Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Women struggling with problematic substance use during pregnancy face complex barriers in accessing high quality care during pregnancy with Indigenous women being disproportionately represented. For women in northern British Columbia these challenges become more prominent if they reside in rural locations with limited access to resources. This research sought to identify rates of substance use in pregnancy currently reported in northern British Columbia, and how factors such as stigma, racism, cultural factors, and care provider attitudes influenced women's perceptions of whether they received adequate care during pregnancy. Documenting the journey of women who struggled with substance use in pregnancy, and their overall experience with the health care system, allowed our team to identify current gaps in care to focus future efforts on developing multidisciplinary models of care that will ensure equal access to high quality care for this vulnerable population.