Factors Contributing to Delay in Racial and Ethnic Minority Women Seeking Early Prenatal Care

This study surveyed females who accessed prenatal care at an urban
health center to determine perceptions of barriers to early initiation of services. We
hypothesized distrust of healthcare professionals would result in delayed utilization.
Results indicated that both minority and non-minority patients distrust health care
professionals who have strong anti-minority bias and discriminate on the basis of race.
Prenatal care was initiated later for minority participants compared to White
participants, but only among participants who thought doctors and nurses were biased
against minorities or felt they discriminated on the basis of race. Findings suggest the
need to overcome distrust in health professionals to improve access to timely prenatal
care for women of all races and ethnicities.
KEY WORDS: Early prenatal care, health disparities, discrimination, anti-minority
bias, distrust of health providers