Differences in health behaviours between immigrant and non-immigrant groups: a protocol for a systematic review

Health behaviours are important determinants of health and adoption of unhealthy behaviour is considered as one of the mechanisms through which immigrants\u27 health changes over time in the host country. The change in health behaviours over time can contribute either to improving or worsening the overall health status of immigrants. Despite being the important mediators for the change in overall health status and chronic health conditions, no previous review (either general or systematic) has examined differences in key health behaviours simultaneously between immigrants and non-immigrants. This study aims to provide a systematic overview of the current global literature on differences in key health behaviours (that is, tobacco smoking, physical activity and alcohol drinking) between immigrant and non-immigrant groups

Gender differences in self-reported health and psychological distress among New Zealand adults

Background: Previous research that examines gender differences in health does not rigorously assess the gender-related differential ‘exposure’ and differential ‘vulnerability’ hypotheses; i.e., does not try to identify the ‘direct’ (unmediated) effect of gender or quantify the relative importance of different risk factors for each gender. Objective: I test the hypothesis that gender differences in health (self-assessed health (SAH) and psychological distress (PD)) are due to indirect or mediating effects via socioeconomic and behavioural factors, and are not a direct effect of gender on health. Methods: Data (N = 18,030) from the third wave of the Survey of Family, Income and Employment (SoFIE) and multivariate logistic regression analyses are used to test gender differences in SAH and psychological distress. Results: The analyses show that women are less likely to report poor self-assessed health but more likely to report moderate-to-high psychological distress. Differential exposure of men and women to the determinants of health did not completely account for gender differences in health. Gender-specific differences in vulnerability were found only in the direct effects of age, and employment status. Conclusions: These results suggest that much, but not all, of the association between gender and health is mediated by socioeconomic factors. Contribution: This paper extends the literature on gender differences in health through a detailed empirical examination of the differential exposure of men and women to sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health behaviour factors (i.e., indirect effects), and the differential vulnerability of women and men to this exposure (i.e., direct effects)

Resilience and well-being among children of migrant parents in South-East Asia

There has been little systematic empirical research on the well-being of children in transnational households in South-East Asia—a major sending region for contract migrants. This study uses survey data collected in 2008 from children aged 9, 10 and 11 and their caregivers in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam (N=1,498). Results indicate that while children of migrant parents, especially migrant mothers, are less likely to be happy compared to children in non-migrant households, greater resilience in child well-being is associated with longer durations of maternal absence. There is no evidence for a direct parental migration effect on school enjoyment and performance. The analyses highlight the sensitivity of results to the dimension of child well-being measured and who makes the assessment.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Migrants are healthier than the average Australian, so they can’t be a burden on the health system

[Extract] Developed economies, including Australia, have increasingly been using international migration to compensate for demographic trend and skill shortages. Australia has one of the highest proportion of overseas-born people in the world: an estimated 26% of the total resident population was born overseas. This is expected to increase over the next decade

Exploring the associations between the perception of water scarcity and support for alternative potable water sources

This study examines the association between the perception of water scarcity and support for alternative water sources in general, and specifically desalination and recycled water. It also examines the mediating role that perception of climate change has on the aforementioned association. A 46-item survey (n = 588) was conducted in the Geelong region of Australia. Logistic regression was used to determine the independent association between perceived water scarcity and socio-demographic factors, with support for alternative water sources, desalination and recycled water. 82% of respondents supported undefined 'alternative water sources'. However, support for specific alternatives was lower (desalination: 65%; recycled water: 40.3%). Perception of water scarcity was significantly associated with increased odds of support for alternative water sources (OR 1.94, 95% CI: 1.25-3.00) and support for recycled water (OR 2.32, 95% CI: 1.68-3.31). There was no significant relationship between perception of water scarcity and support for desalination (OR 0.959 95% CI: 0.677-1.358). Climate change was found to mediate perceived water scarcity and support for alternative sources (OR 1.360, 95% CI: 0.841-2.198). The mediation of the relationship between perceived water scarcity and support for recycled water by climate change was not strong. These results facilitate enhanced community engagement strategies

Remote area nurses' experiences of workplace safety in very remote primary health clinics: A qualitative study

Aim: To explore Remote Area Nurses' experiences of the implementation of workplace health and safety policies and risk mitigation strategies in Australian very remote primary health clinics. Design: This qualitative study used online semi-structured interviews, with participants purposively sampled to maximize variation in work location and service type. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. Coding was carried out inductively, with NVivo 12 aiding data management. Setting: The interviews were conducted from 24 Februrary 2021 to 06 March 2021 with Remote Area Nurses from very remote primary health clinics in Australia. Participants: Fifteen Remote Area Nurses participated in the study. Results: Thematic analysis revealed varied approaches to workplace safety among the different health services and regions. While the spread of ‘never alone’ policies in many clinics addressed one of the significant risks faced by Remote Area Nurses, gaps remained even for hazards specifically highlighted in existing work health and safety legislation. Meaningful collaboration with staff and the community, local orientation, preparation for the role and providing quality care were protective factors for staff safety. Understaffing, unsafe infrastructure and inadequate equipment were common concerns among Remote Area Nurses. Conclusion: Health services need to prioritize workplace safety and take a continuous quality improvement approach to its implementation. This will include ensuring safety strategies are appropriate for the local context, improving infrastructure maintenance, and establishing sustainable second responder systems such as a pool of drivers with local knowledge. Implications for the Profession: Poor personal safety contributes to burnout and high turnover of staff. Nurses' insights into the barriers and enablers of current workplace safety strategies will aid policymakers and employers in future improvements

Improving the evidence-base for access to primary health care in Canterbury: a panel study

Objective: Despite many reforms and initiatives, inequities in access to primary health care remain. However, the concept of ‘access’ and its measurement is complex. This paper aims to provide estimates of general practice visit frequencies for ‘attenders’ (those who seek consultation) and the proportion of ‘non-attenders’ (those who never seek consultation) of primary health care services. Methods: A panel study of people enrolled within a large primary health care organisation of affiliated general practices. Standard and zero-inflated regression models were assessed. Results: 980,918 visits were made by 388,424 people, averaging 2.64 visits/person/year. The zero-inflated negative binomial model was superior, and significant age, gender and ethnic differences were observed in attender and non-attender profiles. More Asian (21.0%), Pacific (19.6%) and Maori (17.1%) people were non-attenders than European/Other (9.0%) people. Among attenders, males, Asian and Pacific people, and young to middle-aged adults, generally had relatively lower visit rates. Conclusions: Interpretation of utilisation data must be made with caution because of two distinct characteristics: the differential rates of non-attenders and the highly dispersed distribution of attenders. Implications: Improved understanding of differential non-attender rates and attender visit distributions by demographic factors needs to be considered when addressing improved access to general practice services