Induced abortion and contraception use: among immigrant and Canadian-born women in Calgary, Alta.

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Prey, Beatrice du; Talavlikar, Rachel; Mangat, Rupinder; Freiheit, Elizabeth A; Drummond, Neil

2014-09-01

To determine what proportion of women seeking induced abortion in the Calgary census metropolitan area were immigrants. For 2 months, eligible women were asked to complete a questionnaire. Women who refused were asked to provide their country of birth (COB) to assess for selection bias. Two abortion clinics in Calgary, Alta. Women presenting at or less than 15 weeks' gestational age for induced abortion for maternal indications. The primary outcome was the proportion of women seeking induced abortion services who were immigrants. Secondary outcomes compared socioeconomic characteristics and contraception use between immigrant and Canadian-born women. A total of 752 women either completed a questionnaire (78.6%) or provided their COB (21.4%). Overall, 28.9% of women living in the Calgary census metropolitan area who completed the questionnaire were immigrants, less than the 31.2% background proportion of immigrant women of childbearing age. However, 46.0% of women who provided only COB were immigrants. When these data were combined, 34.2% of women presenting for induced abortion identified as immigrant, a proportion not significantly different from the background proportion (P = .127). Immigrant women presenting for induced abortion tended to be older, more educated, married with children, and have increased parity. They were similar to Canadian-born women in number of previous abortions, income status, and employment status. This study suggests that immigrant women in Calgary are not presenting for induced abortion in disproportionately higher numbers, which differs from existing European literature. This is likely owing to differing socioeconomic characteristics among the immigrant women in our study from what have been previously described in the literature (typically lower socioeconomic status). Much still needs to be explored with regard to factors influencing the use of abortion services by immigrant women. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of

Predictors of post-partum stress in Vietnamese immigrant women in Taiwan.

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Lee, Li-Chun; Hung, Chich-Hsiu

2016-01-01

The post-partum period is a stressful time of change, particularly for immigrant women, but, to the best of the present authors' knowledge, the subject has not been explored. This study aimed to examine immigrant women's post-partum stress, depression, and levels of social support, and to determine the predictors of post-partum stress for Vietnamese immigrant women in Taiwan. A cross-sectional design was used. In this descriptive survey, 208 Vietnamese immigrant women were telephone interviewed by a trained Vietnamese research assistant during one of their 6 weeks post-partum. Data were collected through telephone interviews using three questionnaires, including the Hung Postpartum Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Social Support Scale. The result shows that Vietnamese women had low level post-partum stress scores. Participants' family support rated higher than friend support. The incidence of depression was 0.5%. Social support, number of post-partum days, and family income were found to be predictors for post-partum stress, accounting for 26.6% of the variance. The Vietnamese immigrant women experienced significant stress regarding their maternal roles and received most of their support from their families rather than from friends. Nurses caring for this cohort should therefore consider these factors in order to help them cope with their post-partum stress. Healthcare providers should offer available resources to these immigrant women and their spouses during this critical period in their lives. For instance, antenatal education classes could be provided to help immigrant women manage and overcome post-partum issues. © 2015 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

How does gender influence immigrant and refugee women's postpartum depression help-seeking experiences?

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O'Mahony, J M; Donnelly, T T

2013-10-01

The number of migrants arriving in Canada from non-European countries has grown significantly over the past three decades. How best to assist these escalating numbers of immigrant and refugee women to adapt to their new environment and to cope with postpartum depression (PPD) is a pressing issue for healthcare providers. Evidence has shown that immigrant and refugee women experience difficulties in accessing care and treatment for PPD. This qualitative study was conducted with 30 immigrant and refugee women using in-depth interviews to obtain information about the women's PPD experiences. The primary aim was to explore how cultural, social, political, historical and economic factors intersect with race, gender and class to influence the ways in which immigrant and refugee women seek help to manage PPD. Results reveal that immigrant and refugee women experience many complex gender-related challenges and facilitators in seeking equitable help for PPD treatment and prevention. We will demonstrate that (a) structural barriers and gender roles hinder women's ability to access necessary mental healthcare services and (b) insecure immigration status coupled with emotional and economic dependence may leave women vulnerable and disadvantaged in protecting themselves against PPD. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The labour trajectories of immigrant women in Spain: Are there signs of upward social mobility?

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Elena Vidal-Coso

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: In Spain, foreign-born women are disproportionately employed in housework or care work, and quantitative research has shown that female migrants are disadvantaged relative to male migrants in the occupational status of their first job in Spain. However, the process that created this female penalty has not yet been explored. Objective: In this paper, we focus on female occupational mobility at migration and during settlement in Spain. First, we compare female and male labour mobility at migration. Second, we identify the main socio-demographic factors which increase the likelihood that the first job a foreign-born woman holds in Spain will be as a cleaner or a domestic worker. Third, we investigate female labour mobility from the time of migration, particularly trajectories that lead away from the cleaning and domestic occupations, and consider the importance of the assimilation process in occupational mobility. Methods: We apply quantitative methods to Spain's 2007 National Immigrant Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Inmigrantes, using descriptive (mobility matrixes and simple and multinomial logistic regression analyses. We include the main socio-demographic, family, and migratory characteristics of immigrants in the explanatory models. Results: The results of our analysis revealed that female migrants to Spain are more likely than their male counterparts to experience occupational downgrading at the time of migration, and that 41.6Š of women work in domestic services in their first job in Spain. Finally, our results have demonstrated that, although occupational immobility is common among female migrants in Spain, movement out of domestic services is possible, especially for the most assimilated immigrant women. Conclusions: This paper contextualises female immigration in Spain, attributing the labour market choices made by female migrants to the externalisation of domestic and cleaning occupations in private households, and to the

Perceived discrimination, family functioning, and depressive symptoms among immigrant women in Taiwan.

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Yang, Hao-Jan; Wu, Jyun-Yi; Huang, Sheng-Shiung; Lien, Mei-Huei; Lee, Tony Szu-Hsien

2014-10-01

This study examined the moderating effect of family functioning on the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms in immigrant women. A total of 239 immigrant women were selected from four administrative regions in Central Taiwan. Questionnaires concerning perceived discrimination, family functioning (including family cohesion and family adaptability), depressive symptoms, and demographic characteristics were completed by either women themselves (N = 120) or their husbands (N = 119). The moderating effect of family functioning on the relationship between perceived discrimination and depression symptoms was analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Findings showed that a higher level of perceived discrimination among immigrant women is associated with more severe depressive symptoms. Family functioning serves as a moderator between the relationship of perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms, but the moderating effect of family adaptability was evident only in data reported by immigrant women. The results indicate that perceived discrimination has negative mental health implications, and also point to the importance of family functioning for depression. Findings suggest that providers should consider addressing immigrant women's mental health needs through declining their psychosocial distress at multiple ecological levels.

Breastfeeding practices of ethnic Indian immigrant women in Melbourne, Australia.

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Maharaj, Natasha; Bandyopadhyay, Mridula

2013-12-18

The health benefits of breastfeeding are well documented in public health and medical literature worldwide. Despite this, global rates of breastfeeding steadily decline during the first couple of months postpartum. Although immigrant women have higher initiation rates and a longer duration of breastfeeding overall, breastfeeding practices are compromised because of a myriad of socioeconomic and cultural factors, including the acculturation process. The objective of this study was to show how acculturation and cultural identity influenced breastfeeding practices among Indian immigrants in Melbourne, Australia. Twelve case studies were employed to gather narratives of women's lived experiences. Ethnographic field research methods were used to collect data, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, case studies, and life histories. This provided in-depth information from women on various aspects of the immigrant experience of motherhood, including infant care and feeding. Participants were opportunistically recruited from Indian obstetricians and gynaecologists. Women identifying as ethnic Indian and in their third trimester of pregnancy were recruited. Interviews were conducted in women's homes in metropolitan Melbourne over a 12 month period between 2004 and 2005. Data were coded and analysed thematically. All women identified as ethnic Indian and initiated breastfeeding in accordance with their cultural identity. Social support and cultural connectivity impacted positively on duration of breastfeeding. However, acculturation (adopting Australian cultural values and gender norms, including returning to paid employment) negatively influenced breastfeeding duration. In addition, the high reliance of recent immigrants on the advice of healthcare professionals who gave inconsistent advice negatively affected exclusive breastfeeding. For ethnic Indian immigrant women breastfeeding practice is closely linked to acculturation and identity construction

The Labor Market Integration of Immigrant Men and Women

OpenAIRE

Taryn Ann Galloway

2006-01-01

Abstract: Out of necessity, the earliest studies of immigrants' performance in the labor market in Western countries focused solely on men. However, as the employment rates of women in Western countries rise and approach those of men, questions about the labor market adjustments of immigrant women also become increasingly relevant. Furthermore, studies of earnings assimilation have typically analyzed only those individuals actually employed (full-time) in the labor market. Henc...

South Asian immigrant women's experiences of being respected within cancer treatment settings.

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Singh-Carlson, Savitri; Neufeld, Anne; Olson, Joanne

2010-01-01

The purpose of this focused ethnographic inquiry was to examine South Asian immigrant women's experiences and perceptions of respect within health professional-client relationships in the context of a Canadian outpatient treatment clinic. Characteristics of respect described by 11 women interviewed were the meaning of respect, health professional's way of being, their way of attending to the person, and their way of talking. Language, cultural values and beliefs, along with underlying societal, individual and institutional factors that coexist with health professionals' ability to create respect were some of the dimensions that influenced how immigrant women experienced respect. Health professionals' capacity to acknowledge South Asian immigrant women as individuals helped to formulate/construct respect for their individual identities. The need to be respected for 'my social identity' as an immigrant woman with cancer was woven throughout women's stories, illustrated by their personal experiences and perspectives.

Epidural analgesia during labor among immigrant women in Sweden.

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Ekéus, Cecilia; Cnattingius, Sven; Hjern, Anders

2010-01-01

To investigate differences in the use of epidural analgesia (EDA) during labor between native Swedish and immigrant women and whether such possible differences could be explained by other maternal factors or birthweight. Population-based register study. Nationwide study in Sweden. A total of 455,274 primiparous women, who gave birth to a singleton infant at 37-41 completed gestational weeks during 1992-2005. Of the 72,086 (16%) immigrants, data on 31,148 women from the eight most common countries of origin were analyzed to test our hypotheses. Register study with perinatal data from the Medical Birth Register and socio-demographic variables from national income and population registers. Use of EDA during vaginal delivery. Compared with native Swedish women, EDA was more often used by women from Chile, odds ratio (OR) 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.57); Iran, OR 1.38 (1.26-1.53); Poland, OR 1.22 (1.08-1.37) and Finland, OR 1.10 (1.03-1.17) after adjustments for perinatal and socio-demographic confounders, while EDA was less often used among women from Somalia, OR 0.57 (0.46-0.70); Iraq, OR 0.71 (0.64-0.78); Turkey, OR 0.77(0.69-0.86) and Yugoslavia, OR 0.85 (0.79-0.91). Having a native Swedish partner increased the use of EDA in immigrant women. EDA use during labor varies more by maternal country of origin than by socio-economic factors. This suggests that expectations of care from the country of origin continue to influence the use of EDA after immigration to Sweden.

Health literacy as the missing link in the provision of immigrant health care: A qualitative study of Southeast Asian immigrant women in Taiwan.

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Tsai, Tzu-I; Lee, Shoou-Yih D

2016-02-01

Language and communication barrier are main contributors to poor health outcomes and improper use of health care among immigrants. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand specific language and communication problems experiences by Southeast Asian immigrant women in Taiwan. This qualitative study used focus groups and in-depth interviews to uncover the experiences of immigrant women regarding their access to and utilization of health care in Taiwan. Eight focus groups were conducted with 62 Southeast Asian immigrant women and 23 individual in-depth interviews with a wide range of stakeholders who had diverse background and intimate knowledge of immigrant-relating health care issues were performed. Directed content analysis was applied and identified four major themes concerning conditions that influenced immigrant women's use of health information and services: (1) gaining access to health information, (2) navigating in health care delivery system, (3) interactions during health care encounters, and (4) capability of using health information and services. Findings from this study suggest that, without basic language and literate skills, the majority of immigrant women had inadequate health literacy to manage health information and navigate the Taiwan health care system. Interpersonal communication gap between immigrant women and health care providers exists because of lack of health literacy in addition al language and cultural barriers. With limited language and health literacy skills, immigrant women face numerous challenges in navigating the health care system, interacting with health care providers, and gaining access to proper health care. Future efforts are necessary to enhance individual's health literacy and establish health literate environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Korean immigrant women's lived experience of childbirth in the United States.

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Seo, Jin Young; Kim, Wooksoo; Dickerson, Suzanne S

2014-01-01

To understand Korean immigrant women's common experiences and practices of utilizing health care services in the United States during childbirth. A qualitative interpretive phenomenological research design. Recruitment was conducted through advertisement on the MissyUSA.com website, which is the largest online community for married Korean women who live in North America. A purposive sample of 15 Korean immigrant women who experienced childbirth in the United States within the past 5 years was recruited. Data were collected using semistructured telephone interviews and were analyzed using the Heideggerian hermeneutical methodology. During childbirth in the United States, participants faced multifaceted barriers in unfamiliar sociocultural contexts yet maintained their own cultural heritages. They navigated the unfamiliar health care system and developed their own strategies to overcome barriers to health care access. Korean immigrant women actively sought health information on the Internet and through social networking during childbirth. Korean immigrant women selectively accepted new cultural beliefs with some modifications from their own cultural contexts and developed their own distinct birth cultures. Understanding a particular culture and respecting women's traditions, beliefs, and practices about their childbirth could help nurses to provide culturally sensitive care. © 2014 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Essays on Intra-Household Bargaining Power of Women in India

OpenAIRE

Dasgupta, Poulomi

2016-01-01

This thesis investigates the factors that affect women's bargaining power within the household, in India. The first chapter introduces the literature on household bargaining mostly by describing how household outcomes like children's health indicators and expenditure pattern change with increase in resources under women's control. The second chapter describes the conceptual framework for intra-household bargaining. It discusses the two broad topics – household bargaining models and gendered i...

The health and safety concerns of immigrant women workers in the Toronto sportswear industry.

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Gannagé, C M

1999-01-01

Immigrant women's conditions of work have worsened with new government and managerial strategies to restructure the Canadian apparel industry. Changes in occupational health and safety legislation have both given and taken away tools that immigrant women workers could use to improve the quality of their working lives. The author outlines a methodology for eliciting the health and safety concerns of immigrant women workers.

WOMEN'S BARGAINING POWER IN HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIC DECISIONS: EVIDENCE FROM GHANA

OpenAIRE

Doss, Cheryl R.

1996-01-01

In this paper, the percentage of assets held by women within the household is used as a measure of women's bargaining power. The assets used in this paper include land, savings, and business assets. Using detailed household survey data from Ghana, I demonstrate that the share of assets owned by women has a significant impact on household expenditure decisions. This provides additional support for the notion that women's bargaining power can be measured, at least in some dimensions, and that w...

Managing Mental Health Problems Among Immigrant Women Attending Primary Health Care Services.

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Straiton, Melanie L; Powell, Kathryn; Reneflot, Anne; Diaz, Esperanza

2016-01-01

Researchers in Norway explore treatment options in primary care for immigrant women with mental health problems compared with nonimmigrant women. Three national registers were linked together for 2008. Immigrant women from Sweden, Poland, the Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, and Russia were selected for analysis and compared with Norwegian women. Using logistic regression, we investigated whether treatment type varied by country of origin. Rates of sickness leave and psychiatric referrals were similar across all groups. Conversational therapy and use of antidepressants and anxiolytics were lower among Filipina, Thai, Pakistani, and Russian women than among Norwegians. Using the broad term "immigrants" masks important differences in treatment and health service use. By closely examining mental health treatment differences by country of origin, gaps in service provision and treatment uptake may be identified and addressed with more success.

Psychological assessment among immigrant and Spanish women during the postpartum period in Spain.

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Pérez-Ramírez, Francisca; García-García, Inmaculada; Caparros-Gonzalez, Rafael A; Peralta-Ramírez, María Isabel

2017-04-01

to describe whether there were differences in sociodemographic, obstetric, perinatal and psychological variables between immigrant women and native-born women in Spain during the first 24 h after delivery. The immediate postpartum period is a critical time when physical and psychological disorders are likely to occur. Immigrant women have, in general, poor perinatal and psychological results during this time. One hundred and three women at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital (Granada, Spain) were divided into two groups: 50 Spanish and 53 immigrants. The instruments used were the Life Orientation Test, the Stress Vulnerability Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Sociodemographic and obstetric data were obtained from the healthcare providers reports. During the postpartum period, the immigrant women had higher mean scores on the following subscales: interpersonal sensitivity (F(1,102) = 4.06; p psychological and emotional support from their families, midwives and the rest of healthcare providers than are native Spaniards immediately after delivery.

Educating Immigrant Women Through Social Support

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Clementine M. Msengi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this case study was to describe a single multicultural women’s support program known as the Women of Care Project. The program was conducted in a community in the Midwest region of the United States and began in 2005 with a grant from the Open Meadows Foundation. Participants were volunteers who were recruited for the program through pre-existing access points to the Bosnian, African, and Hispanic communities, such as ethnic churches, markets, and key contacts within these communities. The support group format for the Women of Care Program was an open group format in which participants were encouraged to invite their friends to join. The initial support group consisted of women from various cultural origins, including Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, Russia, Sierra Leone, Brazil, China, Taiwan, India, Nepal, Bosnia, Mexico, and the United States. This case study was based on focus group discussions, as well as observations and completion of evaluation forms. To analyze data, the focus group discussion notes and summaries were rearranged into recurring themes. The evaluation provided further feedback from the discussions to cement these themes. Findings suggested immigrants, especially women, benefit from support groups. Group involvement could empower women and increase their general sense of well-being in overcoming barriers they may face in transitioning into a new environment. It is recommended that host communities have integration programs which benefit both the host community and the immigrant: a win–win situation.

Cultural repertoires and food-related household technology within colonia households under conditions of material hardship.

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Dean, Wesley R; Sharkey, Joseph R; Johnson, Cassandra M; St John, Julie

2012-05-15

BSTRACT: Mexican-origin women in the U.S. living in colonias (new-destination Mexican-immigrant communities) along the Texas-Mexico border suffer from a high incidence of food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease. Understanding environmental factors that influence food-related behaviors among this population will be important to improving the well-being of colonia households. This article focuses on cultural repertoires that enable food choice and the everyday uses of technology in food-related practice by Mexican-immigrant women in colonia households under conditions of material hardship. Findings are presented within a conceptual framework informed by concepts drawn from sociological accounts of technology, food choice, culture, and material hardship. Field notes were provided by teams of promotora-researchers (indigenous community health workers) and public-health professionals trained as participant observers. They conducted observations on three separate occasions (two half-days during the week and one weekend day) within eight family residences located in colonias near the towns of Alton and San Carlos, Texas. English observations were coded inductively and early observations stressed the importance of technology and material hardship in food-related behavior. These observations were further explored and coded using the qualitative data package Atlas.ti. Technology included kitchen implements used in standard and adapted configurations and household infrastructure. Residents employed tools across a range of food-related activities identified as forms of food acquisition, storage, preparation, serving, feeding and eating, cleaning, and waste processing. Material hardships included the quality, quantity, acceptability, and uncertainty dimensions of food insecurity, and insufficient consumption of housing, clothing and medical care. Cultural repertoires for coping with material hardship included reliance on inexpensive staple foods and dishes, and

Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Partner Violence Against Women Among Latin-American Immigrants in Spain

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Enrique Gracia

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines, first, data about perceptions and attitudes in Latin-American immigrants and the Spanish population towards intimate partner violence against women. Secondly, it explores correlates of attitudes towards reporting cases of partner violence against women in a sample of Latin-American immigrants. Three data sources, which include two representative samples of the Spanish population and a sample of Latin-American immigrants, are used. Results show significant differences between Spanish and immigrant perceptions and attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women. Analyses also show that positive attitudes among Latin-American immigrants towards reporting cases of partner violence were more frequent among those who were less tolerant, who perceived it as a major problem in society, and tended not to blame the victims. These results underline the importance of public attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women for the understanding and prevention of this social problem.

Assimilation and health service utilization of Korean immigrant women.

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Son, Juyeon

2013-11-01

In this case study, I present descriptive findings with regard to immigrant incorporation and health service utilization. Using focus groups and survey of Korean immigrant women in Wisconsin, I examine whether the ways in which they adapt to the U.S. society is relevant to their health services utilization and the alternatives they seek when available health services are less than satisfactory. The findings suggest that adherence to Korean identity appears to be associated with health service utilization. This is evident in the immigrants' evaluation of the U.S. health services as compared to those of Korea, and the consideration given by these immigrants to seeking health services in Korea instead of the United States. Such concerns on the part of these immigrants have important implications for health researchers, as they highlight the significance of immigrants' transnational experiences and their sense of personal agency in the use of health care.

Breadwinning women: Economic contribution of married and cohabiting women to Costa Rican households

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Camila Salazar Mayorga

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes the economic contribution of married and cohabiting women to the household income, in comparison to the income their partners generate, in Costa Rica.  From a perspective of gender roles, human capital theory and female labor participation, this paper examines what variables influence the probability of contribution.  Based on data by the 2014 National Household Survey, this study found that 51% percent of married or cohabiting women do not generate any income, which shows there is an unequal economic relationship in half of Costa Rican households and the males assume the breadwinning role.  Household chores and the number of children reduce the probability of economic contribution.  On the other hand, women with more years of schooling have a higher probability to contribute equally to the couple’s total income.

Immigrant women's experience of maternity services in Canada: a meta-ethnography.

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Higginbottom, Gina M A; Hadziabdic, Emina; Yohani, Sophie; Paton, Patricia

2014-05-01

to synthesise data on immigrant women's experiences of maternity services in Canada. a qualitative systematic literature review using a meta-ethnographic approach a comprehensive search strategy of multiple databases was employed in consultation with an information librarian, to identify qualitative research studies published in English or French between 1990 and December 2011 on maternity care experiences of immigrant women in Canada. A modified version of Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnographic theoretical approach was undertaken to develop an inductive and interpretive form of knowledge synthesis. The seven-phase process involved comparative textual analysis of published qualitative studies, including the translation of key concepts and meanings from one study to another to derive second and third-order concepts encompassing more than that offered by any individual study. ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software was used to store and manage the studies and synthesise their findings. the literature search identified 393 papers, of which 22 met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised. The literature contained seven key concepts related to maternity service experiences including social (professional and informal) support, communication, socio-economic barriers, organisational environment, knowledge about maternity services and health care, cultural beliefs and practices, and different expectations between health care staff and immigrant women. Three second-order interpretations served as the foundation for two third-order interpretations. Societal positioning of immigrant women resulted in difficulties receiving high quality maternity health care. Maternity services were an experience in which cultural knowledge and beliefs, and religious and traditional preferences were highly relevant as well but often overlooked in Canadian maternity settings. in order to implement woman-centered care, to enhance access to maternity services, and to promote immigrant women

Childbearing patterns among immigrant women and their daughters in Spain: Over-adaptation or structural constraints

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Amparo González-Ferrer

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Spain, a country with one of the lowest fertility levels in the world, has recently received intense immigration flows that may contribute to fertility recovery. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine whether the childbearing behaviour of immigrant women and their descendants shows a pattern of convergence with that of Spanish women born in or after 1950. Methods: After merging data from the Fertility and Values Survey (2006 and the National Immigrants Survey (2007, we analyse the transition to first, second, and third birth using event history models, to identify variations in timing and incidence of birth transitions between native Spanish women and immigrant groups. Results: Previous literature has found that migration disrupts immigrants' fertility only temporarily; however, in the case of Spain, most migrant women who moved before starting family formation do not seem to fully compensate for migration-related disruption of fertility at a later stage. Our findings challenge the widespread belief that immigrants' childbearing alone will allow Spain to leave behind the current lowest-low and latest-late fertility scenario. Contribution: This article analyzes for the first time the fertility of different immigrant generations in Spain compared to native women, applying event history techniques. Our findings challenge conventional wisdom that immigration will improve very low fertility levels in Spain.

Workplace health promotion--strategies for low-income Hispanic immigrant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarate-Abbott, Perla; Etnyre, Annette; Gilliland, Irene; Mahon, Marveen; Allwein, David; Cook, Jennifer; Mikan, Vanessa; Rauschhuber, Maureen; Sethness, Renee; Muñoz, Laura; Lowry, Jolynn; Jones, Mary Elaine

2008-05-01

Addressing health disparities for vulnerable populations in the United States is a national goal. Immigrant Hispanic women, at increased risk for heart disease, face obstacles in receiving adequate health care. Health promotion, especially for Hispanic women, is hindered by language, access to care, lack of insurance, and cultural factors. Innovative health education approaches are needed to reach this population. This article describes the development and evaluation of a culturally sensitive cardiac health education program based on findings from a study of 21 older immigrant Hispanic women employed as housekeepers at a small university in south Texas. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures had decreased 17 months after the intervention.

ESL-speaking immigrant women's disillusions: voices of health care in Canada: an ethnodrama.

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Nimmon, Laura E

2007-04-01

This article describes a research project that investigated whether language barriers play a part in immigrant women's health decreasing when they move to Canada. The findings are then represented in the form of an ethnodrama entitled "ESL-Speaking Immigrant Women's Disillusions: Voices of Health Care in Canada." I suggest that the play is catalytic because it encourages target audiences to empathize with the silenced voices of ESL-speaking immigrant women who live in Canada. I then conclude with a reflection about the potential that the genre of ethnodrama has for social change through its reflexive and critical nature.

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, HOUSEHOLD STATUS AND CONTRACEPTION USE IN GHANA.

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Blackstone, Sarah R

2017-07-01

Gender inequality is often cited as a barrier to improving women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes, including contraceptive use, in low- and middle-income countries such as those in sub-Saharan Africa. To date there is limited, recent, evidence available regarding women's empowerment, household status and contraceptive use in Ghana. The objective of this study was to investigate whether women's empowerment and status in the household were associated with contraceptive use and unmet need for contraception using the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The study sample consisted of 1828 women aged 15-49. Women's empowerment was measured based on two composite indexes created by the DHS: attitudes towards intimate partner violence and decision-making. Women's status in the home was measured using indicators of work status, relationship to household head, control over monetary earnings and land ownership. Decision-making was found to be positively associated with contraceptive use and not having unmet need for contraception. Women who justified wife beating in one or more instances were less likely to use contraception, and more likely to have unmet need for contraception. Current or past employment and higher levels of male partner education were associated with contraceptive use. This study indicates that women's empowerment and household status are influential for contraceptive indicators. Future interventions aimed at improving contraceptive uptake and use should promote women's empowerment, i.e. decision-making, self-worth and education.

Immigration distress and associated factors among Vietnamese women in transnational marriages in Taiwan.

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Yang, Yung-Mei; Wang, Hsiu-Hung; Anderson, Debra

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the types and predictors of immigration distress among Vietnamese women in transnational marriages in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey with face-to-face interviews was conducted for data collection. A convenient sample of 203 Vietnamese women in transnational marriages in southern Taiwan was recruited. The Demographic Inventory measured the participants' age, education, employment status, religion, length of residency and number of children, as well as their spouse's age, education, employment status and religion. The Demand of Immigration Specific Distress scale measured the level of distress and had six subscales: loss, novelty, occupational adjustment, language accommodation, discrimination and alienation. Among the 203 participants, 6.4% had a high level of immigration distress; 91.1% had moderate distress; and 2.5% had minor distress. Higher mean scores were found for the loss, novelty and language accommodation subscales of the Demand of Immigration Specific Distress scale. Participant's (r = 0.321, p immigration distress. Length of residency in Taiwan (r = 0.576, p immigration distress. It indicated that the participants who had stayed fewer years in Taiwan had a higher level of immigrant distress. Health care professionals need to be aware that the female newcomers in transnational marriages are highly susceptible to immigration distress. The study suggests that healthcare professionals need to provide a comprehensive assessment of immigration distress to detect health problems early and administer culturally appropriate healthcare for immigrant women in transnational marriages. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women's autonomy in household decision-making: a demographic study in Nepal.

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Acharya, Dev R; Bell, Jacqueline S; Simkhada, Padam; van Teijlingen, Edwin R; Regmi, Pramod R

2010-07-15

How socio-demographic factors influence women's autonomy in decision making on health care including purchasing goods and visiting family and relatives are very poorly studied in Nepal. This study aims to explore the links between women's household position and their autonomy in decision making. We used Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2006, which provided data on ever married women aged 15-49 years (n = 8257). The data consists of women's four types of household decision making; own health care, making major household purchases, making purchase for daily household needs and visits to her family or relatives. A number of socio-demographic variables were used in multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship of these variables to all four types of decision making. Women's autonomy in decision making is positively associated with their age, employment and number of living children. Women from rural area and Terai region have less autonomy in decision making in all four types of outcome measure. There is a mixed variation in women's autonomy in the development region across all outcome measures. Western women are more likely to make decision in own health care (1.2-1.6), while they are less likely to purchase daily household needs (0.6-0.9). Women's increased education is positively associated with autonomy in own health care decision making (p make decision in own healthcare. Women from rural area and Terai region needs specific empowerment programme to enable them to be more autonomous in the household decision making. Women's autonomy by education, wealth quintile and development region needs a further social science investigation to observe the variations within each stratum. A more comprehensive strategy can enable women to access community resources, to challenge traditional norms and to access economic resources. This will lead the women to be more autonomous in decision making in the due course.

Social support, social conflict, and immigrant women's mental health in a Canadian context: a scoping review.

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Guruge, S; Thomson, M S; George, U; Chaze, F

2015-11-01

Social support has positive and negative dimensions, each of which has been associated with mental health outcomes. Social networks can also serve as sources of distress and conflict. This paper reviews journal articles published during the last 24 years to provide a consolidated summary of the role of social support and social conflict on immigrant women's mental health. The review reveals that social support can help immigrant women adjust to the new country, prevent depression and psychological distress, and access care and services. When social support is lacking or social networks act as a source of conflict, it can have negative effects on immigrant women's mental health. It is crucial that interventions, programmes, and services incorporate strategies to both enhance social support as well as reduce social conflict, in order to improve mental health and well-being of immigrant women. Researchers have documented the protective role of social support and the harmful consequences of social conflict on physical and mental health. However, consolidated information about social support, social conflict, and mental health of immigrant women in Canada is not available. This scoping review examined literature from the last 24 years to understand how social support and social conflict affect the mental health of immigrant women in Canada. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Healthstar, and EMBASE for peer-reviewed publications focusing on mental health among immigrant women in Canada. Thirty-four articles that met our inclusion criteria were reviewed, and are summarized under the following four headings: settlement challenges and the need for social support; social support and mental health outcomes; social conflict and reciprocity; and social support, social conflict, and mental health service use. The results revealed that social support can have a positive effect on immigrant women's mental health and well-being, and facilitate social inclusion and the use of

Cultural repertoires and food-related household technology within colonia households under conditions of material hardship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dean Wesley R

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Mexican-origin women in the U.S. living in colonias (new-destination Mexican-immigrant communities along the Texas-Mexico border suffer from a high incidence of food insecurity and diet-related chronic disease. Understanding environmental factors that influence food-related behaviors among this population will be important to improving the well-being of colonia households. This article focuses on cultural repertoires that enable food choice and the everyday uses of technology in food-related practice by Mexican-immigrant women in colonia households under conditions of material hardship. Findings are presented within a conceptual framework informed by concepts drawn from sociological accounts of technology, food choice, culture, and material hardship. Methods Field notes were provided by teams of promotora-researchers (indigenous community health workers and public-health professionals trained as participant observers. They conducted observations on three separate occasions (two half-days during the week and one weekend day within eight family residences located in colonias near the towns of Alton and San Carlos, Texas. English observations were coded inductively and early observations stressed the importance of technology and material hardship in food-related behavior. These observations were further explored and coded using the qualitative data package Atlas.ti. Results Technology included kitchen implements used in standard and adapted configurations and household infrastructure. Residents employed tools across a range of food-related activities identified as forms of food acquisition, storage, preparation, serving, feeding and eating, cleaning, and waste processing. Material hardships included the quality, quantity, acceptability, and uncertainty dimensions of food insecurity, and insufficient consumption of housing, clothing and medical care. Cultural repertoires for coping with material hardship included reliance on

Immigrant women in Australia: resources, family and work.

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Evans, M D

1984-01-01

Using the 1% public use sample of individual records from the 1981 census and adopting direct standardization for age and sex regression techniques, this paper describes differences among native born Australians and immigrants from English-speaking countries, Northwestern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region and the Third World, in areas of labor participation, unemployment, occupational status, entrepreneurship, and income. While Eastern European women are the most likely to be in the labor force, are the most likely to be unemployed and are the highest paid, Mediterranean women are the least likely to be in the labor force, have fairly low unemployment rates and occupy the lowest status positions and receive the lowest wages. Native born Australians and immigrants from English-speaking and Third World countries and Northwestern Europe are intermediate between these 2 extremes on most dimensions. Some of the differences are not large. In particular, labor force participation only ranges from 49% to 59% and self employment from 9% to 14%. The most apparent differences in work patterns of the various groups of immigrants stem from differences in their own resources and constranits, or from different modes of adaptation to the Australian society, rather than from differential treatment in the labor market. Although family roles affect aspects of work differently, in general, marriage reduces labor force participation by more than 10% among all groups, except for East Europeans and the Mediterraneans, among whom it has no effect. While East European women hold on to their jobs as a potential source of livelihood in the event of divorce which is common among this group, the Mediterraneans view jobs as a means of achieving a measure of economic security. The effect of length of stay in Australia on labor market participation is somewhat larger for women from non-English speaking countries, whose adaptation process includes a slow improvement in language

Barriers and Motives to PA in South Asian Indian Immigrant Women.

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Daniel, Manju; Abendroth, Maryann; Erlen, Judith A

2017-03-01

The high prevalence of chronic illnesses in South Asian Indian immigrant women underscores the need for identifying factors that could influence their PA. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perspectives of South Asian Indian immigrant women related to barriers to and motives for lifestyle PA within the PA Framework for South Asian Indian Immigrants. Forty women participated in focus groups that were conducted in English and Hindi. Focus group questions were open-ended and semistructured. Transcribed and de-identified audiotaped sessions were coded and analyzed using Atlas.ti software. Role expectation was a core theme for barriers with four subthemes: lack of time, loss of interest, diminished social support, and environmental constraints. Self-motivation was a core theme for motives with three subthemes: optimal physical and psychological health, emphasis on external beauty, and strong social support. Future PA interventions need to target these culturally sensitive factors.

The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on the household work performance of women.

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Allaire, S H; Meenan, R F; Anderson, J J

1991-06-01

We conducted a study to assess whether and to what degree household work disability exists in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to examine the role of health versus family and personal factors as predictors of household work disability. In addition, the participation of other family members and paid employees in household work was evaluated. One hundred forty-two women with RA and 58 female friends/neighbors completed questionnaires which assessed household work performance and health, family, and personal variables. Performance was measured in 4 ways: the current amount of time spent on household work, the proportion of the household work done, and the changes in time and proportion since just before the onset of RA. Functional status was measured via the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Pain, anxiety and depression, and general health perception were measured via the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales. The results indicate that household work disability exists in women with RA, but is substantial only in women with moderate-to-severe disease. In families in which the wife/mother has moderate-to-severe RA, the other family members spend 7 hours more per week on household work than in control families, but there was no increase in the use of paid household employees. Health factors were the strongest predictors of household work disability, but family and personal factors also had significant effects. Household work disability in women with moderate or severe RA merits more attention because of the importance of household work to family functioning and the negative effects that changes in this area can produce.

Acculturation and Post-Migration Stress in Middle-Aged Chinese Immigrant Women in Philadelphia: Variation between the Fujianese and the non-Fujianese women

OpenAIRE

Ying, Yu-Wen; Han, Meekyung; Tseng, Marilyn

2012-01-01

The experience of acculturation in Chinese immigrant women from the rural coastal province of Fujian has not been well studied despite of their growing numbers in American cities. This exploratory study is an attempt to examine the experience of acculturation and post-migration stress in Fujianese immigrant women as compared to those from other parts of China. The study is based on a convenience sample 240 Fujianese and 162 non-Fujianese Chinese immigrant women living in Philadelphia.

Cultural framework, anger expression, and health status in Russian immigrant women in the United States.

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Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Edmondson, Christine B

2013-01-01

We investigated the role of anger expression and cultural framework in predicting Russian immigrant women's physical and psychological health status. One hundred Russian immigrant women between the ages of 30 and 65 completed questionnaires assessing anger expression, cultural framework, and health status. All research questions were addressed using hierarchical regression procedures. The results are discussed in terms of implications for understanding immigration experiences of Russian women who migrate from countries that are more collectivistic and less individualistic than the United States.

Agenda dissonance: immigrant Hispanic women's and providers' assumptions and expectations for menopause healthcare.

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Esposito, Noreen

2005-02-01

This focus group study examined immigrant Hispanic women's and providers' assumptions about and expectations of healthcare encounters in the context of menopause. Four groups of immigrant women from Central America and one group of healthcare providers were interviewed in Spanish and English, respectively. The women wanted provider-initiated, individualized anticipatory guidance about menopause, acknowledgement of their symptoms, and mainstream medical treatment for disruptive symptoms. Providers believed that menopause was an unimportant health issue for immigrant women and was overshadowed by concerns about high-risk medical problems, such as diabetes, heart disease and HIV prevention. The women expected a healthcare encounter to be patient centered, social, and complete in itself. Providers expected an encounter to be businesslike and one part of multiple visit care. Language and lack of time were barriers cited by all. Dissonance between patient-provider assumptions and expectations around issues of healthcare leads to missed opportunities for care.

Hit Twice? Danish Evidence on the Double-Negative Effect on the Earnings of Immigrant Women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Rosholm, Michael; Smith, Nina

2000-01-01

In this paper, we investigate whether there is a double-negative effect on the wages of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a negative effect from both gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups correcting for sample s...... selection and individual specific effects. Based on a Danish panel of register data, we find that all women are affected by a substantial gender discrimination in wages, but only Pakistani women experience a double-negative effect.......In this paper, we investigate whether there is a double-negative effect on the wages of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a negative effect from both gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups correcting for sample...

Hit Twice? Danish Evidence on the Double-Negative Effect on the Earnings of Immigrant Women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Rosholm, Michael; Smith, Nina

In this paper, we investigate whether there is a double-negative effect on the wages of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a negative effect from both gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups correcting for sample s...... selection and individual specific effects. Based on a Danish panel of register data, we find that all women are affected by a substantial gender discrimination in wages, but only Pakistani women experience a double-negative effect.......In this paper, we investigate whether there is a double-negative effect on the wages of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a negative effect from both gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups correcting for sample...

Household Gender and Resource Relations: Women in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper argues that although women were the major producers of income generating crops in Uganda's dominant peasant households, they were marginalised from major decisions and control of the resources. Household and meso-level marketing structures and institutions were within patriarchal power relations, and ...

Doctor-certified sickness absence in first and second trimesters of pregnancy among native and immigrant women in Norway.

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Brekke, Idunn; Berg, John E; Sletner, Line; Jenum, Anne Karen

2013-03-01

The authors sought to estimate differences in doctor-certified sickness absence during pregnancy among immigrant and native women. Population-based cohort study of pregnant women attending three Child Health Clinics in Groruddalen, Oslo, and their offspring. Questionnaire data were collected at gestational weeks 10-20 and 28. The participation rate was 74%. A multivariate Poisson regression was used to analyse differences in sickness absence in pregnancy between immigrant and native women. A total of 573 women who were employed prior to their pregnancies were included, 51% were immigrants. After adjusting for age, years of education, marital status, number of children, occupation, part-time/full-time work, health status, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and language proficiency, the immigrant/native differences in number of weeks with sickness absence decreased from 2.0 to 1.2 weeks. Part-time/full-time work, health status, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and language proficiency were significant predictors of sickness absence. Immigrant women had higher sickness absence than native women during pregnancy. The difference in average number of weeks between native and immigrant women was partly explained by poorer health status prior to pregnancy, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and poorer proficiency in the Norwegian language among the immigrant women.

Decision making about Pap test use among Korean immigrant women: A qualitative study.

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Kim, Kyounghae; Kim, Soohyun; Gallo, Joseph J; Nolan, Marie T; Han, Hae-Ra

2017-08-01

Understanding how individuals make decisions about Pap tests concerning their personal values helps health-care providers offer tailored approaches to guide patients' decision making. Yet research has largely ignored decision making about Pap tests among immigrant women who experience increased risk of cervical cancer. To explore decision making about Pap tests among Korean immigrant women. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using 32 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Korean immigrant women residing in a north-eastern metropolitan area. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive coding. Although most women with positive decisions made their own decisions, some women deferred to their providers, and others made decisions in collaboration with their providers and significant others. While women making positive decisions tended to consider both barriers to and facilitators of having Pap tests, women making negative decisions predominantly discussed the barriers to having Pap tests, such as modesty and differences between the South Korean and US health-care systems. The women's reflections on their decisions differed regarding their Pap test decisions. Women's desired roles in the decision-making process and reflection on their decision outcome appeared to vary, although most participants with positive decisions made their own decisions and were satisfied with their decisions. Future research should conduct longitudinal, quantitative studies to test our findings regarding decision-making processes and outcomes about Pap tests. The findings should be incorporated into cervical cancer screening practices to fulfil the unmet needs of immigrant women in patient-provider communication and to facilitate women's decision making about Pap tests. © 2016 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrant and native women in Norway: data from the Norwegian Prescription Database

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Omland, G; Ruths, S; Diaz, E

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrant and native women in Norway. Design Nationwide registry-based study based on merged data from the Norwegian Prescription Database, the Norwegian Population Registry, the Regular General Practitioner Database and the Medical Birth Registry. Setting Norway. Sample All women born abroad to two foreign-born parents (immigrants), or born in Norway to two Norwegian-born parents (natives) aged 16–45 years, who lived in Norway in 2008. Methods Data on all collected supplies of hormonal contraceptives in 2008 were merged with demographic, socio-economic and immigration data, information on any delivery and women's general practitioners. Main outcome measures User rates of hormonal contraception and predictors of contraceptive use. Results A total of 893 073 women were included, of whom 130 080 were immigrants. More native women (38%) used hormonal contraceptives compared with all immigrant groups (15–24%). The odds ratios for any use of hormonal contraceptives for immigrants compared with Norwegian-born women were; Nordic countries 0.53, South and Central America 0.53, Western countries 0.39, Asia 0.30, Eastern Europe 0.29, Africa 0.29. Work, education, long stay in Norway and young age of immigration predicted the use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrants. Conclusions The use of hormonal contraceptives varies between natives and immigrant groups. Further work is needed to ascertain whether these differences can be explained by higher desires for fertility, preferential use of non-hormonal contraceptives or other reasons identified through qualitative research. PMID:24931487

Disparities in Healthcare Access and Utilization among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder from Immigrant Non-English Primary Language Households in the United States

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Sue C. Lin, MS

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD in United State (US has surged from 1 in 150 children in 2007 to 1 in 88 children in 2012 with substantial increase in immigrant minority groups including Hispanic and Somali children. Our study objective is to examine the associations between household language among children with ASD and national health quality indicators attainment. Methods: We conducted bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses using cross-sectional data from the publicly-available 2009-2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN to investigate the association between household language use and quality indicators of medical home, adequate insurance, and early and continuous screening. Results: Approximately, 28% of parents of children with ASD from non-English primary language (NEPL households reported their child having severe ASD as compared with 13% of parents from English primary language (EPL households. Older children were more likely to have care that met the early and continuous screening quality indicator, while lower income children and uninsured children were less likely to have met this indicator. Conclusions and Global Health Implications: Despite the lack of differences in the attainment of quality indicators by household language, the higher severity found in children in NEPL households suggests that they are exceptionally vulnerable. Enhanced early screening and identification for these children and supporting their parents in navigating the complex US health care delivery system would increase their participation in early intervention services. Immigration of children with special health care needs from around the world to the US has been increasing from countries with diverse healthcare systems. Our findings will help to inform policies and interventions to reduce health disparities for children with ASD from immigrant populations. As the prevalence of

A Population-Based Study of Postpartum Mental Health Service Use by Immigrant Women in Ontario, Canada.

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Vigod, Simone; Sultana, Anjum; Fung, Kinwah; Hussain-Shamsy, Neesha; Dennis, Cindy-Lee

2016-11-01

Postpartum mental disorders are twice as common among immigrant women compared to nonimmigrant women in developed countries. Immigrant women may experience barriers to access and use of postpartum mental health services, but little is known about their service use on a population level. We described postpartum mental health service use of immigrant mothers living in Ontario, Canada, comparing to a referent group of mothers who were either born in Canada or had lived in Ontario or another Canadian province since 1985. Among all women in Ontario, Canada, delivering a live infant from 2008 to 2012 (n = 450,622), we described mental health service use within 1 year postpartum, including mental health physician visits, psychiatric emergency department visits, and psychiatric hospitalization. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing immigrant women to the referent group were adjusted for maternal age, parity, income, rurality, mental health services in prior 2 years, and maternal and newborn health. Immigrant women (n = 123,231; 27%) were less likely to use mental health services than women in the referent group (14.1% vs. 21.4%; aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.61), including for physician-based (13.9% vs. 21.1%; aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.61) and emergency department (0.6% vs. 1.3%; aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.68) services. Hospitalization risk was lower among immigrants (0.20% vs. 0.33%) but became similar after covariate adjustment (aOR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.06). Underuse of postpartum mental health services may be contributing to the high burden of postpartum mental disorders among immigrant women. © The Author(s) 2016.

Fertility and Family Planning Among Immigrant Afghan Women in an Iranian City: A Research Note

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Sajede Vaezzade

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Recent estimates of fertility level of women in Afghanistan suggest that Afghan women have a very high fertility level as they marry young and continue to have children through the end of reproductive period. However, when Afghan women move to Iran as immigrants, they quickly adopt the fertility patterns of Iran. On the average the Afghan immigrant women in Iran has three children fewer than the average number of children ever born to women in Afghanistan.

Empowerment in Latina Immigrant Women Recovering From Interpersonal Violence: A Concept Analysis.

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Page, Robin L; Chilton, Jenifer; Montalvo-Liendo, Nora; Matthews, Debra; Nava, Angeles

2017-04-01

Latina immigrant women are vulnerable and may experience higher levels of interpersonal or intimate partner violence (IPV) due to their immigrant status and cultural emphasis on familism. The concept of empowerment within the cultural context of Latina immigrant women experiencing IPV was analyzed using a modified version of Walker and Avant's concept analysis technique. The technique considers usage and definitions in the literature, antecedents, attributes, empirical referents, and the inclusion of a model and contrary case. This analysis encompasses a comparative approach and includes a discussion of how the definition of empowerment compares across the nursing literature. Defining attributes include reciprocal relationships, autonomy, and accountability. Antecedents comprise willingness to learn and motivation to create change. Consequences encompass self-esteem, self-efficacy, and competence for making life decisions. Empowerment has the potential to improve total well-being, having a positive and profound impact on the lives of women experiencing IPV.

Immigration Transition and Depressive Symptoms: Four Major Ethnic Groups of Midlife Women in the U.S

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Im, Eun-Ok; Rendell Endowed, Marjorie O.; Chang, Sun Ju; Chee, Wonshik; Chee, Eunice; Mao, Jun

2015-01-01

Our purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between immigration transition and depressive symptoms among 1,054 midlife women in the U.S. This was a secondary analysis of the data from two national Internet survey studies. Questions on background characteristics and immigration transition and the Depression Index for Midlife Women were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics including multiple regressions. Immigrants reported lower numbers of and less severe symptoms than non-immigrants (p immigration status were significant predictors of depressive symptoms (R2=.01, p<.05). PMID:24875592

Familial Influences on Poverty Among Young Children in Black Immigrant, U.S.-born Black, and Nonblack Immigrant Families

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Thomas, Kevin J. A.

2014-01-01

This study examines how familial contexts affect poverty disparities between the children of immigrant and U.S.-born blacks, and among black and nonblack children of immigrants. Despite lower gross child poverty rates in immigrant than in U.S.-born black families, accounting for differences in family structure reveals that child poverty risks among blacks are highest in single-parent black immigrant families. In addition, within two-parent immigrant families, child poverty declines associated with increasing assimilation are greater than the respective declines in single-parent families. The heads of black immigrant households have more schooling than those of native-black households. However, increased schooling has a weaker negative association with child poverty among the former than among the latter. In terms of racial disparities among the children of immigrants, poverty rates are higher among black than nonblack children. This black disadvantage is, however, driven by the outcomes of first-generation children of African and Hispanic-black immigrants. The results also show that although children in refugee families face elevated poverty risks, these risks are higher among black than among nonblack children of refugees. In addition, the poverty-reducing impact associated with having an English-proficient household head is about three times lower among black children of immigrants than among non-Hispanic white children of immigrants. PMID:21491186

Depression Among Arab American and Arab Immigrant Women in the United States.

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Abuelezam, Nadia N; Fontenot, Holly B

The difficult and tense political climate Arab populations are currently facing may be exacerbating mental health issues, reducing forms of social support in friend circles, and decreasing the desire to seek health care. There is room to better understand the mental health needs of Arab women residing in the United States and to develop policies and interventions that keep these women safe and in care. This column reviews two recent studies; the first examines barriers to reporting intimate partner violence and depression among Arab American women and the second highlights stressors and social support for Arab women immigrants throughout their immigration experience. © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Risk For Postpartum Depression Among Immigrant Arabic Women in the United States: A Feasibility Study.

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Alhasanat, Dalia; Fry-McComish, Judith; Yarandi, Hossein N

2017-07-01

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 14% of women in the United States and 10% to 37% of Arabic women in the Middle East. Evidence suggests that immigrant women experience higher rates, but information on PPD among immigrant women of Arabic descent in the United States is nonexistent. A cross-sectional descriptive feasibility study was conducted to assess the practicality of implementing a larger proposed research study to examine predictors of PPD in US immigrant women of Arabic descent residing in Dearborn, Michigan. Fifty women were recruited from an Arab community center and completed demographic data, the Arabic version of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R). Among participants, 36% were considered at high risk for developing PPD. Lack of social support, antenatal anxiety, antenatal depression, maternity blues (feeling depressed during the first 4 weeks postpartum), and life stress were significantly related to risk for PPD. Multiple regression analysis revealed that social support (t = -3.77, P postpartum depressive symptoms. Findings of this study describe the prevalence of PPD in a sample of US immigrant women of Arabic descent and support the feasibility of a larger and more in-depth understanding of their immigration and acculturation experiences. Study participants reported high risk for PPD. Maternity blues and lack of social support were significant predictors to the risk for PPD. Future research tailored to this minority group is recommended. © 2017 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Social Service Utilization, Sense of Community, Family Functioning and the Mental Health of New Immigrant Women in Hong Kong

OpenAIRE

Wu, Qiaobing; Chow, Julian

2013-01-01

Drawing upon a sample of 296 new immigrant women in Hong Kong, this study investigated how social service utilization, family functioning, and sense of community influenced the depressive symptoms of new immigrant women. Results of the structural equation modeling suggested that family functioning and sense of community were both significantly and negatively associated with the depression of new immigrant women. Utilization of community services also influenced the depression of immigrant wom...

Perceived ethnic and language-based discrimination and Latina immigrant women's health.

Science.gov (United States)

Halim, May Ling; Moy, Keith H; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu

2017-01-01

Perceiving ethnic discrimination can have aversive consequences for health. However, little is known about whether perceiving language-based (how one speaks a second language) discrimination poses the same risks. This study examined whether perceptions of language-based and ethnic discrimination are associated with mental and physical health. Among 132 Mexican and Dominican immigrant women, perceiving ethnic and language-based discrimination each predicted psychological distress and poorer physical health. When examined together, only ethnic discrimination remained a significant predictor. These results emphasize the importance of understanding how perceived ethnic and language-based discrimination play an integral role in the health of Latina immigrant women.

Subjective Social Status, Mental and Psychosocial Health, and Birth Weight Differences in Mexican-American and Mexican Immigrant Women.

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Fleuriet, K Jill; Sunil, T S

2015-12-01

Recent Mexican immigrant women on average have an unexpectedly low incidence of low birth weight (LBW). Birth weights decline and LBW incidence increases in post-immigrant generations. This pilot project tested the hypothesis that subjective social status (SSS) of pregnant women predicts variation in birth weight between Mexican immigrant and Mexican-American women. 300 low-income pregnant Mexican immigrant and Mexican-American women in South Texas were surveyed for SSS, depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, perceived social stress and self-esteem and subsequent birth weight. No significant difference in SSS levels between pregnant Mexican immigrant and Mexican-American women were found. However, SSS better predicted variation in birth weight across both groups than mental and psychosocial health variables. Results suggest distinct relationships among SSS, mental and psychosocial health that could impact birth weight. They underscore the relevance of a multilevel, biopsychosocial analytical framework to studying LBW.

Everyday urban public space : Turkish immigrant women's perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ünlü Yücesoy, E.

2006-01-01

This thesis examines the use, experience, and appropriation of everyday urban public spaces by Turkish immigrant women living in Enschede, the Netherlands. Based on the two premises of conceptualizing the urban public space as a social construct and of valorizing users as social actors, the main

Difference in Needs for Physical Activity Among Healthy Women, Women with Physical Limitations and Korean Immigrant Women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myoung-Ae Choe, RN, PhD

2007-06-01

Conclusion: Three groups of women had different needs for physical activity, and their needs for physical activity were influenced by multiple factors reflecting their daily lives in immigration transition and health/illness transition.

Immigration transition and depressive symptoms: four major ethnic groups of midlife women in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Im, Eun-Ok; Chang, Sun Ju; Chee, Wonshik; Chee, Eunice; Mao, Jun James

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between immigration transition and depressive symptoms among 1,054 midlife women in the United States. This was a secondary analysis of the data from two national Internet survey studies. Questions on background characteristics and immigration transition and the Depression Index for Midlife Women were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics including multiple regressions. Immigrants reported lower numbers of symptoms and less severe symptoms than nonimmigrants (p immigration status were significant predictors of depressive symptoms (R(2) =.01, p <.05).

Traveling with faith: the creation of women's immigrant aid associations in nineteenth and twentieth-century France.

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Machen, Emily

2011-01-01

This article explores the efforts of French Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish women to morally, spiritually, and physically protect immigrant and migrant women and girls in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Women of faith worried about the dangers posed by the white slave trade, and they feared the loss of spiritual consciousness among women living far from their families and their places of worship. In response to these concerns, they developed numerous faith-based international organizations aimed at protecting vulnerable working-class immigrants. Upper-class women's work in immigrant aid societies allowed them to take on much greater social and religious leadership roles than they had in the past. Likewise, the intricate, international networks that these women developed contributed to the building of international cooperation throughout Europe.

[Professional discourses on intimate partner violence: implication for care of immigrant women in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Briones-Vozmediano, Erica; Davó-Blanes, Ma Carmen; García-de la Hera, Manuela; Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen

2016-01-01

1) to examine the discourses of professionals involved in the care of female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), with emphasis on how they describe the immigrant women, the perpetrators and their own responsibility of care; and 2) to compare these discourses with the other professions involved in caring for these women (social services, associations and police and justice). Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 43 professionals from social services, associations and the police and judicial systems. A discourse analysis was carried out to identify interpretive repertoires about IPV, immigrant women and their aggressors, their culture and professional practices. Four interpretive repertoires emerged from professional discourses: "Cultural prototypes of women affected by IPV", "Perpetrators are similar regardless of their culture of origin", "Are victims credible and the perpetrators responsible?" and "Lack of cultural sensitivity of professionals in helping immigrant women in abusive situations". These repertoires correspond to preconceptions that professionals construct about affected women and their perpetrators, the credibility and responsibility they attribute to them and the interpretation of their professional roles. The employment of IPV-trained cultural mediators in the services responsible for caring for the female victims, together with cultural training for the professionals, will facilitate the provision of culturally sensitive care to immigrant female victims of intimate partner violence. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Caught in suffering bodies: a qualitative study of immigrant women on long-term sick leave in Norway.

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Nortvedt, Line; Hansen, Helle Ploug; Kumar, Bernadette N; Lohne, Vibeke

2015-11-01

This article explores the issues faced by immigrant women on long-term sick leave due to chronic pain, focusing on their personal perspectives on their daily lives, their bodies and their pain. An increasing number of immigrants in Norway present a challenge to the public health service, above all in relation to the health needs of immigrant women, many of whom risk having to take long-term sick leave due to chronic pain. This study has a qualitative design, with participant observation and in-depth interviews. Participant observations were carried out from a sample of fourteen immigrant women in an outpatient clinic at a rehabilitation hospital. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted after the rehabilitation period. A hermeneutic approach was used to understand the meaning of the narrated text. The analysis revealed one main theme, 'Bodies marked by onerous experiences', as well as two subthemes: 'It is in my body' and 'Invisible pain'. The immigrant women struggled with invisible, chronic pain, which they blamed on physically tiring workdays and stressful life situations. Furthermore, they felt that their experiences of discriminative attitudes at the workplace worsened their suffering. The chronic pain made the immigrant women suffer, because they experienced it as a threatening, incomprehensible and unreal force, without meaning or the ability to be controlled. Their own psychological distress exacerbated their pain. Immigrant women on long-term sick leave are likely to need special approaches that are closely adapted to their different backgrounds and their unique personal experiences. We recommend culturally appropriate family counselling and collaboration with employers at the women's workplaces. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Domestic decision-making power, social support, and postpartum depression symptoms among immigrant and native women in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Li-Yin; Tai, Chen-Jei; Yeh, Mei-Chiang

2012-01-01

Domestic decision-making power is an integral part of women's empowerment. No study has linked domestic decision-making power and social support concurrently to postpartum depression and compared these between immigrant and native populations. The aim of this study was to examine domestic decision-making power and social support and their relationship to postpartum depressive symptoms among immigrant and native women in Taiwan. This cross-sectional survey included 190 immigrant and 190 native women who had delivered healthy babies during the past year in Taipei City. Depression was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, with a cutoff score of 10. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with postpartum depression symptoms. Immigrant mothers had significantly higher prevalence of postpartum depression symptoms (41.1% vs. 8.4%) and had significantly lower levels of domestic decision-making power and social support than native mothers did. Logistic regression showed that insufficient family income was associated with an increased risk of postpartum depression symptoms, whereas social support and domestic decision-making power levels were associated negatively with postpartum depression symptoms. After accounting for these factors, immigrant women remained at higher risk of postpartum depression symptoms than native women did, odds ratio = 2.59, 95% CI [1.27, 5.28]. Domestic decision-making power and social support are independent protective factors for postpartum depression symptoms among immigrant and native women in Taiwan. Social support and empowerment interventions should be tested to discover whether they are able to prevent or alleviate postpartum depression symptoms, with special emphasis on immigrant mothers.

Activism as a feature of mental health and wellbeing for racialized immigrant women in a Canadian context.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonnell, Judith A; Dastjerdi, Mahdieh; Khanlou, Nazilla; Bokore, Nimo; Tharao, Wangari

2017-02-01

Although immigrant women bear a disproportionate burden of chronic disease and mental health issues, limited research addresses how to promote their mental wellbeing. The authors first describe grounded theory findings from community-based focus group research with 57 racialized immigrant women in Toronto, Canada that used a critical gender and intersectional lens to explore the links among settlement, wellbeing, and activism. Secondly, a community mobilization strategy is described whereby racialized immigrant women discuss activism as a feature of wellbeing in various language communities while creating meaningful health promotion resources. Implications for creating activism-based initiatives to promote women's wellbeing are discussed.

Adverse Perinatal Outcomes among Immigrant Women from Ethiopia in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderon-Margalit, Ronit; Sherman, Dan; Manor, Orly; Kurzweil, Yaffa

2015-06-01

Immigration from Ethiopia to Israel started about 30 years ago. We aimed to compare birth outcomes between Israeli women of Ethiopian origin and Israeli-born, non-Ethiopian women. We hypothesized a higher frequency of adverse birth outcomes among Ethiopian women and a trend of improvement among those who were raised in Israel since early childhood. This is a descriptive study, comparing birth outcomes of Ethiopian (n = 1,319) and non-Ethiopian women (n = 27,307) who gave birth in a medical center in Central Israel in 2002 to 2009. Ethiopian women were further categorized by age at immigration. Logistic regressions were constructed to compare the incidence of adverse birth outcomes between Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian women, controlling for potential confounders. Ethiopian women had about twice the incidence of very and extremely preterm births, compared with non-Ethiopians. Ethiopian women had twice the odds for neonates who were either small for gestational age or had low 5-minute Apgar scores. Ethiopian women had about threefold increased risk of stillbirths (OR 2.9 [95% CI 1.87-4.49]). No trend of improvement was noted for women who were raised in Israel from early childhood. Ethiopian women are at increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. Future research is needed to investigate the underlying causes for the increased risks and lack of improvement among those who were raised in Israel that will lead to effective interventions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Breast cancer screening disparities among immigrant women by world region of origin: a population-based study in Ontario, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Vahabi, Mandana; Lofters, Aisha; Kumar, Matthew; Glazier, Richard H

2016-07-01

Rates of mammography screening for breast cancer are disproportionately low in certain subgroups including low-income and immigrant women. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in rates of appropriate breast cancer screening (i.e., screening mammography every 2 years) among Ontario immigrant women by world region of origin and explore the association between appropriate breast cancer screening among these women groups and individual and structural factors. A cohort of 183,332 screening-eligible immigrant women living in Ontario between 2010 and 2012 was created from linked databases and classified into eight world regions of origin. Appropriate screening rates were calculated for each region by age group and selected sociodemographic, immigration, and healthcare-related characteristics. The association between appropriate screening across the eight regions of origin and selected sociodemographic, immigration, and health-related characteristics was explored using multivariate Poisson regression. Screening varied by region of origin, with South Asian women (48.5%) having the lowest and Caribbean and Latin American women (63.7%) the highest cancer screening rates. Factors significantly associated with lower screening across the world regions of origin included living in the lowest income neighborhoods, having a refugee status, being a new immigrant, not having a regular physical examination, not being enrolled in a primary care patient enrollment model, having a male physician, and having an internationally trained physician. Multiple interventions entailing cross-sector collaboration, promotion of patient enrollment models, community engagement, comprehensive and intensive outreach to women, and knowledge translation and transfer to physicians should be considered to address screening disparities among immigrant population. Consideration should be given to design and delivery of culturally appropriate and easily accessible cancer screening programs

Complex association between rural/urban residence, household wealth and women's overweight: evidence from 30 cross-sectional national household surveys in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Madise, Nyovani Janet; Letamo, Gobopamang

2017-01-01

We sought to demonstrate that the relationship between urban or rural residence and overweight status among women in Sub-Saharan Africa is complex and confounded by wealth status. We applied multilevel logistic regression to data from 30 sub-Saharan African countries which were collected between 2006 and 2012 to examine the association between women's overweight status (body mass index ≥ 25) and household wealth, rural or urban place of residence, and their interaction. Macro-level statistics from United Nations agencies were used as contextual variables to assess the link between progress in globalization and patterns of overweight. Household wealth was associated with increased odds of being overweight in nearly all of the countries. Urban/rural living and household wealth had a complex association with women's overweight status, shown by 3 patterns. In one group of countries, characterised by low national wealth (median per capita gross national income (GNI) = $660 in 2012) and lower overall prevalence of female overweight (median = 24 per cent in 2010), high household wealth and urban living had independent associations with increased risks of being overweight. In the second group of less poor countries (median per capita GNI = $870) and higher national levels of female overweight (median = 29), there was a cross-over association where rural women had lower risks of overweight than urban women at lower levels of household wealth, but in wealthier households, rural women had higher risks of overweight than urban women. In the final group of countries, household wealth was an important predictor of overweight status, but the association between urban or rural place of residence and overweight status was not statistically significant. The median per capita GNI for this third group was $800 and national prevalence of female overweight was high (median = 32% in 2010). As nations develop and household wealth increases, rural African women

Women's household decision-making autonomy and contraceptive behavior among Bangladeshi women.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Md Mosfequr; Mostofa, Md Golam; Hoque, Md Aminul

2014-03-01

Women's autonomy is a potentially important but less studied indicator of using contraception among women as well as ability to control their fertility. This study explores women's decision-making autonomy as a potential indicator of the use of contraception in Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study utilizes data from the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) 2007. Information of 8456 currently married and non-pregnant women aged 15-40 years are analyzed to meet up the objective of this study. The mean age of the respondents is 27.19 years and majority of the respondents are from rural areas (62.7%) and also Muslim (90.2%). A large number of women (26.1%) and their husbands (29.0%) have no education and 27.2% respondents were working at the time of interview. The mean number of living children is 2.14. 48.9% of the respondents are currently using a modern method of contraception. More than one-third women are not involved in their household decision-making. Results of this study indicate that household decision-making autonomy is significantly associated with current use of modern contraception, future intention to use contraception and discuss contraception with husband. This measure of women's autonomy provides additional independent explanatory power of contraceptive behavior net of some other socio-demographic variables. This study argues in favor of increasing women's autonomy to increase contraception using rate in this population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disparities in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia among immigrant women giving birth in six industrialised countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urquia, Ml; Glazier, Rh; Gagnon, Aj

2014-01-01

% CI: 1.63, 1.80 and 1.63; 95% CI: 1.57, 1.69) and eclampsia (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.61, 2.79 and 1.55; 95% CI: 1.26, 1. 91), respectively, after adjustment for parity, maternal age and destination country. Compared with native-born women, European and East Asian immigrants were at lower risk in most......OBJECTIVE: To assess disparities in preeclampsia and eclampsia among immigrant women from various world regions giving birth in six industrialised countries. DESIGN: Cross-country comparative study of linked population-based databases. SETTING: Provincial or regional obstetric delivery data from...... Australia, Canada, Spain and the USA and national data from Denmark and Sweden. POPULATION: All immigrant and non-immigrant women delivering in the six industrialised countries within the most recent 10-year period available to each participating centre (1995-2010). METHODS: Data was collected using...

Quality of life and coping strategies among immigrant women living with pain in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Michaelis, Camilla; Kristiansen, Maria; Nørredam, Marie Louise

2015-01-01

. Conclusions Chronic pain had a severe negative impact on quality of life and necessitated alterations in everyday life and active health-seeking strategies. Implications for practice imply a need for a more holistic approach to immigrant women with chronic pain, including a family-centred approach. Further......Objective To examine quality of life and coping strategies among immigrant women living with chronic pain. Design Qualitative content analysis based on in-depth semistructured interviews. Setting A clinic specifically targeting immigrants at a larger university hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark....... Participants Non-western female immigrant patients suffering from chronic pain (n=13). Main outcome measures Experiences of the impact of chronic pain on quality of life. Results Chronic pain was perceived to have an extensive, adverse effect on all aspects of quality of life, including physical health, mental...

Parenting their adolescents: the experiences of Jordanian immigrant women in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Hattar-Pollara, M; Meleis, A I

1995-01-01

Having their children enter adolescence presents new demands on the role functions of Jordanian immigrant women in the United States. Such demands require modifications in traditional parenting approaches. The authors attempted to uncover and describe the experiences of Jordanian immigrant mothers (N = 30) in parenting their adolescents in the United States. Content and narrative analysis revealed the dynamic processes that the mothers used in raising their children. They continuously attempted to balance the need for their teens to maintain a Jordanian ethnic identity and the need for them to become integrated into the new community. Their parenting was driven by an attempt to avoid loss of honor and bad reputation. Four aspects of the maternal role emerged from the analysis: mothering through nurturing the adolescents and promoting cultural identity, disciplining for cultural adherence, advocacy and mediation, and vigilant parenting. The findings support a dynamic interplay between cultural and structural conditions in shaping the experiences of Jordanian immigrant women.

A qualitative review of immigrant women's experiences of maternal adaptation in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Ju-Eun; Ahn, Jeong-Ah; Kim, Tiffany; Roh, Eun Ha

2016-08-01

to synthesise the evidence of immigrant women's experiences of maternal adaptation in Korea. eligible studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Korean electronic databases. Qualitative research studies, published in English and Korean addressing maternal adaptation experiences of immigrant women by marriage in Korea, were considered in the review. The suitability of the quality of articles was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria for data analysis. Authors, purpose of the study, study design, theoretical framework, population (nationality and sample size), data collection (setting and method), and main study findings were extracted and summarised in a data extraction form for further narrative analysis and synthesis. A qualitative systematic review was performed by means of thematic synthesis. the literature search identified 7,628 articles, of which 15 studies, published between 2009 and 2014, were evaluated in the systematic review. Two overarching categories including five themes were identified in the qualitative studies related to maternal adaptation experiences; 'Experiences of motherhood transition' and 'Experiences of child-rearing'. these findings demonstrate the importance of understanding and improving maternal adaptation of immigrant women living in Korea. This can be achieved by enhancing social support, providing culturally sensitive maternal healthcare services, and expanding opportunities for immigrant women in education, job training, and economic independence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immigrant women's experiences of maternity-care services in Canada: a systematic review using a narrative synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Higginbottom, Gina M A; Morgan, Myfanwy; Alexandre, Mirande; Chiu, Yvonne; Forgeron, Joan; Kocay, Deb; Barolia, Rubina

2015-02-11

Canada's diverse society and its statutory commitment to multiculturalism means that a synthesis of knowledge related to the healthcare experiences of immigrants is essential to realise the health potential for future Canadians. Although concerns about the maternity experiences of immigrants in Canada are relatively new, recent national guidelines explicitly call for the tailoring of services to user needs. We therefore assessed the experiences of immigrant women accessing maternity-care services in Canada. In particular, we investigated the experiences of immigrant women in Canada in accessing and navigating maternity and related healthcare services from conception to 6 months postpartum in Canada. Our focus was on (a) the accessibility and acceptability of maternity-care services for immigrant women and (b) the effects of the perceptions and experiences of these women on their birth and postnatal outcomes. We conducted a systematic review using a systematic search and narrative synthesis of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed reports of empirical research, with the aim of providing stakeholders with perspectives on maternity-care services as experienced by immigrant women. We partnered with key stakeholders ('integrated knowledge users') to ensure the relevancy of topics and to tailor recommendations for effective translation into future policy, practice and programming. Two search phases and a three-stage selection process for published and grey literature were conducted prior to appraisal of literature quality and narrative synthesis of the findings. Our knowledge synthesis of maternity care among immigrants to Canada provided a coherent evidence base for (a) eliciting a better understanding of the factors that generate disparities in accessibility, acceptability and outcomes during maternity care; and (b) improving culturally based competency in maternity care. Our synthesis also identified pertinent issues in multiple sectors that should be addressed to

Economic inequality and undernutrition in women: multilevel analysis of individual, household, and community levels in Cambodia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Rathavuth; Hong, Rathmony

2007-03-01

Many people in developing countries are still struggling to emerge from the realm of extreme poverty, where economic improvements tend to benefit a small, affluent group of the population and cause growing inequality in health and nutrition that affects the most vulnerable groups of the population, including women and children. To examine how household and community economic inequality affects nutritional status in women using information on 6,922 nonpregnant women aged 15 to 49 years included in the 2000 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey. Nutritional status is defined with the use of the body-mass index (BMI). BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2 is defined as undernourishment. The household wealth index was calculated from household ownership of durable assets and household characteristics. Community wealth is an average household wealth index at the community level. Household and community economic inequalities were measured by dividing the wealth index into quintiles. The effects of household and community economic inequality were estimated by multilevel analysis. Independently of community economic status and other risk factors, women in the poorest 20% of households are more likely to be undernourished than women in the richest 20% of households (RR = 1.63; p = .008). The results also show variation among communities in the nutritional status of women. Age, occupation, and access to safe sources of drinking water are significantly associated with women's nutritional status. Improving household income and creating employment opportunities for women, in particular poor women, may be a key to improving the nutritional status of women in Cambodia.

Impact of cardiac symptoms on self-reported household task performance in women with coronary artery disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimble, L P

2001-01-01

Household tasks are highly salient physical activities for women. Inability to perform household tasks may serve as an important marker of limitations imposed by cardiac symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of cardiac symptoms on perceived ability to perform household tasks in women with coronary artery disease and to examine relationships among age, whether the woman lived alone, ability to perform household tasks, and cardiac-related quality of life. Forty-one women with confirmed diagnosis of coronary artery disease and a mean age of 66 years (SD 12 years) were interviewed about the impact of their cardiac symptoms and perceived ability to perform household tasks (Household Activities Scale) and cardiac-related quality of life (Seattle Angina Questionnaire). The women were primarily white (89.4%) and retired (65.9%). Forty-six percent were married, and 26.8% lived alone. "Washing dishes" (51.3%) was the only task a majority of the sample could perform without limitation. Household tasks most commonly reported as no longer performed included carrying laundry (24.4%), vacuuming (30.0%), and scrubbing the floor (51.2%). The task most commonly modified because of cardiac symptoms was changing bed linens (60%). Of the 14 household tasks, women performed a mean of 3.39 (SD 3.36) activities without difficulty. Total number of household activities performed without difficulty was associated with better quality of life in the area of exertional capacity (r = 0.50, P = 0.001). Women who lived alone reported greater perceived ability to perform household tasks than women who did not live alone (r = 0.31, P = 0.05). Age was not significantly associated with perceived household task performance (r = -0.22, P = 0.17). Women with coronary artery disease (CAD) perceived cardiac symptoms as disrupting their ability to perform household tasks. Future research is needed to determine the independent impact of cardiac symptoms on functional limitations

Access to and use of sexual and reproductive health services provided by midwives among rural immigrant women in Spain: midwives’ perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Otero-Garcia, Laura; Goicolea, Isabel; Gea-Sánchez, Montserrat; Sanz-Barbero, Belen

2013-01-01

Background There is insufficient information regarding access and participation of immigrant women in Spain in sexual and reproductive health programs. Recent studies show their lower participation rate in gynecological cancer screening programs; however, little is known about the participation in other sexual and reproductive health programs by immigrant women living in rural areas with high population dispersion. Objectives The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of midwives who provide these services regarding immigrant women's access and participation in sexual and reproductive health programs offered in a rural area. Design A qualitative study was performed, within a larger ethnographic study about rural primary care, with data collection based on in-depth interviews and field notes. Participants were the midwives in primary care serving 13 rural basic health zones (BHZ) of Segovia, a region of Spain with high population dispersion. An interview script was designed to collect information about midwives’ perceptions on immigrant women's access to and use of the healthcare services that they provide. Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participant informed consent. Data were analyzed based on the qualitative content analysis approach and triangulation of results with fieldwork notes. Results Midwives perceive that immigrants in general, and immigrant women in particular, underuse family planning services. This underutilization is associated with cultural differences and gender inequality. They also believe that the number of voluntary pregnancy interruptions among immigrant women is elevated and identify childbearing and childrearing-related tasks and the language barrier as obstacles to immigrant women accessing the available prenatal and postnatal healthcare services. Conclusions Immigrant women's underutilization of midwifery services may be linked to the greater number of unintended pregnancies, pregnancy terminations, and the

Access to and use of sexual and reproductive health services provided by midwives among rural immigrant women in Spain: midwives' perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Otero-Garcia, Laura; Goicolea, Isabel; Gea-Sánchez, Montserrat; Sanz-Barbero, Belen

2013-11-08

There insufficient information regarding access and participation of immigrant women in Spain in sexual and reproductive health programs. Recent studies show their lower participation rate in gynecological cancer screening programs; however, little is known about the participation in other sexual and reproductive health programs by immigrant women living in rural areas with high population dispersion. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of midwives who provide these services regarding immigrant women's access and participation in sexual and reproductive health programs offered in a rural area. A qualitative study was performed, within a larger ethnographic study about rural primary care, with data collection based on in-depth interviews and field notes. Participants were the midwives in primary care serving 13 rural basic health zones (BHZ) of Segovia, a region of Spain with high population dispersion. An interview script was designed to collect information about midwives' perceptions on immigrant women's access to and use of the healthcare services that they provide. Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participant informed consent. Data were analyzed based on the qualitative content analysis approach and triangulation of results with fieldwork notes. Midwives perceive that immigrants in general, and immigrant women in particular, underuse family planning services. This underutilization is associated with cultural differences and gender inequality. They also believe that the number of voluntary pregnancy interruptions among immigrant women is elevated and identify childbearing and childrearing-related tasks and the language barrier as obstacles to immigrant women accessing the available prenatal and postnatal healthcare services. Immigrant women's underutilization of midwifery services may be linked to the greater number of unintended pregnancies, pregnancy terminations, and the delay in the first prenatal visit, as discerned by

Access to and use of sexual and reproductive health services provided by midwives among rural immigrant women in Spain: midwives’ perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Otero-Garcia

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Background: There insufficient information regarding access and participation of immigrant women in Spain in sexual and reproductive health programs. Recent studies show their lower participation rate in gynecological cancer screening programs; however, little is known about the participation in other sexual and reproductive health programs by immigrant women living in rural areas with high population dispersion. Objectives: The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of midwives who provide these services regarding immigrant women's access and participation in sexual and reproductive health programs offered in a rural area. Design: A qualitative study was performed, within a larger ethnographic study about rural primary care, with data collection based on in-depth interviews and field notes. Participants were the midwives in primary care serving 13 rural basic health zones (BHZ of Segovia, a region of Spain with high population dispersion. An interview script was designed to collect information about midwives’ perceptions on immigrant women's access to and use of the healthcare services that they provide. Interviews were recorded and transcribed with participant informed consent. Data were analyzed based on the qualitative content analysis approach and triangulation of results with fieldwork notes. Results: Midwives perceive that immigrants in general, and immigrant women in particular, underuse family planning services. This underutilization is associated with cultural differences and gender inequality. They also believe that the number of voluntary pregnancy interruptions among immigrant women is elevated and identify childbearing and childrearing-related tasks and the language barrier as obstacles to immigrant women accessing the available prenatal and postnatal healthcare services. Conclusions: Immigrant women's underutilization of midwifery services may be linked to the greater number of unintended pregnancies, pregnancy

Gender, Culture and Learning: Iranian Immigrant Women in Canadian Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, Shiva

2008-01-01

This article explores the situated meanings of literacy and lifelong learning in the lives of a selected group of first-generation immigrant Iranian women in Canadian institutions of higher education. Drawing from the participants' narratives, the results of this study suggest that, for these women, lifelong learning was greatly influenced by…

Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Immigrant Women Mental Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayse Devrim Basterzi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Social situation, social networks, power relationships, socioeconomic conditions, education and physical environment of people affect to encounter with trauma and disasters. These social factors also have an effect on traumatized people’s mental health. Gender roles are affected these entire social context and mental disorders. War and migration frequently lead to increasing inequality between men and women. This article reviews the studies about refugee, asylum seeker and immigrant’s women mental health and gender roles. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2017; 9(4.000: 379-387

Health literacy: the missing link in improving the health of Somali immigrant women in Oslo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gele, Abdi A; Pettersen, Kjell Sverre; Torheim, Liv Elin; Kumar, Bernadette

2016-11-03

Existing studies report a positive association between inadequate health literacy and immigrant's adverse health outcomes. Despite substantial research on this topic among immigrants, little is known about the level of health literacy among Somali women in Europe, and particularly in Norway. A cross sectional study using respondent driven sampling was conducted in Oslo, Norway. A sample of 302 Somali women, 25 years and older, was interviewed using the short version of the European Health Literacy Questionnaire. Data was analysed using logistic regression. Findings revealed that 71 % of Somali women in Oslo lack the ability to obtain, understand and act upon health information and services, and to make appropriate health decisions. Being unemployed (OR 3.66, CI 1.08-12.3) and socially less integrated (OR 8.17, CI 1.21-54.8) were independent predictors of an inadequate health literacy among Somali women. Enhanced health literacy will most likely increase the chance to better health outcomes for immigrants, thereby moving towards health equity in the Norwegian society. Therefore, policies and programs are required to focus and improve health literacy of immigrant communities.

Examining the sexual harassment experiences of Mexican immigrant farmworking women.

Science.gov (United States)

Waugh, Irma Morales

2010-03-01

This study examined sexual harassment experiences of Mexican immigrant farmworking women (n = 150) employed on California farms. Of the estimated one million California farmworkers, 78% are Latino, mostly from Mexico, and 28% are women. Unlike gender-segregated worksites of Mexico, women farmworkers in the United States labor alongside men, facilitating harassment from coworkers and supervisors. Simultaneous sexist, racist, and economic discrimination are comparable to converging lanes of automobile traffic (Crenshaw, 2000) that women, standing at the intersections, manage to avoid harm. Findings highlight how discrimination shapes women's experiences and demonstrate the need for institutional policies to protect them.

Hit Twice? Danish Evidence on the Double-Negative Effect on the Earnings of Immigrant Women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Rosholm, Michael; Smith, Nina

2000-01-01

In this paper, we investigate whether there is a double-negative effect on the wages of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a negative effect from both gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups correcting for sample...... selection and individual specific effects. Based on a Danish panel of register data, we find that all women are affected by a substantial gender discrimination in wages, but only Pakistani women experience a double-negative effect....

[How do immigrant women access health services in the Basque Country? Perceptions of health professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Urdiales, Iratxe; Goicolea, Isabel

2017-09-12

To determine the perception of health professionals working in alternative health centres on the barriers and facilitators in the access by immigrant women to general public health services and sexual and reproductive health in the Basque Country. Basque Country. Analysis of qualitative content based on 11 individual interviews. Health professionals working in alternative health centres of Primary Care and sexual and reproductive health. Data collection was performed between September and December 2015 in four alternative health centres. After transcription, the units of meaning, codes and categories were identified. Four categories emerged from the analysis, which represented how the characteristics of immigrant women (Tell me how you are and I will tell you how to access), the attitude of the administrative and health staff ("When they are already taken care of"), the functioning of the health system (Inflexible, passive and needs-responsive health system), and health policies ("If you do not meet the requirements, you do not go in. The law is the law") influence access to health services of immigrant women. This study shows that there are a considerable number of barriers and few facilitators to the access by immigrant women to public health and sexual and reproductive health services in the Basque Country. The alternative health centres were presented as favouring the improvement of the health of the immigrant population and in their access. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Obesity and immigration among Latina women.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolin, Kathleen Y; Colangelo, Laura A; Chiu, Brian C-H; Gapstur, Susan M

2009-10-01

Several studies have shown a positive association between acculturation and obesity in Hispanics. We sought to examine the association in a sample of urban Hispanic women. Using data collected in the Chicago Breast Health Project, we used logistic regression to examine the association of obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg/m(2)) with language acculturation and years in the US in a sample of 388 Hispanic women. Women self-reported the number of years they had lived in the US (mean 17.6) as well as their preferred language across several domains, which was used to calculate a language acculturation score. Nearly all the women (98%) were born outside the US with the majority (65%) born in Mexico and the majority of women (69%) had low language acculturation, i.e., answered "only Spanish" in every domain. Over half of the women were obese (56%). In multivariable analysis, odds of obesity was twice as high among women living in the US for greater than 20 years compared to those in the US for 10 years or less (OR/year = 2.07, 95% CI 1.25-3.42). In contrast, low language acculturation was not associated with odds of obesity (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.70-1.86). While greater years in the US increased odds of obesity among Hispanic women, no association of obesity with language acculturation was found. These results suggest that mechanisms other than language contribute to the immigration effect.

Transforming Gender Relations through the Market: Smallholder Milk Market Participation and Women`s Intra-household Bargaining Power in Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lenjiso, B.M.; Smits, J.P.J.M.; Ruben, R.

2016-01-01

We study the relationship between smallholder milk market participation and women's intra-household bargaining position in Ethiopia, using a quasi-experiment and propensity score matching. In market participant households, milk income is higher and its control has shifted from women to men. Our data

Hands That Shape the World: Report on the Conditions of Immigrant Women in the U.S. Five Years after the Beijing Conference.

Science.gov (United States)

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Oakland, CA.

This report details the challenges that immigrant women in the United States have faced since the 1995 United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. It presents a compilation of research and synthesis by immigrants' rights activists and organizations. Data come from immigrant women's testimony. The following topics are featured:…

Immigration as a crisis tendency for HIV vulnerability among racialised women living with HIV in Ontario, Canada: an anti-oppressive lens.

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Kteily-Hawa, Roula N; Islam, Shazia; Loutfy, Mona

2018-04-16

South Asian immigrant women in Canada face unique structural barriers that influence their HIV vulnerability. Using an intersectional and anti-oppressive lens, we explored the role of immigration in bringing about changes in gender roles and the structure of gender relations and their effect on HIV risk among immigrant women as they experienced crisis tendencies in the face of hegemonic masculinity. Informed by Connell's theory of gender, the study entailed in-depth interviews with 12 self-identified South Asian immigrant women living in the Greater Toronto Area, in Ontario, Canada. A thematic analysis yielded four themes: power relations, emotional relations, gendered division of labour and social norms. Our findings revealed interdependencies between immigration and each of structural, individual and normative factors (the themes) as they pertain to crisis tendencies when patriarchy is disrupted. Given the rapid increase in global immigration, the connections between transnationalism and hegemony, and the established link between immigration and HIV, future research should extend this work to other immigrant communities.

"Why doesn't she seek help for partner abuse?" An exploratory study with South Asian immigrant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Farah; Driver, Natasha; McNally, Mary Jane; Stewart, Donna E

2009-08-01

This study explores why South Asian immigrant women with experiences of partner abuse delay seeking help from professionals. Three focus groups were conducted in Hindi language with South Asian immigrant women in Toronto. Twenty-two women participated with a mean age of 46 years (range 29-68 years). Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed data using constant comparison techniques within and across the groups. We found that three major themes emerged from the discussions: reasons for delayed help-seeking, turning points and talking to professionals. Women expressed delaying help-seeking to the point when "Pani sar se guzar jata he" (water crosses over your head). Their dominant reasons for delayed help-seeking were social stigma, rigid gender roles, marriage obligations, expected silence, loss of social support after migration and limited knowledge about available resources and myths about partner abuse. Women usually turned for help only after experiencing pronounced mental and physical health problems. The findings are interpreted in light of participants' immigration context and the socio-cultural norms of patriarchy, collectivism and familism. Prevention approaches to address partner abuse and delayed help-seeking among South Asian immigrant women should include tailored community education, social services to reduce vulnerability, and cultural competency of professionals. Further research and program evaluation is needed to advance the field.

Associations of women's position in the household and food insecurity with family planning use in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Diamond-Smith, Nadia; Raj, Anita; Prata, Ndola; Weiser, Sheri D

2017-01-01

Women in Nepal have low status, especially younger women in co-resident households. Nepal also faces high levels of household food insecurity and malnutrition, and stagnation in uptake of modern family planning methods. This study aims to understand if household structure and food insecurity interact to influence family planning use in Nepal. Using data on married, non-pregnant women aged 15-49 with at least one child from the Nepal 2011 Demographic and Health Survey (N = 7,460), we explore the relationship between women's position in the household, food insecurity as a moderator, and family planning use, using multi-variable logistic regressions. We adjust for household and individual factors, including other status-related variables. In adjusted models, living in a food insecure household and co-residing with in-laws either with no other daughter-in-laws or as the eldest or youngest daughter-in-law (compared to not-co-residing with in-laws) are all associated with lower odds of family planning use. In the interaction model, younger-sisters-in-law and women co-residing with no sisters-in-law in food insecure households have the lowest odds of family planning use. This study shows that household position is associated with family planning use in Nepal, and that food insecurity modifies these associations-highlighting the importance of considering both factors in understanding reproductive health care use in Nepal. Policies and programs should focus on the multiple pathways through which food insecurity impacts women's reproductive health, including focusing on women with the lowest status in households.

A Double-Negative Effect on the Earnings of Immigrant Women? Evidence from Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Helena Skyt; Husted, L.; Rosholm, Michael

In this paper we investigate whether there exists a double-negative effect on the earnings of immigrant women in Denmark stemming from a combined negative effect of gender and foreign country of origin. We estimate separate wage equations for Danes and a number of immigrant groups allowing...... for individual specific effects. Considering females, correcting for possible sample selection bias due to the participation decision is essential. Based on a Danish panel of register data, we identify some groups of immigrant females that experience a strong and persistent double-negative effect on wages even...

Dietary diversity and nutritional adequacy among married Filipino immigrant women: The Filipino Women's Diet and Health Study (FiLWHEL).

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Abris, Grace P; Kim, Na-Hui; Provido, Sherlyn Mae P; Hong, Sangmo; Yu, Sung Hoon; Lee, Chang Beom; Lee, Jung Eun

2018-03-15

Migration has an influence on health behavior and food intake. Dietary variety is a key component to high-quality diets because a single food item does not contain a variety of nutrients and may not reflect nutritional adequacy. We aimed to compare the dietary diversity scores (DDS), food variety scores (FVS), and nutrient adequacy levels of married Filipino immigrant women in Korea to those of Korean women. We matched the data of 474 participants aged 20-57 years from the Filipino Women's Diet and Health Study (FiLWHEL) by age category with those of married Korean women randomly selected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Dietary information in FiLWHEL and KNHANES were assessed through the 24-hour recall method. We calculated the DDS by summing the number of eleven food groups consumed (DDS 10 g if they consumed at least 10 g/day; DDS all if they consumed any amount) and the FVS by counting the number of food items consumed. For nutrient adequacy, we calculated the probability of adequacy (PA) and intake below the estimated average requirement (EAR). Filipino women had a lower DDS and FVS in comparison to Korean women. The means (±SDs) of DDS 10 g, DDS all, and FVS for Filipino women versus Korean women were 6.0 (±1.6) versus 6.8 (±1.5) (p Filipino women than for Korean women. The mean probability of adequacy (MPA) of nutrient intake of the nine selected nutrients was lower for Filipino women in comparison to Korean women. The mean (±SD) was 0.55 (±0.28) versus 0.66 (±0.26), respectively. Our findings showed that married Filipino immigrant women in Korea had lower dietary variety scores in comparison to Korean women. This was reflected in their nutritional adequacy. Nutrition education focusing on the promotion of eating a variety of foods may be needed for Filipino immigrant women in Korea.

Differences in Language Proficiency and Learning Strategies among Immigrant Women to Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Adamuti-Trache, Maria; Anisef, Paul; Sweet, Robert

2018-01-01

Immigrant women to Canada face unique challenges in gaining mastery of English or French, the country's two official languages. The study focuses on differences "among women" with respect to pre-migration and post-migration characteristics that position them differently with respect to language learning in the social contexts where they…

Professional Immigrant Women's Experiences of Managing Work and Family Conflicts: The Case of Chinese and Taiwanese Faculty in Research Intensive Universities

OpenAIRE

Li, Yun Ling

2017-01-01

This study investigates first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese immigrant women faculty's workplace experiences and their strategies for managing work and family demands. By looking at how immigration, ethnicity, gender, and work processes shape these women's ideology and practices, this study addresses the following questions: How do married Chinese and Taiwanese immigrant women in research-intensive universities handle work and family conflicts? How do they negotiate their gender-role expect...

Preterm Birth and Birthweight-for-Gestational Age among Immigrant Women in Denmark 1978-2007

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Grete S; Mortensen, Laust H; Gerster, Mette

2012-01-01

-born women as the reference group. Results:  All immigrant groups had an increased risk of SGA delivery with the highest risk among Lebanese-, Somali- and Pakistani-born women: risk differences (RDs) and 95% confidence intervals [CI] per 1000 deliveries of 50.2 [95% CI 43.7, 56.7], 70.1 [95% CI 62.2, 77...... delivery, RD of -1.9 [95% CI -3.5, -0.3] and Somali-born women a lower risk of moderate preterm delivery, RD of -7.8 [-12.0, -3.6]. No differences were seen for the remaining groups. The association with length of residence for most immigrant groups was U-shaped, with highest risks among recent and long...

A lonely life--A qualitative study of immigrant women on long-term sick leave in Norway.

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Nortvedt, Line; Lohne, Vibeke; Kumar, Bernadette Nirmal; Hansen, Helle Ploug

2016-02-01

This study focuses on the everyday life of immigrant women with chronic pain on long-term sick leave in Norway. Research has shown that rehabilitation of immigrant women with chronic pain might be challenging both due to their lack of linguistic competence, due to lack of sufficient confidence/trust in their employers and in health personnel and lack of knowledge/skills among health care personnel in meeting immigrants' special needs. The objective of the study was to explore how immigrant women on long-term sick leave in Norway due to chronic pain experience their illness and their relationships at work and in the family. This article has a qualitative design, using participant observation and in-depth interviews. Participant observations were carried out in an outpatient clinic and qualitative interviews were conducted after the rehabilitation period. A hermeneutic approach was used to understand the meaning of the narrated text. All the authors participated in the discussion of the findings, and consensus was obtained for each identified theme. The research was conducted at an outpatient clinic at a rehabilitation hospital in the southern part of Norway. The clinic offers wide-ranging, specialized, multidisciplinary patient evaluations that last between 24 and 48h, followed by advice and/or treatment either individually or in a group, i.e. in a rehabilitation course. Participants (immigrant women) who had been referred to the outpatient clinic and to a rehabilitation course were recruited. Fourteen African and Asian women were observed in two rehabilitation courses, and eleven of them agreed to be interviewed once or twice (3). The interpretation revealed the following two main themes: 'Shut inside the home' and 'Rejected at the workplace'. Based on the women's experiences, a new understanding emerged of how being excluded or not feeling sufficiently needed, wanted or valued by colleagues, employers or even by family members rendered their daily lives

Logo-autobiography and its effectiveness on depressed Korean immigrant women.

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Cho, Sunhee; Bernstein, Kunsook S; Roh, Soonhee; Chen, Daniel C

2013-01-01

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of logo-autobiography (LA) as a therapeutic modality for Korean immigrant women suffering from depression and perceiving their lives as meaningless. A nonrandomized quasi-experimental study was conducted with pretest, posttest, and a 4-week follow-up test. Forty subjects--20 with antidepressants and 20 without--were divided quarterly and assigned to the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group reported a significant lower score on depressive symptoms (F = 6.832, p = .013; F = 19.800, p ≤ .001) and a higher score on meaning of life (F = 12.294, p = .001; F = 12.232, p = .001) than did the control group immediately after completing the LA and a 4-week follow-up. The LA was more effective for the subjects in the nonmedication group than in the medication group. In conclusion, LA is effective in reducing depressive symptoms and increasing a sense of meaning in life among Korean immigrant women suffering from depression.

Welfare State Replacements: Deinstitutionalization, Privatization and the Outsourcing to Immigrant Women Enterprise.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazareno, Jennifer

2018-04-01

The U.S. government has a long tradition of providing direct care services to many of its most vulnerable citizens through market-based solutions and subsidized private entities. The privatized welfare state has led to the continued displacement of some of our most disenfranchised groups in need of long-term care. Situated after the U.S. deinstitutionalization era, this is the first study to examine how immigrant Filipino women emerged as owners of de facto mental health care facilities that cater to the displaced, impoverished, severely mentally ill population. These immigrant women-owned businesses serve as welfare state replacements, overseeing the health and illness of these individuals by providing housing, custodial care, and medical services after the massive closure of state mental hospitals that occurred between 1955 and 1980. This study explains the onset of these businesses and the challenges that one immigrant group faces as owners, the meanings of care associated with their de facto mental health care enterprises, and the conditions under which they have operated for more than 40 years.

Becoming Resilient: Promoting the Mental Health and Well-Being of Immigrant Women in a Canadian Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judith A. MacDonnell

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on grounded theory findings that are relevant to promoting the mental health and well-being of immigrant women in Canada. The findings illustrate how relationships among settlement factors and dynamics of empowerment had implications for “becoming resilient” as immigrant women and how various health promotion approaches enhanced their well-being. Dimensions of empowerment were embedded in the content and process of the feminist health promotion approach used in this study. Four focus groups were completed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 35 racialized immigrant women who represented diverse countries of origin: 25 were from Africa; others were equally represented from South Asia (5, Asia (5, and Central or South America and the Caribbean (5. Participants represented diverse languages, family dynamics, and educational backgrounds. One focus group was conducted in Somali; three were conducted in English. Constructivist grounded theory, theoretical sampling, and a critical feminist approach were chosen to be congruent with health promotion research that fostered women’s empowerment. Findings foreground women’s agency in the study process, the ways that immigrant women name and frame issues relevant to their lives, and the interplay among individual, family, community, and structural dynamics shaping their well-being. Implications for mental health promotion are discussed.

Acculturation and health-related quality of life among Vietnamese immigrant women in transnational marriages in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yung-Mei; Wang, Hsiu-Hung

2011-10-01

To examine associations between demographic variables, acculturation, and health-related quality of life among Vietnamese immigrant women in transnational marriages in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey of 203 participants in southern Taiwan. Instruments included a demographic inventory, the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale, and the Short Form Health Survey-Version 2. Most participants had low acculturation levels. Length of residency, number of children, marital status, level of education, religion of spouse, and employment status of spouse significantly correlated with level of acculturation, as did mental health, bodily pain, vitality, and social functioning. Programs are needed to encourage social assimilation for Vietnamese immigrant women in Taiwan. Culturally sensitive medical evaluations will ensure early treatment of mental and physical health problems caused by the stress of acculturation. An increased understanding of variables affecting Southeast Asian immigrant women's acculturation process will improve health status.

Immigrants in the one percent: The national origin of top wealth owners.

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Keister, Lisa A; Aronson, Brian

2017-01-01

Economic inequality in the United States is extreme, but little is known about the national origin of affluent households. Households in the top one percent by total wealth own vastly disproportionate quantities of household assets and have correspondingly high levels of economic, social, and political influence. The overrepresentation of white natives (i.e., those born in the U.S.) among high-wealth households is well-documented, but changing migration dynamics suggest that a growing portion of top households may be immigrants. Because no single survey dataset contains top wealth holders and data about country of origin, this paper uses two publicly-available data sets: the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). Multiple imputation is used to impute country of birth from the SIPP into the SCF. Descriptive statistics are used to demonstrate reliability of the method, to estimate the prevalence of immigrants among top wealth holders, and to document patterns of asset ownership among affluent immigrants. Significant numbers of top wealth holders who are usually classified as white natives may be immigrants. Many top wealth holders appear to be European and Canadian immigrants, and increasing numbers of top wealth holders are likely from Asia and Latin America as well. Results suggest that of those in the top one percent of wealth holders, approximately 3% are European and Canadian immigrants, .5% are from Mexico or Cuban, and 1.7% are from Asia (especially Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, and India). Ownership of key assets varies considerably across affluent immigrant groups. Although the percentage of top wealth holders who are immigrants is relatively small, these percentages represent large numbers of households with considerable resources and corresponding social and political influence. Evidence that the propensity to allocate wealth to real and financial assets varies across immigrant groups suggests that

A qualitative analysis of stress and coping in Korean immigrant women in middle-age and older-adulthood.

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Sin, Mo-Kyung

2015-01-01

This qualitative grounded theory study explored stress-coping mechanisms in 14 Korean immigrant women (age ≥40) in the USA, by analyzing existing focus group data about relevant concepts that had been collected in a parent study. Using content analysis, stressors related primarily to socioenvironmental changes following immigration: language barriers, lack of trusting human relationships, and role changes were identified. Both healthy (activities, church, staying busy) and unhealthy (being alone and keeping negative feelings inside) coping strategies were reported by participants. The findings reveal unique aspects of stress-coping among Korean women who had immigrated after being culturally engrained with Confucian influences.

Stressful life events are associated with insulin resistance among Chinese immigrant women in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolyn Y. Fang

2015-01-01

Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to examine the associations between psychosocial stress and insulin resistance in Chinese immigrant women. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature on stress and diabetes risk in an immigrant population.

"Without us the world does not move." Immigrant women in the Spanish work context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Pilar Moreno Jiménez

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to learn the perspective of immigrant women in the workplace, taking into account the speeches of the protagonists themselves. The overall objective was to find the job conditions from their own perspectives. We conducted four focus groups (Latin American, Eastern European, Moroccan and sub-Saharan Africa with a total of 47 women. The analysis of their speeches shows points in common because they are women, workers and immigrants, and some differences according to their place of origin. We describe the background of the migration project, working conditions (loss of job status and ethnicization, instability, prejudice and the effects of these working conditions (cynicism, social isolation, different relationships with employers, resignation and submission. The reflections in the text dialogue with thoughts of other authors to enhance the visibility of women migrants, different but with many common points.

[Contraception in immigrant women: influence of sociocultural aspects on the choice of contraceptive method].

Science.gov (United States)

Paraíso Torras, B; Maldonado Del Valle, M D; López Muñoz, A; Cañete Palomo, M L

2013-01-01

There are currently 6 million immigrants living in Spain. Half of them are women, the majority of whom are of childbearing age. These women, who suffer high rates of induced abortion, form a special group who require a special approach to their reproductive health. In order to study the use of contraceptive methods in this population, a review was made of 1100 clinical histories from our Sexual Health and Reproduction Clinic. Latin American women were the most prevalent group who came to seek information about contraception, followed by Eastern Europeans and Moroccans. Fewer Asian and Sub-Saharan women sought these services. The contraceptives most frequently used were the intrauterine device (used mostly by Latin American and Eastern European women), and combined oral contraception, most used by Moroccan women. It is important to advise the immigrant women about contraceptive methods, taking into account their preferences, in order to improve adherence to the method. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous determination of household and market-oriented activities of women in rural Pakistan.

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Alderman, H; Chishti, S

1991-01-01

Researchers applied data from the 1985-1986 Labour Force Survey in Pakistan to a model which focused on household composition variables and human assets such as education to examine determinants of female labor force participation in the framework of their labor on other productive tasks in the household in rural areas. Monthly household labor decreased by 1.8 days for each additional adult woman in the household and by 1.4 days for each 10-15 year old girl. On the other hand, an extra teenage boy added as much to each woman's workload as did an additional 5-9 year old child (.37 days). Each additional 6 year old child increased the workload 1.3 days/month and this did not include child care activities. Women who had attended primary school worked in the household 1.4 days less than those who did not attend any school. Moreover those who attended school beyond primary school worked in the household 3.7 days less than those who did not attend any school. both of these differences were statistically significant. Yet educated women worked more outside the house than uneducated women (1.2 days for those with primary education and 2.4 days for those with post primary education). The government should promote increased female school participation by increasing its investment in schooling to lower the costs to households. Further it could provide opportunities for educated women to be employed in their own communities. Thus they can envision education in their private interest (both in social and financial terms). If these efforts are not done, however, demand and supply considerations may continue to restrain schooling for females.

South Asian immigrant women's suggestions for culturally-tailored HIV education and prevention programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawa, Roula N; Underhill, Angela; Logie, Carmen H; Islam, Shazia; Loutfy, Mona

2017-09-18

Using a community-based, socialist feminist qualitative study, and an emergent research design, we explored the unique individual experiences of South Asian immigrant women living with HIV in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Ontario, Canada. We assessed both the HIV risk context and the strategies for HIV education and prevention as expressed by study participants. Grounded in Connell's social theory of gender, a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 12 women yielded six themes related to the power and impact of stigmatization, community's denial of HIV, infidelity, manifested in resistance to discussing sex and condom use, non-disclosure, and lack of HIV knowledge. This study validated the legitimacy of listening to the voices of South Asian immigrant women living with HIV, who communicated 20 recommendations for researchers, educators, community organizations, and service providers to culturally-tailor HIV education programs.

Health literacy: the missing link in improving the health of Somali immigrant women in Oslo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdi A. Gele

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Existing studies report a positive association between inadequate health literacy and immigrant’s adverse health outcomes. Despite substantial research on this topic among immigrants, little is known about the level of health literacy among Somali women in Europe, and particularly in Norway. Methods A cross sectional study using respondent driven sampling was conducted in Oslo, Norway. A sample of 302 Somali women, 25 years and older, was interviewed using the short version of the European Health Literacy Questionnaire. Data was analysed using logistic regression. Results Findings revealed that 71 % of Somali women in Oslo lack the ability to obtain, understand and act upon health information and services, and to make appropriate health decisions. Being unemployed (OR 3.66, CI 1.08–12.3 and socially less integrated (OR 8.17, CI 1.21–54.8 were independent predictors of an inadequate health literacy among Somali women. Conclusions Enhanced health literacy will most likely increase the chance to better health outcomes for immigrants, thereby moving towards health equity in the Norwegian society. Therefore, policies and programs are required to focus and improve health literacy of immigrant communities.

Women's status within the household as a determinant of maternal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Although gender inequality is often cited as a barrier to improving maternal health in sub-saharan Africa, there is lack of empirical data on how women's socio-cultural characteristics may influence use of health services in Nigeria. Objective: To describe how women's position in the household affects receipt of ...

Pregnancy as an opportunity to diagnose human-immunodeficiency virus immigrant women in Catalonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Soriano-Arandes, Antoni; Noguera-Julian, Antoni; López-Lacort, Mónica; Soler-Palacín, Pere; Mur, Antonio; Méndez, María; Mayol, Lluís; Vallmanya, Teresa; Almeda, Jesús; Carnicer-Pont, Dolors; Casabona, Jordi; Fortuny, Claudia

2018-01-01

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is relevant in the global epidemiology of human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as it represents the main route of infection in children. The study objectives were to determine the rate of HIV-MTCT and its epidemiological trend between the Spanish-born and immigrant population in Catalonia in the period 2000-2014. A prospective observational study of mother-child pairs exposed to HIV, treated in 12 hospitals in Catalonia in the period 2000-2014. HIV-MTCT rate was estimated using a Bayesian logistic regression model. R and WinBUGS statistical software were used. The analysis included 909 pregnant women, 1,009 pregnancies, and 1,032 children. Data on maternal origin was obtained in 79.4% of women, of whom 32.7% were immigrants, with 53.0% of these from sub-Saharan Africa. The overall HIV-MTCT rate was 1.4% (14/1,023; 95% CI; 0.8-2.3). The risk of MTCT-HIV was 10-fold lower in women with good virological control (P=.01), which was achieved by two-thirds of them. The proportion of immigrants was significantly higher in the period 2008-2014 (Pde Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

The mental health of married immigrant women in South Korea and its risk and protective factors: A literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yeeun; Park, Subin

2018-02-01

Married immigrant women in South Korea undergo a wide array of psychosocial challenges in the process of adapting to a new culture and marriage with a Korean husband. For an integrative understanding of women's mental health status and to determine the key risk and protective factors, we systematically reviewed empirical articles about the mental health of married immigrant women. We searched and reviewed articles from nine online databases: PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, DBpia, KISS, KMbase, KoreaMed and RISS, which were published up until January 2017. We identified 38 quantitative studies that examined psychiatric symptoms and pertinent factors for this population. The relative risks of psychiatric symptoms among married immigrant women varied across diverse samples. We summarized the associated factors existing prior to and after marriage migration that may moderate their mental health consequences. We identified five key risk factors: acculturative stress, country of origin, family stress, domestic violence and extended family structure, and two protective factors: social support and marriage satisfaction, which were consistently supported by the included studies. With the paucity of prospective studies, longitudinal research is needed that addresses the long-term processes of married immigrant women's psychological adaptation and the underlying risk and protective factors at diverse settlement phases. Furthermore, we suggest that future research should focus on how women's personal attributes interact with macro-level, socio-cultural contexts, including familial relationship and the community social-support system. Future evidence-based policy and interventions should comprehensively address married immigrant women's socio-cultural, economic and mental health needs.

A Systematic Review of the Physical, Mental, Social, and Economic Problems of Immigrant Women in the Perinatal Period in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kita, Sachiko; Minatani, Mariko; Hikita, Naoko; Matsuzaki, Masayo; Shiraishi, Mie; Haruna, Megumi

2015-12-01

The perinatal mortality of immigrants in Japan is higher than that of Japanese women. However, details of the problems of immigrant perinatal women that contribute to worsening of their health are still unknown. This review describes the physical, psychological, social, and economic problems of immigrant women during the perinatal period in Japan. Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Igaku-Chuo Zasshi were searched and 36 relevant articles were reviewed. The related descriptions were collected and analyzed by using content analysis. The results showed that immigrant perinatal women in Japan experienced the following problems: language barriers, a problematic relationship with a partner, illegal residency, emotional distress, physical distress, adjustment difficulties, lack of utilization of services, social isolation, lack of support, lack of information, low economic status, unsatisfactory health care, and discrimination. These results indicated that multilingual services, strengthening of social and support networks, and political action are necessary to resolve their problems.

Social dimensions of health across the life course: Narratives of Arab immigrant women ageing in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Salma, Jordana; Keating, Norah; Ogilvie, Linda; Hunter, Kathleen F

2018-04-01

The increase in ethnically and linguistically diverse older adults in Canada necessitates attention to their experiences and needs for healthy ageing. Arab immigrant women often report challenges in maintaining health, but little is known about their ageing experiences. This interpretive descriptive study uses a transnational life course framework to understand Arab Muslim immigrant women's experiences of engaging in health-promoting practices as they age in Canada. Women's stories highlight social dimensions of health such social connectedness, social roles and social support that are constructed and maintained within different migration contexts across the life course. Barriers and facilitators to healthy ageing in this population centred around five themes: (i) the necessity of staying strong, (ii) caring for self while caring for others, (iii) double jeopardy of chronic illnesses and loneliness, (iv) inadequate support within large social networks and (v) navigating access to health-supporting resources. The findings point to transnational connections and post-migration social support as major influencers in creating facilitators and barriers to healthy ageing for Arab Muslim immigrant women. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Gendered and cultural patterns of suicidal behaviour. Young Hindustani immigrant women in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bergen, D.D.; Smit, J.H.; Kerkhof, A.J.F.M.; Saharso, S.

2006-01-01

Patterns of suicidal behavior vary among cultures and along gender. Young Hindustani immigrant women attempt suicide four times more often than young Dutch women. This article explores multi-disciplinary explanations for suicidal behavior in this group. The interconnection of Durkheimian concepts of

Developing Digital Immigrants' Computer Literacy: The Case of Unemployed Women

Science.gov (United States)

Ktoridou, Despo; Eteokleous-Grigoriou, Nikleia

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a 40-hour computer course for beginners provided to a group of unemployed women learners with no/minimum computer literacy skills who can be characterized as digital immigrants. The aim of the study is to identify participants' perceptions and experiences regarding technology,…

Women's participation in household decision-making and higher dietary diversity: findings from nationally representative data from Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Amugsi, Dickson A; Lartey, Anna; Kimani, Elizabeth; Mberu, Blessing U

2016-05-31

Low-quality monotonous diet is a major problem confronting resource-constrained settings across the world. Starchy staple foods dominate the diets in these settings. This places the population, especially women of reproductive age, at a risk of micronutrients deficiencies. This study seeks to examine the association between women's decision-making autonomy and women's achievement of higher dietary diversity (DD) and determine the socio-demographic factors that can independently predict women's attainment of higher DD. The study used data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The participants comprised of 2262 women aged 15-49 years and who have complete dietary data. The DD score was derived from a 24-h recall of intake of foods from nine groups. The score was dichotomized into lower DD (DD ≤4) and higher (DD ≥5). Logistic regression was used to assess the association between women decision-making autonomy (final say on how to spend money, making household purchases, own health care, opinions on wife-beating, and sexual intercourse with husband) and the achievement of higher DD. The logistic regression models were adjusted for covariates at the individual and household levels. The analysis showed that women participation in decision-making regarding household purchases was significantly associated with higher DD, after adjusting for individual and household level covariates. The odds of achieving higher DD were higher among women who had a say in deciding household purchases, compared to women who did not have a say (OR = 1.74, 95 % CI = 1.24, 2.42). Women who had more than primary education were 1.6 times more likely to achieve higher DD, compared to those with no education (95 % CI = 1.12, 2.20). Compared to women who lived in polygamous households, those who lived in monogamous households had higher odds of achieving higher DD (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI = 1.04, 1.93). Net other covariates, women who have a say in making

Shaping the Re-Training and Re-Education Experiences of Immigrant Women: The Credential and Certificate Regime in Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Hongxia

2009-01-01

Research has extensively documented the employment barriers facing immigrants in Canada. Less attention is paid to the employment strategies that immigrants deploy in the host labour market. To address this gap in the literature, two projects are conducted to examine how immigrant women learn to optimize their labour market outcomes. Both projects…

Reproductive habitus, psychosocial health, and birth weight variation in Mexican immigrant and Mexican American women in south Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleuriet, K Jill; Sunil, T S

2015-08-01

The Latina Paradox, or persistent, unexplained variation in low birth weight rates in recently immigrated Mexican women and the trend toward higher rates in subsequent generations of Mexican American women, is most often attributed to unidentified sociocultural causes. We suggest herein that different disciplinary approaches can be synthesized under the constructs of reproductive habitus and subjective social status to identify influences of sociocultural processes on birth weight. Reproductive habitus are "modes of living the reproductive body, bodily practices, and the creation of new subjects through interactions between people and structures" (Smith-Oka, 2012: 2276). Subjective social status infers comparison of self to others based on community definitions of status or socioeconomic status (Adler 2007). We present results from a prospective study of low-income Mexican immigrant and Mexican American women from south Texas that tested the ability of reproductive habitus and subjective social status to elucidate the Latina Paradox. We hypothesized that reproductive habitus between Mexican immigrant women and Mexican American women inform different subjective social statuses during pregnancy, and different subjective social statuses mediate responses to psychosocial stressors known to correlate with low birth weight. Six hundred thirty-one women were surveyed for psychosocial health, subjective social status, and reproductive histories between 2011 and 2013. Eighty-three women were interviewed between 2012 and 2013 for status during pregnancy, prenatal care practices, and pregnancy narratives and associations. Birth weight was extracted from medical records. Results were mixed. Subjective social status and pregnancy-related anxiety predicted low birth weight in Mexican immigrant but not Mexican American women. Mexican immigrant women had significantly lower subjective social status scores but a distinct reproductive habitus that could explain improved psychosocial

Legislating gender inequalities: the nature and patterns of domestic violence experienced by South Asian women with insecure immigration status in the United Kingdom.

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Anitha, Sundari

2011-10-01

Research on domestic violence documents the particular vulnerability of immigrant women due to reasons including social isolation, language barriers, lack of awareness about services, and racism on the part of services. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 South Asian women with insecure immigration status residing in Yorkshire and Northwest England, this article explores how inequalities created by culture, gender, class, and race intersect with state immigration and welfare policies in the United Kingdom, thereby exacerbating structures of patriarchy within minority communities. It is within these contexts that South Asian women with insecure immigration status experience intensified forms and specific patterns of abuse.

The impact of perceived childhood victimization and patriarchal gender ideology on intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among Korean immigrant women in the USA.

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Kim, Chunrye

2017-08-01

Childhood victimization experiences are common among intimate partner violence (IPV) victims. This study examines the link between childhood physical and sexual victimization experiences and adulthood IPV among Korean immigrant women in the USA. As Korean immigrants often use physical punishment to discipline their children, and reporting sexual abuse is discouraged due to stigmatization in this community, cultural factors (e.g. patriarchal values) related to childhood victimization and IPV were also examined. Survey data from Korean immigrant women in the USA were collected. Using a case-control design, we compared 64 Korean immigrant women who have experienced IPV in the past year with 63 Korean immigrant women who have never experienced IPV in their lifetime. The findings of this study reveal that IPV victims, compared with non-victims, experienced higher childhood victimization rates. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that childhood victimization and patriarchal gender ideology strongly predict IPV victimization among Korean immigrants. However, patriarchal values did not moderate the relationship between childhood victimization and IPV. To prevent IPV among Korean immigrant population, we need to make special efforts to prevent childhood abuse and change ingrained cultural attitudes about child physical and sexual abuse among immigrant communities through culturally sensitive programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Labor Market Discrimination: Vietnamese Immigrants

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Linus Yamane

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Vietnamese and East European immigrants face similar obstacles in the U.S. labor market. This provides for an interesting test of racial discrimination in the labor market. Does it make any difference if an immigrant is Asian or White? When Vietnamese immigrants are compared to East European immigrants, Vietnamese men earn 7-9% less than comparable East European men, with more discrimination among the less educated, and in the larger Vietnamese population centers like California. Vietnamese women earn as much as comparable East European women. Vietnamese immigrants, male and female, are much less likely to hold managerial and supervisory positions than comparable East European immigrants.

Labor Market Discrimination: Vietnamese Immigrants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linus Yamane

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Vietnamese and East European immigrants face similar obstacles in the US labor market. This provides for an interesting test of racial discrimination in the labor market. Does it make any difference if an immigrant is Asian or White? When Vietnamese immigrants are compared to East European immigrants, Vietnamese men earn 7-9% less than comparable East European men, with more discrimination among the less educated, and in the larger Vietnamese population centers like California. Vietnamese women earn as much as comparable East European women. Vietnamese immigrants, male and female, are much less likely to hold managerial and supervisory positions than comparable East European immigrants.

Immigrant women's experiences of postpartum depression in Canada: a protocol for systematic review using a narrative synthesis.

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Higginbottom, Gina M A; Morgan, Myfanwy; O'Mahony, Joyce; Chiu, Yvonne; Kocay, Deb; Alexandre, Mirande; Forgeron, Joan; Young, Marilyn

2013-08-21

Literature documents that immigrant women in Canada have a higher prevalence of postpartum depression symptomatology than Canadian-born women. There exists a need to synthesize information on the contextual factors and social determinants of health that influence immigrant women's reception of and behavior in accessing existing mental health services. Our research question is: what are the ethnoculturally defined patterns of help-seeking behaviors and decision-making and other predictive factors for therapeutic mental health care access and outcomes with respect to postpartum depression for immigrant women in Canada? Our synthesis incorporates a systematic review using narrative synthesis of reports (peer- and non-peer reviewed) of empirical research and aims to provide stakeholders with perspectives on postpartum mental health care services as experienced by immigrant women. To reach this goal we are using integrated knowledge translation, thus partnering with key stakeholders throughout the planning, implementation and dissemination stages to ensure topic relevancy and impact on future practice and policy. The search and selection strategies draw upon established systematic review methodologies as outlined by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and also incorporate guidelines for selection and appraisal of gray literature. Two search phases (a database and a gray literature phase) will identify literature for screening and final selection based on an inclusion/exclusion checklist. Quality appraisal will be performed using the tools produced by the Centre for Evidence Based Management. The narrative synthesis will be informed by Popay et al. (2006) framework using identified tools for each of its four elements. The integrated knowledge translation plan will ensure key messages are delivered in an audience-specific manner to optimize their impact on policy and practice change throughout health service, public health, immigration and community sectors. The

When Life Got in the Way: How Danish and Norwegian Immigrant Women in Sweden Reason about Cervical Screening and Why They Postpone Attendance.

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Fatima Azerkan

Full Text Available Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden have an increased risk of cervical cancer compared to Swedish-born women. In addition, Danish and Norwegian immigrant women follow the national recommendations for attendance at cervical screening to much lesser extent than Swedish-born women. The aim of this study was to explore how Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden reason about attending cervical screening, focusing on women's perceptions as to why they and their compatriots do not attend.Eight focus group discussions (FGDs were conducted with Danish and Norwegian immigrant women living in Stockholm. The women were between 26 and 66 years of age at the time of the FGDs, and were aged between <1 and 48 years old when they immigrated to Sweden. A FGD guide was used, which included questions related to cervical screening, and obstacles and motivators to attend cervical screening. The FGDs were tape recorded and transcribed, and the results analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis.The main theme was "Women have a comprehensive rationale for postponing cervical screening, yet do not view themselves as non-attenders". Investigation of women's rationale for non-attendance after being invited to cervical screening revealed some complex reasons related to immigration itself, including competing needs, organisational and structural factors and differences in mentality, but also reasons stemming from other factors. Postponing attendance at cervical screening was the category that linked all these factors as the reasons to why women did not attend to cervical screening according to the recommendations of the authorities.The rationale used to postpone cervical screening, in combination with the fact that women do not consider themselves to be non-attenders, indicates that they have not actively taken a stance against cervical screening, and reveals an opportunity to motivate these women to attend.

When Life Got in the Way: How Danish and Norwegian Immigrant Women in Sweden Reason about Cervical Screening and Why They Postpone Attendance.

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Azerkan, Fatima; Widmark, Catarina; Sparén, Pär; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Tillgren, Per; Faxelid, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden have an increased risk of cervical cancer compared to Swedish-born women. In addition, Danish and Norwegian immigrant women follow the national recommendations for attendance at cervical screening to much lesser extent than Swedish-born women. The aim of this study was to explore how Danish and Norwegian immigrant women in Sweden reason about attending cervical screening, focusing on women's perceptions as to why they and their compatriots do not attend. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with Danish and Norwegian immigrant women living in Stockholm. The women were between 26 and 66 years of age at the time of the FGDs, and were aged between <1 and 48 years old when they immigrated to Sweden. A FGD guide was used, which included questions related to cervical screening, and obstacles and motivators to attend cervical screening. The FGDs were tape recorded and transcribed, and the results analysed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. The main theme was "Women have a comprehensive rationale for postponing cervical screening, yet do not view themselves as non-attenders". Investigation of women's rationale for non-attendance after being invited to cervical screening revealed some complex reasons related to immigration itself, including competing needs, organisational and structural factors and differences in mentality, but also reasons stemming from other factors. Postponing attendance at cervical screening was the category that linked all these factors as the reasons to why women did not attend to cervical screening according to the recommendations of the authorities. The rationale used to postpone cervical screening, in combination with the fact that women do not consider themselves to be non-attenders, indicates that they have not actively taken a stance against cervical screening, and reveals an opportunity to motivate these women to attend.

IMMIGRANT WOMEN'S REASONING AND USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IN LIFELONG LEARNING

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David Hallberg

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the reasoning and use of information and communications technology (ICT in lifelong learning by immigrant women. Data were collected from semi-structured and unstructured interviews. The study was carried out primarily in a school environment, which also makes it possible to draw conclusions about the connection between learning in and outside school environments. Most participants experienced major differences in the use of and access to ICT after moving to their new country. Most women use and access ICT, even if not of their own volition. Providing a summary of some of the benefits and barriers that emerged, our study has shown that it is important to distinguish the way someone reasons about ICT and their actual use of it. No account was taken of cultural differences between the participants’ countries of origin. This study made it possible for the immigrant women to voice their experiences, knowledge, and feelings about their situations in school and in everyday life.

Sex in the New World: an empowerment model for HIV prevention in Latina immigrant women.

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Gómez, C A; Hernández, M; Faigeles, B

1999-04-01

In 1996, nearly 60% of U.S. AIDS cases among Latinas were attributed to unprotected sex with men. Economic disadvantage, language barriers, and strong cultural gender norms regarding sex exacerbate the risk for HIV infection among Latina immigrant women. Through a collaboration among scientists and providers, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted empowerment program for Latina immigrant women on HIV risk behaviors. Women (N = 74) were followed for the first 6 months of their participation and attended up to nine distinct types of activities (e.g., information meetings, friendship circles, and workshops). Although the program was not developed to specifically target HIV risk behaviors, women showed significant increases in sexual communication comfort, were less likely to maintain traditional sexual gender norms, and reported changes in decision-making power. Targeting broader sociocultural issues may increase the necessary skills for Latina women to prevent HIV infection from their sexual partners. Successful collaborations between scientists and providers are critical in developing effective, community-relevant interventions.

Cultural factors and social support related to breastfeeding among immigrant mothers in Taipei City, Taiwan.

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Chen, Tzu-Ling; Tai, Chen-Jei; Chu, Yu-Roo; Han, Kuo-Chiang; Lin, Kuan-Chia; Chien, Li-Yin

2011-02-01

The objectives of this study were to identify cultural factors (including acculturation and breastfeeding cultures in subjects' native countries and those in mainstream Taiwanese society) and social support related to breastfeeding among immigrant mothers in Taiwan. This study was a cross-sectional survey performed from October 2007 through January 2008. The study participants were 210 immigrant mothers living in Taipei City. The prevalence of exclusive and partial breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum was 59.0% and 14.3%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that breastfeeding experience among mothers-in-law and the perceived level of acceptance of breastfeeding in Taiwan were positively associated with breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum. Immigrant women with a higher level of household activity support were less likely to breastfeed. Immigrant mothers in Taiwan usually come from cultures with a higher acceptance level for breastfeeding; however, their breastfeeding practices are more likely to be influenced by the mainstream culture in Taiwan.

Learning strengths from cultural differences: a comparative study of maternal health-related behaviors and infant care among Southern Asian immigrants and Taiwanese women.

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Chen, Yen-Ching; Wei, Shu-Hui; Yeh, Kuo-Wei; Chen, Mei-Yen

2013-01-22

Many studies have indicated that most immigrant women come from underdeveloped countries, and this can have negative effects on their lives, children's adaptation to school, and medical care utilization. However, there is insufficient literature about differences in infant caretaking, pre-postpartum health care, and health outcome between immigrant and native Taiwanese populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences between Southern Asia immigrants and Taiwanese women in their access to medical care, postnatal growth, and infant care throughout the first six months postpartum. Comparative and descriptive designs were applied. Immigrant women were eligible if they visited three suburban settings of the Outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Outpatient Department of Pediatrics in Northern Taiwan during the period up to six months postpartum. Immigrant women appeared to have a lower frequency of antenatal examinations and obtained less health information from health care providers. However, they did not differ significantly from native Taiwanese women in maternal body size, postnatal growth curves, exclusive breastfeeding rates or vaccination awareness at the 6th month postpartum. Learning strengths from cultural differences between immigrant and native women and closing the gaps in health inequality are important issues. Despite the limitation of small sample size, the present findings can be used as references to help health care providers to develop further health policies in Taiwan.

The influence of culture of honor and emotional intelligence in the acculturation of Moroccan immigrant women.

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Lopez-Zafra, Esther; El Ghoudani, Karima

2014-01-01

Migration is a normal process of people seeking new opportunities, work, or leisure in societies. The way people adapt to a new country (acculturation) is a complex process in which immigrants' evaluations about the culture of origin and their perceptions of the host country interact. The combination of these two factors produces four types of acculturation: separation, assimilation, integration, and marginalization. Several variables, such as personality, attitudes, and emotional intelligence, have been studied to help explain this process. However, the impact of a culture of honor and its interaction with other variables remains an open question that may help to explain how migrants can better adjust to their host culture. In this study, we examine the influence of the culture of honor (social) and emotional intelligence (individual) on acculturation. In a sample of 129 Moroccan women (mean age = 29, SD = 9.40) immigrants in Spain (mean time in Spain = 6 years, SD = 3.60), we investigated the relations among the variables of interest. Our results show that no significant differences emerged in the scores given for culture of honor (CH) and the acculturation strategies of the Moroccan immigrant women F(3, 99) = .233; p = .87. However women who preferred the integration strategy scored highest on emotional intelligence (EI), whereas the assimilated immigrants showed the lowest scores for EI F(3, 92) = 4.63; p = .005. Additionally, only in the case of integration does EI mediate between CH and the value given to the immigrant's own and host cultures (p <.001).

Immigrant and refugee women's post-partum depression help-seeking experiences and access to care: a review and analysis of the literature.

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O'Mahony, J; Donnelly, T

2010-12-01

• This literature review on post-partum depression (PPD) presents an analysis of the literature about PPD and the positive and negative factors, which may influence immigrant and refugee women's health seeking behaviour and decision making about post-partum care. • A critical review of English language peer-reviewed publications from 1988 to 2008 was done by the researchers as part of a qualitative research study conducted in a western province of Canada. The overall goal of the study is to raise awareness and understanding of what would be helpful in meeting the mental health needs of the immigrant and refugee women during the post-partum period. • Several online databases were searched: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, MEDLINE (Ovid), EBM Reviews - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. • Review of the literature suggests: 1 Needs, issues and specific risk factors for PPD among immigrant and refugee women have been limited. 2 Descriptive accounts regarding culture and PPD are found in the literature but impact of cultural factors upon PPD has not been well studied. 3 Few studies look at how social support, gender, and larger institutions or organizational structures may affect immigrant and refugee women's help-seeking and access to mental health care services. 4 More research is needed to hear the immigrant and refugee women's ideas about their social support needs, the difficulties they experience and their preferred ways of getting help with PPD. This review and analysis of the literature is about the phenomenon of post-partum depression (PPD) and the barriers and facilitators, which may influence immigrant and refugee women's health seeking behaviour and decision making about post-partum care. As part of a qualitative research study conducted in a western province of Canada a critical review of English language peer-reviewed publications from 1988 to 2008 was undertaken by the researchers. The overall goal

New perspectives on occupational health and safety in immigrant populations: studying the intersection between immigrant background and gender.

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Mousaid, Sarah; De Moortel, Deborah; Malmusi, Davide; Vanroelen, Christophe

2016-01-01

Few studies investigating health inequalities pay attention to the intersection between several social determinants of health. The purpose of this article is to examine the relation between perceptions of work-related health and safety risk (WHSR) and (1) immigrant background and (2) gender in the EU-15. The effects are controlled for educational attainment, the quality of work (QOW) and occupation. Pooled data from the European Social Survey 2004 and 2010 are used in this study. The sample is restricted to respondents of working age (16-65 years) (N = 17,468). The immigrants are divided into two groups according to their country of origin: (semi-)periphery and core countries. Both groups of immigrants are compared to natives. Additionally, the research population is stratified by gender. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses are used. Core immigrants (both men and women) do not differ from natives in terms of QOW. (Semi-)periphery immigrants (both men and women) are employed in jobs with lower QOW. While no differences in WHSR are found among men, female immigrants (both (semi-)periphery and core) have significantly more WHSR compared to native women. Although WHSR is generally lower in women, (semi-)periphery women have a similar prevalence of WHSR as men. (Semi-)periphery immigrants are employed in lower quality jobs, while core immigrants do not differ from natives in that regard. Female immigrant workers--especially those from (semi-)periphery countries--have higher WHSR compared to native women. Our findings highlight the importance of an intersectional approach in the study of work-related health inequalities.

Workplace Concentration of Immigrants

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Andersson, Fredrik; García-Pérez, Mónica; Haltiwanger, John; McCue, Kristin; Sanders, Seth

2014-01-01

Casual observation suggests that in most U.S. urban labor markets, immigrants have more immigrant coworkers than native-born workers do. While seeming obvious, this excess tendency to work together has not been precisely measured, nor have its sources been quantified. Using matched employer–employee data from the U.S. Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) database on a set of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with substantial immigrant populations, we find that, on average, 37% of an immigrant’s coworkers are themselves immigrants; in contrast, only 14% of a native-born worker’s coworkers are immigrants. We decompose this difference into the probability of working with compatriots versus with immigrants from other source countries. Using human capital, employer, and location characteristics, we narrow the mechanisms that might explain immigrant concentration. We find that industry, language, and residential segregation collectively explain almost all the excess tendency to work with immigrants from other source countries, but they have limited power to explain work with compatriots. This large unexplained compatriot component suggests an important role for unmeasured country-specific factors, such as social networks. PMID:25425452

An Exploration of Parenting Stress in Immigrant and Taiwanese Mothers.

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Tsao, Ying; Creedy, Debra K; Gamble, Jenny

2015-01-01

To assess parenting stress and major difficulties experienced in early motherhood among immigrant and Taiwanese women in Pingtung, southern Taiwan. A comparative, descriptive, cohort study of parenting stress and maternal psychological health, using the Child Care Stress Checklist and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. A purposive sample of 26 foreign-born Vietnamese and 162 Taiwanese mothers were surveyed at 6 weeks' postpartum. Both groups of mothers experienced similar parenting difficulties including the establishment of a regular sleeping schedule for the infant, consoling a crying infant, awareness of infant's needs, conflict with family members, and difficulties managing household chores. Curtailment of social activities was reported more often by Taiwanese mothers, whereas inaccessibility to other experienced mothers and poor maternal-infant bonding were experienced more by immigrant mothers. There were significant differences between groups, with high levels of child care stress and postpartum depression symptoms reported more often by immigrant mothers. Nurses-midwives and community child health nurses need to be sensitive to the particular difficulties and stresses of parenting in mothers from different backgrounds and provide effective interventions and support activities.

Duration of U.S. stay and body mass index among Latino and Asian immigrants: A test of theoretical pathways.

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Ro, Annie; Bostean, Georgiana

2015-11-01

Studies find that longer-term immigrants have higher body mass index (BMI) than their more recently arrived counterparts. Most interpretations of these health patterns by duration of U.S. residence rely on theories of immigrant integration; they posit that with increasing time in the United States, immigrants incorporate economically, socially, and culturally into aspects of U.S. society, and that these changes impact health. Few studies empirically examine whether these aspects of integration are indeed mediators of the association between duration of U.S. stay and BMI, and if their patterns differ across immigrant subgroups. This study examines data from the National Latino and Asian American Survey, using path analytic methods to simultaneously test six hypothesized mediators between duration and BMI: household income, English language ability, ethnic identity, family cohesion, acculturative stress and discrimination for both Latino and Asian immigrants, stratified by gender. We find little evidence for an association between duration and BMI for either Latino or Asian men. For women, duration and BMI have a significant and positive relationship, although the pathways differ between the two ethnic groups. For Latina women, household income and acculturative stress are significant indirect pathways, although they work in opposing directions. For Asian women, English proficiency and discrimination are significant indirect pathways. Our findings reveal complex pathways between duration and BMI that vary by ethnicity and gender and highlight limitations in the negative acculturation theory, which suggests that exposure to the United States should have a net negative impact on health. In contrast, our findings suggest that not all groups show declining health with longer duration, as measured by BMI, and that integration processes do not always translate into health differences in the expected directions. Future research on duration patterns may need to consider

Utilisation of psychiatrists and psychologists in private practice among non-Western labour immigrants, immigrants from refugee-generating countries and ethnic Danes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Signe Smith; Jensen, Natasja Koitzsch; Kreiner, Svend

2015-01-01

), and immigrants from RGC (Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and Somalia). Survey data was linked to healthcare utilisation registries. Using Poisson regression, contacts with private practising psychiatrists and psychologists were estimated. Analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic factors and mental health status. RESULTS......: Overall, 2.2 % among ethnic Danes, 1.4 % among labour immigrants and 6.5 % among immigrants from RGC consulted a psychiatrist or psychologist. In adjusted analyses, for psychiatrists, compared with ethnic Danes, labour-immigrant women (multiplicative effect = 1.78), and immigrant women from RGC...... (multiplicative effect = 2.49) had increased use, while labour-immigrant men had decreased use (multiplicative effect = 0.03). For psychologists, immigrant men from RGC had increased use (multiplicative effect = 2.96), while labour-immigrant women had decreased use (multiplicative effect = 0.27) compared...

Influencing Factors of Intention to Receive Pap Tests in Vietnamese Women who Immigrated to Taiwan for Marriage.

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Lee, Fang-Hsin; Wang, Hsiu-Hung; Yang, Yung-Mei; Huang, Joh-Jong; Tsai, Hsiu-Min

2016-09-01

This study aimed to explore the factors associated with the intention to receive a Pap test among married immigrant women of Vietnamese origin living in Taiwan. This was a cross-sectional community-based study. We enrolled 281 women aged 30 years and over in the study, from July 2013 to January 2014. The participants' characteristics, cervical cancer knowledge, Pap test knowledge, attitudes toward cervical cancer, barriers to receiving a Pap test, fatalism, and intention to receive a Pap test, were measured using self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the variables associated with participants' intentions to receive a Pap test. Vietnamese women with low scores on the measures of cervical cancer knowledge and perceived barriers to receiving a Pap test were more willing to receive the test, as were those with high scores on the measures of Pap test knowledge and fatalism. Women who received a Pap test in the previous year were more willing to receive a Pap test within the next 3 years. Preventive healthcare for immigrant women should be a focus of nurses. The development of culturally appropriate health education and strategies should enhance their knowledge of Pap tests and reduce perceived barriers to Pap test participation. This study's results can be a reference for nurses who work with immigrant women. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Socio-economic position and lower dietary moderation among Chinese immigrant women in the USA.

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Tseng, Marilyn; Fang, Carolyn Y

2012-03-01

To examine associations of education and occupation, as indicators of socio-economic position (SEP), with dietary intake and diet quality in a sample of Chinese immigrant women. Cross-sectional. Data collection included four days of dietary recalls and information on education and current occupation for participants and their spouses. Philadelphia, PA, USA. Chinese immigrant women (n 423) recruited from October 2005 to April 2008. In multivariate models, both higher education level and occupation category were significantly associated with higher energy density and intake of energy and sugar. Education was additionally associated with intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (P = 0·01) and lower dietary moderation (P = 0·01). With joint categorization based on both education and occupation, we observed significant trends indicating higher energy density (P = 0·004) and higher intake of energy (P = 0·001) and sugar (P = 0·04), but less dietary moderation (P = 0·02) with higher SEP. In this sample of US Chinese immigrants, higher SEP as indicated by education level and occupation category was associated with differences in dietary intake and with less dietary moderation. While higher SEP is typically linked to healthier diet in higher-income nations, in these immigrants the association of SEP with diet follows the pattern of their country of origin - a lower-income country undergoing the nutrition transition.

Interventions that improve maternity care for immigrant women in the UK: protocol for a narrative synthesis systematic review.

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Higginbottom, Gina Marie Awoko; Evans, Catrin; Morgan, Myfanwy; Bharj, Kuldip Kaur; Eldridge, Jeanette; Hussain, Basharat

2017-07-12

A quarter of all births in the UK are to mothers born outside the UK. There is also evidence that immigrant women have higher maternal and infant death rates and of inequalities in the provision and uptake of maternity services/birth centres. The topic is of great significance to the National Health Service because of directives that address inequalities and the changing patterns of migration to the UK. Our main question for the systematic review is 'what interventions exist that are specifically focused on improving maternity care for immigrant women in the UK?' The primary objective of this synthesis is to generate new interpretations of research evidence. Second, the synthesis will provide substantive base to guide developments and implementation of maternity services/birth centres which are acceptable and effective for immigrant women in the UK. We are using a narrative synthesis (NS) approach to identify, assess scientific quality and rigour, and synthesise empirical data focused on access and interventions that enhance quality of maternity care/birth centres for the UK immigrant women. The inclusion criteria include: publication date 1990 to present, English language, empirical research and findings are focused on women who live in the UK, participants of the study are immigrant women, is related to maternity care/birth centres access or interventions or experiences of maternity.In order to ensure the robustness of the NS, the methodological quality of key evidence will be appraised using the Center for Evidence-Based Management tools and review confidence with CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research). Two reviewers will independently screen studies and extract relevant evidence. We will synthesise evidence studying relationships between included studies using a range of tools. Dissemination plan includes: an e-workshop for policymakers, collaborative practitioner workshops, YouTube video and APP, scientific papers and

A qualitative study of Filipina immigrants' stress, distress and coping: the impact of their multiple, transnational roles as women.

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Straiton, Melanie L; Ledesma, Heloise Marie L; Donnelly, Tam T

2017-09-05

Migration is associated with a number of stress factors which can affect mental health. Ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status can intertwine with and influence the process of migration and mental health. Philippine migration to Europe has increased in recent years and has become more feminised. Knowing more about the factors that influence immigrants' mental health and coping can help aid health care delivery and policy planning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the contextual factors that influence the mental health of Filipinas living in Norway and their coping strategies. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with fourteen Filipinas 24-49 years, living in Norway. The analysis was informed by the post-colonial feminist perspective in order to examine the process by which gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status interact with contextual factors in these women's lives and influence their wellbeing. Data analysis revealed that all informants experienced some level of stress or distress. Two main factors: Sense of belonging and Securing a future contributed to the women's level of distress associated with living abroad as an immigrant woman. Distress was heighted by the women's multiple, transnational roles they occupied; roles as workers, breadwinners, daughters, wives and mothers. None of the women had sought professional help for their distress. Religion and informal support from friends and family appear to help these women cope with many of the challenges they face as immigrant women living and working abroad. Filipinas face a number of challenges related to their status as immigrant women and the juggling of their transnational lives. Understanding the context of these women's lives may aid the identification of mental health problems. Although the women show resilience and appear to cope successfully, some may benefit from professional help.

Violence in the massage parlor industry: experiences of Canadian-born and immigrant women.

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Bungay, Vicky; Halpin, Michael; Halpin, Peter F; Johnston, Caitlin; Patrick, David M

2012-01-01

We examined and contrasted 129 Canadian-born and immigrant women's experiences of violence and associated structural and interpersonal factors within indoor commercial sex venues. The majority experienced at least one form of structural, interpersonal, or both types of violence, with the attempted removal of a condom during sexual services being cited most frequently. Canadian-born women reported more frequent violent assaults in the survey data. The women's qualitative narratives illustrated that perceptions of violence differed significantly among Canadian versus non-Canadian born women. Findings concerning racialization and gendered relations of power have important implications for prevention and interventions to support victims of abuse.

Consumption of healthy foods and associated socio-demographic factors among Russian, Somali and Kurdish immigrants in Finland.

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Adebayo, Folasade A; Itkonen, Suvi T; Koponen, Päivikki; Prättälä, Ritva; Härkänen, Tommi; Lamberg-Allardt, Christel; Erkkola, Maijaliisa

2017-05-01

We evaluated the consumption of healthy foods among Russian, Somali and Kurdish immigrants in Finland, and examined the relationship between socio-demographic factors and food consumption. We used data from the Migrant Health and Wellbeing Study (Maamu), a population-based health interview and examination survey in six different municipalities in Finland between 2010 and 2012. Altogether, 635 men and 737 women, aged 18-64 years, of Russian ( n = 527), Somali ( n = 337) and Kurdish ( n = 508) origin were included. The important socio-demographic determinants of healthy food consumption - sex, age, education, place of residence and household size - were assessed by logistic regression. Based on the consumption frequencies of recommended healthy foods - fruits, berries, vegetables, fish and rye bread - immigrants of Russian origin had higher consumption of healthy foods than their peers of Kurdish and Somali origin. Low consumption of fresh vegetables, fruits and berries was found among Somali immigrants. Sex and age were the most important determinants of healthy food consumption, as women and older age groups had diets closer to the national nutrition recommendations. High educational level was also positively associated with healthy food consumption. We found ethnic differences in the consumption of healthy foods among the immigrant groups of Russian, Somali and Kurdish origin in Finland. Socio-demographic factors, especially age, sex and education, seem to also play an important role in immigrants' food consumption. Further studies examining the consumption of fruits, berries and fresh vegetables among Somali immigrants in Finland are needed.

Women's Role in the Agricultural Household: Bargaining and Human Capital

OpenAIRE

Schultz, T. Paul

1999-01-01

This paper reviews the methods and empirical findings from economic analyses of women's contribution to social welfare and the determinants of their human capital. To understand better women's roles in agricultural households, three themes have gained prominence in the economics literature. First is the conceptualization of the unified family as coordinator of production and consumption over the lifecycle. Second is the role of separability of production and consumption decisions in the agric...

Pre- to post-immigration sexual risk behaviour and alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants in Miami.

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Berger Cardoso, Jodi; Ren, Yi; Swank, Paul; Sanchez, Mariana; De La Rosa, Mario

2016-10-01

Retrospective pre-immigration data on sexual risk and alcohol use behaviours was collected from 527 recent Latino immigrants to the USA, aged 18-34. Two follow-up assessments (12 months apart) reported on post-immigration behaviours. Using a mixed model growth curve analysis, a six-level sexual risk change variable was constructed combining measures of sexual partners and condom use. The mixed model growth curve was also used to examine associations between changes in sexual risk behaviour and changes in alcohol use and for testing interaction effects of gender and documentation status. Results suggest that individuals with high sexual risk behaviour at pre-immigration converge to low/moderate risk post-immigration, and that those who were sexually inactive or had low sexual risk at pre-immigration increased their risk post-immigration. Individuals with moderately higher initial but decreasing sexual risk behaviour showed the steepest decline in alcohol use, but their drinking at Time 3 was still higher than individuals reporting low sexual risk at Time 1. On average, men drank more than women, except women in one of the highest sexual risk categories at Time 1 - who seemed to drink as much, if not more, than men. Undocumented men reported more frequent drinking than documented men. In contrast, undocumented women reported lower alcohol use than documented women.

Socio-economic determinants of household food security and women's dietary diversity in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

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Harris-Fry, Helen; Azad, Kishwar; Kuddus, Abdul; Shaha, Sanjit; Nahar, Badrun; Hossen, Munir; Younes, Leila; Costello, Anthony; Fottrell, Edward

2015-07-10

There has been limited decline in undernutrition rates in South Asia compared with the rest of Asia and one reason for this may be low levels of household food security. However, the evidence base on the determinants of household food security is limited. To develop policies intended to improve household food security, improved knowledge of the determinants of household food security is required. Household data were collected in 2011 from a randomly selected sample of 2,809 women of reproductive age. The sample was drawn from nine unions in three districts of rural Bangladesh. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to measure the relationship between selected determinants of household food security and months of adequate household food provisioning, and a linear regression to measure the association between the same determinants and women's dietary diversity score. The analyses found that land ownership, adjusted relative risk ratio (RRR) 0.28 (CI 0.18, 0.42); relative wealth (middle tertile 0.49 (0.29, 0.84) and top tertile 0.18 (0.10, 0.33)); women's literacy 0.64 (0.46, 0.90); access to media 0.49 (0.33, 0.72); and women's freedom to access the market 0.56 (0.36, 0.85) all significantly reduced the risk of food insecurity. Larger households increased the risk of food insecurity, adjusted RRR 1.46 (CI 1.02, 2.09). Households with vegetable gardens 0.20 (0.11, 0.31), rich households 0.46 (0.24, 0.68) and literate women 0.37 (0.20, 0.54) were significantly more likely to have better dietary diversity scores. Household food insecurity remains a key public health problem in Bangladesh, with households suffering food shortages for an average of one quarter of the year. Simple survey and analytical methods are able to identify numerous interlinked factors associated with household food security, but wealth and literacy were the only two determinants associated with both improved food security and dietary diversity. We cannot conclude whether improvements in all

Problems in the Latina paradox: measuring social support for pregnant immigrant women from Mexico.

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Fleuriet, K Jill

2009-04-01

Women who have immigrated to the United States from Mexico have better than expected birth outcomes. Part of this apparent health 'paradox' has been explained by high levels of social support which are thought to offset known risk factors for low birth weight. Yet common measures of social support during pregnancy suffer from presumptions of cultural homogeneity and a-priori definitions of meaningful social support. Analysis of qualitative data from ethnographic research with 28 low-income immigrant women from Mexico living in south Texas demonstrates that preferences for certain kinds of social support vary considerably, based on how each woman makes meaning of being pregnant. This diversity is one more piece of evidence that minority cultures cannot be essentialised in health disparities research. By not measuring the diversity of desire for different kinds of support, existing correlations between social support and birth outcomes may obscure other important psychosocial mediators, such as pregnancy-related social status, that could impact birth outcomes. Moreover, a measure of pregnancy-related status may offer a more thorough explanation of the 'protective effect' that could be explored independent of immigrant status.

Women's opinion on the justification of physical spousal violence: A quantitative approach to model the most vulnerable households in Bangladesh.

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Biswas, Raaj Kishore; Rahman, Nusma; Kabir, Enamul; Raihan, Farabi

2017-01-01

Bangladesh is a culturally conservative nation with limited freedom for women. A number of studies have evaluated intimate partner violence (IPV) and spousal physical violence in Bangladesh; however, the views of women have been rarely discussed in a quantitative manner. Three nationwide surveys in Bangladesh (2007, 2011, and 2014) were analyzed in this study to characterize the most vulnerable households, where women themselves accepted spousal physical violence as a general norm. 31.3%, 31.9% and 28.7% women in the surveys found justification for physical violence in household in 2007, 2011 and 2014 respectively. The binary logistic model showed wealth index, education of both women and their partner, religion, geographical division, decision making freedom and marital age as significant household contributors for women's perspective in all the three years. Women in rich households and the highly educated were found to be 40% and 50% less likely to accept domestic physical violence compared to the poorest and illiterate women. Similarly, women who got married before 18 years were 20% more likely accept physical violence in the family as a norm. Apart from these particular groups (richest, highly educated and married after 18 years), other groups had around 30% acceptance rate of household violence. For any successful attempt to reduce spousal physical violence in the traditional patriarchal society of Bangladesh, interventions must target the most vulnerable households and the geographical areas where women experience spousal violence. Although this paper focuses on women's attitudes, it is important that any intervention scheme should be devised to target both men and women.

Women's opinion on the justification of physical spousal violence: A quantitative approach to model the most vulnerable households in Bangladesh.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raaj Kishore Biswas

Full Text Available Bangladesh is a culturally conservative nation with limited freedom for women. A number of studies have evaluated intimate partner violence (IPV and spousal physical violence in Bangladesh; however, the views of women have been rarely discussed in a quantitative manner. Three nationwide surveys in Bangladesh (2007, 2011, and 2014 were analyzed in this study to characterize the most vulnerable households, where women themselves accepted spousal physical violence as a general norm. 31.3%, 31.9% and 28.7% women in the surveys found justification for physical violence in household in 2007, 2011 and 2014 respectively. The binary logistic model showed wealth index, education of both women and their partner, religion, geographical division, decision making freedom and marital age as significant household contributors for women's perspective in all the three years. Women in rich households and the highly educated were found to be 40% and 50% less likely to accept domestic physical violence compared to the poorest and illiterate women. Similarly, women who got married before 18 years were 20% more likely accept physical violence in the family as a norm. Apart from these particular groups (richest, highly educated and married after 18 years, other groups had around 30% acceptance rate of household violence. For any successful attempt to reduce spousal physical violence in the traditional patriarchal society of Bangladesh, interventions must target the most vulnerable households and the geographical areas where women experience spousal violence. Although this paper focuses on women's attitudes, it is important that any intervention scheme should be devised to target both men and women.

Economic crisis, immigrant women and changing availability of intimate partner violence services: a qualitative study of professionals' perceptions in Spain.

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Briones-Vozmediano, Erica; Agudelo-Suarez, Andres A; Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen

2014-09-10

Since 2008, Spain has been in the throes of an economic crisis. This recession particularly affects the living conditions of vulnerable populations, and has also led to a reversal in social policies and a reduction in resources. In this context, the aim of this study was to explore intimate partner violence (IPV) service providers' perceptions of the impact of the current economic crisis on these resources in Spain and on their capacity to respond to immigrant women's needs experiencing IPV. A qualitative study was performed based on 43 semi-structured in-depth interviews to social workers, psychologists, intercultural mediators, judges, lawyers, police officers and health professionals from different services dealing with IPV (both, public and NGO's) and cities in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Alicante) in 2011. Transcripts were imported into qualitative analysis software (Atlas.ti), and analysed using qualitative content analysis. We identified four categories related to the perceived impact of the current economic crisis: a) "Immigrant women have it harder now", b) "IPV and immigration resources are the first in line for cuts", c) " Fewer staff means a less effective service" and d) "Equality and IPV policies are no longer a government priority". A cross-cutting theme emerged from these categories: immigrant women are triply affected; by IPV, by the crisis, and by structural violence. The professionals interviewed felt that present resources in Spain are insufficient to meet the needs of immigrant women, and that the situation might worsen in the future.

"They See Us As Machines:" The Experience of Recent Immigrant Women in the Low Wage Informal Labor Sector.

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Panikkar, Bindu; Brugge, Doug; Gute, David M; Hyatt, Raymond R

2015-01-01

This study explores the organization of work and occupational health risk as elicited from recently immigrated women (n = 8) who have been in the US for less than three years and employed in informal work sectors such as cleaning and factory work in the greater Boston area in Massachusetts. Additional interviews (n = 8) with Community Key Informants with knowledge of this sector and representatives of temporary employment agencies in the area provides further context to the interviews conducted with recent immigrant women. These results were also compared with our immigrant occupational health survey, a large project that spawned this study. Responses from the study participants suggest health outcomes consistent with being a day-laborer scholarship, new immigrant women are especially at higher risk within these low wage informal work sectors. A difference in health experiences based on ethnicity and occupation was also observed. Low skilled temporary jobs are fashioned around meeting the job performance expectations of the employer; the worker's needs are hardly addressed, resulting in low work standards, little worker protection and poor health outcomes. The rising prevalence of non-standard employment or informal labor sector requires that policies or labor market legislation be revised to meet the needs presented by these marginalized workers.

Food choices and practices during pregnancy of immigrant and Aboriginal women in Canada: a study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Higginbottom Gina MA

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Facilitating the provision of appropriate health care for immigrant and Aboriginal populations in Canada is critical for maximizing health potential and well-being. Numerous reports describe heightened risks of poor maternal and birth outcomes for immigrant and Aboriginal women. Many of these outcomes may relate to food consumption/practices and thus may be obviated through provision of resources which suit the women's ethnocultural preferences. This project aims to understand ethnocultural food and health practices of Aboriginal and immigrant women, and how these intersect with respect to the legacy of Aboriginal colonialism and to the social contexts of cultural adaptation and adjustment of immigrants. The findings will inform the development of visual tools for health promotion by practitioners. Methods/Design This four-phase study employs a case study design allowing for multiple means of data collection and different units of analysis. Phase 1 consists of a scoping review of the literature. Phases 2 and 3 incorporate pictorial representations of food choices (photovoice in Phase 2 with semi-structured photo-elicited interviews (in Phase 3. The findings from Phases 1-3 and consultations with key stakeholders will generate key understandings for Phase 4, the production of culturally appropriate visual tools. For the scoping review, an emerging methodological framework will be utilized in addition to systematic review guidelines. A research librarian will assist with the search strategy and retrieval of literature. For Phases 2 and 3, recruitment of 20-24 women will be facilitated by team member affiliations at perinatal clinics in one of the city's most diverse neighbourhoods. The interviews will reveal culturally normative practices surrounding maternal food choices and consumption, including how women negotiate these practices within their own worldview and experiences. A structured and comprehensive integrated knowledge

Application of the Putting Women First protocol in a study on violence against immigrant women in Spain.

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Torrubiano-Domínguez, Jordi; Vives-Cases, Carmen

2013-01-01

In this paper, we describe our experience of using the Putting Women First protocol in the design and implementation of a cross-sectional study on violence against women (VAW) among 1607 immigrant women from Morocco, Ecuador and Romania living in Spain in 2011. The Putting Women First protocol is an ethical guideline for VAW research, which includes recommendations to ensure the safety of the women involved in studies on this subject. The response rate in this study was 59.3%. The prevalence of VAW cases last year was 11.7%, of which 15.6% corresponded to Ecuadorian women, 10.9% to Moroccan women and 8.6% to Romanian women. We consider that the most important goal for future research is the use of VAW scales validated in different languages, which would help to overcome the language barriers encountered in this study. Copyright © 2012 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Culture and sun exposure in immigrant East Asian women living in Australia.

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Jang, Haeyoung; Koo, Fung Kuen; Ke, Liang; Clemson, Lindy; Cant, Rosemary; Fraser, David R; Seibel, Marcus J; Tseng, Marilyn; Mpofu, Elias; Mason, Rebecca S; Brock, Kaye

2013-01-01

In this qualitative study, researchers examined cultural and attitudinal factors that might be related to sun-exposure behaviors among East Asian women living in Australia. Researchers asked Chinese (n = 20) and Korean (n = 16) immigrant women who participated in a larger cross-sectional quantitative study of vitamin D blood levels to volunteer to participate in an in-depth interview in 2010. These women reported a number of cultural factors related to their attitudes and behaviors with regard to sun exposure. They expressed preference for fair skin, a tradition of covering skin when outdoors, and no sunbathing culture. They believed that fair skin was more beautiful than tanned skin. They reported that beauty was the reason for active avoidance of sunlight exposure. Although they reported knowledge of the need for sun avoidance due to skin cancer risk, few reported knowledge about the benefits of sun exposure for adequate vitamin D levels. These findings may provide some reasons for vitamin D deficiency previously reported in these populations. Thus, researchers recommend that these attitudes of excessive sun protection and limiting sun exposure be further investigated as they may have implications for planning and delivery of health promotion programs to this growing population of immigrants in Australia.

Stop stunting: improving child feeding, women's nutrition and household sanitation in South Asia.

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Aguayo, Víctor M; Menon, Purnima

2016-05-01

The latest available data indicate that 38% of South Asia's children aged 0-59 months are stunted. Such high prevalence combined with the region's large child population explain why South Asia bears about 40% of the global burden of stunting. Recent analyses indicate that the poor diets of children in the first years of life, the poor nutrition of women before and during pregnancy and the prevailing poor sanitation practices in households and communities are important drivers of stunting, most likely because of underlying conditions of women's status, food insecurity, poverty, and social inequalities. With this evidence in mind, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia convened the Regional Conference: Stop Stunting: Improving Child Feeding, Women's Nutrition, and Household Sanitation in South Asia (New Delhi, November 10-12, 2014). The Conference provided a knowledge-for-action platform with three objectives: (1) share state-of-the-art research findings on the causes of child stunting and its consequences for child growth and development and the sustainable growth and development of nations; (2) discuss better practices and the cost and benefits of scaling up programmes to improve child feeding, women's nutrition, and household sanitation in South Asia; and (3) identify implications for sectoral and cross-sectoral policy, programme, advocacy and research to accelerate progress in reducing child stunting in South Asia. This overview paper summarizes the rationale for the focus on improving child feeding, women's nutrition, and household sanitation as priority areas for investment to prevent child stunting in South Asia. It builds on the invited papers presented at or developed as a follow on to the Stop Stunting Conference. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A PRECEDE-PROCEED based educational intervention in quality of life of women-headed households in Iran.

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Solhi, Mahnaz; Shabani Hamedan, Marziyeh; Salehi, Masoud

2016-01-01

Background: Women-headed households are more exposed to social damages than other women. Such condition remarkably influences the women's health-related life quality. The present study is aimed to investigate the effect of an educational intervention in quality of life of women-headed households under protection of Tehran Welfare Organization, in 2015. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study with control group, 180 women-headed households participated. Sampling method was random allocation. Data collection tools were Life Quality standard questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and a researcher-made questionnaire about structures of ecological and educational diagnosis phase of PRECEDE-PROCEED model. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire approved in a primary study. Based on the results obtained from the primary study, the intervention was performed in the case group only. Participants were followed one and three months after intervention. Data were analyzed through SPSS v. 15 software using descriptive and analytical tests. Results: Before intervention no significant difference was observed among the mean scores of life quality, behavioral factors, and knowledge, enabling, and reinforcing factors in the two groups. But, one month and three months after intervention a significant difference was observed between the mean scores of these variables (in five instances pquality of life. The innovation of this study is using such intervention on quality of life in women-headed households for the first time.

Episiotomy and severe perineal trauma among Eastern African immigrant women giving birth in public maternity care: A population based study in Victoria, Australia.

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Belihu, Fetene B; Small, Rhonda; Davey, Mary-Ann

2017-08-01

Eastern African immigrants from countries affected by female genital mutilation have resettled in many developed countries, including Australia. Although possibly at risk of perineal trauma and episiotomy, research investigating their perineal status post-migration is sparse. To investigate variations in episiotomy use and incidence of severe perineal tear for women born in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan compared with Australian-born women. A population-based study of 203,206 Australian-born and 3502 Eastern African immigrant women admitted as public patients, with singleton vaginal births between 1999 and 2007, was conducted using the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders selected a priori, were performed to compute incidence and adjusted odds ratios. Overall, 30.5% Eastern African immigrants had episiotomy compared to 17.2% Australian-born women. Severe perineal trauma occurred in 2.1% of Eastern African immigrants and 1.6% of Australian-born women. While the odds of severe perineal trauma was significantly elevated only during non-instrumental vaginal births for Eastern African immigrants {OR adj 1.56 95%CI(1.17, 2.12)}; that of episiotomy was increased during both non-instrumental {OR adj 4.47 95%CI(4.10, 4.88)} and instrumental {OR adj 2.51 95%CI(1.91, 3.29)} vaginal births. Overall, Eastern African immigrant women experienced elevated odds of episiotomy and severe perineal tear. Health care providers need to be mindful of the increased risk of severe perineal tear in these women and enhance efforts in identification and treatment of severe perineal trauma to minimise associated short and long term morbidity. Strategies to reduce unneeded episiotomy and ways of enhancing perineal safety are also needed. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Household Financial Management and Women's Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence in the Philippines: A Study Using Propensity Score Methods.

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Tsai, Laura Cordisco

2016-04-27

This study explores the causal impact of independent management of household finances upon women's experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Philippines. Propensity score matching is used to generate a casual estimate of the impact of women's roles as household financial managers on their experiences of IPV. Findings demonstrate that managing household finances independently significantly increased the severity of IPV women experienced from their partners compared with women who managed finances jointly with partners. Findings reinforce the importance of explicit attention to intrahousehold power dynamics and gender norms in the implementation of microfinance interventions intended to empower women. © The Author(s) 2016.

Incidence of myocardial infarction among Swedish and immigrant smoking women: can physical activity modify the risk? An epidemiological study on the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study.

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Nayak, Raj Kumar; Zdravkovic, Slobodan; Janzon, Ellis

2013-11-01

Sweden has shown a decreasing tendency in the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), except among middle-aged women. The incidence among middle-aged immigrant women is less explored. To determine if foreign-born women have a higher risk of MI as compared to women born in Sweden. Furthermore, to examine if physical activity (PA) modifies the risk of MI regardless of immigration status and smoking habits. The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study was used for analyses. A total of 16,776 women aged 45-73 years participated. The mean follow-up time was 13.8±4 years. Mean age was 57.4±7.9 years. No difference was found in incidence of MI between Swedish and immigrant women (p=0.72). For current smokers among Swedish women, the relative risk (RR) with no/low PA was 2.93 (95% CI 2.07-4.14) and with moderate/high PA, the RR was 2.21 (95% CI 1.61-3.03) with no/low PA-never smoker as the reference group. Among immigrant smoking women, the RR with no/low PA was 4.56 (95% CI 1.62-12.8) and with moderate/high PA, the RR was 3.27 (95% CI 1.21-8.84) with no/low PA-never smoker as the reference group. PA reduces the risk of MI in non-smokers as well as in smokers, regardless of immigration status. Furthermore, PA was even more beneficial for women born outside Sweden. Against this background, immigrant women ought to get special consideration and attention from both caregivers and public health workers.

Health-Related Quality of Life, Subjective Health Complaints, Psychological Distress and Coping in Pakistani Immigrant Women With and Without the Metabolic Syndrome : The InnvaDiab-DEPLAN Study on Pakistani Immigrant Women Living in Oslo, Norway.

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Hjellset, Victoria Telle; Ihlebæk, Camilla M; Bjørge, Benedikte; Eriksen, Hege R; Høstmark, Arne T

2011-08-01

The increasingly high number of immigrants from South-East Asia with The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is an important challenge for the public health sector. Impaired glucose is essential in MetS. The blood glucose concentration is not only governed by diet and physical activity, but also by psychological distress which could contribute to the development of MetS. The aim of this study is to describe health-related quality of life, subjective health complaints (SHC), psychological distress, and coping in Pakistani immigrant women, with and without MetS. As a part of an randomized controlled intervention study in Oslo, Norway, female Pakistani immigrants (n = 198) answered questionnaires regarding health related quality of life, SHC, psychological distress, and coping. Blood variables were determined and a standardized oral glucose tolerance test was performed. The participants had a high score on SHC and psychological distress. About 40% of the participants had MetS, and this group showed significantly lower general health, lower physical function, and more bodily pain, than those without MetS. Those with MetS also had more SHC, depressive symptoms, higher levels of somatisation, and scored significantly lower on the coping strategy of active problem solving. Pakistani immigrant women seem to have a high prevalence of SHC and psychological distress, especially those with MetS.

Divorce and immigration: the social integration of immigrant divorcees in Israel.

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Damian, N

1985-12-01

This paper attempts to supply information on what motivated some 7000 Jewish divorcees to leave their countries of origin in the last decade and settle in Israel. The study also examines the differences in social integration of immigrant divorcees who came to Israel from different political systems--authoritarian or democratic regimes. Finally, the study examines the extent to which immigrant divorcees, who generally arrive in Israel with children, are to be considered as a "high risk" social group requiring special attention and particular aid. Of the 287,487 immigrants aged 15 years and over who arrived in Israel between 1970-1980, 53.7% were women (sex ratio: 860 males per 1000 females), and 3.6% were divorced. The findings indicate that there are significant differences between divorcees from Anglophone and Eastern European countries in their motivation for immigrating to Israel. The former decide to immigrate primarily for individual reasons--generally after divorce--expecting that immigration will increase chances of remarriage. In contrast, those who came from Eastern Europe are motivated by political, economic, and ideological reasons; the issue of immigration often sparks the divorce crisis. Divorcees from Anglophone countries are less socially isolated, more likely to meet veteran Israelis, and more satisfied with their life in Israel. Eastern European divorcees usually restrict their social contact to encounters with other immigrants from their country of origin, are less satisfied with their life in Israel, and feel themselves more isolated and frustrated. Despite the difficulties encountered by this group, it was found that there are no marked differences between divorcees and married immigrant women in social integration. In Israel, immigrant divorcees cannot be considered as a "high risk" social group.

After many years, I was deported. Identifying and\tdeportation process of non-criminal immigrant women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Rocha Romero

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In United States, immigration laws punish with greater severity to non-criminal illegal immigrants. The fight against terrorism and the economic crisis gave impetus to the greatest punishment of all: deportation. Based on ten interviews with not offenders women deported in Tijuana, it was found that arrests involved more and more local police, promoting more insecure places for them; it was also found that in the process of arrest to deport, random or chance encounter is present.

“Columns of the House” and Proud Workers: Greek Immigrant Women in Vancouver, 1954-1975

OpenAIRE

Kalogeropoulou, Maria

2015-01-01

In this thesis, I study the experiences of eight first-generation Greek immigrant women who moved to Vancouver between 1954 and 1975 by listening to and contextualizing their oral life histories. Looking at their lives before they immigrated, I explore how these women’s gender experiences were very much shaped by religion, class, and rural vis-à-vis urban locations in Greece. I also demonstrate that many exercised agency in this patriarchal culture, and that they were part of the decision-mak...

Household food insecurity, diet quality, and weight status among indigenous women (Mah Meri) in Peninsular Malaysia.

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Pei, Chong Su; Appannah, Geeta; Sulaiman, Norhasmah

2018-04-01

This cross-sectional study assessed household food security status and determined its association with diet quality and weight status among indigenous women from the Mah Meri tribe in Peninsular Malaysia. The Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument and the Malaysian Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were used to assess household food security status and diet quality, respectively. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and 24-hour dietary recall data were collected through face-to-face interview, and anthropometric measurements including weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from 222 women. Majority of households (82.9%) experienced different levels of food insecurity: 29.3% household food insecurity, 23.4% individual food insecurity, and 30.2% fell into the child hunger group. The food-secure group had significantly fewer children and smaller household sizes than the food-insecure groups ( P diet, while food insecurity at the household level was associated with higher body weight. Therefore, a substantial effort by all stakeholders is warranted to improve food insecurity among poorer households. The results suggest a pressing need for nutritional interventions to improve dietary intake among low income households.

Sex Education and Cultural Values: Experiences and Attitudes of Latina Immigrant Women

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Villar, Maria Elena; Concha, Maritza

2012-01-01

The paper aims to further explore the role that culture plays in the provision and assimilation of sex education among Latina immigrants in the USA. To accomplish this, researchers conducted focus groups and interviews with 30 women from Central and South America who have lived in the USA for at least five years. Participants were asked to reflect…

Household food insecurity is associated with low interferon-gamma levels in pregnant Indian women.

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Vaidya, A; Bhosale, R; Sambarey, P; Suryavanshi, N; Young, S; Mave, V; Kanade, S; Kulkarni, V; Deshpande, P; Balasubramanian, U; Elf, J; Gupte, N; Gupta, A; Mathad, J S

2017-07-01

Over 20% of tuberculosis (TB) cases during pregnancy occur in India. To determine the association between household food insecurity and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels in pregnancy. Pregnant women in India were administered the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) questionnaire and underwent an IFN-γ release assay. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with food insecurity. Of 538 women, 60 (11%) had household food insecurity, 47 (78%) of which were moderate or severe food insecure. After mitogen stimulation, moderate or severe food insecure women had a median IFN-γ concentration of 4.2 IU/ml (IQR 2.2-9.8) vs. 8.4 IU/ml (IQR 3.0-10) in women with no or mild food insecurity (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, higher IFN-γ concentrations were associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection (OR 1.3, 95%CI 0.51-2.1, P = 0.001), and inversely associated with moderate or severe food insecurity (OR -1.6, 95%CI -2.9 to -0.27, P = 0.02) and the number of adults in the household (OR -0.08, 95%CI -0.16 to -0.01, P = 0.03). There was no association between food insecurity and IFN-γ response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen. Food insecurity in pregnancy is associated with low IFN-γ levels. There was no association between food insecurity and IFN-γ response to M. tuberculosis antigen, but our study was underpowered to detect this outcome.

Transforming gender relations through the market: Smallholder milk market participation and women's intra-household bargaining power in Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lenjiso, B.M.; Ruben, R.; Smits, J.P.J.M.

2016-01-01

We study the relationship between smallholder milk market participation and women's intra-household bargaining position in Ethiopia, using a quasi-experiment and propensity score matching. In market participant households, milk income is higher and its control has shifted from women to men. Our data

Women's Land Tenure Security and Household Human Capital: Evidence from Ethiopia's Land Certification.

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Muchomba, Felix M

2017-10-01

This paper examines the impact of Ethiopia's gendered land certification programs on household consumption of healthcare, food, education, and clothing. Ethiopia embarked on a land tenure reform program in 1998, after years of communism during which all land was nationalized. The reform began in Tigray region where land certificates were issued to household heads, who were primarily male. In a second phase carried out in 2003-2005, three other regions issued land certificates jointly to household heads and spouses, presenting variation in land tenure security by gender. Results using household panel data show that joint land certification to spouses was accompanied by increased household consumption of healthcare and homegrown food and decreased education expenditure, compared to household-head land certification. Joint land certification was also accompanied by increased consumption of women's and girls' clothing, and decreased men's clothing expenditures indicating results may be explained by a shift in the gender balance of power within households. Analysis on the incidence and duration of illness indicates that increased healthcare expenditures after joint land certification may be due to joint certification households seeking more effective treatment than head-only certification households for household members who fell ill or suffered injuries.

Factors affecting the use of prenatal and postnatal care by women of non-western immigrant origin in industrialized western countries.

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Boerleider, A.W.; Devillé, W.L.J.M.; Francke, A.L.; Wiegers, T.A.

2011-01-01

Background: In many industrialized western countries immigrants constitute a substantial part of the population, which is also seen in the prenatal and postnatal care client population. Research in several industrialized western countries has shown that women of non-western immigrant origin make

The Cultural Voice of Immigrant Latina Women and the Meaning of Femininity

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Ellen Greer

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This phenomenological study investigates the cultural meaning of femininity to immigrant Latina women and its significance in the consideration of decisions related to maintaining breast health. Theories of culture and health promotion support the concern for women’s need for access to health care in relation to breast health and the cultural barriers that interface between the connections of femininity, body image, and mental health. For Hispanic women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer generating distress for the individual, partner, and family. The importance of best practices in health promotion and risk reduction strategies in the early screening of women is emphasized in the literature. However, the voice of immigrant Latina women in describing their perspective of femininity and breast health and how it may affect choice and decision making related to breast self-care practices has not been studied. Five themes emerged from the data analysis conducted with Giorgi’s phenomenological method leading to an unfolded description of femininity: power of feminine identity through motherhood, hardiness is sustainability to overcoming adversity, connection to self and others, satisfaction meeting cultural gender-role expectations, and contemplative prevention to maintain breast integrity. The findings of this study will contribute to the increasing body of evidence-based practice related to understanding the impact of culture related to breast health. While the concept of femininity can be challenged not only by a diagnosis of breast cancer but also by other diseases and life conditions, understanding the cultural meaning of femininity to Latina women is pivotal to health care professionals as they partner with Latina women and community support groups to develop empowerment strategies and programs that promote choice and decision making involving breast health.

How discrimination and stress affects self-esteem among Dominican immigrant women: an exploratory study.

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Panchanadeswaran, Subadra; Dawson, Beverly Araujo

2011-01-01

Understanding the factors that contribute to the health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities in the United States is very important given the growing Latina population. Although researchers have investigated the health and mental health status among Latinas, the relationship between mental health and self-esteem has not been given a lot of attention. Given that self-esteem is a proxy for mental health status, investigations exploring the factors that can negatively affect self-esteem are needed. Therefore, the current study examined the influence of discrimination and stress on self-esteem among Dominican immigrant women. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 235 immigrant Dominican women in New York City. Women (age 18-49 years) and in the United States for fewer than 20 years were more likely to report experiencing discrimination compared to women older than age 50 years and in the United States for more than 20 years. After controlling for age, time in the United States, educational level, and income, high levels of discrimination (-0.09, p < 0.01) and stress (-0.69, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with reduced self-esteem. Interventions with Latino/a populations, especially women, need to acknowledge their individual evaluations of the discriminatory and stressful experiences that negatively influence their self-esteem and subsequently their mental health status.

Contribution of Forest Restoration to Rural Livelihoods and Household Income in Indonesia

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Nayu Nuringdati Widianingsih

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Forest resources remain vital to the survival of many rural communities, though the level of forest reliance varies across a range of sites and socio-economic settings. This article investigates variation in forest utilization across households in three ethnic groups living near a forest restoration area in Sumatra, Indonesia. Survey data were collected on 268 households, with a four-month recall period and three repeat visits to each selected household within a year. Random sampling was applied to select households in five villages and five Batin Sembilan (indigenous semi-nomadic groups. Sampled households belonged to three ethnic groups: 15% were Batin Sembilan, 40% Local Malayan, and 45% Immigrant households. Indigenous households displayed the highest reliance on forests: 36% of their annual total income came from this source, as compared with 10% and 8% for Local and Immigrant households, respectively. Our findings showed that the livelihoods of indigenous groups were still intricately linked with forest resources, despite a rapid landscape-wide transition from natural forest to oil palm and timber plantations.

A Peer Health Educator Program for Breast Cancer Screening Promotion: Arabic, Chinese, South Asian, and Vietnamese Immigrant Women's Perspectives.

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Crawford, Joanne; Frisina, Angela; Hack, Tricia; Parascandalo, Faye

2015-01-01

This study explored Arabic, Chinese, South Asian, and Vietnamese immigrant women's experiences with a peer health educator program, a public health program that facilitated access to breast health information and mammography screening. Framed within critical social theory, this participatory action research project took place from July 2009 to January 2011. Ten focus groups and 14 individual interviews were conducted with 82 immigrant women 40 years of age and older. Qualitative methods were utilized. Thematic content analysis derived from grounded theory and other qualitative literature was employed to analyze data. Four dominant themes emerged: Breast Cancer Prevention focused on learning within the program, Social Support provided by the peer health educator and other women, Screening Services Access for Women centered on service provision, and Program Enhancements related to specific modifications required to meet the needs of immigrant women accessing the program. The findings provide insights into strategies used to promote breast health, mammography screening, and the improvement of public health programming. Perceived barriers that continue to persist are structural barriers, such as the provision of information on breast cancer and screening by family physicians. A future goal is to improve collaborations between public health and primary care to minimize this barrier.

An Exploration of How Marital Expectations and Socio-Economic Status Impact Post-Secondary Educational and Professional Goals of Northern California Asian Indian Immigrant Women

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Bhatia, Aparna

2013-01-01

This phenomenological study explored the impact of marital expectations and socio-economic status on post-secondary educational and professional goals of Northern California Asian Indian immigrant women both before and after marriage. For the purposes of this study, 15 Southeast Asian Indian immigrant women from the Sacramento metropolitan region…

Carbon Monoxide Epidemic Among Immigrant Populations: King County, Washington, 2006

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Kwan-Gett, Tao; Hampson, Neil B.; Baer, Atar; Shusterman, Dennis; Shandro, Jamie R.; Duchin, Jeffrey S.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We investigated an outbreak of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning after a power outage to determine its extent, identify risk factors, and develop prevention measures. Methods. We reviewed medical records and medical examiner reports of patients with CO poisoning or related symptoms during December 15 to 24, 2006. We grouped patients into households exposed concurrently to a single source of CO. Results. Among 259 patients with CO poisoning, 204 cases were laboratory confirmed, 37 were probable, 10 were suspected, and 8 were fatal. Of 86 households studied, 58% (n = 50) were immigrant households from Africa (n = 21), Asia (n = 15), Latin America (n = 10), and the Middle East (n = 4); 34% (n = 29) were US-born households. One percent of households was European (n = 1), and the origin for 7% (n = 6) was unknown. Charcoal was the most common fuel source used among immigrant households (82%), whereas liquid fuel was predominant among US-born households (34%). Conclusions. Educational campaigns to prevent CO poisoning should consider immigrants’ cultural practices and languages and specifically warn against burning charcoal indoors and incorrect ventilation of gasoline- or propane-powered electric generators. PMID:19608962

Suicidality of young ethnic minority women with an Immigrant background: The role of autonomy

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van Bergen, D.D.; Saharso, S.

2015-01-01

Ethnic minority status and female gender convey a risk for suicidal behavior, yet research of suicidality of ethnic minority female immigrants is scarce. The authors of this article conducted qualitative interviews with 15 young women (of four ethnicities) in the Netherlands, who either had

Suicidality of young ethnic minority women with an immigrant background : The role of autonomy

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van Bergen, Diana D.; Saharso, Sawitri

Ethnic minority status and female gender convey a risk for suicidal behavior, yet research of suicidality of ethnic minority female immigrants is scarce. The authors of this article conducted qualitative interviews with 15 young women (of four ethnicities) in the Netherlands, who either had

Household location choices: implications for biodiversity conservation.

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Peterson, M Nils; Chen, Xiaodong; Liu, Jianguo

2008-08-01

Successful conservation efforts require understanding human behaviors that directly affect biodiversity. Choice of household location represents an observable behavior that has direct effects on biodiversity conservation, but no one has examined the sociocultural predictors of this choice relative to its environmental impacts. We conducted a case study of the Teton Valley of Idaho and Wyoming (U.S.A.) that (1) explored relationships between sociodemographic variables, environmental attitudes, and the environmental impact of household location choices, (2) assessed the potential for small household sizes in natural areas to multiply the environmental impacts of household location decisions, and (3) evaluated how length of residency predicted the environmental attitudes of people living in natural areas. We collected sociodemographic data, spatial coordinates, and land-cover information in a survey of 416 households drawn from a random sample of Teton Valley residents (95% compliance rate). Immigrants (respondents not born in the study area) with the lowest education levels and least environmentally oriented attitudes lived in previously established residential areas in disproportionately high numbers, and older and more educated immigrants with the most environmentally oriented attitudes lived in natural areas in disproportionately high numbers. Income was not a significant predictor of household location decisions. Those living in natural areas had more environmental impact per person because of the location and because small households (educated, and potentially growing more environmentally oriented, these patterns are troubling for biodiversity conservation. Our results demonstrate a need for environmentalists to make household location decisions that reflect their environmental attitudes and future research to address how interactions between education level, environmental attitudes, population aging, and household location choices influence biodiversity

The Relationship between Print Literacy, Acculturation, and Acculturative Stress among Mexican Immigrant Women

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Cintron, Alexander Modesto

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine print literacy, acculturation, and acculturative stress among one-hundred and six Mexican immigrant women participating in a family literacy program. The two hypotheses were: (1.) There is a relationship between (a) print literacy as measured by the Print Literacy Questionnaire and (b) acculturation as…

Trabecular bone deficits among Vietnamese immigrants.

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Melton, L J; Marquez, M A; McCready, L K; Achenbach, S J; Riggs, B L; Amin, S; Khosla, S

2011-05-01

Compared to white women, lower areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in middle-aged Vietnamese immigrants is due to reduced trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), which in turn is associated with greater trabecular separation along with lower estrogen levels. The epidemiology of osteoporosis in Asian populations is still poorly known, but we previously found a deficit in lumbar spine aBMD among postmenopausal Southeast Asian women, compared to white women, that persisted after correction for bone size. This issue was revisited using more sophisticated imaging techniques. Twenty Vietnamese immigrants (age, 44-79 years) were compared to 162 same-aged white women with respect to aBMD at the hip, spine and wrist, vBMD at the hip and spine by quantitative computed tomography and vBMD and bone microstructure at the ultradistal radius by high-resolution pQCT. Bone turnover and sex steroid levels were assessed in a subset (20 Vietnamese and 40 white women). The aBMD was lower at all sites among the Vietnamese women, but femoral neck vBMD did not differ from middle-aged white women. Significant differences in lumbar spine and ultradistal radius vBMD in the Vietnamese immigrants were due to lower trabecular vBMD, which was associated with increased trabecular separation. Bone resorption was elevated and bone formation depressed among the Vietnamese immigrants, although trends were not statistically significant. Serum estradiol was positively associated with trabecular vBMD in the Vietnamese women, but their estrogen levels were dramatically lower compared to white women. Although reported discrepancies in aBMD among Asian women are mainly an artifact of smaller bone size, we identified a specific deficit in the trabecular bone among a sample of Vietnamese immigrants that may be related to low estrogen levels and which needs further study.

What Participatory Photography Can Tell Us about Immigrant and Refugee Women's Learning in Atlantic Canada

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Brigham, Susan M.; Baillie Abidi, Catherine; Zhang, Yuhui

2018-01-01

Migration is a gendered phenomenon, embedded within patriarchal structures and social relations that extend beyond State borders. We draw on a transnational feminist framework to explore the gendered dimensions of young refugee and immigrant women's migration and learning experiences. Ten women were involved in a participatory photography research…

Barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening among Pakistani and Somali immigrant women in Oslo: a qualitative study

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Gele AA

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abdi A Gele,1,2 Samera A Qureshi,1 Prabhjot Kour,1 Bernadette Kumar,1 Esperanza Diaz1,3 1Norwegian Center for Minority Health Research, 2Department of Health, Institute of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo; 3Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway Abstract: Norway has a low incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer, which is mainly due to the high participation rate of women in cervical cancer screening. However, the attendance of cervical cancer screening was reported to be low among immigrant women. For this reason, we conducted a qualitative study to obtain better insight into perceived barriers and challenges to cervical cancer screening among Somali and Pakistani women in the Oslo region. A convenient sample of 35 (18 Pakistani, 17 Somali women were recruited for the study in collaboration with Somali and Pakistani community partners. Focus group discussions were used to explore barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, whereas the Ecological Model was used as the framework for the study. The study found three levels of barriers to cervical cancer screening. The individual level included a lack of understanding of the benefits of the screening. The sociocultural level included the stigma attached to the disease and the belief that women who are unmarried are sexually inactive. The system-related level included a lack of trust toward the health care system. Based on the study results, and using a common denominator approach for the immigrant groups included, the study recommends three communication strategies with the potential to improve women’s participation in cervical cancer screening: 1 in-person communication and information material at health centers; 2 verbal communication with women through seminars and workshops to educate them about their risk of cancer and the importance of screening and 3 the initiation of better recall

A Qualitative Study of Breast Reconstruction Decision-Making among Asian Immigrant Women Living in the United States.

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Fu, Rose; Chang, Michelle Milee; Chen, Margaret; Rohde, Christine Hsu

2017-02-01

Despite research supporting improved psychosocial well-being, quality of life, and survival for patients undergoing postmastectomy breast reconstruction, Asian patients remain one-fifth as likely as Caucasians to choose reconstruction. This study investigates cultural factors, values, and perceptions held by Asian women that might impact breast reconstruction rates. The authors conducted semistructured interviews of immigrant East Asian women treated for breast cancer in the New York metropolitan area, investigating social structure, culture, attitudes toward surgery, and body image. Three investigators independently coded transcribed interviews, and then collectively evaluated them through axial coding of recurring themes. Thirty-five immigrant East Asian women who underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer were interviewed. Emerging themes include functionality, age, perceptions of plastic surgery, inconvenience, community/family, fear of implants, language, and information. Patients spoke about breasts as a function of their roles as a wife or mother, eliminating the need for breasts when these roles were fulfilled. Many addressed the fear of multiple operations. Quality and quantity of information, and communication with practitioners, impacted perceptions about treatment. Reconstructive surgery was often viewed as cosmetic. Community and family played a significant role in decision-making. Asian women are statistically less likely than Caucasians to pursue breast reconstruction. This is the first study to investigate culture-specific perceptions of breast reconstruction. Results from this study can be used to improve cultural competency in addressing patient concerns. Improving access to information regarding treatment options and surgical outcomes may improve informed decision-making among immigrant Asian women.

Psychological distress is associated with inadequate dietary intake in Vietnamese marriage immigrant women in Korea.

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Hwang, Ji-Yun; Lee, Sang Eun; Kim, Sun Hye; Chung, Hye Won; Kim, Wha Young

2010-05-01

Previous studies have reported that the nutritional status of Vietnamese female marriage immigrants in Korea is inadequate. And the mediation of acculturation stress can contribute to problems in their eating practices and dietary intakes. This study examines an association between psychological distress and inadequate dietary intake in Vietnamese female marriage immigrants living in Korea. A cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data (n=570) from the Cohort of Intermarried Women in Korea. Daily nutrient intakes were compared according to the quartiles of distress scores assessed by the Psychological Well-Being Index-Short Form. One-way analysis of variance and chi(2) tests were used to compare eating practices and nutrient intake across quartiles of psychological distress. Subjects in the highest stress scores were more likely to skip breakfast and to change their dietary habits after living in Korea than those in groups with low stress scores. Analyses of the subjects' Mini Dietary Assessments revealed that those with the highest stress scores were less likely to consume milk or dairy products, eat regular meals, or have balanced diets than those with the lowest stress scores. Nutrient intakes were found to be inadequate in the subjects, and those with the highest stress scores showed lower consumptions of energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, calcium, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, and folate compared to those with the lowest scores. The prevalence of underweight (body mass index [calculated as kg/m(2)] Korea was negatively associated with dietary intake. These findings can assist dietetics practitioners working with minority immigrants because such information is important in designing appropriate strategies for dietary counseling. A follow-up study should address the underlying mechanisms of the observed diet-distress association in Vietnamese marriage immigrant women in Korea, as well as other various ethnic minority immigrants in Korea. Copyright 2010 American

Within the eyes of the people: using a photonovel as a consciousness-raising health literacy tool with ESL-speaking immigrant women.

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Nimmon, Laura E

2007-01-01

This research examines if the process of creating and using a participatory photonovel can empower immigrant ESL-speaking women and also act as a tool to educate these women about a specific health topic. Data were collected through a) two separate interviews with each participant, b) two focus groups, c) field notes during the meetings the author had with the women once a week, and d) photographs of the photonovel project. The women created a participatory photonovel about nutrition entitled From Junk Food to Healthy Eating: Tanya's Journey to a Better Life (to view this photonovel go to: http://www.photonovel.ca). The findings demonstrate that the photonovel can be an effective health literacy tool for immigrant ESL-speaking women, that it created community among the women, that it helped the women feel important and that it shifted their consciousness about nutrition in Canada. More funding should be given towards participatory research to ensure that ways to address the health literacy needs of ESL-speaking immigrant women in Canada match their needs. This means researching ways to create health literacy materials that have visuals that are representative of the diverse population of Canadians and with language that can be understood. In order to ensure that health literacy materials are going to be effective, it is essential that the participants be involved in the process.

Women's education level amplifies the effects of a livelihoods-based intervention on household wealth, child diet, and child growth in rural Nepal.

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Miller, Laurie C; Joshi, Neena; Lohani, Mahendra; Rogers, Beatrice; Mahato, Shubh; Ghosh, Shibani; Webb, Patrick

2017-10-18

Many organizations seek to alleviate poverty in the developing world, often focusing their interventions on women. The role, status, and education of women are fundamentally important facets of development. Thus, understanding the interaction of women's educational level and the response to interventions is important. Therefore, we examined the impact of educational level of household adults on responses to a livestock-based community intervention. Six pair-matched communities in 3 districts of Nepal (Chitwan/Nawalparasi/Nuwakot), were randomly assigned to receive community development activities via women's self-help groups at baseline or 1 year later. At 6 intervals over 48 months, a 125- item questionnaire addressing family demographics and child health/nutrition was completed in each household, plus child growth monitoring. Results were analyzed in relation to the highest education attained by any woman in the household, the child's mother, men, or any other adult in the household. Outcomes (wealth, water/toilet availability, child diet diversity and growth) all significantly related to adult education. However, notable differences were found comparing the impact of men's and women's education. Percent change in wealth score was significant only in households where women had primary or secondary education (respectively, p = .0009 and p wealth, and animal scores, higher women's education was significantly associated with increased household wealth (p wealth (p = .02) and child diet diversity (p = .04), but not HAZ; higher education of any household member was associated only with household wealth (p wealth, hygiene, and child diet and growth indices.

The deterioration of Canadian immigrants' oral health: analysis of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada.

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Calvasina, Paola; Muntaner, Carles; Quiñonez, Carlos

2015-10-01

To examine the effect of immigration on the self-reported oral health of immigrants to Canada over a 4-year period. The study used Statistics Canada's Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC 2001-2005). The target population comprised 3976 non-refugee immigrants to Canada. The dependent variable was self-reported dental problems. The independent variables were as follows: age, sex, ethnicity, income, education, perceived discrimination, history of social assistance, social support, and official language proficiency. A generalized estimation equation approach was used to assess the association between dependent and independent variables. After 2 years, the proportion of immigrants reporting dental problems more than tripled (32.6%) and remained approximately the same at 4 years after immigrating (33.3%). Over time, immigrants were more likely to report dental problems (OR = 2.77; 95% CI 2.55-3.02). An increase in self-reported dental problems over time was associated with sex, history of social assistance, total household income, and self-perceived discrimination. An increased likelihood of reporting dental problems occurred over time. Immigrants should arguably constitute an important focus of public policy and programmes aimed at improving their oral health and access to dental care in Canada. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Households Headed By Women and Physical Growth of Schoolchildren in Tláhuac, D.F. (Mexico

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Sergio López Alonso

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The present work is part of a research program examining the role of the family as mediator between basic human vital functions and social macro-processes. In order to evaluate conditions affecting physical development we examined the age-normed weight and stature of 410 primary school children who were enrolled in public primary schools of the Tláhuac delegation (one of the 16 political delegations in Mexico City. All schoolchildren had received a merit scholarship for their academic performance and were from poor families. Standardization of height and weight was done using the norms of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. 110 of these schoolchildren (68 girls and 42 boys lived in households led by women. Among the 48 children with growth problems 15 (31% were from female-led households. This finding indicates that this group of students has grown up in environments that have negatively affected their growth. Among growth delayed children households headed by women were over-represented at a rate almost double that of the general population. This data from schoolchildren with scholarships from the Tláhuac program demonstrates clearly the feminization of poverty and the structural vulnerability these women who single-handedly maintain households in conditions of poverty. At least among our subjects, we can conclude that households headed by women suffer a greater degree of poverty, that this poverty is passed on between generations and that it has a negative impact on children's wellbeing (as documented through growth parameters.

Barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening among Pakistani and Somali immigrant women in Oslo: a qualitative study.

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Gele, Abdi A; Qureshi, Samera A; Kour, Prabhjot; Kumar, Bernadette; Diaz, Esperanza

2017-01-01

Norway has a low incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer, which is mainly due to the high participation rate of women in cervical cancer screening. However, the attendance of cervical cancer screening was reported to be low among immigrant women. For this reason, we conducted a qualitative study to obtain better insight into perceived barriers and challenges to cervical cancer screening among Somali and Pakistani women in the Oslo region. A convenient sample of 35 (18 Pakistani, 17 Somali) women were recruited for the study in collaboration with Somali and Pakistani community partners. Focus group discussions were used to explore barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening, whereas the Ecological Model was used as the framework for the study. The study found three levels of barriers to cervical cancer screening. The individual level included a lack of understanding of the benefits of the screening. The sociocultural level included the stigma attached to the disease and the belief that women who are unmarried are sexually inactive. The system-related level included a lack of trust toward the health care system. Based on the study results, and using a common denominator approach for the immigrant groups included, the study recommends three communication strategies with the potential to improve women's participation in cervical cancer screening: 1) in-person communication and information material at health centers; 2) verbal communication with women through seminars and workshops to educate them about their risk of cancer and the importance of screening and 3) the initiation of better recall through SMS and letters written in native languages. Finally, an intervention study that compares the aforementioned strategies and proves their effectiveness in increasing immigrant women's participation in cervical cancer screening is recommended.

Two Sets of Business Cards: Responses of Chinese Immigrant Women Entrepreneurs in Canada and Australia to Sexism and Racism

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Frances Chiang

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Existing entrepreneurial discourses have been dominated by white middle-class androcentric approach, giving little space to the discussions of racism and sexism experienced by minority women entrepreneurs. This paper aims to fill this gap through an examination of the experiences of Asian immigrant women entrepreneurs in Canada and Australia using an intersectional approach. The key research question addressed in the paper is to what extent, and in what ways, do racism and sexism impact on the entrepreneurial experiences of Asian immigrant women entrepreneurs and what strategies do they use in managing discrimination to protect themselves and their businesses? Four main strategies were derived from our findings, namely, creating a comfortable niche, playing the mainstream card, swallowing the pain, and resisting.

Women in 19th Century Irish immigration.

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Jackson, P

1984-01-01

By the 1950s--100 years after the great famine of 1845-49-- 57% of emigrants from the 26 countries of Ireland were women. In the latter 1/2 of the 19th Century, increasing proportions of women emigrated, until they outnumbered men. For women it was more than a flight from poverty. It was also an escape from an increasingly patriarchal society, whose asymetrical development as a colony curtailed women's social space, even in their traditional role as wife and mother. The famine, which is the single greatest influence forcing emigration, undermined the social fabric of an agrarian society, hastening the process of agricultural transformation. The growth of a new class of Irish a British grazier landlords resulted in a situation of acute land scarcity, encouraging tendencies to cling to one's land holding without dividing it. This, combined with new inheritance practices, gave rise to widespread arranged marriages as a means of land consolidation, and the dowry system. The spontaneous marriage practices of famine days also were replaced by a postponement of marriage. These trends severely reduced the choices exerted by women. The absence of big industrialized cities, which might have absorbed displaced rural populations, removed available options, particularly for women. The system of land monopoly and inheritance revolving around male heads of households reinforced partriarchal relations, within a framework of rigid sexual norms, whose enforcement was easy because the church, which played an important role in the emergence of these values, was a major landowner in itself. The subordinated, invisible status of women in post-famine Ireland, and growing barriers to easy access to marriage partners, to waged employment and self-expression, all helped ensure the higher and higher emigration rates of women. The economic transformation of Irish agriculture accelerated the establishment of oppressive values and helped depreciate the position of women to a very low level. The

Correlates of smoking cessation among Filipino immigrant men.

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Garcia, Gabriel M; Romero, Romina A; Maxwell, Annette E

2010-04-01

A survey on tobacco use among 318 Filipino immigrant men aged 40-75 years was conducted in Los Angeles, California. Those who reported more English language use with their family, friends and neighbors (OR = 1.31) and who lived in households with complete smoking prohibition (OR = 3.82) were more likely to be successful in quitting smoking. Those who endorsed more positive beliefs on physical and social consequences of smoking (OR = 0.69) and who had mostly smoking friends (OR = 0.37) were less likely to be successful in quitting smoking. Our findings suggest that prohibiting smoking in households, creating social networks of non-smokers, and education or counseling are important components of a smoking cessation intervention for Filipino immigrant men.

[Immigrant women at the health center. Monitoring of pregnancy and contraception].

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Austveg, B

1987-01-23

Over the past decade, Norwegian cities have experienced an influx of immigrants, many from third world countries. Women from these societies have brought with them cultural traditions and mores regarding birth, prevention and their own bodies which can present many problems and challenges to public health personnel. This study specifically deals with the experiences of midwives and clinicians working with immigrant women in Oslo, and offers some recommendations to health care staffs in their counseling and treating such women. Many things which seem obvious to Western-trained clinicians may not seem so to their patients, and when staff are not understood or are questioned they may interpret this as a challenge of their authority and competence. For example, Norwegian health workers, having been reared in a society concerned about the "population explosion" and often having been trained to readily equate large families with poverty and/or ignorance of birth control, must attempt to try and understand that this is not necessarily true, and that such attitudes can limit the effectiveness of counseling in sensitive areas. Most Asian and African societies see children as an economic resource. The author accordingly urges health care workers to approach their patients in this area, as in others, with empathy and to try and be aware of their assumptions. Cultural traditions should also be taken into account when recommending a particular form of birth control to a woman or couple requesting such advice. Some methods will be more or less acceptable to different nationalities. For instance, many Asian cultures view menstruation as a necessary part of nature's plan to maintain balance between the "hot" and "cold" forces of the body, and since oral contraceptives often reduce flow, they might be considered as harmful. Condoms, on the other hand, may be more readily acceptable since they do not affect body rhythms. Coitus interruptus is the most widely practices form of birth

Household Food Insecurity, Underweight Status, and Associated Characteristics among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Assayita District, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia.

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Abdu, Jemal; Kahssay, Molla; Gebremedhin, Merhawi

2018-01-01

Poor nutritional status of women has been a serious problem in Ethiopia. Rural women are more likely to be undernourished than urban women. Afar region is the most likely to be undernourished (43.5%). Despite the humanitarian and food aid, food insecurity and maternal underweight are very high in the region. Household food insecurity is not adequately studied in Afar region. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of household food insecurity and underweight status and its association among reproductive age women. The study was conducted in Assayita district in June 2015. Community-based cross-sectional study design was used among nonpregnant women. Household data was collected using structured questionnaire. Multistage cluster sampling procedure was applied. Two pastoral and two agropastoral Kebeles have been selected by simple random sampling. Systematic random sampling was used to select respondents. The total sample size was 549 households. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and anthropometric data were used to determine food insecurity and underweight, respectively. Multivariate regression models were used to measure associations. Prevalence of HFIAS was 70.4 with a mean of 7.0 (3.6 ± SD); 26.1%, 30.20%, and 14.1% were mild, moderate, and severe food insecurity, respectively. Underweight prevalence (BMI 2 children below five years of age were statistically associated with household food insecurity and maternal underweight. Household food insecurity and maternal underweight were very high. Age, parity, and having ≥2 children below five years of age were associated with household food insecurity. Maternal underweight was associated with maternal age, marital status, parity, number of children below 5 years, household food insecurity, and vocation of the respondents.

For Love of Family and Family Values: How Immigrant Motivations Can Inform Immigration Policy

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Piacenti, David

2009-01-01

This article consists of more than fifty interviews with Spanish and Yucatec-Mayan men from Yucatan, Mexico, to the United States. Based on interview responses, I contend that Yucatec-Mayan immigrants support Jeffrey Cohen's (2004) "household model" and use a ch'i'ibal-centered, or family-centered, decision-making process to frame…

Beliefs about causes of colon cancer by English-as-a-Second-Language Chinese immigrant women to Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

McWhirter, Jennifer Elizabeth; Todd, Laura E; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2011-12-01

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for Canadians. Immigrants underutilize screening and may be at greater risk of late stage diagnosis and death from the disease. This mixed-methods study investigated the self-reported causes of colon cancer by 66 English-as-a-Second-Language Chinese immigrant women to Canada after reading a fact sheet which listed two causes of colon cancer (polyps and cause unknown) and six ways to help prevent colon cancer (lifestyle, diet, weight, smoking, alcohol, and screening). Women correctly named or described both causes (6.1%) or one cause (22.7%), could not name or describe either cause (19.7%), or named or described causes not included on the fact sheet (54.5%). The most common causes reported by participants were "risk factors": diet (53.0%), family history (28.8%), and lifestyle (22.7%). Women confused cause with risk factor and infrequently mentioned screening. Possible reasons for their reported beliefs are discussed.

Immigrants' experiences of maternity care in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Igarashi, Yukari; Horiuchi, Shigeko; Porter, Sarah E

2013-08-01

Language and cultural differences can negatively impact immigrant women's birth experience. However, little is known about their experiences in Japan's highly homogenous culture. This cross-sectional study used survey data from a purposive sampling of immigrant women from 16 hospitals in several Japanese prefectures. Meeting the criteria and recruited to this study were 804 participants consisting of 236 immigrant women: Chinese (n = 83), Brazilian (n = 62), Filipino (n = 43), South Korean (n = 29) and from variety of English speaking nations (n = 19) and 568 Japanese women. The questionnaire was prepared in six languages: Japanese (kana syllables), Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, and Tagalog (Filipino). Associations among quality of maternity care, Japanese literacy level, loneliness and care satisfaction were explored using analysis of variance and multiple linear regression. The valid and reliable instruments used were Quality of Care for Pregnancy, Delivery and Postpartum Questionnaire, Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine Japanese version, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale-Japanese version and Care satisfaction. Care was evaluated across prenatal, labor and delivery and post-partum periods. Immigrant women scored higher than Japanese women for both positive and negative aspects. When loneliness was strongly felt, care satisfaction was lower. Some competence of Japanese literacy was more likely to obstruct positive communication with healthcare providers, and was associated with loneliness. Immigrant women rated overall care as satisfactory. Japanese literacy decreased communication with healthcare providers, and was associated with loneliness presumably because some literacy unreasonably increased health care providers' expectations of a higher level of communication.

Mental health problems and acculturative issues among married immigrant women in Korea: A qualitative study.

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Choi, Yun-Jung

2016-01-01

Through this research the author explored immigrant women's mental health problems with the goal of deepening understanding to develop a framework for preventing mental disorders and improving their mental health. A qualitative research design was used to examine the women's lived experiences. The data were collected from February 2014 to October 2014. Twenty women were recruited from multicultural community service centers. Inclusion criteria were the ability to communicate and the absence of acute physical or psychological problems; participants were excluded if they were under 18 years old or separated. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with participants regarding their experiences of living in Korean society. The data were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. A conceptual framework-Embracing Cultural Conflict Model-was constructed based on the personal-family-community context as well as the paradigm of the immigrant woman using eleven concepts. The conceptual framework suggests that multicultural programs and services should take into account a historical understanding of Korean society and family, address problem-solving strategies including improving mental health literacy, build support from both the Korean family and family of origin, and offer multicultural activities to satisfy homeland-related cultural needs.

Quality of life and coping strategies among immigrant women living with pain in Denmark: a qualitative study.

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Michaëlis, Camilla; Kristiansen, Maria; Norredam, Marie

2015-07-10

To examine quality of life and coping strategies among immigrant women living with chronic pain. Qualitative content analysis based on in-depth semistructured interviews. A clinic specifically targeting immigrants at a larger university hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark. Non-western female immigrant patients suffering from chronic pain (n=13). Experiences of the impact of chronic pain on quality of life. Chronic pain was perceived to have an extensive, adverse effect on all aspects of quality of life, including physical health, mental well-being and social relations. This included the ability to maintain activities of daily living and the ability to work. Chronic pain was further experienced as a cause of emotional distress, depression and altered personalities, which all had great consequences on women's social interactions, causing change and loss of social relations. A variety of coping strategies were used to cope with the pain, manage its consequences, and restore a level of health that would enable women to function and fulfil social roles. Many participants coped with the pain by altering everyday life, keeping daily activities to a minimum and taking pain-killing drugs, offering temporary relief. Seeking healthcare was another coping strategy used as an active means to assert agency and as a temporary distraction from pain. However, accessing healthcare also involved a risk of disagreement and disappointments. Chronic pain had a severe negative impact on quality of life and necessitated alterations in everyday life and active health-seeking strategies. Implications for practice imply a need for a more holistic approach to immigrant women with chronic pain, including a family-centred approach. Further research is needed to explore similarities or differences in and between populations with diverse ethnic, socioeconomic and psychosocial backgrounds, and to assess how ethnicity and culture might influence the experiences of chronic pain. Published by the BMJ

Microcredit to women and its contribution to production and household food security

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Namayengo, Mayanja Muyonga Faith

2017-01-01

The contents of this dissertation are based on a quantitative and qualitative survey that was conducted to assess the contribution of microcredit access of women to production and household food security status, and the factors associated with enterprise performance and food security outcomes. In

Self-rated health in Canadian immigrants: analysis of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada.

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Setia, Maninder Singh; Lynch, John; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Tousignant, Pierre; Quesnel-Vallee, Amelie

2011-03-01

Using a multi-level random effects logistic model, we examine the contribution of source country, individual characteristics and post-migration experiences to the self-rated health (SRH) of 2468 male and 2614 female immigrants from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (2001-2005). Sex/gender differences were found for all categories of health determinants. Source country characteristics explained away some ethnic differentials in health and had independent negative effects, particularly among women. Thus, women from countries lower on the development index appear at greater risk of poor SRH, and should be at the forefront of public health programmes aimed at new immigrants in Canada. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of immigration on the breastfeeding practices of Mainland Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong.

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Lok, Kris Yuet Wan; Bai, Dorothy Li; Chan, Noel P T; Wong, Janet Y H; Tarrant, Marie

2018-03-01

Researchers have found breastfeeding disparities between immigrant and native-born women in many countries. However, most studies on immigration and breastfeeding practices have been in Western countries. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of length of time since immigration on the breastfeeding practices of Mainland Chinese immigrants living in Hong Kong. We recruited 2704 mother-infant pairs from the postnatal wards of four public hospitals in Hong Kong. We examined the effect of migration status on the duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding duration was progressively shorter as the time since immigration increased. When compared with mothers who had lived in Hong Kong for Hong Kong-born participants had a 30% higher risk of stopping any breastfeeding (hazard ratio [HR] 1.34 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.10-1.63]) and exclusive breastfeeding (HR 1.33 [95% CI 1.11-1.58]). In both Hong Kong-born and immigrant participants, breastfeeding cessation was associated with return to work postpartum and the husband's preference for infant formula or mixed feeding. Intention to exclusively breastfeed and to breastfeed for >6 months, and previous breastfeeding experience substantially reduced the risk of breastfeeding cessation for both Hong Kong-born and immigrant participants. Health care professionals should consider immigration history in their assessment of pregnant women and provide culturally adapted breastfeeding support and encouragement to this population. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association between Integration Policies and Immigrants' Mortality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ikram, Umar Z; Malmusi, Davide; Juel, Knud

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: To integrate immigrants into their societies, European countries have adopted different types of policies, which may influence health through both material and psychosocial determinants. Recent studies have suggested poorer health outcomes for immigrants living in countries with poorly...... confounders and data comparability issues (e.g., French cross-sectional data) may affect the findings, this study suggests that different macro-level policy contexts may influence immigrants' mortality. Comparable mortality registration systems across Europe along with detailed socio-demographic information...... with their peers in the Netherlands, Turkish-born immigrants had higher all-cause mortality in Denmark (MRR men 1.92; 95% CI 1.74-2.13 and women 2.11; 1.80-2.47) but lower in France (men 0.64; 0.59-0.69 and women 0.58; 0.51-0.67). A similar pattern emerged for Moroccan-born immigrants. The relative differences...

"I want to save my life": Conceptions of cervical and breast cancer screening among urban immigrant women of South Asian and Chinese origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulme, Jennifer; Moravac, Catherine; Ahmad, Farah; Cleverly, Shelley; Lofters, Aisha; Ginsburg, Ophira; Dunn, Sheila

2016-10-13

Breast and cervical cancer screening rates remain low among immigrant women and those of low socioeconomic status. The Cancer Awareness: Ready for Education and Screening (CARES) project ran a peer-led multi-lingual educational program between 2012 and 2014 to reach under and never-screened women in Central Toronto, where breast and cervical cancer screening rates remain low. The objective of this qualitative study was to better understand how Chinese and South Asian immigrants - the largest and most under-screened immigrant groups according to national and provincial statistics - conceive of breast and cervical cancer screening. We explored their experiences with screening to date. We explicitly inquired about their perceptions of the health care system, their screening experiences with family physicians and strategies that would support screening in their communities. We conducted 22 individual interviews and two focus groups in Bengali and Mandarin with participants who had attended CARES educational sessions. Transcripts were coded through an iterative constant comparative and interpretative approach. Themes fell into five major, overlapping domains: risk perception and concepts of preventative health and screening; health system engagement and the embedded experience with screening; fear of cancer and procedural pain; self-efficacy, obligation, and willingness to be screened; newcomer barriers and competing priorities. These domains all overlap, and contribute to screening behaviours. Immigrant women experienced a number of barriers to screening related to 'navigating newness', including transportation, language barriers, arrangements for time off work and childcare. Fear of screening and fear of cancer took many forms; painful or traumatic encounters with screening were described. Female gender of the provider was paramount for both groups. Newly screened South Asian women were reassured by their first encounter with screening. Some Chinese women preferred

The workday routines of Turkish women in Federal Republic of Germany: results of a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Munscher, A

1984-01-01

Despite international economic crises which have pushed many immigrants out of employment, jobs that are insecure, unstable and poorly paid have become increasingly available, particularly to immigrant women, whose legal and economic insecurity forces them to accept such jobs. This is the case of Turkish women in West Germany. Even within these jobs, immigrant women are exchangeable and transferable. For women, the already narrow spectrum of available employment opportunity has become even more limited on account of restrictions, both legal and familial, on their entry into the labor force. The result of a pilot survey of Turkish women in West Germany, described in this article, finds that widespread stereotypes depict Turkish women as shy, isolated and uprooted housewives, though these characteristics do not fit all. Almost 1/3 of Turkish women are employed full time and an unknown number work part time or in household employment, which are not not registered. They are forced to take up jobs in spite of lack of child care arrangements. A split family is the rule for almost all the women. For many, especially those who are themselves heads of household, housework include "organizing management"--going to the bank, negotiating with landlords--which they have not done before. A poor knowledge of German is an additional handicap. The work at home is shared by children, but not necessarity by husbands. Their places of residence are often too small by German standards. In spite of the stress, hardship, legal and residential insecurity associated with restrictive laws, many of these women display a sense of pride in being able to fulfil what they perceive as their duties toward their families, and have gained a measure of financial independence. A strong desire to return home to Turkey is, however, hampered by several factors, which include, diminishing hopes of finding a job there, inability to save enough money to lead a financially independent life, and a fear that

Barriers to cervical cancer screening faced by immigrants: a registry-based study of 1.4 million women in Norway.

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Leinonen, Maarit K; Campbell, Suzanne; Ursin, Giske; Tropé, Ameli; Nygård, Mari

2017-10-01

Immigrants from certain low- and middle-income countries are more prone to cancers attributed to viral infections in early life. Cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus but is highly preventable by regular screening. We assessed participation among immigrants in a population-based cervical screening programme and identified factors that predicted non-adherence within different immigrant groups. We used data from several nationwide registries. The study population consisted of 208 626 (15%) immigrants and 1 157 223 (85%) native Norwegians. Non-adherence was defined as no eligible screening test in 2008-12. We estimated prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with non-adherence by modified Poisson regression. In total, 52% of immigrants were not screened. All immigrants showed 1.72 times higher non-adherence rates (95% CI 1.71-1.73) compared with native Norwegian women when adjusted for age and parity. The proportion of non-adherent immigrants varied substantially by region of origin and country of origin. Being unemployed or not in the workforce, being unmarried, having low income and having a male general practitioner was associated with non-adherence regardless of region of origin. Living immigrant groups. An increasing proportion of immigrants and low screening participation among them pose new public health challenges in Europe. Immigrants are diverse in terms of their sociodemographic attributes and screening participation. Tailored information and service delivery may be necessary to increase cancer screening among immigrants. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

Checks, Balances, and Resistance: The Impact of an Anti-Immigrant Federal Administration on a School for Immigrant Teenagers

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Chandler P.

2017-01-01

The 2016 presidential election was dominated by anti-immigrant rhetoric where truths counted for less than bombast, obscuring the fact that the majority of refugees and immigrants are women and children. This article describes how teachers and students in a school for newly arrived immigrants are adapting to the reality of the new administration.

Breast Cancer and Mammography Screening: Knowledge, Beliefs and Predictors for Asian Immigrant Women Attending a Specialized Clinic in British Columbia, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Hippman, Catriona; Moshrefzadeh, Arezu; Lohn, Zoe; Hodgson, Zoë G; Dewar, Kathryn; Lam, Melanie; Albert, Arianne Y K; Kwong, Juliet

2016-12-01

Screening mammography (MMG) reduces breast cancer mortality; however, Asian immigrant women underutilize MMG. The Asian Women's Health Clinic (AWHC) was established to promote women's cancer screening amongst this population. This study evaluated the rate, and predictors, of MMG amongst women attending the AWHC. Women (N = 98) attending the AWHC completed a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression evaluated rate and predictors of MMG. Most participants (87 %, n = 85) reported having had a mammogram. Significant MMG predictors were: lower perceived MMG barriers [lifetime: OR (CI) 1.19 (1.01-1.49); past 2 years: OR (CI) 1.11 (1.01-1.25)], and knowing someone with breast cancer [past year: OR (CI) 3.42 (1.25-9.85); past 2 years: OR (CI) 4.91 (1.32-2.13)]. Even amongst women using preventive medicine, 13 % report never having had a mammogram. More research is needed into innovative interventions, e.g. the AWHC, and breast cancer-related outcomes amongst Asian immigrant women.

Investigating tangible and mental resources as predictors of perceived household food insecurity during pregnancy among women in a South African birth cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellowski, Jennifer A; Barnett, Whitney; Kuo, Caroline C; Koen, Nastassja; Zar, Heather J; Stein, Dan J

2017-08-01

Food insecurity during pregnancy is concerning given the increased nutritional needs of the mother for proper fetal development. However, research is lacking within the South African context to investigate the association of economic and psychosocial factors and food insecurity among pregnant women, using comprehensive, conceptually driven models. This study applies the Network-Individual-Resource (NIR) Model to investigate individual, intimate dyadic, and family level predictors of perceived household food insecurity for pregnant women. 826 pregnant women enrolled in the Drakenstein Child Health Study (DCHS), a birth cohort in two communities in a peri-urban area of South Africa. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to investigate the impact of household/family, intimate dyads, and individual tangible and mental resources on perceived household food insecurity during the critical period of pregnancy. Perceived household food insecurity was assessed through an adapted version of the USDA Household Food Security Scale - Short Form. Among 826 pregnant women in South Africa, individual-level tangible resources (e.g. income, social assistance, HIV status) and mental resources (e. g. depression, childhood trauma) predicted perceived household food insecurity and these predictors differed by community. Intimate dyadic and family level resources did not predict household food insecurity. Our findings of the economic and psychosocial predictors of perceived household food insecurity among pregnant women in South Africa, mirror findings in general populations. This study provides support for the extension of the NIR model to perceived household food insecurity, particularly regarding individual-level mental and tangible resources, as well as the impact of community-level factors. Future research should investigate the extent to which resource sharing occurs within networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Iodized salt intake in households and iodine nutritional status in women of childbearing age in Peru, 2008].

Science.gov (United States)

Higa, Ana María; Miranda, Marianella; Campos, Miguel; Sánchez, José R

2010-06-01

To estimate the iodine nutritional status in women of childbearing age and to evaluate the intake of salt adequately iodized in their households in Peru. Cross-sectional study performed with a multistage, probabilistic, cluster sampling that included 1573 households and 2048 women in childbearing age, distributed in five domains (Lima, rest of the coast, rural highlands and jungle area). The use of iodized salt was evaluated in the households and the urinary iodine was evaluated in the childbearing age women. 97.5% (95%CI. 96.7-98.5%) of peruvian households have iodized salt consumption, being it lower in the rural highland (95%) and higher in Lima (100%). The national mean of urinary iodine was 266 μg/L, being it lower in the jungle areas (206 μg/L) and higher in the rest of the coast (302 μg/L), these values are above the level recommended by the World Health Organization in all domains (average higher than 200 μg/L), value that ensures control over the iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Control of IDD associated with iodized salt consumption is good, and monitoring of the presence of iodine in salt, particularly in the areas with lowest access, should continue.

Conflicting Cultural Values, Gender Role Attitudes, and Acculturation: Exploring the Context of Reproductive and Mental Health of Asian-Indian Immigrant Women in the US.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Semran K; Roberts, Lisa R; Montgomery, Susanne

2017-04-01

Asian-Indians, one of the fastest growing US immigrant groups, experience depression and anxiety, particularly among women. In this mixed-methods study, quantitative (n = 217) and qualitative (n = 36) data explored egalitarian vs. traditional views regarding women's roles and rights. Bicultural integration, family planning decision-making ability, and anxiety were associated with more egalitarian views, while Punjabi language preference, depression, and more births were associated with traditional views. Health care professionals serving this population need to be aware of the potential cultural values conflicts and gender role expectations that influence decisions around reproductive health and mental health care for Asian-Indian immigrant women.

Overweight and obesity among African immigrants in Oslo.

Science.gov (United States)

Gele, Abdi A; Mbalilaki, Aneth J

2013-03-26

Norway is experiencing an increase in overweight/obese adults, with immigrants from developing countries carrying a heavy burden. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Somali immigrants in Oslo. A cross-sectional study involving 208 respondents aged 25 and over was conducted among Somali immigrants in Oslo, using a structured questionnaire. Prevalence of overweight/obesity varied by gender, with women having a significantly higher prevalence (66%) than men (28%). The mean BMI for females and males were 27.4 and 23.6, respectively. Similarly, 53% of women and 28% of men were abdominally obese. In a logistic regression analysis, both generalized and abdominal obesity were significantly associated with increasing duration of residence in Norway, and with being less physically active. Public health policymakers should facilitate an environment that enables Somali immigrants, particularly women, to lead healthy lifestyles. In this time of epidemiological transition, health education in the areas of physical exercise and healthy eating should be a major focus for working with new immigrants.

Pre-migration persecution, post-migration stressors and resources, and post-migration mental health: A study of severely traumatized U.S. Arab immigrant women

Science.gov (United States)

Norris, Anne E.; Aroian, Karen J.; Nickerson, David

2015-01-01

Background Competing theories exist regarding the importance of pre-migration trauma as compared to post-migration stressors and resources with respect to the risk to immigrant mental health. Objective To examine how type of pre-migration trauma, post-migration stressors, and post-migration resources differentially predict PTSD and MDD symptomatology in Arab immigrant women who have been exposed to pre-migration trauma. Design Descriptive; using multinomial logistic regression to explain membership in one of four groups: (a) PTSD only (n = 14); (b) major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 162), (c) Co-Morbid PTSD-MDD (n = 148), (d) Subclinical Symptoms (n = 209). Results Post-immigration related stressors (as measured by the Demands of Immigration (DI)) had the strongest effect: Parameter estimates indicated that a unit increase in DI scores was associated with a nearly 17 fold increase in the likelihood of being in the Co-morbid relative to the Subclinical group, and a nearly 2.5 increase in the likelihood of being in the Co-Morbid relative to the MDD only group (p Arab immigrant women for depression and PTSD is important given high levels observed in this community based sample. PMID:21835819

Partnership formation and dissolution among immigrants in the Spanish context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amparo González-Ferrer

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: The diversification of partnership patterns away from the traditional marriage standard emerged in Spain relatively late. This makes Spain an interesting case for the study of the partnership dynamics of natives and immigrant groups. Objective: This paper analyzes partnership formation and dissolution among immigrant women of various origins, in comparison to natives in Spain. The study aims to identify variations in timing and incidence of partnership transitions. Methods: Data from the Fertility and Values Survey 2006 is used to conduct discrete-time logistic regressions for several union transitions. In a further step, the data are analyzed including cohort interactions to explore the extent to which differences are due to the younger profile of the migrant population. Results: The obtained results lend support to the selection and disruption hypotheses in the case of immigrant women who arrived in Spain before their first union formation. However, when explaining the high propensity of Latin American and EU-15 women to enter cohabiting unions, socialization effects cannot be ruled out. Immigrant women also show higher risk of union dissolution than natives. Conclusions: Immigrant women differ consistently from native Spanish women across the various partnership transitions. They generally display higher risks of forming a union, particularly a cohabiting union, and of separating from their first partner. Models including interactions between birth cohort and migrant status showed that differentials between immigrants and natives are not due to compositional effects.

Does modifying the household food budget predict changes in the healthfulness of purchasing choices among low- and high-income women?

Science.gov (United States)

Inglis, Victoria; Ball, Kylie; Crawford, David

2009-04-01

Food cost has a strong influence on food purchases and given that persons of low income often have more limited budgets, healthier foods may be overlooked in favour of more energy-dense lower-cost options. The aim of this study was to investigate whether modifications to the available household food budget led to changes in the healthfulness of food purchasing choices among women of low and high income. A quasi-experimental design was used which included a sample of 74 women (37 low-income women and 37 high-income women) who were selected on the basis of their household income and sent an itemised shopping list in order to calculate their typical weekly household shopping expenditure. The women were also asked to indicate those foods they would add to their list if they were given an additional 25% of their budget to spend on food and those foods they would remove if they were restricted by 25% of their budget. When asked what foods they would add with a larger household food budget, low-income women chose more foods from the 'healthier' categories whereas high-income women chose more foods from the less 'healthier' categories. However, making the budgets of low- and high-income women more 'equivalent' did not eradicate income differences in overall healthfulness of food purchasing choices. This study highlights the importance of cost when making food purchasing choices among low- and high-income groups. Public health strategies aimed at reducing income inequalities in diet might focus on promoting healthy diets that are low cost.

“I want to save my life”: Conceptions of cervical and breast cancer screening among urban immigrant women of South Asian and Chinese origin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Hulme

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breast and cervical cancer screening rates remain low among immigrant women and those of low socioeconomic status. The Cancer Awareness: Ready for Education and Screening (CARES project ran a peer-led multi-lingual educational program between 2012 and 2014 to reach under and never-screened women in Central Toronto, where breast and cervical cancer screening rates remain low. The objective of this qualitative study was to better understand how Chinese and South Asian immigrants – the largest and most under-screened immigrant groups according to national and provincial statistics - conceive of breast and cervical cancer screening. We explored their experiences with screening to date. We explicitly inquired about their perceptions of the health care system, their screening experiences with family physicians and strategies that would support screening in their communities. Methods We conducted 22 individual interviews and two focus groups in Bengali and Mandarin with participants who had attended CARES educational sessions. Transcripts were coded through an iterative constant comparative and interpretative approach. Results Themes fell into five major, overlapping domains: risk perception and concepts of preventative health and screening; health system engagement and the embedded experience with screening; fear of cancer and procedural pain; self-efficacy, obligation, and willingness to be screened; newcomer barriers and competing priorities. These domains all overlap, and contribute to screening behaviours. Immigrant women experienced a number of barriers to screening related to ‘navigating newness’, including transportation, language barriers, arrangements for time off work and childcare. Fear of screening and fear of cancer took many forms; painful or traumatic encounters with screening were described. Female gender of the provider was paramount for both groups. Newly screened South Asian women were reassured by their

Immigration Stress and Alcohol Use Severity Among Recently Immigrated Hispanic Adults: Examining Moderating Effects of Gender, Immigration Status, and Social Support.

Science.gov (United States)

Cano, Miguel Ángel; Sánchez, Mariana; Trepka, Mary Jo; Dillon, Frank R; Sheehan, Diana M; Rojas, Patria; Kanamori, Mariano J; Huang, Hui; Auf, Rehab; De La Rosa, Mario

2017-03-01

Identifying and understanding determinants of alcohol use behavior among Hispanic immigrants is an increasingly significant public health concern. Although prior research has examined associations of cultural stressors with alcohol use among Hispanics, few studies have tested these associations among recent adult immigrants. As such, this study aimed to examine (a) the association of immigration stress on alcohol use severity among recently immigrated Hispanic adults (≤ 1 year in the United States) and (b) the moderating effects of gender, immigration status, and social support. A hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted on a sample of 527 participants in South Florida. Results indicated that, after controlling for demographic variables, preimmigration drinking behavior, and dimensions of social support, the association of higher immigration stress with higher alcohol use severity was statistically significant. Moderation analyses indicated that immigration stress had a statistically significant association with alcohol use severity among men, but not women. Also, dimensions of social support consistently reduced the deleterious effect of immigration stress on alcohol use severity. This study adds to the scarce literature on cultural stressors and alcohol use among recent Hispanic immigrants. Findings suggest that it may be important to design gender-specific interventions and that increasing levels of social support may offset the effects of immigration stress on alcohol use. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[The family. The poorest households with female heads].

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta Diaz, F

1992-01-01

Data from the household questionnaire of the 1987 Mexican Fertility and Health Survey were the basis for an analysis of the characteristics of households headed by women. 14.1% of households were headed by women in 1987, of which 14% were in rural and 86% in urban areas. 41.9% of the households headed by women contained only a woman and her children. Child care responsibilities are the main determinant of discrimination in the labor market for these women and oblige them to accept jobs that are not adequately paid. The social disadvantage of households headed by women is also related to their age and marital and educational status. Among male and female household heads respectively, 16.3% and 36.5% were over age 60, 16.4% and 27.5% were illiterate, and 92.7% and 8.4% were married or in union. 15.5% of the female heads were single, 24.7% were divorced or separated, and 51.4% were widows. Among employed female household heads, 49.2% were salaried, 36.5% were self-employed, and 10.1% were domestic workers. 63.8% of female and 46.3% of male household heads earned one minimum salary or less per month. The average size of households headed by women was 3.9 members, compared to 5.4 for households headed by men.

Health disparities between immigrant and Danish cleaners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Marie B; Rasmussen, Charlotte D N; Carneiro, Isabella G

2011-01-01

hundred and fifty-one cleaners, consisting of 166 Danes (88% women) and 179 immigrants (74% women) (6 with unknown ethnicity), from 9 workplaces in Denmark participated in the study. Health and work ability were obtained by objective (e.g., BMI and blood pressure) and self-reported measures (e.g., work......PURPOSE: It is unknown whether immigrants working in the cleaning industry have a poorer health and work ability than cleaners from the native population. The main aim was to investigate differences in objective and self-reported health measures between immigrant and Danish cleaners. METHODS: Three...... ability, self-rated health, and musculoskeletal symptoms). In order to investigate differences between Danish and immigrant cleaners, logistic regression analyses and General Linear Models were performed. RESULTS: When controlling for age, sex, workplace, job seniority, and smoking, more Danish compared...

Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival Among Asian Women by Ethnicity and Immigrant Status: A Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Christina A.; Shema, Sarah J.; Chang, Ellen T.; Keegan, Theresa H. M.; Glaser, Sally L.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We investigated heterogeneity in ethnic composition and immigrant status among US Asians as an explanation for disparities in breast cancer survival. Methods. We enhanced data from the California Cancer Registry and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program through linkage and imputation to examine the effect of immigrant status, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and ethnic enclave on mortality among Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, South Asian, and Vietnamese women diagnosed with breast cancer from 1988 to 2005 and followed through 2007. Results. US-born women had similar mortality rates in all Asian ethnic groups except the Vietnamese, who had lower mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.1, 0.9). Except for Japanese women, all foreign-born women had higher mortality than did US-born Japanese, the reference group. HRs ranged from 1.4 (95% CI = 1.2, 1.7) among Koreans to 1.8 (95% CI = 1.5, 2.2) among South Asians and Vietnamese. Little of this variation was explained by differences in disease characteristics. Conclusions. Survival after breast cancer is poorer among foreign- than US-born Asians. Research on underlying factors is needed, along with increased awareness and targeted cancer control. PMID:20299648

U.S. Immigration Policy Regimes and Physical Disability Trajectories Among Mexico-U.S. Immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Collin W; Bartlett, Bryce J

2017-03-21

Although immigration policies have shifted dramatically over the course of U.S. history, few have examined their role as a source of health heterogeneity among immigrants. We address this gap by evaluating whether exposure to U.S. Immigration Policy Regimes (IPRs) corresponds with later-life disability disparities among Mexico-U.S. migrant women and men, and assess the degree to which observed differences may also be associated with immigration policies and occupational composition. We analyze 8 waves of data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (3,044 individuals and 14,474 observations from 1993/1994-2013). Using hierarchical linear models, we estimate trajectories of physical disability associated with gender, occupation, and IPR. We find differences in disability trajectories by IPR. Associations are not different between men and women, and are not mediated by occupational composition. We also observe an additive effect for certain occupations among women, but not among men. Findings demonstrate that exposure to different IPRs is associated with disparate disability trajectories among Mexico-U.S. migrants. Future research is needed to contextualize the role of IPRs amid other mechanisms of gendered racialization that powerfully contribute to cumulative health differences across the life course. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Scapegoating of Islamic Immigrant Women in the Media

OpenAIRE

Mazurski, Lara

2013-01-01

In 2010 the Sweden Democrats (SD) unveiled their campaign advertisement for the parliamentary election, they engaged a series of images positioning immigrants as scapegoats by creating a link between immigration and the domestic budget crisis. While the advert associated immigration and lslam with the economic failings of Swedish society, the SD also energized new forms of representation, a new embodiment of Swedishness and, additionally, of conceptualizations of 'the Other'. ...

Invisible Voices: An Intersectional Exploration of Quality of Life for Elderly South Asian Immigrant Women in a Canadian Sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvi, Shahid; Zaidi, Arshia U

2017-06-01

Despite the emerging presence of South Asian elderly population in Canada, there continues to be a paucity of research concerning the immigration and acculturation experiences of these marginalized elderly populations and their quality of life. This research builds knowledge of the quality of life experiences faced by South Asian elderly immigrant women residing in Canada using an intersectional analytical framework. While there is a gradually developing body of research regarding elder persons globally, the present research is unique in that explores challenges, stresses and strains, and builds an understanding of the treatment of older ethnic minorities and immigrant families. Furthermore, this research has implications for policies and practices governing these growing aging populations. Finally, this research gives voice to a "silenced" and invisible group of elders whose stories may help to make improvements in the quality of living and well-being for the aging South Asian immigrant population in Canada.

Developmental status and home environment among children born to immigrant women married to Taiwanese men.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chwen-Jen; Hsu, Chiung-Wen; Chu, Yu-Roo; Han, Kuo-Chiang; Chien, Li-Yin

2012-04-01

The aims of this cross-sectional study were to examine (a) the developmental status and home environments of children (6-24 months) of immigrant women married to Taiwanese men, and (b) the association of child developmental status with parental socio-demographics, maternal language abilities, and home environment qualities. Participants were 61 children and their mothers from China and Vietnam. Data were collected with interviews, home observations, and developmental testing. The children had lower cognitive and language but higher motor and social development scores compared with native norms. Home environment and maternal perceived language ability were positively associated with child development. The association of home environment and maternal language ability with early childhood development was supported for immigrant populations in Taiwan. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Women's household decision-making autonomy and safer sex negotiation in Nigeria: An analysis of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Yujiro; Sedziafa, Alice P; Vercillo, Siera; Antabe, Roger; Luginaah, Isaac

2018-02-01

Although married women's safer sex negotiation with their husbands is critical in reducing new HIV infections in Nigeria, its linkage to women's household decision-making autonomy is less explored in Nigeria. Drawing data from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and using the logistic regression technique, we examined the associations between women's household decision-making autonomy and two indicators of the ability to engage in safer sex including whether married women 1) can refuse sex and 2) ask for condom use during sexual intercourse with husbands. Findings indicate that 64% and 41% of married women can refuse sex and ask for condom use, respectively. While the impact of women's household decision-making autonomy on the ability to refuse sex remained statistically significant after controlling for theoretically relevant variables (OR = 1.15; p < 0.001), its impact on the ability to ask for condom use became weakly significant once socioeconomic variables were controlled (OR = 1.03; p < 0.1). Based on these results, we have two suggestions. First, it may be important that marital-based policies and counselling promote environments in which married women can establish equal power relations with their husbands. Second, it is also important to eliminate structural barriers that hinder married women's economic opportunities in Nigeria.

Couple's concordance and discordance in household decision-making and married women's use of modern contraceptives in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Jalal; Hossin, Muhammad Zakir; Pulok, Mohammad Habibullah

2017-11-09

Although a large body of studies documents that women's autonomy in the household is associated with better reproductive health outcomes, these studies typically examined autonomy only from women's point of view. The current study employs husband's and wife's perspectives together to examine the relationship between the decision-making arrangements in the household and the women's use of modern contraceptives in Bangladesh. The study used the couple dataset of 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The sample was comprised of 3336 married couples. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between the selected items on household decision-making and the use of modern contraceptives. Our results indicate that the couples disagree considerably as to who in the household exercises the decision-making power. The pattern of decision-making regarding visiting family and relatives emerged as an important predictor of use of modern contraceptives in the multivariate regression analysis. The results suggest that compared to the couple's concordant joint decision-making, the husband-only decision-making is associated with lower odds of contraceptives use (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.28-0.85). Only a small part of this association is explained by spousal communication about family planning issues while the socio-demographic correlates hardly affected the association. On the contrary, the wife-only decision-making did not result in increased contraceptives use (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.45-1.13). The study findings imply that women's greater autonomy may not necessarily result in improved reproductive health behavior, and therefore, a balance of power in the spousal relationship is warranted.

Maternal nutrition among women from Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, and potential implications for pregnancy outcomes among immigrant populations in developed countries.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Lindsay, K L

2012-12-01

Pregnant women in countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are at risk of poor nutritional status and adverse outcomes as a result of poverty, food insecurity, sub-optimal healthcare facilities, frequent infections and frequent pregnancies. Studies from Nigeria, for example, have revealed a high prevalence of both under- and over-nutrition, as well as nutrient deficiencies, including iron, folate, vitamin D and vitamin A. Subsequently, obstetric complications, including hypertension, anaemia, neural tube defects, night-blindness, low birth weight and maternal and perinatal mortality, are common. Migration patterns from SSA to the Western world are on the rise in recent years, with Nigerians now representing the most prevalent immigrant African population in many developed countries. However, the effect of immigration, if any, on the nutritional status and pregnancy outcomes of these women in their host countries has not yet been studied. Consequently, it is unknown to what extent the nutritional deficiencies and pregnancy complications occurring in Nigeria, and other countries of SSA, present in these women post-emigration. This may result in missed opportunities for appropriate antenatal care of a potential high-risk group in pregnancy. The present review discusses the literature regarding nutrition in pregnancy among SSA women, using Nigeria as an example, the common nutrition-related complications that arise and the subsequent obstetric outcomes. The concept of dietary acculturation among immigrant groups is also discussed and deficiencies in the literature regarding studies on the diets of pregnant immigrant women are highlighted.

Obesity and household food insecurity: evidence from a sample of rural households in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shariff, Z Mohd; Khor, G L

2005-09-01

The study examined nutritional outcomes related to body fat accumulation of food insecurity among women from selected rural communities in Malaysia. Cross-sectional study. Rural communities (seven villages and two palm plantations) in a district with high percentage of welfare recipients. Malay (n = 140) and Indian (n = 60) women were interviewed and measured for demographic, socioeconomic, anthropometric, dietary and physical activity information. The women were measured for their body mass index and waist circumference (WC). Energy and nutrient intakes, food group intake and food variety score were analyzed from 24 h dietary recalls and food-frequency questionnaire. Daily physical activity of the women was examined as the number of hours spent in economic, domestic, leisure and sport activities. Using the Radimer/Cornell Hunger and Food Insecurity Instrument, 58% of the women reported some degree of food insecurity (household insecure 14%, adult insecure 9.5% and child hunger 34.5%). In general, food-insecure women had lower years of education, household income and income per capita, more children and mothers as housewives. More than 50% of food-insecure women were overweight and obese than women from food-secure households (38%). Similarly, more food-insecure women (32-47%) had at-risk WC (> or = 88 cm) than food-secure women (29%). Food-insecure women spent significantly more time in domestic and leisure activities than food-secure women. Overweight and abdominal adiposity among the women were associated with a number of independent variables, such as women as housewives, women with more children, larger household size, food insecurity, shorter time spent in economic activities, longer time spent in leisure activities and lower food variety score. After adjusting for factors that are related to both adiposity and food insecurity, women from food-insecure households were significantly more likely to have at-risk WC, but not obese. Among this sample of rural

[The household economy: a determinant of maternal death among indigenous women in Chiapas, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera Torres, María del Carmen; Cruz Burguete, Jorge Luis; Robledo Hernández, Gabriela Patricia; Montoya Gómez, Guillermo

2006-02-01

To assess the determining role of financial situation and gender relations on maternal mortality among Indigenous women in Chiapas, Mexico. A quantitative/qualitative study was performed by means of a survey of 158 families, as well as in-depth interviews of persons linked to cases of maternal death, community leaders from throughout the region, and focal groups composed of traditional birth attendants. Decision-making surrounding women's health within the household is a critical problem because it is entirely in the hands of the husband and his relatives. In cases of high-risk pregnancy or birth, options for seeking care outside the community become limited, so that 48.7% of all obstetric cases are assisted by traditional birth attendants, 45.3% by relatives, and 6% by the mate. The problem is compounded by the high level of marginalization and very low human development index that characterize the region under study, by women's exclusion from the ownership of goods, including land, and by the fact that 97.7% of women only speak indigenous languages. Gender inequities within Indigenous families, together with a household economy that does not cover the basic necessities, are among the factors that keep women from receiving the necessary care during their reproductive processes. Because of the low socioeconomic status these women have, decisions surrounding care during pregnancy, birth, and the puerperium take a large toll on their health and their lives.

Educational and Mothering Discourses and Learner Goals: Mexican Immigrant Women Enacting Agency in a Family Literacy Program. Research Brief #8

Science.gov (United States)

Toso, Blaire Willson

2012-01-01

Family literacy programs promote certain ideas about literacy and parenting. This study examined how Mexican immigrant women in a family literacy program used mainstream ideas, or discourses, of mothering and parent involvement in education to pursue their own personal and academic goals. The findings revealed that women were at times faced with…

Getting Things Done in the L1 and L2: Bilingual Immigrant Women's Use of Communication Strategies in Entrepreneurial Contexts

Science.gov (United States)

Collier, Shartriya

2010-01-01

The article examines the communication strategies of four bilingual, immigrant women entrepreneurs within the context of their businesses. The analysis revealed that L1 and L2 use is crucial to the business success of the participants. L1 conversations consisted of largely private speech and directives. The women positioned themselves as…

School Community Engaging with Immigrant Youth: Incorporating Personal/Social Development and Ethnic Identity Development

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Laura M.; Eades, Mark P.; Supple, Andrew J.

2014-01-01

It has been projected that 33% of all school children will be from immigrant households by the year 2040 (Suarez-Orozco et al., 2010). For school personnel (e.g., administrators, counselors, teachers) working with immigrant youth and adolescents, understanding ethnic identity development is an essential cultural competency. In this essay, the…

A woman's place: household labour allocation in rural Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Neitzert, M

1994-01-01

This article synthesizes the literature on household labor allocation. The review reveals that development policies impacting on the labor market favor men over women. Male favoritism also occurs in household decision-making. Data from the 1988 Rural Labor Force Survey were used to examine rural household labor allocation in 1988 and the extent of female and male participation in home and market production and the degree of labor market discrimination against women. It is argued that the standard neoclassical model of economics does not recognize the unequal bargaining power of each member of the household in arriving at a solution to the joint welfare maximization problem. Women's position is expected to worsen during economic development. Women will have less than full participation in the labor market. Women's distinct role in household welfare provision is often disregarded. Development policy mainly focuses on market activities where women hold few positions. Labor allocation in the empirical analysis pertains to the mean hours per week in farm activities, household activities, schooling, and paid or unpaid non-farm work. Findings indicate that average earnings were lower for females than males and that returns to education and training were higher for males than females. Wage discrimination accounted for 30-66% of the earnings gap between rural men and women. Women faced discrimination on their returns to human capital and occupational choices. The concentration of women in low-paying jobs accounted for 21% of the wage gap. Women's lower education accounted for over 10%. Findings suggest that Kenyan households respond to market incentives. Women worked longer hours than men and contributed more to household welfare. Policy should focus on models of household provisioning and not on a joint utility function. Policy should encourage households to revise labor allocation strategies.

77 FR 71432 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, Form I-526...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-30

...-0026] Agency Information Collection Activities: Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, Form I-526.../Collection: Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur. (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable... abstract: Primary: Individuals or Households. This form is used by the USCIS to determine if an alien can...

Labour-Intensive Jobs for Women and Development: Intra-household Welfare Effects and Its Transmission Channels

OpenAIRE

Getahun, Tigabu; Villanger, Espen

2018-01-01

We examine the welfare impacts of poor women getting low-skilled jobs and find large positive income, consumption and poverty effects at household and individual levels. However, the women workers, their husbands and oldest daughters reduced their leisure, but the women to a much larger extent. Investigating the transmission mechanisms suggests that the impacts did not only go through income effects, but also through a bargaining effect. Getting the job improved the bargaining power of the wi...

Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding HPV vaccination: ethnic and cultural differences between African-American and Haitian immigrant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Natalie Pierre; Clark, Jack A; Bauchner, Howard; Walsh, Jared P; Mercilus, Glory; Figaro, Jean; Bibbo, Caroline; Perkins, Rebecca B

2012-01-01

Black women have higher rates of cervical cancer and lower rates of HPV vaccination than White women in the United States, and Haitians may be an especially vulnerable subgroup of Black women. To reduce these disparities, understanding differences among subgroups of Black women is crucial. The objective of our study was to assess similarities and differences in the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices toward HPV vaccination and actual vaccination rates among African-American and Haitian immigrant women and their daughters. We used validated surveys of HPV knowledge, trust in physicians, acculturation, and constructs of the health belief model: Perceived susceptibility, severity, and barriers. We probed women's thought processes about vaccination using open-ended questions. We then reviewed medical records to determine vaccination rates. Nineteen African Americans and 51 Haitians participated. Although 75% of Haitians and 63% of African Americans intended to vaccinate their daughters, only 47% of African-American and 31% of Haitian daughters were vaccinated. African Americans were more knowledgeable than Haitians and had more prior experience with HPV disease. Most African Americans felt that vaccination fell within the parental role, whereas many Haitians felt uncomfortable vaccinating against sexually transmitted infections because they felt children should not be having sex. Both ethnic groups wanted more information about HPV vaccines. Cultural differences between African-American and Haitian immigrant mothers revealed distinct barriers for vaccine acceptance. Improving HPV vaccine rates in Black women may require culturally competent and sensitive approaches that address ethnic-specific barriers. Copyright © 2012 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marianismo and Caregiving Role Beliefs Among U.S.-Born and Immigrant Mexican Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez-Luck, Carolyn A; Anthony, Katherine P

2016-09-01

We aimed to explore how women of Mexican-origin conceptualized caregiving as a construct in terms of cultural beliefs, social norms, role functioning, and familial obligations. We examined the personal experiences of U.S-born and immigrant Mexican female caregivers to identify how these 2 groups differed in their views of the caregiver role. We conducted 1-time in-depth interviews with 44 caregivers living in Southern California. Our study was guided by marianismo, a traditional role occupied by women in the Mexican family. We analyzed data from a grounded theory approach involving the constant comparative method to refine and categorize the data. The majority of all caregivers had similar views about caregiving as an undertaking by choice, and almost all caregivers engaged in self-sacrificing actions to fulfill the marianismo role. Despite these similarities, U.S.-born and immigrant caregivers used different words to describe the same concepts or assigned different meanings to other key aspects of caregiving, suggesting that these 2 groups had different underlying motivations for caregiving and orientations to the role. Our findings highlight the complexity of language and culture in underlying caregiving concepts, making the concepts challenging to operationalize and define in a heterogeneous sample of Latinos. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Associations Between Orphan and Vulnerable Child Caregiving, Household Wealth Disparities, and Women's Overweight Status in Three Southern African Countries Participating in Demographic Health Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanamori, Mariano J; Carter-Pokras, Olivia D; Madhavan, Sangeetha; Lee, Sunmin; He, Xin; Feldman, Robert H

2015-08-01

This study examines whether orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) primary caregivers are facing absolute household wealth (AWI) disparities, the association between AWI and women's overweight status, and the modifying role of OVC primary caregiving status on this relationship. Demographic Health Surveys data (2006-2007) from 20 to 49 year old women in Namibia (n = 6,305), Swaziland (n = 2,786), and Zambia (n = 4,389) were analyzed using weighted marginal means and logistic regressions. OVC primary caregivers in Namibia and Swaziland had a lower mean AWI than other women in the same country. In Zambia, OVC primary caregivers had a lower mean AWI score than non-primary caregivers living with an OVC but a higher mean AWI score than non-OVC primary caregivers. In Swaziland and Zambia, even small increases in household wealth were associated with higher odds for being overweight regardless of women's caregiving status. Only in Namibia, OVC primary caregiving modified the effect of the previous association. Among Namibian OVC primary caregivers, women who had at least medium household wealth (4 or more AWI items) were more likely to be overweight than their poorest counterparts (0 or 1 AWI items). OVC primary caregivers are facing household wealth disparities as compared to other women from their communities. Future studies/interventions should consider using population-based approaches to reach women from every household wealth level to curb overweight in Swaziland and Zambia and to focus on specific household wealth characteristics that are associated with OVC primary caregivers' overweight status in Namibia.

Gender Hierarchy Among Gujarati Immigrants: Linking Immigration Rules and Ethnic Norns

OpenAIRE

Assar, Nandini Narain

2000-01-01

Immigration policy and tradition dovetail in their impact on the social organization of immigrant communities, linking the material and non-material aspects of gender. I focus on Asian Indian Patels, who dominate the budget motel business in the United States. I conducted semi-structured interviews with Patel men, women, and teenagers. I stayed overnight in the motels to observe families at work. I was almost always invited to prepare and share a meal, so I observed families at home. My ...

Collective labor supply of native Dutch and immigrant households in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Klaveren, C.; van Praag, B.; Maassen van den Brink, H.

2009-01-01

We estimate a collective time allocation model, where Dutch, Surinamese/Antillean and Turkish households behave as if both spouses maximize a household utility function. We assume that paid labor and housework are the endogenous choice variables and furthermore consider household production.

Deporting the American Dream: Immigration Enforcement and Latino Foreclosures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacob S. Rugh

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, Latinos have been buffeted by two major forces: a record number of immigrant deportations and the housing foreclosure crisis. Yet, prior work has not assessed the link between the two. We hypothesize that deportations exacerbate rates of foreclosure among Latinos by removing income earners from owner-occupied households. We employ a quasi-experimental approach that leverages variation in county applications for 287(g immigration enforcement agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and data on foreclosure filings from 2005–2012. These models uncover a substantial association of enforcement with Hispanic foreclosure rates. The association is stronger in counties with more immigrant detentions and a larger share of undocumented persons in owner-occupied homes. The results imply that local immigration enforcement plays an important role in understanding why Latinos experienced foreclosures most often. The reduced home ownership and wealth that result illustrate how legal status and deportation perpetuate the racial stratification of Latinos.

Health, cultural and socioeconomic factors related to self-rated health of long-term Jewish residents, immigrants, and Arab women in midlife in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Benyamini, Yael; Boyko, Valentina; Blumstein, Tzvia; Lerner-Geva, Liat

2014-01-01

Self-rated health (SRH) has been found to predict future health, yet its importance is unique in the information it captures, beyond more objective measures. This information can include psychosocial and cultural factors that can be important in understanding women's health. Our goal was to test whether long-term Jewish residents (LTJR), immigrant, and Arab women differed in their SRH, whether these differences were maintained after controlling for indicators of health status, and, if so, whether the differences among the three groups reflected psychosocial or socioeconomic factors. A nationally representative sample of 814 women in Israel aged 45-64 years was interviewed (between June 2004 and March 2006) regarding socio-demographics, physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial aspects. Both immigrant and Arab women reported poorer SRH, physical and mental health, and socioeconomic status. Differences between Arab women and LTJR were mostly explained by differences in health measures (e.g., medications and symptoms) and psychosocial measures (e.g., caregiving load and depressive symptoms) and were eliminated when socioeconomic measures were added to the multiple regression models. Differences in SRH between immigrants and LTJR remained after multiple adjustments, suggesting that they reflected unmeasured cultural factors. Even with universal healthcare coverage in a small country (i.e., with minimal financial and geographical barriers to healthcare) minority groups' health suffers in relation to their socioeconomic and life circumstances.

The Effect of Targeting Credit to Married Women on Intra-household Expenditure Roles in Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haile, H.B.; Bock, B.B.

2009-01-01

This paper is attempted to explore the potential effects of microfinance targeted at married women on intra-household expenditure roles and women’s economic power taking the cases of two microfinance institutions in Ethiopia

Salud es Vida: a Cervical Cancer Screening Intervention for Rural Latina Immigrant Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Luque, John S; Tarasenko, Yelena N; Reyes-Garcia, Claudia; Alfonso, Moya L; Suazo, Norma; Rebing, Laura; Ferris, Daron G

2017-12-01

This study examined the feasibility and efficacy of Salud es Vida-a promotora-led, Spanish language educational group session on cervical cancer screening (Pap tests)-self-efficacy (belief in ability to schedule and complete a Pap test), and knowledge among immigrant Hispanic/Latina women from farmworker backgrounds. These women are disproportionately burdened with cervical cancer, with mortality rates significantly higher than non-Hispanic whites. The two-arm, quasi-experimental study was conducted in four rural counties of Southeast Georgia in 2014-2015. Hispanic/Latina immigrant women aged 21-65 years and overdue for a Pap test were included as intervention (N = 38) and control (N = 52) group participants. The intervention was developed in partnership with a group of promotoras to create the toolkit of materials which includes a curriculum guide, a brochure, a flipchart, a short animated video, and in-class activities. Twelve (32 %) intervention group participants received the Pap test compared to 10 (19 %) control group participants (p = 0.178). The intervention group scored significantly higher on both cervical cancer knowledge recall and retention than the control group (p < 0.001). While there was no statistically significant difference in cervical cancer screening self-efficacy scores between the group participants, both groups scored higher at follow-up, adjusting for the baseline scores. The group intervention approach was associated with increased cervical cancer knowledge but not uptake of Pap test. More intensive interventions using patient navigation approaches or promotoras who actively follow participants or conducting one-on-one rather than group sessions may be needed to achieve improved screening outcomes with this population.

45-Year trends in women's use of time and household management energy expenditure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward Archer

Full Text Available CONTEXT: Relationships between socio-environmental factors and obesity are poorly understood due to a dearth of longitudinal population-level research. The objective of this analysis was to examine 45-year trends in time-use, household management (HM and energy expenditure in women. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Using national time-use data from women 19-64 years of age, we quantified time allocation and household management energy expenditure (HMEE from 1965 to 2010. HM was defined as the sum of time spent in food preparation, post-meal cleaning activities (e.g., dish-washing, clothing maintenance (e.g., laundry, and general housework. HMEE was calculated using body weights from national surveys and metabolic equivalents. RESULTS: The time allocated to HM by women (19-64 yrs decreased from 25.7 hr/week in 1965 to 13.3 hr/week in 2010 (P<0.001, with non-employed women decreasing by 16.6 hr/week and employed women by 6.7 hr/week (P<0.001. HMEE for non-employed women decreased 42% from 25.1 Mj/week (6004 kilocalories per week in 1965 to 14.6 Mj/week (3486 kcal/week in 2010, a decrement of 10.5 Mj/week or 1.5 Mj/day (2518 kcal/week; 360 kcal/day (P<0.001, whereas employed women demonstrated a 30% decrement of 3.9 Mj/week, 0.55 Mj/day (923 kcal/week, 132 kcal/day (P<0.001. The time women spent in screen-based media use increased from 8.3 hr/week in 1965 to 16.5 hr/week in 2010 (P<0.001, with non-employed women increasing 9.6 hr/week and employed women 7.5 hr/week (P<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: From 1965 to 2010, there was a large and significant decrease in the time allocated to HM. By 2010, women allocated 25% more time to screen-based media use than HM (i.e., cooking, cleaning, and laundry combined. The reallocation of time from active pursuits (i.e., housework to sedentary pastimes (e.g., watching TV has important health consequences. These results suggest that the decrement in HMEE may have contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity in women during

Notes on the incorporation of third world women into wage-labor through immigration and off-shore production.

Science.gov (United States)

Sassen-koob, S

1984-01-01

The different forms and geographic locations in which the expanded incorporation of Third World women into wage labor occur may be closely interrelated. 2 such instances examined in this article are: 1) the recruitment of young women, without previous labor force experience, into the new manufacturing and service jobs generated by export-led manufacturing in several Caribbean and Asian countries; and 2) the employment of immigrant women in large cities of highly industrialized countries which have undergone basic economic restructuring. While many of these women may have become domestic or international migrants as a function of their husbands' or family's migration, the more fundamental processes of this restructuring are the ones promoting the formation of a supply of women migrants and a demand for this type of labor. Examples are the shift of plants and offices to Third World countries, and the demand for immigrant women labor in large cities within the US. The latter is a manifestation of the general shift to a service economy, the downgrading of manufacturing, partly to keep it competitive with overseas plants, and the direct and indirect demand for low-wage labor generated by the expansion of management and control functions centered in these large cities, and necessary for the regulation of the global economy. The feminization of job supply and the need to secure a politically adequate labor supply, which combine to create a demand for the type of labor represented by migrant women, suggest that gender has to be considered in conjunction with the structural arrangements and that gender by itself cannot adequately describe the nature of migrant labor.

Changes in household composition as determinant of changes in functional ability among old men and women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avlund, Kirsten; Due, Pernille; Holstein, Bjørn Evald

2002-01-01

The aims of this article were 1) to describe changes in functional ability from ages 75 to 80 among men and women in three Nordic localities, and 2) to analyze whether these changes are determined by changes in household composition from ages 70 to 75. The present analyses include the persons who...... among the poor-functioning men. It is concluded that poor-functioning, single-living women are at higher risk of not regaining functional ability compared to cohabiting women.......The aims of this article were 1) to describe changes in functional ability from ages 75 to 80 among men and women in three Nordic localities, and 2) to analyze whether these changes are determined by changes in household composition from ages 70 to 75. The present analyses include the persons who...... participated in the NORA follow-up study of 75-80 year-old men and women in Jyväskylä, Finland (N=243), Göteborg, Sweden (N=226), and Glostrup, Denmark (N=274). Functional ability was measured by tiredness and need for help in Physical and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (PADL and IADL). Changes...

Attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors toward HIV testing among African American and East African immigrant women in Washington, D.C.: Implications for targeted HIV testing promotion and communication strategies

Science.gov (United States)

De Jesus, Maria; Carrete, Claudia; Maine, Cathleen; Nalls, Patricia

2015-01-01

Objectives The objective of the study was to examine and compare the HIV testing attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors between African American and East African immigrant women in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Methods Adopting an inductive, qualitative methodological approach, we conducted a total of 40 in-depth, semi-structured interviews between October 2012 and March 2013. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Overall, African American women held more favorable views toward HIV testing than East African immigrant women. Very few East African immigrant women sought HIV testing intentionally. The majority of East African participants were tested inadvertently, while others tested for immigration- or employment-related purposes. There were many barriers that impede women from seeking an HIV test including: negative assumptions (e.g., ‘Getting an HIV test implies that I am HIV positive’); negative emotions (e.g., ‘Fear of being diagnosed with HIV and what this will mean for me’); and potential negative reactions from partner or others (e.g., ‘Getting an HIV test can signal distrust, disrespect, or infidelity’). There were nuances in how each group articulated some of these barriers and East African women expressed unique concerns that originated from experiences in their home countries. Conclusions The study shed light into the complexity of factors that constrain women from presenting themselves voluntarily for an HIV test and highlighted the nuances between African American and East African perceptions. Implications of findings for effective targeted HIV screening promotion and communication strategies among these groups of women are discussed. PMID:25897146

Attitudes, perceptions and behaviours towards HIV testing among African-American and East African immigrant women in Washington, DC: implications for targeted HIV testing promotion and communication strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

De Jesus, Maria; Carrete, Claudia; Maine, Cathleen; Nalls, Patricia

2015-12-01

The objective of the study was to examine and compare the HIV testing attitudes, perceptions and behaviours between African-American and East African immigrant women in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Adopting an inductive, qualitative methodological approach, we conducted a total of 40 in-depth, semistructured interviews between October 2012 and March 2013. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Overall, African-American women held more favourable views towards HIV testing than East African immigrant women. Very few East African immigrant women sought HIV testing intentionally. The majority of East African participants were tested inadvertently, while others tested for immigration-related or employment-related purposes. There were many barriers that impede women from seeking an HIV test including negative assumptions (eg, "Getting an HIV test implies that I am HIV positive"), negative emotions (eg, "Fear of being diagnosed with HIV and what this will mean for me") and potential negative reactions from partner or others (eg, "Getting an HIV test can signal distrust, disrespect, or infidelity"). There were nuances in how each group articulated some of these barriers and East African women expressed unique concerns that originated from experiences in their home countries. The study shed light into the complexity of factors that constrain women from presenting themselves voluntarily for an HIV test and highlighted the nuances between African-American and East African perceptions. Implications of findings for effective targeted HIV screening promotion and communication strategies among these groups of women are discussed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Ruralidade e mulheres responsáveis por domicílios no Norte e no Nordeste Ruralness and Women Responsible for Households in the North and Northeast of Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Russell Parry Scott

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A comparação de mulheres como responsáveis de domicílios no Norte e no Nordeste revela efeitos de diferenciação de gênero e de histórias divergentes de migração. Como em todo o Brasil, essas mulheres têm mais instrução e menos renda que os homens responsáveis por domicílios. Fazem uso extensivo de ingressos da seguridade social, especialmente nas áreas rurais. Elas assumem mais a chefia ou quando são adolescentes, ou, muito mais, quando passam da idade de 45 anos. Recorrem mais intensivamente que homens às suas redes de relações ampliadas para inclusão de outros nas suas casas. No Norte, comparado com o Brasil e o Nordeste, com maior presença de imigração masculina, há menos mulheres chefes, em geral, e especialmente no campo. Relativamente, têm instrução superior à dos homens responsáveis. Nas suas casas há mais pessoas que nas de mulheres responsáveis em outras regiões. Só ocasionalmente moram sozinhas. No Nordeste, com uma história de emigração, as mulheres responsáveis são muito mais numerosas, em geral, com particular força no campo. A sua instrução não é tão superior à dos homens quanto à das mulheres no Norte. Elas residem sozinhas com mais freqüência e há pouca diferença no número de pessoas entre casas nas áreas urbanas e rurais.A comparison of women household heads in North and Northeast Brazil reveals effects of gender differentiation and divergent histories of migration. As in Brazil in general, women heads have more education and less income than male heads. They make extensive use of social security income, especially as a source of maintenance in rural areas. They take on headship either when adolescents, or, much more often, when over the age of 45. They include persons from their wider social networks much more than male heads do. Compared to Brazil in general and to the Northeast, the North, with a history of male immigration, has fewer women household heads in general, and

Maternal nutrition among women from Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Nigeria, and potential implications for pregnancy outcomes among immigrant populations in developed countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay, K L; Gibney, E R; McAuliffe, F M

2012-12-01

Pregnant women in countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are at risk of poor nutritional status and adverse outcomes as a result of poverty, food insecurity, sub-optimal healthcare facilities, frequent infections and frequent pregnancies. Studies from Nigeria, for example, have revealed a high prevalence of both under- and over-nutrition, as well as nutrient deficiencies, including iron, folate, vitamin D and vitamin A. Subsequently, obstetric complications, including hypertension, anaemia, neural tube defects, night-blindness, low birth weight and maternal and perinatal mortality, are common. Migration patterns from SSA to the Western world are on the rise in recent years, with Nigerians now representing the most prevalent immigrant African population in many developed countries. However, the effect of immigration, if any, on the nutritional status and pregnancy outcomes of these women in their host countries has not yet been studied. Consequently, it is unknown to what extent the nutritional deficiencies and pregnancy complications occurring in Nigeria, and other countries of SSA, present in these women post-emigration. This may result in missed opportunities for appropriate antenatal care of a potential high-risk group in pregnancy. The present review discusses the literature regarding nutrition in pregnancy among SSA women, using Nigeria as an example, the common nutrition-related complications that arise and the subsequent obstetric outcomes. The concept of dietary acculturation among immigrant groups is also discussed and deficiencies in the literature regarding studies on the diets of pregnant immigrant women are highlighted. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2012 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

The ‘Final Say’ Is Not the Last Word. Gendered Patterns, Perceptions, and Processes in Household Decision Making Among Chinese Immigrant Couples in Canada

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Shirley Sun Hsiao Li

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The central assumption of the ‘final-say’ measure of conjugal dynamics is that reporteddecision-making outcomes reveal gender inequality within the household; since power is defined asthe ability to make decisions affecting the life of the family, the decider is often regarded as the onepossessing more power or higher status. Qualitative data collected from in-depth interviews with 16married Chinese immigrant couples in Canada, however, problematize this assumption. Drawing ondata from separate interviews with the spouses, I highlight three subtle ways in which genderinequality manifests itself. First, in a substantial proportion of households, wives rather thanhusbands made decisions about day-to-day expenses, even when the wife held no paid employmentor earned less than the husband. Second, husbands consciously avoided making such decisions. Notonly did interviewees perceive household expenditure decisions as ‘women’s business’ (nurenjia deshi, but these decisions were also trivialized by both male and female respondents. Third, interviewdata showed that there was an unequal distribution of power between spouses, even in the modelof joint decision making, because wives tended to seek their husbands’ approval, especially for realestate purchases or high-end consumption. The major findings from this study suggest thatresearchers’ conclusions about gender relations in the family may depend on the methods of datacollection.

Alcohol Consumption Practices among Married Women of Reproductive Age in Nepal: A Population Based Household Survey.

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Narbada Thapa

Full Text Available Alcohol chemically known as ethanol, causes several health, economic and social consequences across the world. Literatures suggest potential harm of alcohol drinking by pregnant women especially to the fetus and the mother. Despite a number of significant public health problems related to alcohol consumption, this area has been ignored in Nepal and information at the national level is limited. Thus this study aimed at finding the prevalence of alcohol consumption among married women of reproductive age.A nationally representative household survey was carried out from April to August 2013 by taking 16 districts across all 15 eco administrative regions. From the selected districts, 86 village development committees and 14 municipalities were selected as primary sampling units using probability proportionate to size, followed by random selection of 3 wards from each primary sampling unit. Finally, 30 households within each ward were selected using systematic random sampling, and one married women of reproductive age from each household. A total of 9000 married women of reproductive age were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire, on alcohol consumption practices including environmental factors and socio demographic characteristics and were included in the analysis.National prevalence of alcohol consumption ever among married women of reproductive age was 24.7% (95% CI:21.7-28.0, last 12 months 17.9% (95% CI:15.3-20.7 and last 30 days (current drinking 11.8% (95% CI:9.8-14.1. There was substantial variation among the districts ranging from 2% to 60%. Multivariable analysis suggests women with no education or within formal education, dalit and janajatis ethnicity, whose husbands drink alcohol, who brew alcohol at home and women from mountains were significantly at higher risk of consuming alcohol. Among the women who drank alcohol in last 12 months, a substantial proportion of them drank home brewed alcoholic beverages (95.9%, 95% CI:94

Union formation and dissolution among immigrants and their descendants in the United Kingdom

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Tina Hannemann

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background: There is a growing literature on the dynamics of immigrant fertility and mixed marriages, but partnership transitions among immigrants and ethnic minorities are little studied. Objective: This study investigates union formation and dissolution among immigrants and their descendants in the UK. Methods: We use data from the Understanding Society study and apply the techniques of event history analysis. We contrast partnership trajectories of various immigrant groups and compare these with those of the 'native' British population. Results: The analysis shows significant differences in partnership formation and dissolution among immigrants and ethnic minorities. Women of Caribbean origin have the highest cohabitation and the lowest marriage rates, whereas cohabitation remains rare among immigrants from South Asia and their descendants, as most of them marry directly. Immigrants from the Caribbean region and their descendants also show higher divorce rates than 'native' British women, whereas women of South Asian origin have a low divorce risk.

Ethnic variations in immigrant poverty exit and female employment: the missing link.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaida, Lisa

2015-04-01

Despite widespread interest in poverty among recent immigrants and female immigrant employment, research on the link between the two is limited. This study evaluates the effect of recently arrived immigrant women's employment on the exit from family poverty and considers the implications for ethnic differences in poverty exit. It uses the bivariate probit model and the Fairlie decomposition technique to analyze data from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC), a nationally representative survey of immigrants arriving in Canada, 2000-2001. Results show that the employment of recently arrived immigrant women makes a notable contribution to lifting families out of poverty. Moreover, the wide ethnic variations in the probability of exit from poverty between European and non-European groups are partially explained by the lower employment rates among non-European women. The results suggest that the equal earner/female breadwinner model applies to low-income recent immigrant families in general, but the male breadwinner model explains the low probability of poverty exit among select non-European groups whose female employment rates are notably low.

[Immigration and health: Social inequalities between native and immigrant populations in the Basque Country (Spain)].

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez Álvarez, Elena; González-Rábago, Yolanda; Bacigalupe, Amaia; Martín, Unai; Lanborena Elordui, Nerea

2014-01-01

To analyze health inequalities between native and immigrant populations in the Basque Country (Spain) and the role of several mediating determinants in explaining these differences. A cross-sectional study was performed in the population aged 18 to 64 years in the Basque Country. We used data from the Basque Health Survey 2007 (n=4,270) and the Basque Health Survey for Immigrants 2009 (n=745). We calculated differences in health inequalities in poor perceived health between the native population and immigrant populations from distinct regions (China, Latin America, the Maghreb and Senegal). To measure the association between poor perceived health and place of origin, and to adjust this association by several mediating variables, odds ratios (OR) were calculated through logistic regression models. Immigrants had poorer perceived health than natives in the Basque Country, regardless of age. These differences could be explained by the lower educational level, worse employment status, lower social support, and perceived discrimination among immigrants, both in men and women. After adjustment was performed for all the variables, health status was better among men from China (OR: 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI95%]: 0.04-0.91) and Maghreb (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.91) and among Latin American women (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14-0.92) than in the native population. These results show the need to continue to monitor social and health inequalities between the native and immigrant populations, as well as to support the policies that improve the socioeconomic conditions of immigrants. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Self-reported oral hygiene habits, dental attendance and attitudes to dentistry during pregnancy in a sample of immigrant women in North London.

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Hullah, Esther; Turok, Yaroslava; Nauta, Maud; Yoong, Wai

2008-05-01

The aim of this study was to describe self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, frequency of visits to a dentist and factors associated with dental attendance among pregnant women at a North London Hospital, the majority of whom are immigrants. Peridontal disease is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study is to describe self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, frequency of visits to a dentist and factors associated with dental attendance among pregnant women at a North London Hospital, the majority of whom are immigrants. A questionnaire designed by the authors was completed by postnatal women within 3 days of delivery. Data collected included past dental attendance, reasons for attendance and information about age, parity and socio-economic group. In total, 206 women completed the questionnaires within 3 days of delivery; 74.2% of the mothers were not born in the UK and 38.3% were Black African. The mean age of was 28.19 +/- 6.07 years. The majority reported good oral hygiene habits such as brushing their teeth twice a day (73.7%) and using mouthwash (51%). However, their dental attendance was poor and the average time since their last visit to a dentist was 1.8 +/- 1.61 years. Over a third of the women questioned did not know about the availability of free dental care during pregnancy and for 12 months after; 33% visited a dentist in pregnancy and half of them needed and received treatment; 15% of mothers had more than one pregnancy and yet were still unaware of free dental care provided during pregnancy and 12 months after birth. Only 36% of questioned women regularly visited a dentist. Pregnancy did little to change their attitudes to dental care. There appears no difference in attitudes to dental care between immigrant and British born pregnant women. Efforts to improve the uptake of dental care should be directed towards immigrant groups in order to promote better maternal health. Further research is

Challenges of recruiting ESL immigrants into cancer education studies: reflections from practice notes.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Maria D; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2011-03-01

Changing population demographics and immigration patterns have resulted in increasing numbers of Canadians who report speaking a language other than French or English. Inclusion of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) immigrants in cancer education research is critical if disparities in access and use of preventive health care services are to be addressed. This article describes the challenges experienced recruiting and interviewing older ESL immigrant women for a colon cancer prevention study. Factors influencing the recruitment and interview of ESL immigrant women were identified through regular team meetings, interviews, and reflective practice notes. Issues included the importance of community contacts, language barriers, and the motivations of the women for participating. Recommendations for recruitment and inclusion of ESL immigrants in cancer education research are provided.

The Effect of Household and Community on School Attrition: An Analysis of Thai Youth

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Korinek, Kim; Punpuing, Sureeporn

2012-01-01

We analyze school attrition among youth in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand. We find that family investments in schooling are shaped by both household and local community contexts. There is an enrollment advantage for girls across different households and communities. We find that youth whose mothers have migrated and youth in immigrant households…

Mammographic breast density in recent and longer-standing ethiopian immigrants to israel.

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Sklair-Levy, Miri; Segev, Anat; Sella, Tamar; Calderon-Margalit, Ronit; Zippel, Douglas

2018-04-23

High breast density is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer development. Little is known concerning ethnic variations in breast density and its relevant contributing factors. We aimed to study breast density among Ethiopian immigrants to Israel in comparison with Israeli-born women and to determine any effect on breast density of the length of residency in the immigrant population. Mammographic breast density using the BI-RADS system was estimated and compared between 77 women of Ethiopian origin who live in Israel and 177 Israeli-born controls. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratios (OR) for high density (BI-RADS score ≥ 3) vs low density (BI-RADS score density compared with Israeli-born women. Adjustments for various cofounders did not affect the results. Time since immigration to Israel seemed to modify the relationship, with a stronger association for women who immigrated within 2 years prior to mammography (OR:0.07, 95% CI: 0.03-0.17) as opposed to women with a longer residency stay in Israel (OR:0.23, 95% CI:0.10-0.50). Adjustments of various confounders did not alter these findings. Breast density in Ethiopian immigrants to Israel is significantly lower than that of Israeli-born controls. Our study suggests a positive association between time since immigration and breast density. Future studies are required to define the possible effects of dietary change on mammographic density following immigration. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of culture and community perceptions on birth and perinatal care of immigrant women: doulas' perspective.

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Kang, Hye-Kyung

2014-01-01

A qualitative study examined the perceptions of doulas practicing in Washington State regarding the influence of cultural and community beliefs on immigrant women's birth and perinatal care, as well as their own cultural beliefs and values that may affect their ability to work interculturally. The findings suggest that doulas can greatly aid immigrant mothers in gaining access to effective care by acting as advocates, cultural brokers, and emotional and social support. Also, doulas share a consistent set of professional values, including empowerment, informed choice, cultural relativism, and scientific/evidence-based practice, but do not always recognize these values as culturally based. More emphasis on cultural self-awareness in doula training, expanding community doula programs, and more integration of doula services in health-care settings are recommended.

Can Authorization Reduce Poverty among Undocumented Immigrants? Evidence from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program

OpenAIRE

Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina; Antman, Francisca M.

2016-01-01

We explore the impact of authorization on the poverty exposure of households headed by undocumented immigrants. The identification strategy makes use of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provided a temporary work authorization and reprieve from deportation to eligible immigrants. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we compare DACA-eligible to DACA-ineligible likely unauthorized immigrants, before and after the program implementation. We find that DA...

Effective promotion of breastfeeding among Latin American women newly immigrated to the United States.

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Denman-Vitale, S; Murillo, E K

1999-07-01

Across the United States, advance practice nurses (APNs) are increasingly encountering recently immigrated Latin American populations. This article provides an overview of the situation of Latin Americans in the United States and discusses aspects of Latin American culture such as, respeto (respect), confianza (confidence), the importance of family, and the value of a personal connection. Strategies that will assist practitioners to incorporate culturally holistic principles in the promotion of breastfeeding among Latin American women who are new arrivals in the United States are described. If practitioners are to respond to the increasing numbers of Latin American women who need health care services, and also provide thorough, holistic health care then health care activities must be integrated with cultural competence.

The Other Side: How does Informed Choice Affect Induced Abortions among Reproductive-Age Immigrant Women in China—A Cross-Sectional Study

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Chuanning Yu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This study attempted to explore how informed choice on contraceptive methods influenced induced abortions among reproductive-age immigrant women in China. A total of 3230 participants were recruited in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing. Information on informed choice was collected by questionnaires. The annual incidence rate (spells of induced abortions was 0.46 (1500/3230 among the participants. The sequence from the highest score to the lowest was long-term, short-term and natural contraceptive methods (p < 0.0001. Significant differences of rates in induced abortions were found in region, occupation, length of the first immigration up to now (year, purpose for immigration, number of children, marital status, sex preference, contraceptive methods, deciders of contraceptive methods and side effects. In the zero-inflated negative binomial model, the joint impacts showed when a participant with one child employed condoms or family planning service providers as the deciders of contraceptive methods introduced intrauterine devices, the occurrence of induced abortions was more likely to be reduced. Women who underwent side effects using pills were more likely to have had induced abortions.

Changes in health selection of obesity among Mexican immigrants: a binational examination.

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Ro, Annie; Fleischer, Nancy

2014-12-01

Health selection is often measured by comparing the health of more recent immigrants to the native born of their new host country. However, this comparison fails to take into account two important factors: (1) that changes in the health profile of sending countries may impact the health of immigrants over time, and (2) that the best comparison group for health selection would be people who remain in the country of origin. Obesity represents an important health outcome that may be best understood by taking into account these two factors. Using nationally-representative datasets from Mexico and the US, we examined differences in obesity-related health selection, by gender, in 2000 and 2012. We calculated prevalence ratios from log-binomial models to compare the risk of obesity among recent immigrants to the US to Mexican nationals with varying likelihood of migration, in order to determine changes in health selection over time. Among men in 2000, we found little difference in obesity status between recent immigrants to the US and Mexican non-migrants. However, in 2012, Mexican men who were the least likely to migrate had higher obesity prevalence than recent immigrants, which may reflect emerging health selection. The trends for women, however, indicated differences in obesity status between recent Mexican immigrants and non-migrants at both time points. In both 2000 and 2012, Mexican national women had significantly higher obesity prevalence than recent immigrant women, with the biggest difference between recent immigrants and Mexican women who were least likely to migrate. There was also indication that selection increased with time for women, as the differences between Mexican nationals and recent immigrants to the US grew from 2000 to 2012. Our study is among the first to use a binational dataset to examine the impact of health selectivity, over time, on obesity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communication, Cultural Models of Breast Cancer Beliefs and Screening Mammography: An Assessment of Attitudes Among Haitian Immigrant Women in Eastern Massachusetts

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

David, Michele

2000-01-01

... forthcoming about this adherence. Many Haitian immigrant women are not aware of the purpose of screening mammography, and present late for evaluation of breast lumps and abnormal findings at mammography...

Communication, Cultural Models of Breast Cancer Beliefs and Screening Mammography: An Assessment of Attitudes Among Haitian Immigrant Women in Eastern MA

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

David, Michele

2001-01-01

... forthcoming about this adherence. Many Haitian immigrant women are not aware of the purpose of screening mammography, and present late for evaluation of breast lumps and abnormal findings at mammography...

A Bicultural Researcher's Reflections on Ethical Research Practices With Muslim Immigrant Women: Merging Boundaries and Challenging Binaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Salma, Jordana; Ogilvie, Linda; Keating, Norah; Hunter, Kathleen F

Bicultural researchers are well positioned to identify tensions, disrupt binaries of positions, and reconcile differences across cultural contexts to ensure ethical research practices. This article focuses on a bicultural researcher's experiences of ethically important moments in research activities with Muslim immigrant women. Three ethical principles of respect, justice, and concern for welfare are highlighted, revealing the implications of binary constructions of identity, the value of situated knowledge in creating ethical research practices, and the need to recognize agency as a counterforce to oppressive narratives about Muslim women.

Family Functioning and Early Learning Practices in Immigrant Homes

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Sunyoung; Fuller, Bruce; Galindo, Claudia

2012-01-01

Poverty-related developmental-risk theories dominate accounts of uneven levels of household functioning and effects on children. But immigrant parents may sustain norms and practices--stemming from heritage culture, selective migration, and social support--that buffer economic exigencies. "Comparable" levels of social-emotional functioning in…

Positive pregnancy outcomes in Mexican immigrants: what can we learn?

Science.gov (United States)

Page, Robin L

2004-01-01

To provide an integrated review of the literature of potential explanations for better than expected pregnancy outcomes in Mexican immigrants, focusing on socioeconomics, social support, desirability of pregnancy, nutrition, substance use, religion, acculturation, and prenatal care. Computerized searches of MEDLINE and CINAHL databases, as well as reference lists from published articles on low birth weight and prematurity in immigrants and acculturation in immigrants from January 1989 to December 2002. Search terms were Mexican immigrant women, childbearing, and pregnancy outcome, and only English-language articles were reviewed. Literature was selected from refereed publications in the areas of nursing, medicine, public health, family, and sociology. Data were extracted using keywords pertinent to pregnancy outcome in Mexican immigrants. Despite having many of the risk factors for poor pregnancy outcomes, Mexican immigrants have superior birth outcomes when compared to U.S.-born women. Social support, familism, healthy diet, limited use of cigarettes and alcohol, and religion may play a role in improved outcomes. The superior outcomes diminish with the process of acculturation as the individual adapts to her new culture. Low birth weight and prematurity are public health concerns in the United States. Through further study of the factors that lead to superior birth outcomes among Mexican immigrant women, rates of low birth weight and prematurity in the United States may be reduced.

Effects of a Program to Improve Mental Health Literacy for Married Immigrant Women in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yun-Jung

2017-08-01

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a mental health improvement program for the acculturative stress and mental health literacy of married immigrant women using bilingual gatekeepers. Bilingual gatekeepers were recruited from multicultural centers and trained to provide 8-week structured mental health improvement services to the women in the experimental group using a mental health improvement guidebook developed by the authors in 8 different languages. The program was effective in improving mental health and mental health literacy scores as well as reducing the degree of acculturative stress. This study offers a model of effective mental healthcare for multicultural communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitude and perceptions of breast cancer screening among native and immigrant women in Barcelona, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Pons-Vigués, Mariona; Puigpinós-Riera, Rosa; Serral, Gemma; Pasarín, M Isabel; Rodríguez, Dolors; Pérez, Glòria; Benet, Josep; Casamitjana, Montserrat; Borrell, Carme

2012-06-01

Inequalities between immigrant and native populations in terms of access and use of health services have been described. The objective is to compare knowledge, attitudes, vulnerabilities, benefits and barriers related to breast cancer (BC) and screening mammography among women from different countries resident in Barcelona. A cross-sectional survey carried out in Barcelona in 2009. The study population consisted of female residents in Barcelona between 45 and 69 years of age; participants were Spanish nationals or immigrants from low-income countries. 960 participants were asked 72 questions, mainly with Likert responses. The dependent variables were five quantitative scales: (1) knowledge of BC and early detection, (2) attitude towards health and BC, (3) vulnerability to BC, (4) barriers to mammography, (5) benefits of mammography. The independent variables were country of origin, social class, setting, cohabitation, age, mammography use, length of residence and fluency of the language. Analyses compared scale scores stratified by the independent variables. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to determine the relationship between the scales and the independent variables. We observed inequalities according to country of origin on all scales after adjustment for independent variables. Chinese women presented the greatest differences with respect to native women, followed by Maghrebi and Filipino women. Inequalities exist on the vulnerability and barriers scales according to social class and urban/rural setting, and on the attitude scale according to social class. Country of origin, social class and urban/rural setting are key contributors to inequality in these scales. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Postpartum mental health of immigrant mothers by region of origin, time since immigration, and refugee status: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigod, Simone N; Bagadia, Ashlesha J; Hussain-Shamsy, Neesha; Fung, Kinwah; Sultana, Anjum; Dennis, Cindy-Lee E

2017-06-01

Immigrant women are at high risk for postpartum mental disorders. The purpose of this study was to understand how rates of postpartum mental health contact differ among immigrant women by region of origin, time since immigration, and refugee status. We conducted a population-based cohort study of immigrant mothers in Ontario, Canada, with children born from 2008 to 2012 (N = 123,231). We compared risk for mental health contact (outpatient, emergency department, inpatient hospitalization) in the first postpartum year by region of origin, time since immigration, and refugee status, generating adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East were more likely to have outpatient mental health contact than a referent group of immigrants from North America or Europe (aOR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.14); those from East Asia and the Pacific, Southern Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa were less likely (0.64, 0.61-0.68; 0.78, 0.74-0.83; 0.88, 0.81-0.94). Refugees were more likely to have contact than non-refugees (1.10, 1.04-1.15); those in Canada Refugees were more likely to have an emergency department visit (1.81, 1.50-2.17) and a psychiatric hospitalization than non-refugees (1.78, 1.31-2.42). These findings have implications for targeted postpartum mental health service delivery targeting certain immigrant groups and particularly refugees.

How perceptions of immigrants trigger feelings of economic and cultural threats in two welfare states

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fietkau, Sebastian; Hansen, Kasper Møller

2018-01-01

background, and gender in Denmark and Germany. For women, an additional split in which half of the women wore a headscarf is performed. In both countries, highly skilled immigrants are preferred to low-skilled immigrants. Danes are more skeptical toward non-Western immigration than Germans. Essentially, less...

Occupational stratification, job-mismatches, and child poverty: understanding the disadvantage of Black immigrants in the US.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kevin J A

2015-03-01

This study examines the implications of occupational stratification and job mismatches for the welfare of children, using data from the 2005-2009 American Community Survey. The results show that Black children of immigrants have household heads that are more likely to have occupations with low SEI scores than children in US-born households. More importantly, they demonstrate that intersections between parental job-mismatches and employment in the bottom rather than upper levels of the occupational distribution have important implications for understanding poverty differences among children. Job mismatches within occupations with low SEI scores are associated with greater poverty risks among Black than White, Asian, or Hispanic children of immigrants. However, racial poverty disparities are considerably lower among children with household heads in the highest occupational strata. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Poverty and program participation among immigrant children.

Science.gov (United States)

Borjas, George J

2011-01-01

Researchers have long known that poverty in childhood is linked with a range of negative adult socioeconomic outcomes, from lower educational achievement and behavioral problems to lower earnings in the labor market. But few researchers have explored whether exposure to a disadvantaged background affects immigrant children and native children differently. George Borjas uses Current Population Survey (CPS) data on two specific indicators of poverty-the poverty rate and the rate of participation in public assistance programs-to begin answering that question. He finds that immigrant children have significantly higher rates both of poverty and of program participation than do native children. Nearly half of immigrant children are being raised in households that receive some type of public assistance, compared with roughly one-third of native children. Although the shares of immigrant and native children living in poverty are lower, the rate for immigrant children is nonetheless about 15 percentage points higher than that for native children-about the same as the gap in public assistance. Poverty and program participation rates among different groups of immigrant children also vary widely, depending in part on place of birth (foreign- or U.S.-born), parents (immigrant or native), and national origin. According to the CPS data, these native-immigrant differences persist into young adulthood. In particular, the program participation and poverty status of immigrant children is strongly correlated with their program participation and poverty status when they become young adults. But it is not possible, says Borjas, to tell whether the link results from a set of permanent factors associated with specific individuals or groups that tends to lead to "good" or "bad" outcomes systematically over time or from exposure during childhood to adverse socioeconomic outcomes, such as poverty or welfare dependency. Future research must explore the causal impact of childhood poverty on

Work, Immigration, Gender: New Subjects of Cultural Politics.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Lisa

1998-01-01

Discusses the construction of Asian immigrant women's work in the context of the "racialized feminization of labor" in the global restructuring of capitalism. Illustrates the intersection of work, immigration, and gender through a discussion of Asian female garment workers in the United States. (SLD)

Somos Hermanas Del Mismo Dolor (We Are Sisters of the Same Pain): Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Narratives Among Mexican Immigrant Women in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tiffany; Draucker, Claire B; Bradway, Christine; Grisso, Jeanne Ann; Sommers, Marilyn S

2016-04-28

Migration across international borders places tremendous stress on immigrant families and may put women at greater risk for intimate partner violence. In this study, we used narrative analysis methods to explore how nine Mexican immigrant women in the Northeastern United States described their experiences of intimate partner sexual violence, and how these stories were embedded within narratives of transition and movement across borders. We identified three major themes: The Virgin and the Whore, The Family, and Getting Ahead. We share important implications for researchers and health and social service providers working with this population. © The Author(s) 2016.

The impact of multiple interventions to reduce household exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke among women: a cluster randomized controlled trial in Kalutara district, Sri Lanka

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A. M. A. A. P. Alagiyawanna

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Second-hand smoke (SHS in households remains a serious public health problem in Sri Lanka, partly due to a lack of voluntary prohibitions of tobacco smoking inside houses. Women are especially at risk of being exposed. Effective community based interventions to reduce the SHS in households targeting women is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of a multi-component intervention on household SHS exposure among Sri Lankan women. Methods Thirty clusters of 25 women (aged 18–65 from 750 households were randomized into the intervention and control groups. Women in the intervention group were exposed to activities which focused on improving knowledge on the health effects of SHS, attitudes towards SHS exposure, right to a smoke-free living and women empowerment against smoking. The duration of the intervention was six months. The comparison group received no intervention. The primary outcome of interest was self-reported SHS exposure in the household within 7 days prior to data collection. The secondary outcomes were exposure in the past 30 days, knowledge of the health risks of exposure, attitudes towards exposure, right to smoke-free living, women empowerment against smoking, and smoking inside the homes. Results Final assessment was in 329 (89.6% in the intervention group and 309 (85.8% in the comparison group. Following the intervention, significantly lower proportion of women in the intervention group as compared to the control group reported SHS exposure in their households within 7-days (9.2% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.02 and 30-days (13.6% vs. 21.6%, p = 0.008 prior to the post survey. As compared to the control group, significantly higher median scores were observed in the intervention group on the knowledge of the health risks of exposure to SHS (p < 0.001, attitudes on exposure to SHS (p = 0.004, right to smoke free living (p = 0.001 and women empowerment (p < 0.001. Conclusion Multi

"We're Changing Our Ways": Women's Coping Strategies for Obesity Risk-reducing Behaviors in American Indian Households.

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Gadhoke, Preety; Christiansen, Karina; Pardilla, Marla; Frick, Kevin; Gittelsohn, Joel

2015-01-01

This article reveals women caregivers' perceptions and coping strategies to improve households' food and physical activity habits. Results emerged from the pre-intervention formative research phase of a multi-site, multi-level obesity prevention pilot intervention on American Indian (AI) reservations. Using purposive sampling, 250 adults and children participated in qualitative research. Results reveal that having local institutional support was a key structural facilitator. 'Family connectedness' emerged as a key relational facilitator. Hegemony of systems, food deserts, transportation, and weather were key structural barriers; Childcare needs and time constraints were key relational barriers. Women's coping strategies included planning ahead, maximizing, apportioning, tempting healthy, and social support. Findings informed the development and implementation of a novel obesity prevention pilot intervention tailored for each participating AI community addressing culturally relevant messages, institutional policies, and programs. We conclude with future consideration for comparative, ethnicity-based, class-based, and gender-specific studies on women's coping strategies for household health behaviors.

Do Women Really Face Wage Discrimination on the Labour Market? An Analysis Using Intra-household Specialization

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Veronika Hedija

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims to estimate the gender pay gap, cleansed at least partially of the effect of intra-household specialization on productivity. The estimate is based on EU-SILC data for 19 member countries of the European Union. We use an estimate of the average treatment effect on the treated, supplemented by a matching procedure to estimate the unexplained part of the gender pay gap and use a subsample of employees earning more than their partners, thus minimizing the impact of child- and family-care on the gender pay gap. We conclude that the unexplained gender pay gap amounts approximately 10 percent working to the disadvantage of women. If we assume that the dominant role in family- and child-care is taken up by the partner earnings a lower wage, then this difference could neither be explained by differences in the observed personal and company characteristics nor by the dominant role of women in care for the household and children and could actually be due to wage discrimination against women.

Islam: A Dead End for Integration of Female Immigrants in Denmark?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pristed Nielsen, Helene

2009-01-01

The chapter intends to find out why faith-based Muslim mobilization does not appear to be a preferred strategy for facilitating integrative ways of belonging among immigrant women in Denmark. The data documents that while immigrant women are doing everything they can to facilitate integrative ways...

Factors associated with unmet dental care needs in Canadian immigrants: an analysis of the longitudinal survey of immigrants to Canada.

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Calvasina, Paola; Muntaner, Carles; Quiñonez, Carlos

2014-12-03

Immigrants are often considered to have poorer oral health than native born-populations. One possible explanation for immigrants' poor oral health is lack of access to dental care. There is very little information on Canadian immigrants' access to dental care, and unmet dental care needs. This study examines predictors of unmet dental care needs among a sample of adult immigrants to Canada over a three-point-five-year post-migration period. A secondary data analysis was conducted on the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). Sampling and bootstrap weights were applied to make the data nationally representative. Simple descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the demographic characteristics of the sample. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with immigrants' unmet dental care needs over a three-point-five-year period. Approximately 32% of immigrants reported unmet dental care needs. Immigrants lacking dental insurance (OR = 2.63; 95% CI: 2.05-3.37), and those with an average household income of $20,000 to $40,000 per year (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.01-2.61), and lower than $20,000 (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.31-3.86), were more likely to report unmet dental care needs than those earning more than $60,000 per year. In addition, South Asian (OR = 1.85; CI: 1.25-2.73) and Chinese (OR = 2.17; CI: 1.47-3.21) immigrants had significantly higher odds of reporting unmet dental care needs than Europeans. Lack of dental insurance, low income and ethnicity predicted unmet dental care needs over a three-point-five-year period in a sample of immigrants to Canada.

Bone mineral density in immigrants from southern China to Denmark. A cross-sectional study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Pernille; Wang, S; Overgaard, K

1996-01-01

Immigration from Japan to USA has been shown to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and body fat in women. The effects of immigration between other geographical areas on bone mass and body composition are largely unknown, especially in men. In the present study, we measured bone mass and body...... composition by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR-2000) in 73 healthy premenopausal women (age 35 +/- 8 years) and 69 men (age 40 +/- 12 years) who had immigrated from southern China to Denmark 2 months to 36 years ago. The BMD measurements (Total BMD, trunk BMD and leg BMD) were related positively...... to years since immigration (YSI) (R2 = 0.10-0.16, p women, but not in men. Fat distribution was related mainly to age in both premenopausal women and men (R2 = 0.16-0.26, p women (age 36 +/- 6 years). Chinese...

Young Children in Immigrant Families Face Higher Risk of Food Insecurity. Research Brief. Publication #2009-07

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Capps, Randy; Horowitz, Allison; Fortuny, Karina; Bronte-Tinkew, Jacinta; Zaslow, Martha

2009-01-01

Children in immigrant families are more likely than children in native-born families to face a number of risk factors for poor developmental outcomes, including higher poverty rates, lower household incomes, and linguistic isolation, (for example, when older children and adults in a household have difficulty speaking English). Previous research…

Women's Ideas about the Health Effects of Household Air Pollution, Developed through Focus Group Discussions and Artwork in Southern Nepal.

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Devakumar, Delan; Qureshi, Zeshan; Mannell, Jenevieve; Baruwal, Manju; Sharma, Neha; Rehfuess, Eva; Saville, Naomi M; Manandhar, Dharma S; Osrin, David

2018-02-01

Household air pollution is a major cause of ill health, but few solutions have been effective to date. While many quantitative studies have been conducted, few have explored the lived experiences and perceptions of women who do the cooking, and as a result are those most exposed to household air pollution. In this study, we worked with groups of home cooks, and sought to use art as a means of engaging them in discussions of how household air pollution from cooking affects their lives. In the Terai district of southern Nepal, we held four focus groups that included 26 local women from urban and peri-urban areas, as well as six local artists. The women then met approximately weekly over four months, and produced images related to air pollution. Transcripts from the focus groups were reviewed independently by two authors, who initially categorised data deductively to pre-defined nodes, and subsequently inductively reviewed emergent themes. Women identified a number of health effects from air pollution. The main physical effects related to the eye and the respiratory system, and women and young children were seen as most vulnerable. The psychosocial effects of air pollution included reduced food intake by women and lethargy. Suggested solutions included modifications to the cooking process, changing the location of stoves, and increasing ventilation. The main barriers were financial. The lived experiences of women in southern Nepal around the problem of air pollution offers a more nuanced and context-specific understanding of the perceptions and challenges of addressing air pollution, which can be used to inform future interventions.

The effect of contraceptive counselling in the pre and post-natal period on contraceptive use at three months after delivery among Italian and immigrant women

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Laura Lauria

2014-03-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Contraceptive counselling in the pre and post-natal period may be important for the use of postpartum contraception and prevention of induced abortion. This paper evaluates the use of postpartum contraceptives and the factors associated with it in a sample of Italian and immigrant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data are drawn from two population-based follow-up surveys conducted to evaluate the quality of maternal care in 25 Italian Local Health Units in 2008/9 and 2010/1. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models for complex survey data were used. RESULTS: The use of effective contraceptives in the postpartum period is similar between Italians and immigrants (65%. Fifty-nine percent of Italians and 63% of immigrants received contraceptive counselling by natal care services. Women who received counselling are more likely to use effective contraceptives (Italians OR = 2.55 95% CI 2.06 - 3.14; immigrants OR = 4.01 95% CI 2.40 - 6.70. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the notion that health professionals should take every opportunity during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium to provide information and counselling to improve knowledge and awareness of contraception.

International migration to Canada: the post-birth health of mothers and infants by immigration class.

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Gagnon, Anita J; Dougherty, Geoffrey; Wahoush, Olive; Saucier, Jean-François; Dennis, Cindy-Lee; Stanger, Elizabeth; Palmer, Becky; Merry, Lisa; Stewart, Donna E

2013-01-01

There are over 214 million international migrants worldwide, half of whom are women, and all of them assigned by the receiving country to an immigration class. Immigration classes are associated with certain health risks and regulatory restrictions related to eligibility for health care. Prior to this study, reports of international migrant post-birth health had not been compared between immigration classes, with the exception of our earlier, smaller study in which we found asylum-seekers to be at greatest risk for health concerns. In order to determine whether refugee or asylum-seeking women or their infants experience a greater number or a different distribution of professionally-identified health concerns after birth than immigrant or Canadian-born women, we recruited 1127 migrant (and in Canada immigration class (refugee, asylum-seeker, immigrant, or Canadian-born). Between February 2006 and May 2009, we followed them from childbirth (in one of eleven birthing centres in Montreal or Toronto) to four months and found that at one week postpartum, asylum-seeking and immigrant women had greater rates of professionally-identified health concerns than Canadian-born women; and at four months, all three migrant groups had greater rates of professionally-identified concerns. Further, international migrants were at greater risk of not having these concerns addressed by the Canadian health care system. The current study supports our earlier findings and highlights the need for case-finding and services for international migrant women, particularly for psychosocial difficulties. Policy and program mechanisms to address migrants' needs would best be developed within the various immigration classes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes among West African immigrant women in Western Australia.

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Drummond, Peter D; Mizan, Ayse; Wright, Bernadette

2008-09-01

Most women who live in sub-Saharan countries have heard of HIV/AIDS, but there is still widespread misunderstanding about how HIV is spread, the consequences of infection, and how to protect against infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate knowledge about HIV and attitudes towards condom use in West African refugees who had settled in Perth, Western Australia, within the past 5 years. Knowledge about transmission of HIV, myths about how HIV is spread, incorrect beliefs about protective factors, the effectiveness of condoms in protecting against sexually transmissible infections, and attitudes towards condom use were investigated by survey in 51 West African women, and in 100 Australian women for comparison. Where possible, each West African woman was matched for age and level of education with an Australian woman. Knowledge of HIV was poorest in the least educated West African women, but many of the more highly educated women also had misconceptions about how HIV is spread, how to protect against HIV, and the effectiveness of condoms in protecting against HIV. Moreover, most West African women held negative attitudes towards condom use. Within the Australian sample, HIV knowledge was greatest in women with tertiary qualifications, and was greater in younger than older women; in addition, attitudes towards condom use differed across the age span. The findings in the present study suggest that educational programs that focus on knowledge about HIV should be tailored to meet the needs and cultural sensitivities of newly emerging immigrant communities, and should target particular demographic groups within the Australian population.

Immigrants, islandness and perceptions of quality-of-life on Prince Edward Island, Canada

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Peter Kitchen

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explores perceptions of immigrant quality-of-life (QOL and islandness in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and compares these perceptions to those of Canadian-born residents of the same provincial capital. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including a household telephone survey conducted in the summer of 2012 (n=302, focus group interviews with immigrants in late 2012 and observations on preliminary results by the staff of the PEI Association of Newcomers to Canada (PEIANC, the primary immigrant settlement service agency on the island. The analysis of the results suggests that immigrants have a high and undifferentiated assessment of their own QOL, sense of belonging and sense of place compared to Canadian-born islanders; immigrants are also critical of the quality of education and of the range of recreational and cultural events underway on the Island. While they express positive sentiments regarding life on the Island, immigrants still feel excluded from social and economic opportunities.

The mediating effect of effort-reward imbalance in household and family work on the relationship between education and women's health.

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Sperlich, Stefanie; Geyer, Siegfried

2015-04-01

Occupational stress as a key determinant for explaining health inequalities has been well established while the impact of stress related to family work has rarely been considered. This study investigates whether stress in household and family work may contribute to health inequalities in women. We used a population-based sample of German mothers (n = 3129) to determine the total, direct and indirect effects of education on somatic complaints by means of OLS regression-based mediation models. Inference about indirect effects was determined by 95% bias corrected bootstrap confidence intervals. Education was assessed by a measure combining school education and vocational training. Stress was measured using the adopted effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) questionnaire for household and family work. The von Zerssen list of somatic complaints was used as measure of subjective health. We found a significant total effect of education on somatic complaints (p ≤ 0.001) as well as significant indirect effects through 'effort' (p = 0.006) and 'reward' in household and family work (p ≤ 0.001). However, the subscales of ERI pointed into different directions: while levels of 'effort' increased with women's educational attainment, levels of distress related to low 'reward' decreased with higher levels of education. Our findings suggest that the effect of women's education on somatic complaints is mediated through stress related to low reward for household and family work. In particular, lack of 'societal esteem' for household and family work contributed to health disadvantages in lower educated mothers. We conclude that research on health inequality would benefit from taking stressful experiences in household and family work greater into account. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extending the moral economy beyond households: Gendered livelihood strategies of single migrant women in Accra, Ghana

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Tufuor, T.; Niehof, A.; Sato, C.; Horst, van der H.M.

2015-01-01

This article highlights how single migrant women (SMW) from rural northern Ghana generate livelihoods through the adoption of both market and non-market based strategies by extending and then prioritising moral obligations to community members beyond their immediate households instead of focusing on

African female immigration to the United States and its policy implications

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Thomas, Kevin J.A.; Logan, Ikubolajeh

2014-01-01

This study examines the dynamics of female African immigration and settlement in the United States and discusses the research and policy implications for these processes. It highlights a significant surge in female immigration from African than non-African countries in recent years. This surge is driven by female immigration from Africa’s countries most populous countries, from countries affected by civil conflicts, and from English-speaking countries in the region. African women are also more likely to arrive as unmarried single than other female immigrants. In addition, they had the highest prevalence of Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate degrees among women in the US. African females were also about twice more likely to be enrolled in US Educational institutions compared to other women. Those in the labor force were more likely to work as nursing professionals than in technical occupational groups such as engineering and computing. The study concludes by discussing the research and policy implications of these findings for countries in the developing world. PMID:25097267

Legal Immigration Status is Associated with Depressive Symptoms among Latina Transgender Women in Washington, DC

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Thespina Yamanis

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Latina transgender women (LTW are disproportionately vulnerable to depression, although the role of immigration/documentation status (legal authority to live/work in the U.S. in depression has not been explored. LTW in Washington, DC were recruited into a cross-sectional study via convenience sampling. Most were Spanish-speaking Central American immigrants. Participants completed rapid HIV tests, and a Spanish-language survey assessing recent depressive symptoms (PHQ-2, sociodemographics, and factors from the minority stress framework: structural stressors (documentation status, stable housing, social stressors (discrimination, fear of deportation, violence and coping resources (social support, resilience. Among immigrant LTW (n = 38, 24 were undocumented. Among the undocumented, the average PHQ-2 score was 2.7, and among the documented, the average PHQ-2 score was 1.4 (p < 0.05. Undocumented LTW were significantly more likely to experience employment discrimination, recent unstable housing, and fear of deportation. Bivariate and multiple linear regressions were performed to assess the relationship between documentation status and other correlates of past two week depressive symptoms. In multivariate analysis, PHQ-2 scores were inversely associated with being documented (p < 0.01, having an income above the federal poverty level, higher friends’ social support, and increased resiliency. Documentation status is an important correlate of depressive symptoms among LTW that should be considered within the context of health interventions.

Gender Policies in Entrepreneurship Development: An Intra-Household Market Analysis

OpenAIRE

Ayoola, Josephine Bosede

2006-01-01

The universal implementation of women empowerment programmes has received analytical attention within the economic theory context . A two-commodity structure of the customary household economy was conceptualized, and analysed under the usual assumptions to describe the nature of the intra-household market for women entrepreneurship. The low-income household system produces two hypothetical commodities namely, Women Entrepreneurship (WE) and Non-Entrepreneurial Works (NEW) which form the main ...

Assessment of individual and household malaria risk factors among women in a South African village.

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Mutegeki, Ezra; Chimbari, Moses John; Mukaratirwa, Samson

2017-11-01

There is need to understand how various malaria risk factors interact at the individual, household and community levels, as well as wider contexts, in order to guide the design and implementation of effective and more comprehensive control strategies. Using a cross-sectional approach, this study investigated various malaria risk factors among residents of Mgedula Village, a malaria-endemic community located in Jozini Local Municipality, UMkhanyakude District, South Africa from May to August 2014. Data from 121 randomly sampled women were collected using close-ended questionnaires. The women were aged between 18 and 40 years; and had been residents in the study area for five years or more. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to measure the association between a history of malaria infection in the previous 12 months and various potential risk factors. The results showed that practicing animal husbandry (OR 20), residing in household structures that had not been sprayed (OR 16.7) and cross-border movement (OR 14.3) were greatly associated with malaria infection. Other factors that were significantly associated with this infection included illiteracy (OR 9.1), having a largely populated household (OR 6.1) and low income (OR 1.65). Individuals with a history of malaria infection were less likely to lack basic malaria-related knowledge (OR 0.58), to have negative attitude towards malaria (OR 0.29) and also to have poor malaria practices (OR 0.3). There was no association between a malaria episode and residing at a long distance from the health facility. Indoor residual spraying indicated a notable reduction of malaria risk at the community level. However, other socio-economic, geographical and socio-demographic factors interacted at different levels to increase this risk among different individuals and households. To achieve malaria elimination by the year 2018, these aspects should be considered when developing and implementing elimination strategies at

Factors related to dysmenorrhea among Vietnamese and Vietnamese marriage immigrant women in South Korea.

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Jang, In Ae; Kim, Min Yeoung; Lee, Sa Ra; Jeong, Kyung Ah; Chung, Hye Won

2013-07-01

To find factors associated with dysmenorrhea, we surveyed the obstetric and gynecologic histories as well as socioeconomic factors of Vietnamese female residents in Can Tho (southern part of Vietnam) and Bavi (northern part of Vietnam) and Vietnamese female marriage immigrants living in South Korea. From March 2010 to March 2011, 3,017 Vietnamese women aged 17 to 42 years (mean, 25.5 years) were recruited. Socioeconomic factors as well as baseline characteristics, including gynecologic history and menstrual patterns, were collected using questionnaires. The relationships between these factors and dysmenorrhea were analyzed using chi-square test, independent t-test and logistic regression analysis. Dysmenorrhea was found in 58.8% of all women. The mean age and the age at menarche were younger in the women with dysmenorrhea. A longer duration of menstrual flow and severe menstrual volume increased the risk of dysmenorrhea. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was lower in women who had experienced pregnancy, term delivery and breastfeeding. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea in Vietnamese women was also different according to their educational status. When participants were divided according to their religious preferences, atheist women showed a lower prevalence with 55%, and women who were religious had a higher prevalence of dysmenorrhea. The body mass index, menstrual cycle length, monthly income, and duration of residency in Korea were not related with the prevalence of dysmenorrhea. Socioeconomic factors as well as age, menstrual pattern and obstetric history were related with dysmenorrhea in Vietnamese women.

Factors related to dysmenorrhea among Vietnamese and Vietnamese marriage immigrant women in South Korea

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Jang, In Ae; Kim, Min Yeoung; Lee, Sa Ra; Jeong, Kyung Ah

2013-01-01

Objective To find factors associated with dysmenorrhea, we surveyed the obstetric and gynecologic histories as well as socioeconomic factors of Vietnamese female residents in Can Tho (southern part of Vietnam) and Bavi (northern part of Vietnam) and Vietnamese female marriage immigrants living in South Korea. Methods From March 2010 to March 2011, 3,017 Vietnamese women aged 17 to 42 years (mean, 25.5 years) were recruited. Socioeconomic factors as well as baseline characteristics, including gynecologic history and menstrual patterns, were collected using questionnaires. The relationships between these factors and dysmenorrhea were analyzed using chi-square test, independent t-test and logistic regression analysis. Results Dysmenorrhea was found in 58.8% of all women. The mean age and the age at menarche were younger in the women with dysmenorrhea. A longer duration of menstrual flow and severe menstrual volume increased the risk of dysmenorrhea. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was lower in women who had experienced pregnancy, term delivery and breastfeeding. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea in Vietnamese women was also different according to their educational status. When participants were divided according to their religious preferences, atheist women showed a lower prevalence with 55%, and women who were religious had a higher prevalence of dysmenorrhea. The body mass index, menstrual cycle length, monthly income, and duration of residency in Korea were not related with the prevalence of dysmenorrhea. Conclusion Socioeconomic factors as well as age, menstrual pattern and obstetric history were related with dysmenorrhea in Vietnamese women. PMID:24328009

The experience of Chinese immigrant women in caring for a terminally ill family member in Australia.

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Heidenreich, Mary T; Koo, Fung Kuen; White, Kate

2014-01-01

The Chinese community, a heterogeneous, highly visible non-English speaking ethnic group in Australia, remains mostly hidden and underrepresented in palliative care service delivery along with participation in health research despite being the fastest growing such group in the country. There is a lack of Australian research information concerning the impact of migration on the caregiving experience of women carers within the Chinese cultural framework and the Australian palliative care context. This paper aims to explore the influence of Chinese cultural norms and immigration on the experience of immigrant women of Chinese ancestry caring for a terminally ill family member at home in Sydney. This study also seeks to identify factors that may present access barriers to palliative care support services. A qualitative approach was used in this study. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with five home-based Chinese women carers and were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings identified that the participants found being a carer is a lonely and isolating experience. Sources of isolation and loneliness included social isolation experienced as a solitary carer without meaningful family and social relationships; loss of familiar cultural understandings and family values; and emotional isolators expressed in response to the physical and emotional role commitment and other constraints. The study results suggest the need for palliative care educational programmes designed to help nurses to understand the impact of cultural background within the palliative care context. Results also indicate that health care professionals should provide culturally appropriate and competent palliative care services, sensitive to the diverse socio-cultural influences and individual needs of Chinese migrants.

Expanding Prenatal Care to Unauthorized Immigrant Women and the Effects on Infant Health.

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Swartz, Jonas J; Hainmueller, Jens; Lawrence, Duncan; Rodriguez, Maria I

2017-11-01

To measure the effect of access to prenatal care on unauthorized and low-income, new legal permanent resident immigrant women and their offspring. We used a difference-in-differences design that leverages the staggered rollout of Emergency Medicaid Plus by county from 2008 to 2013 as a natural experiment to estimate the effect on health service utilization for women and health outcomes for their infants. Regular Medicaid pregnancies were used as an additional control in a triple difference design. Our sample included pregnancies covered by Emergency Medicaid (35,182), Emergency Medicaid Plus (12,510), and Medicaid (166,054). After expansion of access to prenatal care, there was an increase in prenatal visits (7.2 more visits, 95% CI 6.45-7.96), receipt of adequate prenatal care (28% increased rate, CI 26-31), rates of diabetes screening (61% increased rate, CI 56-66), and fetal ultrasonograms (74% increased rate, CI 72-76). Maternal access to prenatal care was also associated with an increased number of well child visits (0.24 more visits, CI 0.07-0.41), increased rates of recommended screenings and vaccines (0.04 increased probability, CI 0.002-0.074), and reduced infant mortality (-1.01/1,000, CI -1.42 to -0.60) and rates of extremely low birth weight (less than 1,000 g) (-1.33/1,000, CI -2.44 to -0.21). Our results provide evidence of increased utilization and improved health outcomes for unauthorized immigrants and their children who are U.S. citizens after introduction of prenatal care expansion in Oregon. This study contributes to the debate around reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program in 2017.

Liver and gallbladder cancer in immigrants to Sweden.

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Hemminki, Kari; Mousavi, Seyed Mohsen; Brandt, Andreas; Ji, Jianguang; Sundquist, Jan

2010-03-01

The changes of cancer incidence upon immigration can be used as an estimator of environmental influence on cancer risk. We studied site-specific liver and biliary cancers in first-generation immigrants to Sweden with an aim to search for aetiological clues and to find evidence for indigenous incidence rates. We used the nation-wide Swedish Family-Cancer Database to calculate standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) in immigrants compared to native Swedes. A total of 1428 cancers were identified in immigrants whose median ages (years) at immigration were 27 for men and 26 for women and whose median diagnostic ages were 64 and 66, respectively. The highest SIRs of 6.7 for primary liver cancer were observed for men from East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Increased SIRs were recorded for male immigrants from previous Yugoslavia (1.78), Southern Europe (2.91), Turkey (2.15) and Asian Arab countries (2.89). For gallbladder cancer, only women from the Indian subcontinent (3.84) and Chile (2.34) had increased risk while some Northern European immigrants showed decreased risks. Primary liver cancer was increased in immigrants from endemic regions of hepatitis B virus infection but also from large regions lacking cancer incidence data, North Africa, Asian Arab countries, Turkey and previous Yugoslavia; these are probably intermediary risk regions for this infection. The consideration of these regions as risk areas would justify active diagnostic and vaccination programs. The increase in gallbladder cancer in Chileans and Indians suggests that some persistent damage was inflicted before emigration, characterisation of which will be a challenge for aetiological studies. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FOOD ACQUISITION AND INTRA-HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION PATTERNS: A STUDY OF LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN DELHI, INDIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Mr; Taylor, Fc; Agrawal, S; Prabhakaran, D; Ebrahim, S

2013-12-01

Food habits and choices in India are shifting due to many factors: changing food markets, fast urbanization, food price inflation, uncertain food production and unequal distribution during the past decade. This study aims to explore food acquisition and intra-household consumption patterns in urban low and middle income (LMI) households in Delhi. Twenty households were randomly selected from the Center for Cardio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia (CARRS) surveillance study. Data were derived from 20 questionnaires administered to women responsible for food preparation, four key-informant-interviews, and 20 in-depth interviews with household heads during September-November 2011. STATA and ATLAS.ti software were used for data analysis. Half of the households spent at least two-thirds of their income on food. The major expenditures were on vegetables (22% of total food expenditure), milk and milk products (16%), and cereal and related products (15%). Income, food prices, food preferences, and seasonal variation influenced food expenditure. Adults usually ate two to three times a day while children ate more frequently. Eating sequence was based on the work pattern within the household and cultural beliefs. Contrary to previous evidence, there was no gender bias in intra-household food distribution. Women considered food acquisition, preparation and distribution part of their self-worth and played a major role in food related issues in the household. Women's key roles in food acquisition, preparation and intra household food consumption should be considered in formulating food policies and programs.

Art Therapy and Experiences of Acculturation and Immigration

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Linesch, Debra; Ojeda, Angelica; Fuster, Maria Elena; Moreno, Stephanie; Solis, Guadalupe

2014-01-01

This article describes an expanded case study methodology that was used to explore the value that art therapy processes have in expression and understanding of the complications of immigration and acculturation. Data collected from two art therapy groups of Hispanic/Latino youth and immigrant women at an urban parish were analyzed to develop an…

Access and utilisation of social and health services as a social determinant of health: the case of undocumented Latin American immigrant women working in Lleida (Catalonia, Spain).

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Gea-Sánchez, Montserrat; Gastaldo, Denise; Molina-Luque, Fidel; Otero-García, Laura

2017-03-01

Although Spain has social and healthcare systems based on universal coverage, little is known about how undocumented immigrant women access and utilise them. This is particularly true in the case of Latin Americans who are overrepresented in the informal labour market, taking on traditionally female roles of caregivers and cleaners in private homes. This study describes access and utilisation of social and healthcare services by undocumented Latin American women working and living in rural and urban areas, and the barriers these women may face. An exploratory qualitative study was designed with 12 in-depth interviews with Latin American women living and working in three different settings: an urban city, a rural city and rural villages in the Pyrenees. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed, yielding four key themes: health is a tool for work which worsens due to precarious working conditions; lack of legal status traps Latin American women in precarious jobs; lack of access to and use of social services; and limited access to and use of healthcare services. While residing and working in different areas of the province impacted the utilisation of services, working conditions was the main barrier experienced by the participants. In conclusion, decent working conditions are the key to ensuring undocumented immigrant women's right to social and healthcare. To create a pathway to immigrant women's health promotion, the 'trap of illegality' should be challenged and the impact of being considered 'illegal' should be considered as a social determinant of health, even where the right to access services is legal. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health-related quality of life, ethnicity and perceived discrimination among immigrants and natives in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Sevillano, Verónica; Basabe, Nekane; Bobowik, Magdalena; Aierdi, Xabier

2014-01-01

The current study compares subjective mental and physical health among native Spaniards and immigrant groups, and examines the effects of ethnicity and perceived discrimination (PD) on subjective health in immigrants. Two random samples of 1250 immigrants to Spain from Colombia, Bolivia, Romania, Morocco, and Sub-Saharan Africa and 500 native Spaniards, aged between 18 and 65, were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Several hierarchical regression analyses of ethnicity and PD on subjective mental and physical health (assessed using the health-related quality of life items, HRQLSF-12) were carried out separately for men and women. Male immigrants from Colombia and Sub-Saharan Africa showed better physical health than natives, controlling for age and socioeconomic and marital status. The immigrants - except for the Colombians - had poorer mental health than natives, especially African men and Bolivian women. Socioeconomic status had no impact on these differences. Among immigrants, PD was the best predictor of physical and mental health (controlling for socio-demographic variables). African men, Bolivian women and women without legal status exhibited the poorest self-rated mental health. Clear differences in health status among natives and immigrants were recorded. The self-selection hypothesis was plausible for physical health of Colombians and Sub-Saharan African men. Acculturation stress could explain poorer mental health in immigrants compared with natives. The association between ethnicity and poor self-reported mental health appears to be partially mediated by discrimination.

A Comparison of Life Stress and Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant Taiwanese and Immigrant Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, Ying; Creedy, Debra K; Gamble, Jenny

2016-09-01

An increasing number of women from other countries, mostly Mainland China and Southeast Asia, are marrying Taiwanese husbands and settling in Taiwan. Immigration, marriage abroad, and pregnancy may be stressful and adversely affect maternal health. Relatively little research has compared the life stress and depressive symptoms of pregnant women of different ethnic groups living in nonmetropolitan areas in Taiwan. This study investigates the levels of life stress and depressive symptoms in pregnant Taiwanese women and Vietnamese "foreign brides" currently living in southern Taiwan. Eligible women in their last trimester of pregnancy who attended their local antenatal clinic were recruited for the study. Participants completed standardized measures, including the Difficult Life Circumstances Scale, Social Support APGAR Scale, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Two hundred thirty-six Taiwanese women and 44 Vietnamese women participated. Major life difficulties for both groups of women were related to their marital relationship, housing, or health problems. Taiwanese participants reported perceiving financial strain more often than their Vietnamese peers, whereas Vietnamese participants reported perceiving greater concerns regarding their children's development and about recent physical abuse than their Taiwanese peers. Furthermore, the Vietnamese participants reported less social support and higher rates of antenatal depression than Taiwanese participants. Clinical nurses and midwives should be sensitive to the particular difficulties and insufficient social support faced by pregnant women from different backgrounds in Taiwan. Women from foreign countries or those under unique challenging circumstances may face a particular risk of adverse outcomes. Identifying stresses informs the development of effective nursing interventions and support activities for new mothers and their families.

Effects of spatial location and household wealth on health insurance subscription among women in Ghana.

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Kumi-Kyereme, Akwasi; Amo-Adjei, Joshua

2013-06-17

This study compares ownership of health insurance among Ghanaian women with respect to wealth status and spatial location. We explore the overarching research question by employing geographic and proxy means targeting through interactive analysis of wealth status and spatial issues. The paper draws on the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. Bivariate descriptive analysis coupled with binary logistic regression estimation technique was used to analyse the data. By wealth status, the likelihood of purchasing insurance was significantly higher among respondents from the middle, richer and richest households compared to the poorest (reference category) and these differences widened more profoundly in the Northern areas after interacting wealth with zone of residence. Among women at the bottom of household wealth (poorest and poorer), there were no statistically significant differences in insurance subscription in all the areas. The results underscore the relevance of geographic and proxy means targeting in identifying populations who may be need of special interventions as part of the efforts to increase enrolment as well as means of social protection against the vulnerable.

Lesbian women and household labor division: A systematic review of scholarly research from 2000 to 2015.

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Brewster, Melanie E

2017-01-02

Recent studies have begun to attend to distribution of household labor within same-gender couples compared to heterosexual couples, yet much of the available research with lesbian couples has attempted to superimpose division of household labor frameworks developed with heterosexual couples (e.g., gender role socialization, exchange bargaining theories) to fit the experiences of same-gender couples. Using two academic search databases, the present article provides a systematic review of the available 28 peer-reviewed articles published from 2000-2015 about lesbian partnerships and household labor divisions. Results indicate that lesbian couples engage in a more equal distribution of household labor than heterosexual couples, and that lesbian women often opt to eschew traditional gendered divisions of chores in favor of other factors such as quality of task or ability. The systematic review uncovered notable constraints in the demography of participants (e.g., race, socioeconomic status, geographic location) across studies. Strategies for deepening the depth and breadth of this line of work for future researchers, and implications for relationship satisfaction are also discussed.

Immigration and Sleep Problems in a Southern European Country: Do Immigrants Get the Best Sleep?

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Villarroel, Nazmy; Artazcoz, Lucía

2017-01-01

This study analyzes the differences in the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and nonrestorative sleep (NRS) between people born in Spain and immigrants from 7 countries with most immigrants in Spain. Data come from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey. The sample was composed of all individuals aged 16 to 64 years from Spain and the 7 countries with most immigrants in Spain (N = 22,224). In both sexes, people from Bolivia had a higher prevalence of insomnia symptoms and NRS. Conversely, people from Ecuador, Morocco, and Romania had less insomnia symptoms and NRS than Spanish-born participants. No differences were found between Spanish-born participants and Colombian, Peruvian, and Argentinian women. Poor living conditions in the country of origin and in the host country, discrimination, and culturally related lifestyles could be related to poorer sleep health among Bolivian men. Acculturation may explain the similar sleep health patterns noted between Spanish-born participants and long-term immigrants.

Avoidance symptoms and assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder in Arab immigrant women.

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Norris, Anne E; Aroian, Karen J

2008-10-01

This study investigates whether the avoidance symptom criterion required for a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is overly conservative. Arab immigrant women (N = 453), many of whom reported experiencing multiple traumatic events, completed the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale in Arabic as part of a face to face interview. Analyses indicated all but one avoidance symptom was reported less frequently than reexperiencing and arousal symptoms. However, those who fully met reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal symptom criteria had worse symptom severity and functioning than those who fully met reexperiencing and arousal symptom criteria, but only partially met avoidance symptom criterion. Study findings support importance of the PTSD avoidance symptom criterion.

Spousal violence in sub-Saharan Africa: does household poverty-wealth matter?

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Bamiwuye, Samson Olusina; Odimegwu, Clifford

2014-06-17

Despite the threat of violence to the health and rights of women yet, for many years, there has been a dearth of nationally comparable data on domestic violence in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper examines whether women from poor households are more likely to experience violence from husband/partner than other women who are from middle or rich households. Data for the study are derived from most recent DHS surveys of ever-married women age 15-49 in Cameroun(3,691), Kenya(4,336), Mozambique(5610), Nigeria (16,763), Zambia(3,010) and Zimbabwe(5,016) who participated in the questions on Domestic Violence Module. Bivariate analysis and Binary Logistic Regression Analysis are used to explore the linkage between household poverty-wealth and spousal violence while simultaneously controlling for confounding variables. The overall prevalence of any form of violence (physical, sexual or emotional) ranges from 30.5% in Nigeria to 43.4% in Zimbabwe; 45.3% in Kenya; 45.5% in Mozambique; 53.9% in Zambia and 57.6% in Cameroun. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses show that in two of the six countries -Zambia and Mozambique, experience of violence is significantly higher among women from non-poor (rich) households than those from other households (poor and middle). For Zimbabwe and Kenya, women from poor households are more likely to have ever experienced spousal violence than those from non-poor households. In the remaining two countries- Nigeria and Cameroun, women from the middle class are more likely to have ever suffered abuse from husband/partner than those from the poor and rich households. Our results thus show that similar measurements of household poverty-wealth have produced varying relationships with respect to experience of spousal violence in six sub-Saharan African countries. In other words, experience of violence cuts across all household poverty-wealth statuses and therefore may not provide enough explanations on whether household-poverty necessarily serves to

Influences of Women's Employment on the Gendered Division of Household Labor over the Life Course: Evidence from a 31-Year Panel Study

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Cunningham, Mick

2007-01-01

Drawing on data from a panel study of White women spanning 31 years, the analyses examine the influence of women's employment on the gendered division of household labor. Multiple dimensions of women's employment are investigated, including accumulated employment histories, current employment status, current employment hours, and relative income.…

Associations of Immigration Transition to Cardiovascular Symptoms Experienced in Menopausal Transition.

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Im, Eun-Ok; Ko, Young; Chee, Eunice; Chee, Wonshik

The purpose of this study was to explore the associations of immigration transition to cardiovascular symptoms among 4 major racial/ethnic groups of 1054 midlife women in the United States. This was a secondary analysis of the data from 2 large national survey studies. The instruments included questions on background characteristics and immigration transition and the Cardiovascular Symptom Index for Midlife Women. The data were analyzed using inferential statistics including hierarchical multiple regressions. Immigrants reported fewer numbers (t = 5.268, P < .01) and lower severity scores (t = 5.493, P < .01) of cardiovascular symptoms compared with nonimmigrants. Self-reported racial/ethnic identify was a significant factor influencing cardiovascular symptoms (P < .01).

Higher education and children in immigrant families.

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Sandy; Flores, Stella M

2011-01-01

The increasing role that immigrants and their children, especially those from Latin America, are playing in American society, Sandy Baum and Stella Flores argue, makes it essential that as many young newcomers as possible enroll and succeed in postsecondary education. Immigrant youths from some countries find the doors to the nation's colleges wide open. But other groups, such as those from Latin America, Laos, and Cambodia, often fail to get a postsecondary education. Immigration status itself is not a hindrance. The characteristics of the immigrants, such as their country of origin, race, and parental socioeconomic status, in addition to the communities, schools, and legal barriers that greet them in the United States, explain most of that variation. Postsecondary attainment rates of young people who come from low-income households and, regardless of income or immigration status, whose parents have no college experience are low across the board. Exacerbating the financial constraints is the reality that low-income students and those whose parents have little education are frequently ill prepared academically to succeed in college. The sharp rise in demand for skilled labor over the past few decades has made it more urgent than ever to provide access to postsecondary education for all. And policy solutions, say the authors, require researchers to better understand the differences among immigrant groups. Removing barriers to education and to employment opportunities for undocumented students poses political, not conceptual, problems. Providing adequate funding for postsecondary education through low tuition and grant aid is also straightforward, if not easy to accomplish. Assuring that Mexican immigrants and others who grow up in low-income communities have the opportunity to prepare themselves academically for college is more challenging. Policies to improve the elementary and secondary school experiences of all children are key to improving the postsecondary

Ethnicity and Postmigration Health Trajectory in New Immigrants to Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il-Ho; Carrasco, Christine; Muntaner, Carles; McKenzie, Kwame

2013-01-01

Objectives. In this prospective cohort study, we examined the trajectory of general health during the first 4 years after new immigrants’ arrival in Canada. We focused on the change in self-rated health trajectories and their gender and ethnic disparities. Methods. Data were derived from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada and were collected between April 2001 and November 2005 by Statistics Canada. We used weighted samples of 3309 men and 3351 women aged between 20 and 59 years. Results. At arrival, only 3.5% of new immigrants rated their general health as poor. Significant and steady increases in poor health were revealed during the following 4 years, especially among ethnic minorities and women. Specifically, we found a higher risk of poor health among West Asian and Chinese men and among South Asian and Chinese women than among their European counterparts. Conclusions. Newly arrived immigrants are extremely healthy, but the health advantage dissipates rapidly during the initial years of settlement in Canada. Women and minority ethnic groups may be more vulnerable to social changes and postmigration settlement. PMID:23409893

Upper-body progressive resistance training improves strength and household physical activity performance in women attending cardiac rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Lola A; Staffileno, Beth A; Braun, Lynne T; Gulanick, Meg

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of moderate-intensity, progressive, upper-body resistance training (RT) on muscle strength and perceived performance of household physical activities (HPA) among women in cardiac rehabilitation. The 10-week, pretest-posttest, experiment randomized women to either usual care (UC) aerobic exercise or RT. Muscle strength for 5 upper-body RT exercises (chest press, shoulder press, biceps curl, lateral row, and triceps extension) was measured using the 1-Repetition Maximum Assessment. The RT group progressively increased weight lifted using 40%, 50%, and 60% of obtained 1-Repetition Maximum Assessment at 3-week intervals. Perceived performance of HPA was measured with the Kimble Household Activities Scale. The RT group (n = 16, mean age 64 +/- 11) significantly increased muscle strength in all 5 exercises in comparison with the UC group (n = 14, mean age 65 +/- 10) (chest press, 18% vs 11%; shoulder press, 24% vs 14%; biceps curl, 21% vs 12%; lateral row, 32% vs 9%; and triceps extension, 28% vs 20%, respectively). By study end, Household Activities Scale scores significantly increased (F = 13.878, P = .001) in the RT group (8.75 +/- 3.19 vs 11.25 +/- 2.14), whereas scores in the UC group decreased (8.60 +/- 3.11 vs 6.86 +/- 4.13). Progressive upper-body RT in women shows promise as an effective tool to increase muscle strength and improve the ability to perform HPA after a cardiac event. Beginning RT early after a cardiac event in a monitored cardiac rehabilitation environment can maximize the strengthening benefit.

Ethnic differences in overweight and obesity and the influence of acculturation on immigrant bodyweight: evidence from a national sample of Australian adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Menigoz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite growing international migration and documented ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in developed countries, no research has described the epidemiology of immigrant overweight and obesity at a national level in Australia, a country where immigrants comprise 28.1 % of the population. The aim of this study was to examine ethnic differences in body mass index (BMI and overweight/obesity in Australia and the influence of acculturation on bodyweight among Australian immigrants. Methods Data from the national Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA survey were used to examine mean BMI and odds of overweight/obesity comparing immigrants (n = 2 997 with Australian born (n = 13 047. Among immigrants, acculturation differences were examined by length of residence in Australia and age at migration. Data were modelled in a staged approach using multilevel linear and logistic regression, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results Relative to Australian born, men from North Africa/Middle East and Oceania regions had significantly higher BMIs, and men from North West Europe, North East Asia and Southern and Central Asia had significantly lower BMIs. Among women, the majority of foreign born groups had significantly lower BMIs compared with Australian born. Male and female immigrants living in Australia for 15 years or more had significantly higher BMIs and increased odds of being overweight/obese respectively, compared with immigrants living in Australia for less than 5 years. Male immigrants arriving as adolescents were twice more likely to be overweight/obese and had significantly higher BMIs than immigrants who arrived as adults. Male and female immigrants who arrived as children (≤11 years had significantly higher odds of adult overweight/obesity and BMIs. Conclusions This study provides evidence of ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in Australia with male

Ethnic differences in overweight and obesity and the influence of acculturation on immigrant bodyweight: evidence from a national sample of Australian adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Menigoz, Karen; Nathan, Andrea; Turrell, Gavin

2016-09-05

Despite growing international migration and documented ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in developed countries, no research has described the epidemiology of immigrant overweight and obesity at a national level in Australia, a country where immigrants comprise 28.1 % of the population. The aim of this study was to examine ethnic differences in body mass index (BMI) and overweight/obesity in Australia and the influence of acculturation on bodyweight among Australian immigrants. Data from the national Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey were used to examine mean BMI and odds of overweight/obesity comparing immigrants (n = 2 997) with Australian born (n = 13 047). Among immigrants, acculturation differences were examined by length of residence in Australia and age at migration. Data were modelled in a staged approach using multilevel linear and logistic regression, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Relative to Australian born, men from North Africa/Middle East and Oceania regions had significantly higher BMIs, and men from North West Europe, North East Asia and Southern and Central Asia had significantly lower BMIs. Among women, the majority of foreign born groups had significantly lower BMIs compared with Australian born. Male and female immigrants living in Australia for 15 years or more had significantly higher BMIs and increased odds of being overweight/obese respectively, compared with immigrants living in Australia for less than 5 years. Male immigrants arriving as adolescents were twice more likely to be overweight/obese and had significantly higher BMIs than immigrants who arrived as adults. Male and female immigrants who arrived as children (≤11 years) had significantly higher odds of adult overweight/obesity and BMIs. This study provides evidence of ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in Australia with male immigrants from North Africa/Middle East and Oceania regions being

Household unemployment and the labour supply of married women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bingley, Paul; Walker, Ian

1997-01-01

of spouses. A model of labour supply is estimated for married women allowing for endogenous unemployment durations of husbands and wives, using 43531 married couples drawn from UK Family Expenditure Surveys 1978-92. Evaluating the impact of the reform requires that we distinguish between transfer programme......A recent reform to the UK Unemployment Insurance (UI) system has reduced the duration of entitlement from 12 to 6 months. The UI and welfare systems interact in the UK in such a way that exhaustion of UI for married individuals has potentially large disincentive effects on the labour supply...... induced incentive effects and any correlation between labour supply and wages within couples; complementarily between the leisure times of spouses; and a discouraged worker effect. We find that shifting households with a medium duration unemploymed husband from UI onto Income Support, the main UK welfare...

Changing Household Dynamics: Children's American Generational Resources in Street Vending Markets

Science.gov (United States)

Estrada, Emir

2013-01-01

This article prompts a re-visioning of segmented assimilation theory by examining the household dynamics and consequences that occur when Latino immigrant children and youth become active contributors to family street vending businesses. Based on participant observation and 20 in-depth interviews with Latino children who work with their immigrant…

Ethnic and gender differences in the association between discrimination and depressive symptoms among five immigrant groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il-Ho; Noh, Samuel

2014-12-01

This study examines ethnic and gender differences in exposure to discrimination and its association with depressive symptoms among five immigrant groups. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 900 adult immigrants (50.8% men, 49.2% women) sampled from five ethnic immigrant communities in Toronto between April and September 2001. Men reported higher levels of discrimination than women. Ethiopians had the highest perception of discrimination followed by Korean, Iranian, Vietnamese, and Irish immigrants. With regard to discrimination-related depressive symptoms, Iranian and Korean men showed a greater risk than their Irish counterparts. Among women, Vietnamese and Irish seemed to be more vulnerable to discrimination than other ethnic groups. Despite experiencing the highest level of discrimination, Ethiopian men and women showed no association between discrimination and depressive symptoms. The exposure and psychological response to discrimination vary significantly across ethnicities and gender.

Vietnamese Immigrant and Refugee Women's Mental Health: An Examination of Age of Arrival, Length of Stay, Income, and English Language Proficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Chris; Schale, Codi L.; Nilsson, Johanna E.

2010-01-01

Vietnamese immigrant and refugee women (N = 83) were surveyed regarding their mental health, English language proficiency, age of arrival, length of stay, and income. English language proficiency and age of arrival correlated with reduced symptomatology. Moreover, English language proficiency was the sole predictor of somatic distress. (Contains 1…

Psychosocial factor exposures in the workplace: differences between immigrants and Spaniards.

Science.gov (United States)

Font, Ariadna; Moncada, Salvador; Llorens, Clara; Benavides, Fernando G

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse psychosocial factor exposures in the workplace for immigrant workers in Spain and identify differences in exposure at work between immigrants and Spaniards. A multi-stage sample was taken by conglomerates (final sample size: 7555 workers). The information was obtained in 2004 and 2005 using a standardized questionnaire administered by interviewing participants in their homes. The analysis focused on eight psychosocial factors. For quantitative demands and insecurity, the exposure was defined according to the higher third, and for the others, the exposure was defined according to the lower third. The prevalence ratio (PR) and confidence interval (CI) for unfavourable psychosocial factor, both crude and adjusted, were calculated using log binomial models. Those with highest prevalence of unfavourable psychosocial factor were immigrant manual workers, particularly in low possibilities for development (PR=2.87; 95% CI 2.44-3.73), and immigrant women, particularly in low control over working times (PR=1.72; 95% CI 1.55-1.91). Immigrant workers with manual jobs and immigrant women are the groups most exposed to psychosocial factor. In efforts to prevent these exposures, these inequalities should be taken into account.

Perceived Discrimination and Health among Immigrants in Europe According to National Integration Policies.

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Borrell, Carme; Palència, Laia; Bartoll, Xavier; Ikram, Umar; Malmusi, Davide

2015-08-31

Discrimination harms immigrants' health. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between perceived discrimination and health outcomes among first and second generation immigrants from low-income countries living in Europe, while accounting for sex and the national policy on immigration. Cross-sectional study including immigrants from low-income countries aged ≥15 years in 18 European countries (European Social Survey, 2012) (sample of 1271 men and 1335 women). The dependent variables were self-reported health, symptoms of depression, and limitation of activity. The independent variables were perceived group discrimination, immigrant background and national immigrant integration policy. We tested for association between perceived group discrimination and health outcomes by fitting robust Poisson regression models. We only observed significant associations between perceived group discrimination and health outcomes in first generation immigrants. For example, depression was associated with discrimination among both men and women (Prevalence Ratio-, 1.55 (95% CI: 1.16-2.07) and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.15-1.89) in the multivariate model, respectively), and mainly in countries with assimilationist immigrant integration policies. Perceived group discrimination is associated with poor health outcomes in first generation immigrants from low-income countries who live in European countries, but not among their descendants. These associations are more important in assimilationist countries.

Acculturation and sleep among a multiethnic sample of women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).

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Hale, Lauren; Troxel, Wendy M; Kravitz, Howard M; Hall, Martica H; Matthews, Karen A

2014-02-01

Mexican immigrants to the United States report longer sleep duration and fewer sleep complaints than their US-born counterparts. To investigate whether this effect extends to other immigrant groups, we examined whether the prevalence of self-reported sleep complaints is higher among US-born Hispanic/Latina, Chinese, and Japanese immigrant women compared to their first-generation immigrant ethnic counterparts as well as to US-born whites. We examined whether these associations persisted after adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics and whether acculturation mediated the effects. Cross-sectional observational study. Multisite study in Oakland, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Newark, NJ. Hispanic/Latina (n = 196), Chinese (n = 228), Japanese (n = 271) and non-Hispanic white (n = 485) women (mean age = 46 y, range 42-52 y) participating in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN); 410 or 59.0% of the nonwhites were first-generation immigrants. None. Questionnaires were used to assess sleep complaints, race/ethnicity, immigrant status, language acculturation (use of English language), and sociodemographic and health variables. Approximately 25% of first-generation immigrant women reported sleep complaints compared to 37% of those who were US-born nonwhites and 42% of US-born whites. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression analyses showed that US-born nonwhites had higher odds of reporting any sleep complaints (odds ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-3.0), compared to first-generation immigrants. Women with higher levels of language acculturation had greater odds of reporting any sleep complaint compared to those with less language acculturation. Adjustment for language acculturation mediated 40.4% (95% CI 28.5-69.8) of the association between immigrant status and any sleep complaint. When results were stratified by race/ethnicity, significant mediation effects of acculturation were only found for Hispanic/Latina and Japanese women

"Las Siete Historias": Perceptions of Parent Involvement among Mexican Immigrant Women

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas-Duckwitz, Claire M.; Hess, Robyn S.; Atcherly, Elsa

2013-01-01

This multiple case study examined parent involvement perspectives among seven immigrant mothers from Mexico. All the participants came from limited educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, and reported that they immigrated to the United States for greater opportunity. These background experiences seemed to shape their current role…

A Theory of Gender Discrimination Based on the Household

OpenAIRE

Patrick Francois

1996-01-01

This paper presents a new theory of gender discrimination in competitive labour markets which does not rely on any inherent gender asymmetries. Women and men are organized into households with each having identical household specific human capital. When labour market characteristics (effort, wages) differ, the possibility of mutually beneficial within household trades arises. Discrimination involves occupational segregation with men obtaining high paying efficiency wage jobs and women in piec...

Transition to Motherhood as an Immigrant: Risks and Obstacles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruveyde Aydin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The process of transition to motherhood that brings along a number of vital changes may be full of risks and difficulties for immigrant mothers. Poverty, being unfamiliar with the language of the country that the mother migrated, inability of healthcare policies in covering healthcare expenses of immigrants, insufficiency of social assistance and loneliness may negatively affect health of mother and infant. Postpartum immigrant mothers are seen depression, anxiety, stress and social isolation because of these obstacles. Therefore, health care professionals, who provide care to immigrant mothers, should clarify immigrant mothers' religious, cultural beliefs and attitudes. Procurement of peer support is important by developing care programs special to immigrant mothers and ensuring immigrant women to come together. Increase in the number of translators in hospitals and prepara-tion of education materials in native language of mothers will improve the level of benefiting from healthcare services. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2017; 9(3.000: 250-262

State Dependence in Unemployment among Danish Immigrants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmad, Nisar

2009-01-01

This study examines the extent state dependence among unemployed Danish immigrants in a dynamic discrete choice framework. Three alternative methodologies are employed to control for the problem of the initial condition. The empirical findings show that there is a considerable correlation between...... compared to an individual who was employed at period “t-1”. This average partial effect is the same for western compared to non-western immigrants and women compared to men....

'He supported me 100%': Mexican-immigrant fathers, daughters, and adolescent sexual health.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman-Minahan, Kate; Samari, Goleen

2018-02-19

First and second generation Mexican-origin adolescents in the U.S. face social and economic disadvantage and sexual health disparities. Although fathers can support child and adolescent development, the literature has portrayed Mexican-origin immigrant fathers as emotionally distant and sexist. This study aims to treat migration as a social determinant of health to examine father-daughter relationships and adolescent sexual health in Mexican-origin immigrant families. Integrating qualitative data from life history interviews with 21 Mexican-origin young women in immigrant families with quantitative data on first and second generation Mexican-origin young women in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study describes father-daughter relationships, examines the association between father-daughter relationships and daughters' early sexual initiation, and considers the impact of migration on the father-daughter relationship and sexual health among Mexican-origin young women. Qualitative data identify four types of father-daughter relationships: 'good,' hostile, distant, and conflicted. Supporting the qualitative patterns, quantitative data find that positive or 'good' father-daughter relationship quality is significantly associated with reduced risk of early sexual initiation. Importantly, father-daughter separation across borders and economic inequality facing immigrant families is associated with hostile or distant father-daughter relationship quality and increased risk of early sexual initiation. Reports of good father-daughter relationships are common and may protect against early sexual initiation in Mexican-origin immigrant families. Policies that keep families together and reduce economic inequality among immigrants may also reduce sexual health disparities among immigrant adolescents.

Un estudio exploratorio del cuidado provisto por inmigrantes a personas mayores de 64 años en los hogares Care provided by immigrants to older people in households. An explorative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Rogero-García

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Justificación: En España existen carencias en el conocimiento sobre el cuidado provisto por inmigrantes a personas mayores dependientes en los hogares. Objetivo: Realizar un conocimiento exploratorio del tipo de atención que proveen los cuidadores inmigrantes a las personas mayores en hogares. Metodología: Estudio transversal en 24 mujeres inmigrantes que trabajaban en hogares cuidando personas mayores dependientes en la Comunidad de Madrid en 2008. Resultados principales: Todas las cuidadoras realizaron actividades domésticas, el 87% labores de acompañamiento, el 79% ayudas personales y el 75% cuidados sociosanitarios. Dedicaron 3,77 horas diarias a actividades domésticas, 2,27 a acompañamiento, 1,30 horas a ayudas personales en el hogar, y 0,60 horas diarias a cuidados sociosanitarios. Quienes reflejaron menores niveles de autonomía en movilidad y cuidado recibieron más tiempo de cuidados sociosanitarios y de ayudas personales que el resto. Conclusiones: Los cuidados provistos a mayores en los hogares por familiares, instituciones públicas e inmigrantes remunerados responden a demandas similares y son potencialmente sustituibles. Las cuidadoras inmigrantes actúan como conectores de la persona dependiente con su red social y con las instituciones sanitarias y sociales. Se requieren estudios con mayores muestras para profundizar en este fenómeno.Background: There has been a lack of research examining the type of care provided by immigrants to elderly people in Spain. Aim: To carry out an exploratory analysis of the type of care provided by immigrant caregivers to elderly people in their own homes. Methodology: A cross sectional study was developed based on 24 foreign-born women working in private households caring for dependent elderly people in the Autonomous Community of Madrid in 2008. Main results: All caregivers carried out housework, 87% of them accompanying duties, 79% personal help and 75% nursing care. Caregivers devoted 3

Trial of labour and vaginal birth after previous caesarean section: A population based study of Eastern African immigrants in Victoria, Australia.

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Belihu, Fetene B; Small, Rhonda; Davey, Mary-Ann

2017-03-01

Variations in caesarean section (CS) between some immigrant groups and receiving country populations have been widely reported. Often, African immigrant women are at higher risk of CS than the receiving population in developed countries. However, evidence about subsequent mode of birth following CS for African women post-migration is lacking. The objective of this study was to examine differences in attempted and successful vaginal birth after previous caesarean (VBAC) for Eastern African immigrants (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan) compared with Australian-born women. A population-based observational study was conducted using the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Pearson's chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to generate adjusted odds ratios for attempted and successful VBAC. Victoria, Australia. 554 Eastern African immigrants and 24,587 Australian-born eligible women with previous CS having singleton births in public care. 41.5% of Eastern African immigrant women and 26.1% Australian-born women attempted a VBAC with 50.9% of Eastern African immigrants and 60.5% of Australian-born women being successful. After adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics and available clinical confounding factors, Eastern African immigrants were more likely to attempt (OR adj 1.94, 95% CI 1.57-2.47) but less likely to succeed (OR adj 0.54 95% CI 0.41-0.71) in having a VBAC. There are disparities in attempted and successful VBAC between Eastern African origin and Australian-born women. Unsuccessful VBAC attempt is more common among Eastern African immigrants, suggesting the need for improved strategies to select and support potential candidates for vaginal birth among these immigrants to enhance success and reduce potential complications associated with failed VBAC attempt. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

“Como Arrancar una Planta”: Women’s Reflections about Influences of Im/Migration on Their Everyday Lives and Health in Mexico

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Eva K. Robertson

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to analyze women’s reflections about how experiences of im/migration from rural to urban settings in Monterrey, Mexico, influence their everyday life experience and health and that of their families. The participants were eight women from heterogeneous indigenous backgrounds, one woman with a mestizo background, two health professionals, three persons from organizations supporting indigenous groups, and two researchers. I collected data from personal observations, documents, and interviews that I then analyzed with a critical ethnography methodology developed by Carspecken. The women emphasized that food habits were the first to be adapted to circumstances in an urban everyday life constrained by working conditions. Together with their experiences of discrimination and violence, urban living determines the challenges and the priorities of daily life. Urban life affects how they perceive and treat their own and their family’s health and wellbeing. Nevertheless, their sense of belonging and home remains in their communities of origin, and they strive to reach a balance in their lives and preserve a connection to their roots, motherhood, and traditional knowledge. However, the women handle their im/migration experiences in diverse ways depending on their own conditions and the structural forces limiting or allowing them to act in decisive life situations. Im/migration is not just a matter of choice; it is about survival and is influenced by social determinants and “structural vulnerability” that influences and/or limit human agency. These, together with an unsustainable economic situation, make migration the only option, a forced decision within households. Structural forces such as social injustice in welfare policies restrict human rights and rights for health. Social determinants of health can constrain decision making and frame choices concerning health and childbearing in everyday life.

Comparing provision and appropriateness of health care between immigrants and non-immigrants in Germany using the example of neuraxial anaesthesia during labour: cross-sectional study

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Razum, Oliver; Reiss, Katharina; Breckenkamp, Jürgen; Kaufner, Lutz; Brenne, Silke; Bozorgmehr, Kayvan; Borde, Theda; David, Matthias

2017-01-01

Objective Research on health services for immigrants has mostly been concerned with access barriers but rarely with appropriateness and responsiveness of care. We assessed whether appropriateness and responsiveness of care depend on migration status, using provision of neuraxial anaesthesia (NA) during labour as indicator. In relation to their migration status, we analysed whether (1) women undergoing elective or secondary/urgent secondary caesarean sections (ESCS) appropriately receive NA (instead of general anaesthesia), (2) women delivering vaginally appropriately receive NA and (3) women objecting to NA, for example, for religious reasons, may deliver vaginally without receiving NA (provider responsiveness). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Three obstetric hospitals in Berlin, Germany. Methods Questionnaire survey covering 6391 women with migration history (first and second generations) and non-immigrant women giving birth; data linkage with routine obstetric data. We assessed the effects of migrant status, German language proficiency, religion and education on the provision of NA (primary outcome) after adjusting for other maternal and obstetric parameters. Results The chance of receiving NA for elective/ESCS was independent of migrant status after controlling for confounding variables (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.93, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.33). In vaginal deliveries, first (but not second) generation women (aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.95), women with low German language skills (aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.99) and women with low educational attainment (aOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.82) had lower chances of receiving NA; there was no evidence of overprovision among women with strong affinity to Islam (aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.94). Conclusions We found evidence for underprovision of care among first-generation immigrants, among women with low German language proficiency and particularly among all women with low educational attainment, irrespective of migration

Are immigrants and nationals born to immigrants at higher risk for delayed or no lifetime breast and cervical cancer screening? The results from a population-based survey in Paris metropolitan area in 2010.

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Claire Rondet

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare breast cancer screening (BCS and cervical cancer screening (CCS practices of French women born to French parents with those of immigrants and nationals born to immigrants, taking their socioeconomic status into account. METHODS: The study is based on data collected in 2010 in the Paris metropolitan area among a representative sample of 3000 French-speaking adults. For women with no history of breast or cervical cancer, multivariate logistic regressions and structural equation models were used to investigate the factors associated with never having undergone BCS or CCS. RESULTS: We confirmed the existence of a strong gradient, with respect to migration origin, for delaying or never having undergone BCS or CCS. Thus, being a foreign immigrant or being French of immigrant parentage were risk factors for delayed and no lifetime screening. Interestingly, we found that this gradient persisted (at least partially after adjusting for the women's socioeconomic characteristics. Only the level of income seemed to play a mediating role, but only partially. We observed differences between BCS and CCS which suggest that organized CCS could be effective in reducing socioeconomic and/or ethnic inequities. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic status partially explained the screening nonparticipation on the part of French women of immigrant origin and foreign immigrants. This was more so the case with CCS than with BCS, which suggests that organized prevention programs might reduce social inequalities.

Need for cognition and attitudes toward immigrants among russian students

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Sergei A. Shchebetenko

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The author examined how need for cognition may contribute to the attitudes toward immigrants among Russian students. It was shown that although need for cognition may not correlate with attitude toward immigrants directly it might either interact with other factors or influence several relations of attitudes. Specifically, low need for cognition may facilitate the application of immigrants' ethnicity as a cue for the attitudes toward immigrants. On the contrary, those participants having highneed for cognition probably may not use immigrants ethnicity as a cue for attitudes. Additionally, need for cognition might make attitudes toward immigrants more positive among Russian women comparing with Russian men. Furthermore, a positive correlation between perceived stereotypicity and attitude toward immigrants was eliminated among lowneed for cognition participants. Moreover, this correlation has become even negative among lowneed for cognition males. The results of the study are discussed.

Effects of acculturation, coping strategies, locus of control, and self-efficacy on chronic pain: study of Chinese immigrant women in Italy - insights from a thematic field analysis.

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Re, Tania Simona; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Siri, Anna; Cisneros Puebla, César; Friese, Susanne; Simões, Mário; Candau, Joël; Khabbache, Hicham

2017-01-01

Chronic pain represents a common public health concern worldwide. It is a complex phenomenon, owing to the interaction of different factors, including biological, physiological, psychological, environmental, and social variables. Some groups, such as women and immigrants, are particularly vulnerable. However, little is known about how Chinese women in Italy live with and face chronic pain. The present study aimed at filling this knowledge gap by examining the burden of chronic pain in Chinese immigrants in Italy in terms of acculturation processes, perceived control over disease, social networks, and coping strategies. A qualitative approach was used, performing a thematic field analysis. We interviewed 82 Chinese women from different Italian towns (Genoa, Milan, Turin, Bologna, Florence, and Prato) in depth. The sense of belonging to the host culture was strong in our sample. However, this did not simply reflect or translate into a linear engagement with medical systems, as health care pathways were more complex and dual (both Chinese and Western). Chinese women who felt deeply rooted in the Italian environment did not discontinue the use of traditional Chinese medicine. Chronic pain extensively and adversely affected daily life, particularly interfering with work. Coping strategies were mainly adaptive behaviors, being problem focused or maladaptive, relying upon "cope and avoid" mechanisms. Chinese women preferred to use traditional Chinese remedies rather than conventional medicine, while using the Italian system in emergencies. Perceived control over chronic pain was usually external. Finally, Chinese women with chronic pain benefit from social networks and support, which were mainly composed of Chinese peers. In conclusion, our findings underline the tremendous burden of chronic pain affecting all aspects of Chinese women's lives. Health care workers and providers should be aware of the complexity of chronic pain Therefore, a holistic approach, involving

Household food insecurity in Mexico is associated with the co-occurrence of overweight and anemia among women of reproductive age, but not female adolescents.

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Jones, Andrew D; Mundo-Rosas, Verónica; Cantoral, Alejandra; Levy, Teresa Shamah

2017-10-01

We aimed to determine the association between household food insecurity (HFI) and the co-occurrence of overweight and anemia among women of reproductive age in the Mexican population. We analyzed data on 4,039 nonpregnant female adolescents (15-19 years) and 10,760 nonpregnant adult women of reproductive age (20-49 years) from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey of Mexico. The survey uses a two-stage sampling design, stratified by rural and urban regions. The Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale was used to assess HFI. We assessed overweight and obesity in women based on World Health Organization classifications for body mass index, and BMI-for-age Z-scores for female adolescents, and defined anemia as an altitude-adjusted hemoglobin (Hb) concentration insecure households, respectively, experiencing concurrent anemia and overweight were 48% (OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.91) and 49% (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.06) higher than among women from food-secure households. Severe HFI was not associated with concurrent overweight and anemia among female adolescents or women. HFI may be a shared mechanism for dual forms of malnutrition within the same individual, simultaneously contributing to overconsumption and dietary inadequacy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The interference of paid work with household demands in different social policy contexts: perceived work-household conflict in Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

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Strandh, Mattias; Nordenmark, Mikael

2006-12-01

The article explores whether people experiences a lower level of work-household conflict in a context that is characterized by extensive family policies (Sweden and to some extent Hungary and Czech Republic) aimed at facilitating participation in the labour market. This is done by studying perceived work-household conflict among women and men living in Sweden, the UK, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. The analyses are based on the answers to a questionnaire distributed to nearly 6,000 randomly selected individuals within the framework of the European Union financed 'Household, Work, and Flexibility' (HWF) study. The results show that women in Sweden experience conflicts between work and household demands to a higher degree than any other category in all five countries. The differences between Swedish women and women living in the Netherlands and the UK are explained by variables indicating qualifications and workload in the main job, but the lower degree of work-household conflict among Czech and Hungarian women is still significant when controlling for household composition and working conditions. Data indicate that a possible explanation for this can be found in the interplay between men's and women's attitudes toward gender roles and the actual situation in terms of division of labour.

An ethnographic study of communication challenges in maternity care for immigrant women in rural Alberta.

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Higginbottom, Gina M A; Safipour, Jalal; Yohani, Sophie; O'Brien, Beverley; Mumtaz, Zubia; Paton, Patricia

2015-02-01

many immigrant and ethno-cultural groups in Canada face substantial barriers to accessing health care including language barriers. The negative consequences of miscommunication in health care settings are well documented although there has been little research on communication barriers facing immigrant women seeking maternity care in Canada. This study identified the nature of communication difficulties in maternity services from the perspectives of immigrant women, health care providers and social service providers in a small city in southern Alberta, Canada. a focused ethnography was undertaken incorporating interviews with 31 participants recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. A community liaison and several gatekeepers within the community assisted with recruitment and interpretation where needed (n=1). All interviews were recorded and audio files were transcribed verbatim by a professional transcriptionist. The data was analysed drawing upon principles expounded by Roper and Shapira (2000) for the analysis of ethnographic data, because of (1) the relevance to ethnographic data, (2) the clarity and transparency of the approach, (3) the systematic approach to analysis, and (4) the compatibility of the approach with computer-assisted qualitative analysis software programs such as Atlas.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH, Germany). This process included (1) coding for descriptive labels, (2) sorting for patterns, (3) identification of outliers, (4) generation of themes, (5) generalising to generate constructs and theories, and (6) memoing including researcher reflections. four main themes were identified including verbal communication, unshared meaning, non-verbal communication to build relationships, and trauma, culture and open communication. Communication difficulties extended beyond matters of language competency to those encompassing non-verbal communication and its relation to shared meaning as well as the interplay of underlying pre

Wealth, household heterogeneity and livelihood diversification of Fulani pastoralists in the Kachia Grazing Reserve, northern Nigeria, during a period of social transition.

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Marie J Ducrotoy

Full Text Available A mixed methods study was undertaken in the Kachia Grazing Reserve of northern Nigeria. Surveys in March, June and October 2011 included focus group discussions, key informant and in-depth household interviews, concerning livelihood practices, animal health, ownership, and productivity. In May 2011, 249 Fulani families fleeing post-election violence entered the reserve with their livestock, increasing the number of households by one third.Despite being settled within a grazing reserve, over half of households sent all their cattle away on seasonal transhumance and another third sent some away. Cattle accounted for 96% of total tropical livestock units (TLU, of which 26% were cattle kept permanently outside the reserve. While all households cited livestock as their main source of income, 90% grew crops and 55% derived income from off-farm activities. A multiple correspondence analysis showed that for each extra member of a household its TLU value increased by 2.0 [95% CI, 1.4-2.7], while for each additional marriage its TLU increased by 15.7 [95% CI, 7.1-24.3]. A strong association was also observed between small herds, small households with only one wife, alongside marked geographical wealth differences within the reserve. New immigrant families had larger household sizes (33 and livestock holdings (122 TLU than old settlers (22 people and 67 TLU. Prior to the mass immigration, the distribution of TLU per person was unimodal: 41% of households were classified as 'poor' and 27% as 'medium', whereas post-immigration it was bi-modal, with 26% classified as 'very poor' and 28% as 'medium'.While cattle remain the principal source of Fulani income and wealth, the inhabitants of Kachia Grazing Reserve have diversified their livelihood strategies to respond to changing circumstances and stress, especially the limited availability of grazing within the reserve and political insecurity outside, resulting in continued transhumance, the maintenance of

Academic trajectories of newcomer immigrant youth.

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Suárez-Orozco, Carola; Gaytán, Francisco X; Bang, Hee Jin; Pakes, Juliana; O'Connor, Erin; Rhodes, Jean

2010-05-01

Immigration to the United States presents both challenges and opportunities that affect students' academic achievement. Using a 5-year longitudinal, mixed-methods approach, we identified varying academic trajectories of newcomer immigrant students from Central America, China, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico. Latent class growth curve analysis revealed that although some newcomer students performed at high or improving levels over time, others showed diminishing performance. Multinomial logistic regressions identified significant group differences in academic trajectories, particularly between the high-achieving youth and the other groups. In keeping with ecological-developmental and stage-environment fit theories, School Characteristics (school segregation rate, school poverty rate, and student perceptions of school violence), Family Characteristics (maternal education, parental employment, and household structure), and Individual Characteristics (academic English proficiency, academic engagement, psychological symptoms, gender, and 2 age-related risk factors, number of school transitions and being overaged for grade placement) were associated with different trajectories of academic performance. A series of case studies triangulate many of the quantitative findings as well as illuminate patterns that were not detected in the quantitative data. Thus, the mixed-methods approach sheds light on the cumulative developmental challenges that immigrant students face as they adjust to their new educational settings. 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Bringing Commodity Chain Analysis Back to Its World-Systems Roots: Rediscovering Women’s Work and Households

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Wilma Dunaway

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Globally between 1980 and 2000, women's economic activity rate expanded, narrowing the gender gap in labor force participation. Thus, females now account for one-third or more of the "officially-counted" personnel of export industries (UNICEF 2007, and export agriculture is now feminized (Deere 2005. Today women account for one-third of the manufacturing labor force in developing countries, and females hold more than one-half of the industrial jobs in Asia (Barrientos, Kabeer and Hossain 2004. In much of the global South, females account for a majority of the waged labor force in export agriculture, and they are more heavily concentrated than men in service jobs that provision the supply chains of global production. As a reflection of fewer opportunities for males, women are now less likely to withdraw from the labor force during their childbearing years. In addition, females account for a majority of the income earners in the informal sectors of a majority of global South countries, generate a significant proportion of global commodities through subcontracted work they complete in their households, and provide most of the unpaid family labor needed to support household-based farms and businesses that are dominated by males (United Nations 2003.

Access to health-care in Canadian immigrants: a longitudinal study of the National Population Health Survey.

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Setia, Maninder Singh; Quesnel-Vallee, Amelie; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Tousignant, Pierre; Lynch, John

2011-01-01

Immigrants often lose their health advantage as they start adapting to the ways of the new society. Having access to care when it is needed is one way that individuals can maintain their health. We assessed the healthcare access in Canadian immigrants and the socioeconomic factors associated with access over a 12-year period. We compared two measures of healthcare access (having a regular doctor and reporting an unmet healthcare need in the past 12 months) among immigrants and Canadian-born men and women, aged more than 18 years. We applied a logistic random effects model to evaluate these outcomes separately, in 3081 males and 4187 females from the National Population Health Survey (1994-2006). Adjusting for all covariates, immigrant men and women (white and non-white) had similar odds of having a regular doctor than the Canadian-born individuals (white immigrants: males OR: 1.32, 95% C.I.: 0.89-1.94, females OR: 1.14, 95% C.I.: 0.78-1.66; non-white immigrants: males OR: 1.28, 95% C.I.: 0.73-2.23, females OR: 1.23, 95% C.I.: 0.64-2.36). Interestingly, non-white immigrant women had significantly fewer unmet health needs (OR: 0.32, 95% C.I.: 0.17-0.59). Among immigrants, time since immigration was associated with having access to a regular doctor (OR per year: 1.02, 95% C.I.: 1.00-1.04). Visible minority female immigrants were least likely to report an unmet healthcare need. In general, there is little evidence that immigrants have worse access to health-care than the Canadian-born population. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Measuring coverage in MNCH: tracking progress in health for women and children using DHS and MICS household surveys.

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Attila Hancioglu

Full Text Available Household surveys are the primary data source of coverage indicators for children and women for most developing countries. Most of this information is generated by two global household survey programmes-the USAID-supported Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS and the UNICEF-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS. In this review, we provide an overview of these two programmes, which cover a wide range of child and maternal health topics and provide estimates of many Millennium Development Goal indicators, as well as estimates of the indicators for the Countdown to 2015 initiative and the Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health. MICS and DHS collaborate closely and work through interagency processes to ensure that survey tools are harmonized and comparable as far as possible, but we highlight differences between DHS and MICS in the population covered and the reference periods used to measure coverage. These differences need to be considered when comparing estimates of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health indicators across countries and over time and we discuss the implications of these differences for coverage measurement. Finally, we discuss the need for survey planners and consumers of survey results to understand the strengths, limitations, and constraints of coverage measurements generated through household surveys, and address some technical issues surrounding sampling and quality control. We conclude that, although much effort has been made to improve coverage measurement in household surveys, continuing efforts are needed, including further research to improve and refine survey methods and analytical techniques.

Post-migration employment changes and health: A dyadic spousal analysis.

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Ro, Annie; Goldberg, Rachel E

2017-10-01

Prospective studies have found unemployment and job loss to be associated with negative psychological and physical health outcomes. For immigrants, the health implications of employment change cannot be considered apart from pre-migration experiences. While immigrants demonstrate relative success in securing employment in the United States, their work is often not commensurate with their education or expertise. Previous research has linked downward employment with adverse health outcomes among immigrants, but with gender differences. We extended this literature by considering a wider range of employment states and accounting for the interdependence of husbands' and wives' employment trajectories. We examined the relationships between personal and spousal post-migration employment changes and self-rated health and depressive symptoms using dyadic data from the 2003 New Immigrant Survey (NIS) (n = 5682 individuals/2841 spousal pairs). We used the Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to model cross-partner effects and account for spousal interdependence. In general, men's downward employment trajectories were associated with poorer health for themselves. Women's employment trajectories had fewer statistically significant associations with their own or their husbands' health, underscoring the generally more peripheral nature of women's work in the household. However, women's current unemployment in particular was associated with poorer health outcomes for themselves and their husbands, suggesting that unmet need for women's work can produce health risks within immigrant households. Our findings suggest that employment change should be considered a household event that can impact the wellbeing of linked individuals within. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acculturation in the adaptation of Chinese-American women to breast cancer: a mixed-method approach.

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Tsai, Tzu-I; Morisky, Donald E; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Ashing-Giwa, Kimlin T

2011-12-01

To explore how and to what extent acculturation and immigration affect Chinese-American immigrant women's breast cancer experience. Acculturation is an important indicator for immigrant health. Less empirical research has been conducted on the association between acculturation and breast cancer experience among Chinese immigrant women in the USA. A mixed methods study. A total of 107 Chinese-American women with breast cancer completed the structured questionnaire survey, and 16 women completed face-to-face in-depth interviews. In the quantitative findings, acculturation was related to health beliefs, social support and life stress. Cultural interpretations of the qualitative information are offered to show that breast cancer experience was intertwined with cultural adaptation in a given immigrant environment. Chinese cultural beliefs persistently, even after years of immigration, guide Chinese-American immigrant women to respond to breast cancer across the meaning of health and illness, family ties and involvement and social interaction. Our findings show that acculturation is related to health beliefs, social support and life stress in the trajectory of breast cancer adaptation among Chinese-American immigrant women. Life stresses derived from immigration bring additional difficulties for immigrant women living with cancer. This study pinpoints that traditional cultural beliefs and immigration stress may influence Chinese-American women to cope with breast cancer. To promote culturally sensitive cancer care for immigrants, healthcare professionals should be aware of and learn intercultural competence. Ethnic social support or outreach healthcare programme may benefit new immigrant families or the immigrant families, who lack social connection, to cope with cancer. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Maternal Race–Ethnicity, Immigrant Status, Country of Birth, and the Odds of a Child With Autism

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Jenny Fairthorne PhD

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The risk of autism spectrum disorder varies by maternal race–ethnicity, immigration status, and birth region. In this retrospective cohort study, Western Australian state registries and a study population of 134 204 mothers enabled us to examine the odds of autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability in children born from 1994 to 2005 by the aforementioned characteristics. We adjusted for maternal age, parity, socioeconomic status, and birth year. Indigenous women were 50% less likely to have a child with autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability than Caucasian, nonimmigrant women. Overall, immigrant women were 40% less likely to have a child with autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability than nonimmigrant women. However, Black women from East Africa had more than 3.5 times the odds of autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability in their children than Caucasian nonimmigrant women. Research is implicated on risk and protective factors for autism spectrum disorder with intellectual disability in the children of immigrant women.

Understanding differences in access and use of healthcare between international immigrants to Chile and the Chilean-born: a repeated cross-sectional population-based study in Chile.

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Cabieses, Baltica; Tunstall, Helena; Pickett, Kate E; Gideon, Jasmine

2012-11-16

International evidence indicates consistently lower rates of access and use of healthcare by international immigrants. Factors associated with this phenomenon vary significantly depending on the context. Some research into the health of immigrants has been conducted in Latin America, mostly from a qualitative perspective. This population-based study is the first quantitative study to explore healthcare provision entitlement and use of healthcare services by immigrants in Chile and compare them to the Chilean-born. Data come from the nationally representative CASEN (Socioeconomic characterization of the population in Chile) surveys, conducted in 2006 and 2009. Self-reported immigrants were compared to the Chilean-born, by demographic characteristics (age, sex, urban/rural, household composition, ethnicity), socioeconomic status (SES: education, household income, contractual status), healthcare provision entitlement (public, private, other, none), and use of primary services. Weighted descriptive, stratified and adjusted regression models were used to analyse factors associated with access to and use of healthcare. There was an increase in self-reported immigrant status and in household income inequality among immigrants between 2006 and 2009. Over time there was a decrease in the rate of immigrants reporting no healthcare provision and an increase in reporting of private healthcare provision entitlement. Compared to the Chilean-born, immigrants reported higher rates of use of antenatal and gynaecological care, lower use of well-baby care, and no difference in the use of Pap smears or the number of attentions received in the last three months. Immigrants in the bottom income quintile were four times more likely to report no healthcare provision than their equivalent Chilean-born group (with different health needs, i.e. vertical inequity). Disabled immigrants were more likely to have no healthcare provision compared to the disabled Chilean-born (with similar health

Distance is no hurdle: Reforming the family violence exception to better protect immigrant women in rural, regional and remote communities

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Khanh Hoang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available After careful consideration consistent with COPE guidelines, the editorial staff has concluded that there is no case of plagiarism associated with this article. (10th August, 2016 The editors have received allegations that the paper references arguments and evidence without attribution to pre-existing literature, and that it exhibits stylistic similarities to other sources on the same topic. The editors are currently conducting an investigation under the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE guidelines to confirm or refute the allegations. (29th June, 2016 This article considers the impact of migration laws on immigrant women in rural, regional and remote communities (RRR communities who are victims of family violence. The Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth (‘the Regulations’ includes a ‘family violence exception’ that allows for the grant of permanent residency to women who hold a temporary partner visa in circumstances where the relationship with the Australian sponsor has broken down due to family violence. However, the Regulations impose strict procedural and evidentiary requirements for making a family violence claim. These laws disproportionately impact those in RRR communities by failing to account for their isolation, lack of access to services and particular vulnerabilities. As a result, immigrant women in RRR communities are restricted in their ability to access the family violence exception. This article calls for reform of the Regulations to address the locational disadvantages faced by immigrant women in RRR communities. Building on the work of the Australian Law Reform Commission, it argues for the repeal of the provisions governing evidentiary requirements for ‘non-judicially determined’ claims of family violence. In its place, it is suggested that there should be no restrictions on the types of evidence that can be provided. In addition, all non-judicially determined family violence claims would be referred to an �

Golden Years or Retirement Fears? Private Pension Inequality Among Canada's Immigrants.

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Curtis, Josh; Lightman, Naomi

2017-06-01

Currently, many immigrants are disqualified from Canada's public pension scheme because of residency requirements. In addition, decades of low income and labour market exclusion prohibit many Canadian immigrants from building adequate private pension savings throughout their working life. Together, these factors present serious concerns for immigrant seniors' economic well-being. Using Canadian census data spanning a twenty-year period (1991-2011), we find that income from personal savings plans and investments has declined sharply for both native-born and immigrant Canadians, with recent immigrant cohorts faring worst. However, since 1991, native-born and immigrant men living in Canada for 40-plus years had major gains in private employer pensions (Registered Pension Plans; [RPPs]). Yet RPP income for all other immigrant cohorts remained stable or declined during these decades. Thus, the data demonstrate a worrisome growing private savings gap between native-born men and all others in Canada, with newer immigrants and women faring worst.

Evidence from the 1920s U.S.Immigration Quota Acts

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Ager, Philipp; Hansen, Casper Worm

2017-01-01

in population growth in areas with larger pre-existing immigrant communities of affected nationalities. This effect was largely driven by the policy-restricted supply of immigrants from quota-affected nationalities and lower fertility of first- and second-generation immigrant women. In the more affected areas...... labor productivity growth in manufacturing declined substantially and native workers were pushed into lower-wage occupations. While native white workers faced sizable earnings losses, black workers benefited from the quota system and improved their relative economic status within the more affected areas....

Immigrating to the US: what Brazilian, Latin American and Haitian women have to say about changes to their lifestyle that may be associated with obesity.

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Tovar, Alison; Must, Aviva; Metayer, Nesly; Gute, David M; Pirie, Alex; Hyatt, Raymond R; Economos, Christina D

2013-04-01

Our goal was to explore the perceived determinants of obesity in Brazilian, Latin American and Haitian women. This is part of an ongoing community-based participatory intervention. Focus groups by immigrant group were conducted and themes extracted. Women expressed differences in beliefs, attitudes, and barriers regarding diet and physical activity in the US versus their home country. Participants thought food in the US is "less natural," there is less time for preparation, and there is more variety. The weather is a barrier to physical activity in the US and work is more physically demanding. Job-related efforts were not considered physical activity. They reported higher levels of stress, less control of their time and less social support in the US. Providing immigrants with appropriate support and education early in the acculturation process has the potential to help prevent obesity.

Gastronomic nostalgia: Salvadoran immigrants' cravings for their ideal meal.

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Stowers, Sharon L

2012-01-01

Immigrants typically express cravings for the food of their homeland, but for undocumented and temporarily documented Salvadoran immigrants living in the United States, the hunger for their traditional cuisine is particularly poignant. To cope with a history of food scarcity in El Salvador and their documentation liminality in the United States, Salvadoran immigrants in this study crave symbolically rich foods. Salvadoran women provide these foods by recreating for their families an ideal Salvadoran meal into which they "groom" meanings of an imagined past and a hoped for present and future. Salvadoran immigrants' cravings, more cultural than physiological, are not readily satisfied, thus contributing to the overconsumption of food and the high rate of overweight among first-generation Salvadoran-American children.

A socio-ecological approach for examining factors related to contraceptive use among recent Latina immigrants in an emerging Latino state.

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White, Kari; Ocampo, Michelle; Scarinci, Isabel C

2017-08-01

Using the Social Ecological Model, the individual, partner, social, and structural factors related to recent Latina immigrants' contraceptive use in an emerging immigrant community were explored. During September 2013-January 2014, door-to-door sampling was used in Birmingham, Alabama to recruit Latina immigrants who had lived in the United States (U.S.) for less than 5 years. Ten women with foreign-born children and 10 with only U.S.-born children completed in-depth interviews about their contraceptive use following migration. Women's narratives revealed interrelated barriers to using highly effective contraception after migrating to the U.S. Women had nuanced concerns about using hormonal contraception, which, when combined with other factors, led them to rely on condoms and withdrawal. Limited partner communication was a barrier to effective method use for some women, but partner attitudes that women should be responsible for contraception were less important. Weak female networks made it difficult for immigrants to learn about the U.S. health-care system, especially those with only U.S.-born children. Even once women accessed services, a full range of highly effective methods was not available or affordable. In emerging communities, integrated strategies that address immigrants' need for information and ensure access to affordable contraception would help women achieve their reproductive life goals.

[Self-perceived health status among immigrants in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Petrelli, Alessio; Di Napoli, Anteo; Rossi, Alessandra; Gargiulo, Lidia; Mirisola, Concetta; Costanzo, Gianfranco

2017-01-01

to evaluate self-perceived health status of immigrants in Italy. cross-sectional study based on the representative national samples of the multipurpose surveys "Health conditions and use of health services" conducted in 2005 and 2013 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). the study was conducted on the age group of 18-64: No. 80,661 in 2005, among which 3.2% were immigrants, and No. 72,476 in 2013, among which 7.1% were immigrants. prevalence rate ratios (PRR) calculated through log-binomial regression models, stratified by survey edition and gender, by evaluating the association between the Physical Component Score (PCS), the Mental Component Score (MCS), and the overall health index and citizenship. Adjustment for the following confounding factors was performed: age, educational level, working condition, perceived economic resources, body mass index (BMI). in 2005, immigrants had a lower probability of poor-perceived physical health, both among men (PRR: 0.79; 95%CI 0.70-0.89) and women (PRR: 0.89; 95%CI 0.82- 0.97), compared to Italians. In 2013, the perceived health advantage of immigrants was reduced for both genders (PRR males: 0.87; 95%CI 0.80-0.95; PRR females: 0.94; 95%CI 0.88-0.99). In the considered period, the prevalence of people with worse mental health conditions increases, with lower PRR among immigrants, compared to Italians. Higher probability of «NOT good» overall perceived health was also observed among immigrants residing in Italy for at least 10 years (PRR men: 1.24; PRR women: 1.15) and among immigrants men from America (PRR: 1.35). from 2005 to 2013, immigrants seemed to maintain a better perception of health status than Italians. Nevertheless, study results show a decrease in self-perceived health, particularly mental health, in the considered period - apart from demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors - as well as a worse overall self-perceived health status among immigrants who stayed in Italy longer. Such

Immigrants' use of primary health care services for mental health problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Straiton, Melanie; Reneflot, Anne; Diaz, Esperanza

2014-08-13

Equity in health care across all social groups is a major goal in health care policy. Immigrants may experience more mental health problems than natives, but we do not know the extent to which they seek help from primary health care services. This study aimed to determine a) the rate immigrants use primary health care services for mental health problems compared with Norwegians and b) the association between length of stay, reason for immigration and service use among immigrants. National register data covering all residents in Norway and all consultations with primary health care services were used. We conducted logistic regression analyses to compare Norwegians' with Polish, Swedish, German, Pakistani and Iraqi immigrants' odds of having had a consultation for a mental health problem (P-consultation). After accounting for background variables, all immigrants groups, except Iraqi men had lower odds of a P-consultation than their Norwegian counterparts. A shorter length of stay was associated with lower odds of a P-consultation. Service use varies by country of origin and patterns are different for men and women. There was some evidence of a possible 'healthy migrant worker' effect among the European groups. Together with previous research, our findings however, suggest that Iraqi women and Pakistanis in particular, may experience barriers in accessing care for mental health problems.

Prenatal syphilis infection is a possible cause of preterm delivery among immigrant women from eastern Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Tridapalli, E; Capretti, M G; Sambri, V; Marangoni, A; Moroni, A; D'Antuono, A; Bacchi, M L; Faldella, G

2007-04-01

to evaluate the prevalence of maternal syphilis at delivery and neonatal syphilis infection in an Italian urban area, in connection with the increased flow of immigration. A prospective surveillance study was carried out in Bologna, Italy, from November 2000 to March 2006. All pregnant women were screened for syphilis at delivery. Infants born to seropositive mothers were enrolled in a prospective follow-up. During the study period 19,205 women gave birth to 19,548 infants. A total of 85 women were seropositive for syphilis at delivery. The overall syphilis seroprevalence in pregnant women was 0.44%, but it was 4.3% in women from eastern Europe and 5.8% in women from Central-South America. Ten women were first found positive at delivery, as they did not receive any prenatal care. Nine of these were from eastern Europe. All their infants were asymptomatic, but six had both reactive immunoglobulin (Ig)M western blot and rapid plasma reagin tests and were considered prenatally infected. Three of six were preterm (gestational age eastern Europe. Although it is asymptomatic, it could cause premature delivery. Therefore, it is necessary to perform serological tests during the third trimester in mothers coming from endemic areas to adequately treat syphilis in pregnancy and prevent congenital infection. If the mother's test results are not available at delivery, it is necessary to investigate the newborn, especially if it is born prematurely.

Narratives of suffering of South Asian immigrant survivors of domestic violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallivayalil, Diya

2010-07-01

This article examines the narratives of suffering expressed by a group of South Asian immigrant survivors of domestic violence who accessed a mental health clinic in New York City. These accounts illustrate women's own perceptions of their suffering and symptoms and provide a window into the South Asian immigrant community's ideologies and moral domains regarding gender, violence, and sickness, as well as how individuals vary in their endorsement of these ideologies. The women's narratives illustrate how migration and culture interact with the deeply personal experience of suffering caused by domestic and sexual violence.

Migration, Quality of Life And Health of Brazilian Immigrants in Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliany Nazaré Oliveira

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Immigrants face many challenges when settling in a foreign country, numerous factors influence this immigrant experience including the resources they bring with them and those they find in the host society. The literature has indicated that a significant number of individuals migrate in search of a better quality of life. In this context, the objective of the study was to analyze the quality of life and health of Brazilian immigrants living in Portugal, using the "Medical Outcomes Study: 36-Item Short Form Survey" (SF-36. Methods and Results: A cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach developed under the project titled: Health status and quality of life of Brazilian immigrants in Portugal conducted in the first half of 2016, with 682 Brazilian immigrant women over 18 living in Portugal. This study adopted as reference SF-36, a generic instrument for the evaluation of Quality of Life. It can be affirmed that the quality of life and health of Brazilian immigrants living in Portugal is good, since all dimensions presented values above 50%. It was evidenced that Brazilian immigrants who live alone have lower levels of quality of life and health than those who live with someone and, that Brazilian immigrants who are unemployed, have low levels of quality of life and health compared to those who are in another employment situation, and Brazilian immigrants entering the labor market with a workload of more than 40 hours per week present similar levels of quality of life and health compared to those who work fewer hours. Conclusion: In general, one can affirm that the quality of life and health of Brazilian immigrants living in Portugal is good, but due to the particularities of the migration process in the current political and international context, a systematic monitoring of living conditions and health of this population is necessary. Keywords: Emigrants and Immigrants; Quality of life; Women, Mental health