University Honors

Health equity focuses on ensuring all individuals have equal access to care and resources, but not everyone has this opportunity, particularly immigrant women within the Riverside communities. This is a critical issue, as access to essential health resources should not be a concern, particularly in life-threatening situations. Female immigrants face significant barriers when seeking access to healthcare and other resources. By exploring how they are treated and the potential obstacles or delays they encounter, we can identify gaps in the system. To investigate, we conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with immigrant women and UCR students/faculty affiliated with Riverside clinics to capture their individualized experiences. The interviews explored their experiences and situations from their perspective. By receiving more detailed information and scenarios, we were able to get to the common root of the barrier. Certain complications that cause the gap can be things such as cultural barriers (hesitancy, comfort), language issues (translators), or systemic bias issues. Six interviews were conducted with six UCR women immigrant students. Results from the interviews revealed that immigrant women at UCR faced barriers that extended beyond simple access to appointments, including confusion with referrals, insurance, digital navigation, and inconsistent communication across the care process. Participants emphasized that feeling heard, respected, and guided was central to their evaluation of care, while mental health services were often perceived as especially difficult to navigate. These findings suggest that more equitable care depends on stronger coordination, clearer communication, and greater emotional safety throughout the healthcare experience, all of which are critical to developing accessibility, equity, enhancing health outcomes, and lead to an inclusive healthcare system.