English-speaking Background Research Articles

Admissions of Elderly Patients from English-Speaking and Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds to an Inpatient Psychogeriatric Unit

The aim of this study was to compare differences between elderly patients from non-English-speaking backgrounds (NESB) and English-speaking backgrounds (ESB) admitted to an acute psychogeriatric unit. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collated from inpatient files for a 12-month period and analysed according to NESB and ESB status. The 1996 Australian Census data were used for comparison of catchment area representation of different ethnic groups. With a few exceptions, admission rates for elderly patients from NESB reflected the representation of that ethnic group in the catchment area population figures. No significant differences were found between the two groups for mean age, length of stay and previous admissions to the unit. Patients from NESB were less likely to be admitted voluntarily and less likely to be diagnosed with affective disorder. These differences were more marked for males, who were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. These findings suggest that further investigation is required into the accessibility of psychiatric hospitalisation for elderly patients from NESB. Under-recognition of disorders such as depression and reluctance to accept necessary inpatient management are two possible factors that should concern mental health service providers for the ethnic elderly. A subsequent analysis will examine if differences also exist between elderly patients from NESB and ESB who receive community-based psychiatric treatment. Implications for mental health service provision for the elderly from NESB are discussed.

Predictors of Employment Destinations for University Graduates

The aim of the present study was to find out the characteristics related to employment destinations, including ethnicity, confidence in employment skills and personal skills. The participants included 537 graduates from a university in Melbourne and the results indicated that graduates from a non-English-speaking background were less likely to be employed full-time or part-time, and less confident of their personal and presentation skills, compared with those from an English-speaking background. Furthermore, graduates who were not employed were less confident of their employment skills than those who were employed. The implications of the above findings for career counselling are also discussed.

Coronary heart disease risk factors in male adolescents, with particular reference to smoking and blood lipids

Purpose: To examine coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors, particularly blood lipids and smoking, in adolescent boys in the Sydney Metropolitan area, and to investigate possible differences between boys from English-speaking (ESB) and non–English-speaking backgrounds (NESBs). Methods: Male volunteers aged 15–18 years were recruited from the senior years of four secondary schools in different geographical areas of Sydney. Body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio (WHR), blood lipids, and percent body fat were measured. Behavioral variables were estimated by questionnaire. Results: A total of 110 boys were recruited; 74% were from an ESB. Mean WHR (0.836 ± 0.045), waist circumference (80.6 ± 9.4 cm), and percent body fat (21.0 ± 6.3) were similar across age groups. Atherogenicity of the lipid profile, as measured by the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC:HDL-C), was lower in boys aged 15 years than in any other age group ( p < .05). TC:HDL-C was strongly associated with BMI ( r = .57; p < .0001) and WHR ( r = .35; p < .01). Smokers had higher BMI, were less active and had lower HDL-C ( p < .001) and higher TC:HDL-C ( p < .0001) than nonsmokers. Smoking, even of short duration, and quite moderate consumption of cigarettes (6/day) were associated with a deterioration of the lipid profile. Boys from NESBs had a higher degree of risk in all of the factors examined. Conclusions: Regular smoking of short duration has an appreciable impact on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in this sample of Australian adolescent boys. Boys from an NESB appear to be at greater risk of developing CHD in later life.

Border Crossing in 'Multicultural Australia': A Study of Cultural Valence

While political borders in the modern world are often attenuated, cultural borders between groups are reinforced through the resurgence of ethnic identity and the renaissance of cultural values which underpin it. Such developments need not be regarded as divisive, but as an opportunity for border crossing by individuals who augment their cultural valence through acquiring competence in and positive attitudes towards other cultures. Australia's multicultural policy has sought to encourage this development by building a society that is both cohesive and supportive of the country's cultural diversity. This paper reports on two studies carried out according to the principles of humanistic sociology and based on memoirs written by university graduates. Those of non-English speaking background showed evidence of bivalence in that they had crossed the cultural border to participate in mainstream Australian society, while maintaining aspects of their home languages and cultures. Those of English-speaking background in Study A activated only the dominant culture and hence were classified as univalent, although about half revealed positive attitudes to cultural pluralism in Australia. Over two-fifths of the younger writers in Study B had actually crossed the minority cultural boundaries to participate in another culture and three of these could be classified as bivalent.

Language experience: The forgotten dimension in cross-cultural social work?

‘Practice Forum’ provides a forum for social work practitioners to share their practice with others; to describe what they are doing and assess its effectiveness. Cross-cultural social work literature has for some time addressed issues of cultural diversity within practice, however the dimension of language experience has received minimal attention. This article is an exploration into the significance of the language experience of people from non English speaking backgrounds. A study was undertaken with eight bicultural/bilingual Italo-Australian social welfare practitioners, exploring with them their awareness of the language experience and how they dealt with it in their practice. The main factors identified, through semi-structured interviews, included cross lingual difficulties between parents and children, and the link of language with culture, identity and ethnicity. The study indicated that although the practitioners were aware of the language experience, their knowledge within practice was limited. The study concludes that the language experience is likely to be a significant factor to consider in cross-cultural practice.

Prejudices, Preconceptions or Progress in Agriculture?: Rural non English speaking background women and leadership1

Prejudices, Preconceptions or Progress in Agriculture?: Rural non English speaking background women and leadership1

It's more than literacy: The assimilation effect of the translation model*

Availability and access to correct information is a pre‐requisite for people to be able to make informed decisions about their health. This paper will examine the effect of the sole reliance on translation in producing health promotion materials for people from Non English Speaking Background (NESB). In Australia since 1978 there has been a considerable quantitative increase in health‐related information translated from English into other languages. The translation of pamphlets from English into other languages presents health educators with a number of problematic issues which often drastically undermine the material's effectiveness. One of the main concerns this paper sets out to explore is that translated information is decontextualised from the sets of knowledge and meanings of the population group to whom the information is directed. Thus, the cultural context underpinning the original version is transferred to different cultural contexts which are treated as homogeneous groups. The paradox here is that the translation model developed as a means of redressing the inequities created by the assimilation policy of the Australian post‐war period, in practice maintains the philosophy that underpinned that policy. This can result in a disempowering experience for the community.

The question of discrimination: skilled migrants' access to Australian employment.

Following a decade of increasing non English‐speaking background (NESB) migration to Australia, including the migration of unprecedented levels of NESB professionals, this article examines two recent studies which report cases of direct and indirect labour market discrimination. The first relates to qualifications recognition for migrant doctors. Key findings include a growing trend to federal government intervention (in alliance with the medical professional bodies) to limit the entry and registration of migrant doctors, as well as the potential for English language ability to negatively impact on pre‐registration examination outcomes.The second study concerns labour market outcomes achieved by an élite sample of Australia’s skilled migration programme – migrant engineers of prime workforce age and advanced level English, with fully recognized qualifications pre‐migration. Based on longitudinal research conducted over a three year period, this study reports significant evidence of employer bias by region of origin, operating in favour of English‐speaking background (ESB) and European origin engineers, compared with those of Asian or Middle Eastern origin.The findings of both studies are contextualized by reference to a 1997 study (based on the Australian census) which reports the employment outcomes obtained by migrant professionals by country of origin, including the length of time taken to achieve professional integration.

Developing suitable designators for a multicultural society

Australia has traditionally used two methods to identify and measure multicultural phe­ nomena related, in particular, to possible disadvantage. The most widely used method has been to categorise people as being of Non-English Speaking Background (NESB) or English Speaking Background (ESB) on the basis of their migrant status and first language, or the migrant status and first language of their parents. The second method was to categorise people on the basis of their country of birth. There has been growing concern about both methods, and particularly the suitabil­ ity of NESB as a multicultural measure. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is working, in collaboration with other government agencies, to develop new and more relevant methods to measure social, cultural and economic disadvantage in Australia's multicultural society. 1. Australia's multicultural society Australia's post-war migration policy has resulted in a population of wide cultural diversity. The multicultural nature of contemporary Australia has led to an in­ creasing demand for statistical measures to assist governments and other bodies in policy making, service delivery, access and equity initiatives, and to monitor the well-being of Australian society in general. In particular, statistics to detect and measure disadvantage experienced by certain cultural groups are required. The 1947 Census showed that one-tenth of Australians had been born overseas, and of these, 81 % had been born in main English speaking countries. At the 1991 Census, one-quarter had been born overseas, only 42% of whom were born in main English speaking countries. This change was accompanied by increasing diversity of the birthplaces represented in the Australian population. The United Kingdom and Ireland, historically Australia's major source of settlers, remain the most common source of immigrants although their combined contribution has been reduced significantly: 73% in 1947,42% in 1961,31% in 1991(Australian Social Trends, 1994 (1 D.

Examination-induced distress in a public examination at the completion of secondary schooling.

The context for this study was the Higher School Certificate examination in New South Wales, Australia. The main research aim was to investigate the association between the Higher School Certificate, the reported distress and anxiety levels of the adolescent students who prepare for and sit for the examination, and various other internal and environmental variables. The random sample consisted of 445 students in their last two years of secondary schooling, with approximately equal numbers of males and females from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. Analysis was carried out using principal components analysis and multiple regression. The most significant contribution to distress associated with the examination was made by the personality trait, anxiety proneness. Lower socio-economic status, self-confidence, academic and verbal self-concepts and perceived ability to cope were also found, to a lesser extent, to be associated with increased distress. The interactions sex with ethnic background and year with ethnic background were of particular interest. Students who were male and had an English speaking background, and students in year 11 who had an English speaking background were least likely to experience distress than others in the context of the examination. Whilst results must be treated with caution, particular groups of students potentially vulnerable to distress were identified and directions for future research indicated.

Risky drug practices and treatment needs of youth detained in New South Wales Juvenile Justice Centres

Demographic, drug use and criminal correlates of risky drug practices were examined among 279 detained youth in NSW Juvenile Justice Centres. Binge drinking was common, with 63% reporting the consumption of at least five drinks in a row in the 2 weeks prior to incarceration. It was associated with being older, being from an English-speaking background, regular tobacco consumption and having a current drug problem. A quarter (24%) of the sample had injected an illicit drug, over one-third (37%) of whom also reported sharing needles. Injectors were more likely to be polydrug users, regular amphetamine users and have a past history of drug treatment. While 16% of the sample indicated a need for drug treatment, only 10% were currently receiving some form of treatment, most commonly counselling. Appropriate strategies are needed among this population to address gaps in treatment provision.

Functional status after childbirth: A comparison of australian women from english and non-english speaking backgrounds

A survey was used to explore the relationship between English speaking versus non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) and functional status after childbirth. Women were recruited (n=132) from a culturally diverse population and allocated to sub-groups based on their dominant language background. All had experienced an uncomplicated pregnancy, delivery and delivered a healthy infants between 37 and 42 weeks gestation. Mothers were contacted while attending maternal child health centres and surveyed at 6 weeks post delivery using the Inventory Of Functional Status After Childbirth ( Fawcett, Tulman, & Myers, 1988). Functional status scores were not significantly different based on dominant language background, however significantly fewer women of NESB (X 2=7.03, df 1, p=0.02) breast fed their infant.

Reproducibility of data collected by patient interview.

This study examined the reproducibility of data, not generally considered at risk for poor patient recall, obtained on two separate occasions. Our study used data collected for a register of heart attacks in the Lower Hunter Region of New South Wales, and included 1675 patients who were registered at least twice. Reporting inconsistencies between occasions were assessed for eight data items. We found that the sex of five patients had been recorded differently on the two occasions. Among patients interviewed on both occasions, between 0.5 per cent and 2.0 per cent of patients had inconsistent reports for marital status, country of birth, smoking status and height, 2.7 per cent for date of birth, 13 per cent for education level and between 1.6 per cent and 9.6 per cent for the history of various medical conditions. Patients not from an English-speaking background, over 60 years of age or without tertiary education tended to have higher rates of inconsistent reporting. Time between occasions, marital status and sex were not associated with increased rates of inconsistent reporting. We concluded that apparently straightforward data items, such as date of birth and education level, were not perfectly reproducible when obtained by patient interview on separate occasions. Our results provide a starting point for sensitivity analysis in other studies if the potential inaccuracies in reporting of such data should be of concern.

Paul Keating is the prime minister, but who delivers the mail? A study of political knowledge amongst young people

Very little research in Australia has attempted to evaluate the level of political knowledge of young people. Explanations as to why young people have a low interest in, and little knowledge of, politics have been even rarer. Assessing the political knowledge of Australian young people provides a step toward understanding their responses to the political system. The present study examines the political knowledge of final year school students and makes comparisons to research into political knowledge conducted previously in Britain. The results are examined within two terms of reference: firstly, factors that include interest in politics, media usage and interest in participating in politics; and secondly, demographic factors such as gender, non‐English speaking background/ English speaking background (NESB/ESB), and parents’ occupation. All, except parents’ occupation, were found to influence young people's level of political knowledge. An interaction was found between interest in politics and gender as d...

Gender differences in the interrelationships between weight dissatisfaction, restraint, and self-esteem

This study investigated the interrelationships between weight, weight dissatisfaction, restraint, and self-esteem in a group of young adult women and men. The subjects were students at the Flinders University of South Australia, whose student body consists of primarily local students from English-speaking backgrounds. A tentative causal model proposed actual overweight to lead to body dissatisfaction, which causes the person to diet, with the resulting failures leading to loss of self-esteem. This model was confirmed by path analysis for women, but not for men. In line with self-concept theory, subjective overweight was more strongly related to self-esteem for women than for men, with restraint mediating this relationship.

NESB (Non English Speaking Background) Women and the Criminal Justice System: Justice or Just A Token?

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The Care of the lead Worker

<h3>Abstract</h3> The concept of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) populations is unique to Australia. It was introduced in 1996 and is intended to refer to ethno-cultural groups that are neither Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander nor considered from mainstream English-speaking Anglo-Celtic backgrounds. CALD children have been identified as a priority population by the Australian government because they may experience inequities in health outcomes compared to Anglo-Australian children. Inequities in the health and wellbeing of CALD children are driven by myriad processes including racial discrimination, socioeconomic disadvantage, and limited access to health services. But who are CALD children? Despite the availability of statistical standards for data collection on CALD characteristics such as country of birth and language spoken, the concept itself lacks an official operational definition. Applying definitions specified by various organisations to data from the 2016 Australian Census, the estimated proportion of CALD children ranged from 11% to 44% of Australian children aged 0 to 17 years. There are few published studies on CALD children in Australian child health research, with most studies focused on refugees. There is no consensus on how CALD is defined in child health research in Australia. We propose several considerations in the use of the CALD concept in child health research. This includes adhering to the Australian Bureau of Statistics standards on Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, use of multiple indicators to identify CALD, and acknowledging the significant heterogeneity of CALD communities which may contribute to observed differences in health. If we are to advance health and well-being equity for CALD children, we need a more carefully considered and consistent approach to understanding which children are CALD.

Miscommunication in the medical encounter

AbstractThe paper draws upon a study of interaction between staff and non-native speakers of English in the Outpatients Department carried out at the request of a large public hospital. It discusses the nature of communication in the medical setting and the effects of institutionalized models of interaction on patients of both non-English speaking and English-speaking background. An attempt is made to characterize typical language exchanges at various points in patients’ passage through the system and to offer explanations for communication problems arising from selected interactions between patients and hospital staff. Outcomes of these interactions as evidenced by patients’ ability to demonstrate understanding of their medication regimes are also considered.While according cross-cultural factors an important role in communication with non-English speakers, and accepting that NESB patients on account of their limited English may be disadvantaged in the medical encounter, it was concluded that communication difficulties can arise intraculturally as well as cross-culturally and that the differentiated roles of staff and patients constitute the overriding constraint on effective communication. Implications are drawn for the ways in which social interaction between unequal parties is mediated through language.

Bilingual Education—What can We Learn from the Past?

This paper shows that bilingual education has a long tradition in Australia. In the 19th century, primary and secondary schools operating German-English, French-English or Gaelic-English programs, or ones with a Hebrew component, existed in different parts of Australia. The most common bilingual schools were Lutheran rural day schools but there were also many private schools. They believed in the universal value of bilingualism, and some attracted children from English-speaking backgrounds. Bilingual education was for language maintenance, ethno-religious continuity or second language acquisition. The languages were usually divided according to subject and time of day or teacher. The programs were strongest in Melbourne, Adelaide and rural South Australia and Victoria. In Queensland, attitudes and settlement patterns led to the earlier demise of bilingual education. The education acts led to a decline in bilingual education except in elitist girls or rural primary schools and an increase in part-time language programs. Bilingual education was stopped by wartime legislation. It is intended that bilingualism can flourish unless monolingualism is given special preference.

Is there a comprehension problem for children who speak nonstandard English? A study of children with Hawaiian-English backgrounds

ABSTRACTStudents speaking Hawaiian-English may have difficulty understanding the information presented in the classroom and thereby have less success at school. Children from standard English-speaking backgrounds and from Hawaiian-English-speaking backgrounds were randomly assigned to one of six listening conditions. The conditions consisted of the same selections, but the selections were either in standard English, standard English with Hawaiian pronunciation, or Hawaiian-English. Each of these three versions, in turn, had a simple or a complex syntax version. The semantic content remained constant over all conditions. There was no difference between Hawaiian-English and standard English groups when all comprehension conditions were considered, indicating that the two groups of children did not differ in comprehension ability. However, Hawaiian-English children gave more correct answers when the selections were in their dialect than in standard, while standard English children tended to give more correct answers when the selections were in standard rather than in Hawaiian-English. Contrary to expectations, use of simple syntax and use of Hawaiian-English pronunciation did not facilitate comprehension of standard English by Hawaiian-English children. Implications for educational accommodations will be discussed.