Graduation Year

2023

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

W.M. Keck Science Department

Reader 1

Guillermo Douglass-Jaimes

Reader 2

Bethany Caulkins

Abstract

Informal urban settlements experience significantly lower health outcomes than their urban and rural counterparts, particularly concerning sexual and reproductive health. Brazil’s informal urban settlements, known as favelas, have a long history of racism, marginalization, and exclusion, dating back to slavery in the 19th century, which has resulted in favela residents being disproportionately affected by issues related to healthcare access and utilization. However, few studies have been conducted on the overall access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in these communities, particularly with regard to the barriers that both the community and medical providers face in accessing and delivering care.

The proposed study will use qualitative thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. It aims to examine potential barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare and provisions from the perspectives of favela residents and healthcare providers in clinics offering SRH services through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and surveys. The study will use community-based methods focused on building longstanding community relationships and reciprocal and equitable knowledge exchange between researchers and community members. We will focus on the 16 favelas comprising Complexo da Maré in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We anticipate varied results due to sociodemographic factors, differences in healthcare providers, and differing pharmaceutical access.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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