Experiences Of Immigrant Women Research Articles

Ethnic boundary-making in health care: Experiences of older Pakistani immigrant women in Norway

Older immigrant women experience several barriers in accessing health care. In this study, we explored how older Pakistani women are met with, and respond to, barriers to health care in Norway, using an ethnic boundary-making and intersectionality approach. Our data included interviews with 23 older Pakistani women and 10 caregivers. We found that ethnic boundaries were constructed in healthcare interactions and were influenced by participants’ social positions. At the micro level, the interplay of language barriers and being an immigrant fuelled the making of ethnic boundaries. At the macro level, ethnicised cultural discourse in the public sphere fuelled the making of ethnic boundaries in health care. Having encountered ethnic boundaries in health care, older Pakistani women actively coped through compensatory, de-stigmatising and boundary-modifying strategies.

A Study of Married Immigrant Women's Experience of Community Participation based on Interculturalism - focused on Social Economic Community

결혼이주여성들에게 있어서 사회참여는 가족구성원이 아닌 지역사회 구성원과 지속적 또는 정기적으로 만나서 함께 상호작용하는 과정이다. 결혼이주여성의 지역사회 참여는 그들이 새로운 환경에 정착하는데 중요한 역할을 할 뿐만 아니라 그들의 자존감이나 삶의 만족도와 같은 삶의 질과 관계가 있다. 또한 지역사회의 중요한 사회적 네트워크를 형성하고 사회적 자본을 강화한다. 그러나 그들의 사회참여는 단순히 ‘적응’이나 ‘정착’의 단계에 머무는 수준이 아니라 이주여성과 출신국의 사회문화적 배경을 존중하고 수용하는 상호적 인식, 즉 상호문화주의를 전제로 해야 한다. 문화 간의 차이를 강조하는 다문화주의와는 달리 상호문화주의는 보편성을 기반으로 하여 다양한 문화 간의 상호교류와 상호이해를 강조한다. 본 연구는 다문화주의와 관련된 서구의 다양한 이론과 정책적 모델을 살펴보고 최근 논의되는 상호문화주의를 소개한 뒤 결혼이주여성들을 중심으로 사회적경제공동체를 운영하는 세 단체를 선정하여 리더와 주요참여자들을 인터뷰한 자료를 분석하여 다음과 같은 결과를 도출했다. 사회적경제공동체에 참여도가 높은 결혼이주여성들은 첫째, 서로 다른 문화적 배경을 존중하고 수용했으며, 그들 간의 차이보다는 공통점을 더 중시했다. 둘째, 사회적경체공동체 참여는 결혼이주여성들의 자존감 향상에 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤으며 그들의 만족감과 보람이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 그들이 속한 단체 이외의 지역사회의 모임이나 자국민 모임에 대한 참여는 비교적 소극적이었다. 넷째, 성공적으로 협동조합을 운영하기 위해서는 아직은 이주여성들의 노력으로만은 어려웠으며 단체를 대표하고 마케팅 활동을 이끌어갈 선주민 동료가 필요했다.For married immigrant women, social participation is a process of meeting and interacting with community members on a continuous or regular basis. Community participation of married immigrant women has an important role not only in adapting to the new environment but also in improving their quality of life in terms of their self-esteem and life satisfaction. It also forms an important social network of the community and strengthens social capital. However, their social participation should be based not on the level of ‘adaptation’ or ‘settlement’, but on mutual awareness that respects and accepts the social and cultural background of migrant women and their native countries, that is interculturalism. Unlike multiculturalism which emphasizes cultural differences, interculturalism emphasizes mutual understanding and mutual interaction among various cultures based on universality. This study examines various theories and policy models of the multiculturalism, and introduces the recently discussed interculturalism. Then, this study applies the issue of the migrant women’s social participation by conducting and analyzing a qualitative research. This study took deep interviews with leaders of three selected social economic organizations and conducted Focus Group Interviews with major participants of those groups.

Sub-Saharan African immigrant women's experiences of (lack of) access to appropriate healthcare in the public health system in the Basque Country, Spain

BackgroundImmigrant populations face diverse barriers to accessing appropriate healthcare services on several levels. In the Basque Country, Sub-Saharan African women were identified as facing the largest barriers to access them. The aim of the study is to analyse Sub-Saharan African immigrant women's perceptions and experiences of access to appropriate healthcare in the public health system in the Basque Country, Spain.MethodsFourteen women from eight Sub-Saharan African countries who have used the Basque public healthcare services were interviewed. A qualitative content analysis was applied: meaning that units were identified, coded and the resulting codes were then organized into three categories.ResultsThe first category, Fearing to enter a health system perceived as not friendly for immigrants, included factors, mainly those related to legal conditions for accessing healthcare services and lack of lawful documentation, that made women avoid or discontinue seeking out healthcare.The second category, Being attended on professionals' own communication terms, comprised how the lack of effective communication compromised not only the access of the immigrant women to healthcare services, but also their health.Lastly, the third category, Is mistreatment based on racism or merely on bad luck? described how being an immigrant and black influenced the way they were (mis)treated in the health system.ConclusionFor Sub-Saharan African immigrant women, accessing appropriate healthcare in the Basque Country was perceived to be subject to institutional barriers. At the legal level, barriers included lack of entitlement, difficulties in fulfilling legal access conditions and lack of documentation. The lack of communication with health centre staff and their attitudes, guided by a stereotyped social image of immigrants and black people, also hindered their possibilities of receiving appropriate healthcare. Facilitators for accessing healthcare included strategies from individual professionals, personal networks and social actors to help them to cope with the barriers. There is a need of reinforcing inclusion values and rights-based approach to attention among staff at the health centres to have more non-discriminatory and culturally appropriate health systems.

“My Family’s Weight on My Shoulders”: Experiences of Jewish Immigrant Women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Toronto

In dominant western society, we tend to interpret the experiences of immigrant women as emancipation and liberation, rather than as the complex experiences of subjects acting within several hegemonic systems. While intersectional and transnational feminism led to questioning this view through the discussion of the challenges faced by immigrant women from developing countries, their counterparts from socialist countries have been largely ignored. To address this gap, this article focuses on the employment and social reproduction experiences of 11 white, professional, heterosexual, immigrant Jewish women from the former Soviet Union (FSU) who are now living in Toronto, Canada. The data used in this article was collected as part of a study on lived experiences of Jewish immigrant couples from FSU in Toronto. This study utilized intersectional feminist analysis as a theoretical framework and combined the qualitative methodologies of Testimonio and Oral History. This data suggests that, for these women, immigration had mixed outcomes. Although the material conditions of their lives may have changed, the traditional moral associations between femininity, domesticity, and maternity remained strong. Apparent heterosexual privilege both challenged and reinforced their subordination, in that it facilitated their access to Canadian education and professional jobs and promoted their social legitimacy/status, while also resulting in greater subordination at work and home where they had more tasks to fulfill than in premigration life. These findings challenge the monolithic representation of immigrant women’s experience and enhance our ability to generate a more comprehensive theory of those experiences.

Perspectives on female genital cutting among immigrant women and men in Boston

This study documents the perceptions and experiences of immigrant women and men in the US related to female genital cutting (FGC). This paper examines the effects of migration on these perceptions, with the goal of optimizing health services and informing public policy to support women who have undergone FGC. This qualitative study consisted of individual interviews conducted from 2014 to 2015 with 42 women and men living in Boston, Massachusetts, who immigrated from a variety of communities where FGC has been practiced. Most participants felt strongly against the continuation of the practice, describing a change in their personal and community viewpoints over time, which they attributed to education, religion and immigration. The men in our study collectively took a stand against FGC and believed that they had a particular duty to raise awareness in their families and their communities about its physical and emotional harms. Our study provides strong support for the inclusion of men, religious leaders, and immigrants in FGC-related efforts. Our unique preliminary exploration of the role of members of the diaspora provides some support for initiatives that would involve emigrants in the effort to curb FGC in their home countries. Changing views in the diaspora could play a significant role in affecting opinions and practices in contexts where FGC is prevalent. Finally, our findings do not support the fear that “vacation cutting” might be common among US immigrants. We should therefore exercise caution in our promotion of legislation and clinical practices that target this fear.

“We are not weak, we just experience domestic violence”—Immigrant women's experiences of encounters with service providers as a result of domestic violence

AbstractDomestic violence continues to be a serious social problem and represents a challenge for those who are exposed to it and those in public services. In Norway, a variety of services are provided to help victims of domestic violence and improve knowledge among professionals who meet with adults and children exposed to domestic violence. Studies in Norway show that families with immigrant backgrounds are overrepresented among social service users as a result of domestic violence. However, contextualized knowledge to provide background information about this overrepresentation is limited. This paper explores women's need for support and their experience with service providers when faced with difficult and unpredictable situations, namely, escaping from violence and leaving home with no financial resources or limited supportive network and turning to service providers for support. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 women who were staying in or were in touch with shelters with their children or alone. Five central themes emerged in the analysis of these interviews: (a) help becoming a burden; (b) timely economic measures; (c) economic support and domestic violence; (d) displaced focus; and (e) flexibility and the victim's background.

Motherhood inmigrant women in Chile: A qualitative study

BackgroundThe adverse impact of poverty and migration in pregnant women is expressed in diverse results in reproductive, mental and child health, all of which are related to lack of documentation to reside in the country, absence of health insurance and no economic resources to pay private services, or either not understanding the administrative procedures. ObjectiveTo understand the experience of immigrant women in the process of motherhood and rearing infants under 6 months, in the context of social vulnerability in an urban area of Santiago de Chile. DesignQualitative research design, with descriptive analysis data and interpretation gradually given to explicity the findings relevant the study with women from a healthcare center in the urban region of Chile. ParticipantsThe sample was deliberate by criterion, the participants were thirteen immigrant women between the ages of 18 and 40 years old. Guided open-ended interview were performed after providing informed consent. In the analysis of information, the following criteria was applied: credibility, authenticity, possibility of confirmation, dependence and transferability. FindingsFrom immigrant's women discourses, difficulties to access the health system could be observed, due to institutional and structural barriers that represented a limitation for social and cultural integration. In addition, feelings of mistrust, tension and insecurity about reaching for healthcare and social support for them and their family, produces a series of problems for the women and their children. ConclusionImmigrant women face cultural and institutional barriers, as well as social and personal adversities that conditions a complex process of social vulnerability to take responsibility for a safe motherhood and rearing. Living the phases of the migration process and an unwanted pregnancy – in most cases - made the women face the challenge of rearing in another country, in economic vulnerability, emotional instability with their partners and with social and cultural barriers with healthcare teams. Implications for practiceIt is necessary to mention the role of the midwifery and nursing from the point of view of assistance, due to their responsibility in accompanying the child-rearing period for both native and immigrant women for years. It is worth mentioning the theory of culturation, referring to the need for knowledge of the cultural and social structure of an individual, family and community, which provides an integrated, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to care in contexts of vulnerability conditioned by migration.

Innvandrerkvinners erfaringer med svangerskap, fødsel og barseltid i Norge - en kvalitativ studie

Right to equal healthcare is statutory in Norway, but there is little knowledge of immigrant women's experiences of health- and welfare services during pregnancy and the portnatal period. Immigrant women are at higher risk for a number of complications related to this period. The purpose of this study was to acquire deeper insight into immigrant women's needs and experiences during their pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period in Norway. The study has a qualitative design using in-depth interviews of immigrant women during pregnancy and the postnatal period. The results are divided into four categories; networks, health professionals have different approaches, the father`s role, and knowledge and information. Results show that language is an important prerequisite for equitable and culture-sensitive health services. Mutual understanding has to be established for the woman's needs to be met and to experience co-determination and recognition. More attention to the father's role is suggested. equal healthcare; immigrant women; qualitative design; birth; postnatal periodlikeverdige helsetjenester; innvandrerkvinner; kvalitativt design; fødsel; barseltid

중국계 결혼이주민의 자녀 이중언어 교육 경험에 관한 연구

본 연구의 목적은 자녀를 양육하고 있는 중국계 결혼이자들은 어떻게 자녀에게 이중언어 교육을 실시하고 있는지, 이중언어 교육에 있어 어떠한 어려움이 있는지, 그리고 그들이 이중언어 교육을 위해 무엇을 기대하고 있는지 등을 탐색하여 지속발전 가능한 이중언어 교육의 방안을 제안하는 것이다. 이를 위해 2017년 11월부터 2018년 1월까지 중국계결혼이주여성 6명을 대상으로 내러티브 연구방법을 적용하여 이야기식 인터뷰로 자료를 수집하였다. 연구 결과, 3개의 주제 영역과 의미와 이에 따른 10개의 하위 주제 의미로 나누어 기술하였다. 첫째, 결혼이민자들이 자녀의 이중언어 사용에 대해 우려하는 바는 ‘자녀의 언어 발달지체에 대한 우려’, ‘학교 및 사회에서 차별에 대한 우려’, ‘가족구성원의 부정적 인식’ 이다. 둘째, 결혼이민자 자녀의 이중언어 교육 환경은 ‘조선족 발음과 사투리에 대한 우려’. ‘경제로 인한 사교육의 한계’, ‘사회적 지지기반 빈약’, ‘결혼이민자의 자존감 부재와 교육방법의 미숙’으로 나타났다. 셋째, 모국을 활용한 자녀의 이중언어 교육은 ‘자녀를 중국으로 유학을 보내고’, ‘방학을 활용하여 친정 방문’, ‘외할머니를 초청’하여 모국어를 가르치는 것으로 나타났다.

An Intersectional Exploration: Experiences of Stroke Prevention in Middle-Aged and Older Arab Muslim Immigrant Women in Canada.

Background Arab immigrants have increasing rates of stroke and uncontrolled stroke risk factors coupled with minimal resources for stroke prevention. Purpose This article describes the results of an interpretive descriptive study about Arab immigrant women's experiences of practicing stroke prevention. We use an intersectionality approach to discuss some of the factors that influenced women's ability to manage their health. Methods Sixteen middle-aged and older Arab Muslim immigrant women were recruited between 2015 and 2016 from two religious centers in an urban Canadian center. Women were between the ages of 45 and 75 years, were living in the community, and had a combination of stroke risk factors. Semi-structured interviews lasting 2-3 h were conducted in Arabic by the primary bilingual researcher. Data analysis was completed in Arabic, with final themes and exemplars translated to English with the support of a certified translator. Results Study themes include relating life stressors to physical health, pursuing knowledge in the dark, negotiating medication and treatment options, making an effort to eat healthy and be active, and identifying triple ingredients for empowerment. Conclusion Economic status, access to transportation, language fluency, life stressors, and personal coping strategies influenced Arab women's ability to manage personal health.

A Meta-Synthesis of the Birth Experiences of African Immigrant Women Affected by Female Genital Cutting.

The purpose of this qualitative meta-synthesis was to understand the labor and birth experiences of immigrant women in countries of resettlement who have a history of female genital cutting (FGC), also known as female genital mutilation or female circumcision. We used a meta-ethnography approach to synthesize the literature on this topic. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts databases from inception to May 2016 using the search terms female genital cutting, female circumcision, clitorectomy, clitoridectomy, pharaonic circumcision, genital circumcision, female genital mutilation, infibulation, and deinfibulation. Our inclusion criteria were 1) peer-reviewed, original qualitative research; 2) focused on populations affected by FGC or their health care providers; 3) conducted in a country where FGC is not documented as an indigenous practice; 4) English language; and 5) included a description of postmigratory labor and birth experiences of women affected by FGC. Fourteen articles were included. Two new syntheses emerged from our sample of studies including African immigrant women primarily resettled in Europe and the United States. First, birth after FGC in the context of resettlement included pain and anxiety, and has the potential to retraumatize. Second, while women experienced nostalgia for familiar traditions and perceived disrespect in their new setting, they questioned traditions, including the role of FGC, in their and their daughters' lives. The negative birth experiences of women affected by FGC highlight the need to improve care for this population. Health care professionals can serve as a source of support for women affected by FGC by acknowledging and addressing FGC in their care and actively listening to their perspectives and concerns.

Gender Rules: Discrimination and tradition among Caribbean-born women in US colleges

The experiences of immigrant women of color withinUShigher education provide a unique opportunity to understand the complex influences of intersecting identities within the context of changing social contexts. To determine how the social categories of gender, class, race, and nationality operate in Caribbean immigrant women’s experience of being college students, focus groups were conducted with 27 English-speaking Caribbean-born women attending NYC undergraduate colleges. Data show when women move to the US they come from gendered cultural traditions that determined their social roles in the Caribbean. For most women, these rules continue to operate in the US. However, gender roles and traditions are not homogenous throughout the Caribbean, hence, there is variation in how they play out in women’s experiences in the US. Further, the formerly distinct boundaries between some Caribbean traditions and US traditions are being challenged. These findings underline the complex influence of intersecting identities in women’s roles and call attention to how they affect social identification in the context of college pursuits and other aspects of their lives. In light of increased cross-cultural contact and globalization these findings provide a better understanding of factors affecting the psychological adjustment of Caribbean immigrant women in the US and have implications for enhancing their adaptation across changing social contexts.

Socio-cultural risk factors impacting domestic violence among South Asian immigrant women: A scoping review

Abstract Domestic violence (DV) is a significant concern for the well-being of South Asian (SA) immigrant women. Although there have been empirical studies that discussed socio-cultural risk factors related to SA immigrant women's experience of DV, there have not been any efforts to summarize these factors in a single study. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review and synthesize empirical studies that explored socio-cultural risk factors of DV among SA immigrant women in English speaking countries. 16 English language peer reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. The socio-cultural risk factors identified in the reviewed studies included lack of social support, low acculturation, high enculturation, patriarchal beliefs, economic control by the husband, traditional gender role attitudes, and stigma about divorce. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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

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.

“Provide All Women a Voice:” A Qualitative Study of First-Generation Mexican Immigrant Women's Experiences with Midwives in the United States

ABSTRACTPrevious research has explored the unique approaches of midwives in providing maternity care, but only limited information is available on how immigrant women experience childbirth with midwives in the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 first-generation Mexican immigrant women and five certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) who cared for them at a public clinic. The mothers described their experiences with CNMs as positive and felt supported in retaining cultural traditions. The CNMs strived to provide culturally competent care by allowing women a voice. The findings reflect the active role that health care professionals can play as immigrants adapt to new sociocultural contexts.

‘There is always this feeling of otherness’: exploring the lived experiences of visually impaired immigrant women in Canada

This paper explores the experiences of immigrant women with visual impairment in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) of Canada. Conceptually, the paper draws from feminist disability theory and critical scholarship on blindness to consider the discursive and material processes shaping women’s experiences across different socio-cultural contexts. Empirically, the paper draws from in-depth interviews with seven women. The analysis is organized around three themes. The first explores women’s understandings of visual impairment. The second examines the ways in which women’s experiences of visual impairment are shaped by meanings and attitudes that circulate within their cultural communities, and the extent to which immigration might challenge or reinforce these meanings. The third examines the shifting barriers and opportunities women face with respect to social and economic participation. We close by identifying the conceptual implications of our research.

Trauma and Resilience Among Refugee and Undocumented Immigrant Women

Migration and resettlement processes are often characterized by stressful and traumatic experiences. Immigrants may experience premigration trauma in their countries of origin and trauma during their migration journey. Furthermore, refugee and undocumented immigrant women navigate unique and ongoing stressors postmigration. In this study, the authors used a phenomenological approach to explore refugee and undocumented immigrant women's experiences of trauma and stress and the ways in which they develop resilience to cope with these experiences.

Immigrant women's experiences and perceptions of the menopausal transition and post-menopausal life: A systematic review

Immigrant women's experiences and perceptions of the menopausal transition and post-menopausal life: A systematic review

Access and utilization of healthcare services in Massachusetts, United States: a qualitative study of the perspectives and experiences of Brazilian-born immigrant women

BackgroundUnderstanding immigrants’ interactions with the United States (US) healthcare system will likely make it possible to meet their healthcare needs and improve their quality of life in the US. Although challenges to accessing and utilizing healthcare in the US have been identified, there is little information specific to Brazilian-born immigrants’ experiences. Brazilians comprise a fast-growing immigrant population group in the US. The purpose of this study was to explore Brazilian immigrant women’s perspectives and experiences with healthcare services in the US to gain insights into factors amenable to interventions that may contribute to disparities in access to and utilization of services.MethodsFive focus groups were conducted from April to May in 2015 using a purposeful sampling of Brazilian-born immigrant women living in Massachusetts, US.ResultsThirty-five women participated in this study. Although participants expressed their overall satisfaction with the US healthcare system, they noted several barriers to care, including sociocultural differences in delivery of care and communication barriers, including inconsistent quality of interpreting services.ConclusionsThis study provides new information on the experiences and challenges faced by Brazilian immigrant women in accessing and utilizing healthcare services in the US and points out opportunities for improving services and the overall health of this immigrant population. Addressing noted sociocultural differences and communication barriers including inconsistent quality of hospital’s interpreting services might enhance Brazilian-born immigrants’ experiences with the healthcare system.

Los efectos de género del derecho de inmigración por razones familiares: interpretación en contexto como posible remedio judicial

El marco normativo sobre inmigración por razones familiares pueden afectar de manera desproporcionada y negativa a las mujeres inmigrantes y a sus derechos, produciendo efectos de género. En algunos casos, estos efectos están conectados con la imposición legislativa y judicial de modelos de familia que son muy difíciles de satisfacer (por ejemplo, el modelo de ‘buena madre’, el de proveedor único, o el basado en una rígida distinción entre el trabajo productivo y el reproductivo). En otros casos, dichos efectos se deben a la subestimación de las dificultades y necesidades específicas de las mujeres inmigrantes, en sus familias y en el más amplio contexto normativo y social del país de acogida. Para revelar y corregir eficazmente estos efectos de discriminación indirecta, en este artículo propongo una visión alternativa del derecho a la vida familiar de la mujer inmigrante, como conjunto de derechos y titularidades más que como derecho mono-dimensional. Como enfoque teórico, esta construcción permite poner de manifiesto, de manera eficaz, las complejas experiencias de las mujeres inmigrantes en el espacio jurídico europeo. También posibilita desvelar los efectos de género que no se derivan de normas individuales, sino que son producto de la interacción de normas tradicionalmente atribuidas a diferentes ámbitos del derecho (como por ejemplo el derecho migratorio y el derecho penal). Como estrategia judicial, esta visión posibilita que los tribunales supranacionales y nacionales se aproximen a las mujeres inmigrantes como sujetos en contexto, y nosólo como personas aisladas. Esta interpretación judicial, atenta al contexto familiar, social, y normativo en el que viven las mujeres inmigrantes, se puede definir como interpretación contextualizada. Ella tiene un gran potencial para neutralizar los efectos de género de carácter negativo derivados de ciertas normas que regulan la inmigración por razones familiares. Para ilustrar estos extremos, este artículo analiza distintos ejemplos judiciales significativos ofrecidos por el Tribunal Europeo de los Derechos Humanos (TEDH) y por las jurisdicciones nacionales de países con una incidencia particularmente alta de mujeres inmigrantes (Italia y España).