May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. For Laurel Fertility Care’s head nurse practitioner, Leslie Barahona, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, the theme of this year’s AAPI Heritage Month, “A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience”, is a call to action.
What does AAPI month mean to you?
As a Filipino American Family Nurse Practitioner, AAPI Heritage Month is a profoundly personal and meaningful time for me. It is a time to honor and recognize all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have contributed in shaping history, and to celebrate and foster connections throughout AAPI communities.
What inspired you to pursue reproductive medicine?
My journey as a Filipino American Family Nurse Practitioner is a testament to the resilience, diversity, and strength of our community. I grew up in Hawaii and volunteered locally and abroad to various communities who faced barriers to affordable medication and culturally competent healthcare.
I was inspired to pursue reproductive medicine in my early 20’s when I landed my first job at a local IVF clinic. I was amazed how the combination of medicine, science and technology can create something that patients and staff wanted. I appreciated being a part of helping to make dreams come true.
What are some ways that you see infertility impacting Asian American and/or Pacific Islander families?
Infertility disproportionately impacts the AAPI communities due to a variety of factors, such as cultural stigma, social factors, and disparities in treatment.
Lack of cultural competence and language barriers often leads to distrust and reluctance to seek treatment, which often causes those in the AAPI community to wait longer to seek fertility treatment. This can negatively impact outcomes and cause anxiety, social isolation, and depression.
In many AAPI communities, the ability to have children is often viewed as essential for family continuity and maintaining community standing. This pressure to bear children when unable to can lead to self-blame, shame and guilt.
Understanding how these biases and stigmas can impact psychological, emotional and mental well being as an AAPI woman myself, allows me to provide culturally competent and compassionate care.
How do you dissolve bias or stigma to provide compassionate care?
I am committed to delivering holistic, patient-centered care. I provide a respectful, inclusive, empowering and safe environment so patients can discuss their concerns and expectations. I involve patients in the journey of their individualized treatment plans and provide patients with the knowledge and resources they need to make the best decisions for themselves.
As an AAPI leader, I am ready to bring awareness, break barriers, and harness the powers of leadership and resilience to drive meaningful change in our communities. Let’s continue to cultivate and build a legacy of culturally competent, ethically sound, and quality health care for every person, so that they can live a healthy, purposeful, and fulfilling life.
