Setting the stage: reviewing current knowledge on the health of New Zealand immigrants—an integrative review

The growth of migrant communities continues to rise globally, creating unique and complex health challenges. Literature on immigrant health in New Zealand (NZ) remains scant. This integrative literature review was conducted drawing on peer-reviewed research articles on immigrant health in NZ published between 2012 and 2018. The objectives were to: (i) provide a critical overview of immigrant health in NZ; (ii) identify general trends in health research conducted in NZ on immigrants; (iii) compare, contrast, and evaluate the quality of the information; (iv) develop a summary of research results and; (v) identify priorities and recommendations for future research. A search yielded more than 130 articles with 28 articles constituting the foundation of the review. This review is timely following the rapid increase in the scale, speed, and spread of immigration and its potential for changing NZ’s national health patterns and priorities. This integrative review led to the four primary conclusions. Firstly, migration in NZ is a gendered phenomenon, as there has been more women and girls arriving as migrants in NZ and being at risk of poor health in comparison with their male counterparts. Secondly, studies on infectious diseases take precedence over other health problems. Thirdly, research methodologies used to collect data may not be relevant to the cultural and traditional customs of the migrant populations. Furthermore, a number of research findings implemented have failed to meet the needs of NZ migrants. Lastly, policy initiatives are inclined more towards supporting health practitioners and lack a migrant centred approach

Gender and Water in Northeast Thailand: Inequalities and Women\u27s Realities

The water world is socially constructed, reflecting continuous global gender inequalities and discrimination by those who hold dominant perspectives on water. While there is a strong global acknowledgement of the roles of women in water management by the United Nations International Water for Life Decade 2005-2015, discourses on gender mainstreaming in water management are still marginalised and under-theorised. The Millennium Development Goal-7 on environmental sustainability, addressing the need of more than one billion people for a significant improvement to accessing safe drinking water and basic sanitation, stagnated without a strong political will to include gender ideology in mainstream water perspectives. This qualitative study was conducted in a sub-urban community of Northeast Thailand in 2011, exploring the gendered roles, responsibilities, and inequalities of access to and control over village water resources. Results of this study illuminate the importance of taking into account the complexity of power and negotiation in local water structures within women’s social realities

Exploring Women’s Perspectives of Family Planning: A Qualitative Study from Rural Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has one of the highest fertility rates and lowest usage rates of modern contraceptives in the Pacific, especially in rural areas. Provision of modern family planning services in rural indigenous communities is challenged by geographic distance, organizational logistics, sparse human service resourcing issues, and lack of integration and understanding of the diversity of PNG’s indigenous knowledge and practices around reproductive health. Face-to-face interviews followed by two focus group discussions were held with 14 purposively sampled indigenous women and two community volunteers, aiming to explore their experiences of what were termed “modern family planning practices” and the perceived impact of these on indigenous social structures. Narratives showed mixed impacts including women’s increased sense of wellbeing and control over their bodies; better childbirth spacing benefitting childrearing and family economic demands; concerns over sustainability of village health services; and frustration about perceived lack of collaborative consultation between service providers and community leadership

Perceived personal, social and environmental barriers to weight maintenance among young women: A community survey

BACKGROUND: Young women are a group at high risk of weight gain. This study examined a range of perceived personal, social and environmental barriers to physical activity and healthy eating for weight maintenance among young women, and how these varied by socioeconomic status (SES), overweight status and domestic situation. METHODS: In October-December 2001, a total of 445 women aged 18–32 years, selected randomly from the Australian electoral roll, completed a mailed self-report survey that included questions on 11 barriers to physical activity and 11 barriers to healthy eating (relating to personal, social and environmental factors). Height, weight and socio-demographic details were also obtained. Statistical analyses were conducted mid-2003. RESULTS: The most common perceived barriers to physical activity and healthy eating encountered by young women were related to motivation, time and cost. Women with children were particularly likely to report a lack of social support as an important barrier to physical activity, and lack of social support and time as important barriers to healthy eating. Perceived barriers did not differ by SES or overweight status. CONCLUSIONS: Health promotion strategies aimed at preventing weight gain should take into account the specific perceived barriers to physical activity and healthy eating faced by women in this age group, particularly lack of motivation, lack of time, and cost. Strategies targeting perceived lack of time and lack of social support are particularly required for young women with children

Effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity among socioeconomically disadvantaged women : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Physical activity is important for preventing weight gain and obesity, but women experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are at high risk of inactivity. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity among women experiencing disadvantage, and the intervention factors (i.e. physical activity measure, delivery mode, delivery channel, setting, duration, use of theory, behavioural techniques, participant age, risk of bias) associated with effectiveness. We conducted a meta-analysis of controlled trials using random-effects models and meta-regression. Seven databases were searched for trials among healthy women (18&ndash;64 years), which included a physical activity intervention, any control group, and statistical analyses of a physical activity outcome at baseline and post-intervention. Nineteen studies were included (n&thinsp;=&thinsp;6,339). Because of substantial statistical heterogeneity (&chi;2&thinsp;=&thinsp;53.61, df&thinsp;=&thinsp;18, P&thinsp;&lt;&thinsp;0.0001, I2&thinsp;=&thinsp;66%), an overall pooled effect is not reported. In subgroup analyses, between-group differences were evident for delivery mode, which modestly reduced heterogeneity (to 54%). Studies with a group delivery component had a standardized mean difference of 0.38 greater than either individual or community-based delivery. Programs with a group delivery mode significantly increase physical activity among women experiencing disadvantage, and group delivery should be considered an essential element of physical activity promotion programs targeting this population group.<br /

Preventing weight gain: the baseline weight related behaviors and delivery of a randomized controlled intervention in community based women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Women aged 25–45 years represent a high risk group for weight gain and those with children are at increased risk because of weight gain associated with pregnancy and subsequent lifestyle change. Average self-reported weight gain is approximately 0.60 kg per year, and weight gain is associated with increased risk of chronic disease. There are barriers to reaching, engaging and delivering lifestyle interventions to prevent weight gain in this population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study investigated the baseline weight related behaviors and feasibility of recruiting and delivering a low intensity self-management lifestyle intervention to community based women with children in order to prevent weight gain, compared to standard education. The recruitment and delivery of the cluster-randomized controlled intervention was in conjunction with 12 primary (elementary) schools. Baseline data collection included demographic, anthropometric, behavioral and biological measures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred and fifty community based women were randomized as clusters to intervention (n = 127) or control (n = 123). Mean age was 40.4 years (SD 4.7) and mean BMI 27.8 kg/m²(SD 5.6). All components of this intervention were successfully delivered and retention rates were excellent, 97% at 4 months.</p> <p>Nearly all women (90%) reported being dissatisfied with their weight and 72% attempted to self-manage their weight. Women were more confident of changing their diet (mean score 3.2) than physical activity (mean score 2.7). This population perceived they were engaging in prevention behaviors, with 71% reporting actively trying to prevent weight gain, yet they consumed a mean of 68 g fat/day (SD30 g) and 27 g saturated fat/day (SD12 g) representing 32% and 13% of energy respectively. The women had a high rate of dyslipidemia (33%) and engaged in an average of 9187 steps/day (SD 3671).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Delivery of this low intensity intervention to a broad cross-section of community based women with children is feasible. Women with children are engaging in lifestyle behaviours which do not confer adequate health benefits. They appear to be motivated to attend prevention programs by their interest in weight management. Interventions are required to strengthen and sustain current attempts at achieving healthy lifestyle behaviours in women to prevent weight gain.</p> <p>Trial Registration Number</p> <p>ACTRN 12608000110381</p