Migrant and refugee youth perspectives on sexual and reproductive health and rights in Australia : a systematic review

Migrant and refugee youth (MRY) in Australia face specific experiences that inform their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Migrant and refugee communities experience poor health outcomes and low service uptake. Additionally, youth are vulnerable to poor sexual health. This review examines the understandings and perspectives of MRY. A systematic review was conducted as per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol is registered with PROSPERO: CRD42021241213. Nine databases were systematically searched. Inclusion criteria specified literature reporting on migrant and/or refugee youth perspectives and attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health; peer-reviewed qualitative, mixed-methods and/or quantitative studies or grey literature reports; records using Australian research; literature published in English between January 2000 and March 2021. Records that did not report on MRY and did not examine participant views or perspectives; were abstract-only, reviews, pamphlets, protocols, opinion pieces or letters; did not include Australian research; were published before 2000 and/or in a language other than English were excluded. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full-text articles. The Mixed Method Appraisal Tool was used to assess studies' methodological quality. Thematic synthesis methods guided data extraction and analysis. Twenty-eight papers were included in the final review. Three themes were identified in MRY constructions of SRHR: (1) experiences of silence and shame; (2) understandings of and responses to SRHR risks; (3) navigation of relationships and sexual activity. Socioecological factors shaped MRY perspectives at individual, interpersonal, institutional and societal levels. Societal factors and interpersonal relationships significantly influenced decision making

Breast cancer perceptions and screening behaviours among Korean women in Australia

Little is known about breast cancer screening behaviours among immigrant-Korean women in Australia. This study reported breast cancer screening status and whether demographic factors and cultural beliefs associated with their screening behaviours. A convenience sample of 258 Korean-Australian women completed the Korean version of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire. Only 16.9% paid special attention to their breasts monthly whereas 31.4% and 54.5% attended annual clinical breast examination and biannual mammograms respectively. Employment status and the length of stay in Australia are significant factors that affect women’s breast cancer screening behaviour. Women who engaged in regular breast awareness and clinical breast examination had significantly higher scores on Knowledge of breast cancer subscale, whereas, those who attended mammography has significantly higher scores on Attitudes toward health check-ups. The research highlights that certain cultural and attitudinal issues are detrimental factors for breast cancer screening behaviour among Korean-Australian women

[In Press] The role of education in breast cancer beliefs and screening practices among Korean women : a quantitative study

Introduction: Cultural beliefs are influential factors that affect breast cancer screening practices among Korean women. The aim of this study was to examine the role of educational levels and compare the cultural beliefs associated with breast cancer screening practices among immigrant Korean women in Australia with those of their counterparts in Korea. Methods: A secondary analysis based on data from convenience samples of 245 and 249 Korean women living in Australia and Korea, respectively. Data were collected by the Korean version of Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire. Results: Educational level has a significant association with Korean women’s cultural beliefs about breast cancer and breast cancer screening practices regardless of country of residence. Discussion: Nurses working in multicultural societies should take cultural beliefs and the role of education into account while designing strategies to promote breast cancer screening practices among immigrant Korean women

Validation of the Korean version of the breast cancer screening beliefs questionnaire

Background: Korean immigrant women have been consistently reported as having low participation in breast cancer screening practices. A valid and reliable instrument to explore factors that affect their cancer screening behaviors is essential. Objective: The aim of this study was to report the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Breast Cancer Screening Beliefs Questionnaire (BCSBQ). Methods: A convenience sample of 249 Korean Australian women was recruited through a number of Korean community organizations in Sydney. Results: Exploratory factor analysis supports a similar fit for the original 3-factor structure of our data set. A significant association was found between the attitudes of these women toward general health checkups and the frequency of their performance of the breast awareness practices and having mammograms. Furthermore, it was found that knowledge and perceptions about the breast cancer scales were significantly associated with education level and that barriers to mammographic screening were much less evident among women who engaged in the 3 screening practices. The results indicated that the Korean version of the BCSBQ had satisfactory validity and internal consistency. The Cronbach's alpha of the 3 subscales ranged between .80 and .88. Conclusion: The Korean version of the BCSBQ was confirmed to be a culturally appropriate, valid, and reliable instrument for assessing the beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes to breast cancer and breast cancer screening practices among women of Korean background living in Australia. Implication for Practice: The Korean version of the BCBSQ can provide nurses with insights into the development of culturally sensitive breast health education programs

Inter-limb coordination in bimanual reach-to-grasp following stroke

Purpose. To determine the extent to which inter-limb coordination in the execution of unimanual and bimanual tasks was impaired following stroke. Methods. Thirteen stroke survivors aged 55-77 years and 13 healthy, neurologically intact participants aged 57-86 years performed a unimanual and two bimanual tasks involving the relocation of single and paired objects. Movements were recorded using electromagnetic sensors attached to the wrists and a series of micro switches placed under the objects. Main outcome measures included time to complete components of the tasks; comparison between sides; deviation of the hands from a linear trajectory; coordination of the two sides as indicated by relative phase angle. Results. Stroke survivors took longer to complete the bimanual tasks, but did not deviate from the optimal trajectories more than the healthy participants. Both groups performed unimanual tasks faster than bimanual and stroke participants were only slightly less synchronised when performing bimanual tasks. Conclusions. In conclusion, in a group of stroke patients with reasonable strength, inter-limb coordination was mildly impaired. This impairment in coordination was not due to lateral deviation of the impaired limb

AGR2, a mucinous ovarian cancer marker, promotes cell proliferation and migration

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death in women. Early detection of ovarian cancer is essential to decrease mortality. However, the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is difficult due to a lack of clinical symptoms and suitable molecular diagnostic markers. Thus, identification of meaningful tumor biomarkers with potential clinical application is clearly needed. To search for a biomarker for the early detection of ovarian cancer, we identified human anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) from our systematic analysis of paired normal and ovarian tumor tissue cDNA microarray. We noted a marked overexpression of AGR2 mRNA and protein in early stage mucinous ovarian tumors compared to normal ovarian tissues and serous type ovarian tumors by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. To further elucidate the role of AGR2 in ovarian tumorigenesis, stable 2774 human ovarian cancer cell lines overexpressing AGR2 were established. Forced expression of AGR2 in 2774 cells enhanced the growth and migration of ovarian cancer cells. AGR2 protein was detected in the serum of mucinous ovarian cancer patients by Western blot and ELISA analysis. Thus, AGR2 is a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of mucinous ovarian cancer and an ELISA assay may facilitate the early detection of mucinous ovarian cancer using patient serum