UK.
- 3North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust Stockton-on-Tees UK.
- 4Seeta University Mbalala Mukono Uganda.
Abstract
Understanding the experiences of Black African women seeking and receiving maternal healthcare in the United Kingdom is crucial because cultural and ethnic backgrounds may shape health-seeking behaviors and interactions with the healthcare system. Synthesizing existing qualitative evidence on the factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom is important for informing high-quality, culturally appropriate interventions and policies. This review aims to synthesize qualitative literature to explore the nature and significance of factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom. It will identify barriers and facilitators, as well as wider determinants of maternal healthcare experiences. The review will also explore potential interventions that may improve experiences and outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Ultimately, the review will identify implications for culturally sensitive and responsive maternal health services that address the needs of Black African women in the United Kingdom. The review will explore factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom. Relevant studies will be identified through MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE, along with grey literature searches, using a predefined search strategy. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist will be used to appraise the methodological quality of included studies. Data from included studies will be synthesized using thematic synthesis. The systematic review will support policymakers, maternal healthcare providers, and researchers in understanding Black African women's experiences of, and barriers to, maternal healthcare in the United Kingdom. It will also synthesize evidence on factors that facilitate access to and positive experiences of maternal healthcare among Black African women in the United Kingdom. The review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD420251007412).
Related
- Maternal stress in families of children with special healthcare needs: The role of healthcare experiences
- Maternal health literacy and access to maternal healthcare among migrant mothers in high-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Direct and indirect costs as barriers to maternal healthcare utilization among adolescent mothers in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
- Exploring the lived experiences of women with breast cancer across the care continuum: a systematic meta-aggregative qualitative review protocol.
- Maternal healthcare quality, continuity, and experiences among pregnant adolescents and adult women in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa: A cohort study
BibTeX
@article{dzirasa2026factors,
title = {{Factors Influencing Maternal Healthcare Experiences Among Black African Women in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review Protocol.}},
author = {Irene Devine Dzirasa and Nasima Akhter and Esther Mireku and Modestus Okonkwo and Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi},
journal = {Health science reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/hsr2.73450},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953231},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Factors Influencing Maternal Healthcare Experiences Among Black African Women in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review Protocol.
AU - Irene Devine Dzirasa
AU - Nasima Akhter
AU - Esther Mireku
AU - Modestus Okonkwo
AU - Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Health science reports
DO - 10.1002/hsr2.73450
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953231
AB - Understanding the experiences of Black African women seeking and receiving maternal healthcare in the United Kingdom is crucial because cultural and ethnic backgrounds may shape health-seeking behaviors and interactions with the healthcare system. Synthesizing existing qualitative evidence on the factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom is important for informing high-quality, culturally appropriate interventions and policies. This review aims to synthesize qualitative literature to explore the nature and significance of factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom. It will identify barriers and facilitators, as well as wider determinants of maternal healthcare experiences. The review will also explore potential interventions that may improve experiences and outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. Ultimately, the review will identify implications for culturally sensitive and responsive maternal health services that address the needs of Black African women in the United Kingdom. The review will explore factors influencing maternal healthcare experiences among Black African women in the United Kingdom. Relevant studies will be identified through MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE, along with grey literature searches, using a predefined search strategy. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist will be used to appraise the methodological quality of included studies. Data from included studies will be synthesized using thematic synthesis. The systematic review will support policymakers, maternal healthcare providers, and researchers in understanding Black African women's experiences of, and barriers to, maternal healthcare in the United Kingdom. It will also synthesize evidence on factors that facilitate access to and positive experiences of maternal healthcare among Black African women in the United Kingdom. The review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD420251007412).
SN - 2398-8835
ER -