“It's not just about being here, but what brought you here”: A qualitative study of the role of migration experiences in shaping im/migrant women's access to healthcare

This qualitative study aimed to understand how migration experiences shape im/migrant women's needs, desire for, and expectations of healthcare in the British Columbia (BC), Canada context. Interviews with 33 im/migrant women (December 2018–January 2020) highlighted that traumatic experiences across migration increased healthcare needs; insufficient prior health system information contributed to poor experiences; and comparative healthcare experiences across places shaped future healthcare expectations. We use the BC setting to demonstrate the need to abide by global commitments to protect people during migration, train providers in trauma-informed care, develop health assessments that center migration journeys, and appropriately fund im/migrant-serving community organizations. •Migration experiences shape women's healthcare access in destination settings.•Health systems do not adequately attend to migration-related healthcare needs.•Accessing healthcare is especially difficult after precarious migration journeys.•Moving from places with limited health services to a greater variety is supportive.•Healthcare must be trauma-informed, culturally humble, and provided upon arrival.