South Asian Immigrants Research Articles

Mobilizing to support those most in need: the importance of diasporic social capital during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Diasporic communities, and in particular ethnic-specific associations, are known for offering invaluable support to immigrants. This support may range from the practical (connecting people with jobs and housing), to the emotional (helping people to adapt to their new environment) to the spiritual (providing people with opportunities to practice their faith). While much is known about the role and importance of diasporic communities in assisting immigrants under ordinary circumstances, less is known about the capacity of these communities to mobilise during times of crisis. This paper examines how diasporic communities provided care for South Asian immigrants and international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through an analysis of interviews with key stakeholders representing South Asian-focused associations, different levels of government, as well as non-governmental organizations in Ontario, Canada, the paper contributes a deeper understanding of the role of diasporic social capital and the value of this capital during times of acute need.

Unstructured play activities, dance lessons, and yoga-meditation classes: What makes immigrant South Asian US-dwelling children happier?

Unstructured play activities, dance lessons, and yoga-meditation classes: What makes immigrant South Asian US-dwelling children happier?

Of duty and diaspora: (Re)negotiating the intergenerational contract in South Asian Muslim families

In recent years, there has been exponential growth in the South Asian Muslim population in the United States. This demographic trend, along with a rapidly aging North American population, implies that very soon, a significant proportion of U.S. adults 65 years and older will identify as South Asian Muslim. Moreover, more than one-half of Muslims (57%) live in a multi-person/multi-generation household where all members identify as Muslim. Despite this evidence, limited research exists on the dynamics of multigenerational living in aging South Asian Muslim households, particularly around intergenerational support exchanges and the nature and strength of affectual bonds between generations. Additionally, research suggests that espoused within internalized cultural norms around filial obligation and duty, kinwork in South Asian families remains highly gendered. Less is known, however, about the gendered nature of kinwork in immigrant South Asian Muslim families. Based on 30 in-depth narrative interviews with three generations of South Asian Muslim women living in the U.S., this paper addresses these gaps, specifically focusing on intersections of faith, culture, gender, age, immigrant status, and age at migration. The findings from this study point to a renegotiation of the intergenerational contract, wherein care and support for a parent or grandparent were understood and enacted within the framework of an overarching Muslim identity, while simultaneously, for their older relatives, it was reinterpreted within shifting local and global realities such as the increasing participation of the middle generation, the daughters and daughters-in-law, in the paid workforce. In addition to providing insights into ethnic and religious-oriented experiences of aging and care, these findings may help inform policymakers and stakeholders (e.g., community service providers and faith leaders such as imams of mosques, researchers, and family members) in culturally congruent ways to support the health and well-being of aging South Asian Muslim families.

A Needs Assessment of Older Bangladeshi Immigrants in New York During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Though immigrants from Bangladesh are a fast-growing and under-resourced immigrant community in the United States, little has been studied about their overall health and social needs. Older immigrant adults from Bangladesh are at increased risk for adverse effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, as they have existing risk factors for isolation including language barriers and more recent immigration. This study examined measures of health and connectedness amongst 297 South Asian adults in New York City who were 60 years or older using a phone-based survey instrument. Surveys were conducted from August 2021 to April 2022. We found that immigrants from Bangladesh were more likely to report a higher effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial and food insecurity and faced significantly higher levels of loneliness than South Asian immigrants from other countries. Our findings suggest that older immigrants from Bangladesh disproportionally face social isolation compared to older immigrants from other South Asian countries and our study encourages further research and intervention for this immigrant subgroup.

Dietary management of type 2 diabetes mellitus among South Asian immigrants: A mixed-methods study.

There is a high prevalence of South Asian immigrants in Australia living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, with the dietary management of the condition presenting as a key challenge. However, their current dietary patterns and barriers to diabetes self-management are unclear. Therefore, this study aims to (i) investigate current dietary patterns and (ii) explore barriers and facilitators to dietary management in this population. A concurrent mixed-methods study comprising three 24-h dietary recalls and a semi-structured interview for each self-identified South Asian immigrant adult with diabetes recruited across Victorian primary care clinics and social media to address the aforementioned two aims. Dietary recall data were converted into food groups using Foodworks, and data analysed in SPSS. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using NVivo. Among 18 participants recruited, 14, 16 and 17 participants had grain, fruit and dairy intake lower than daily Australian recommendations, respectively. These findings echoed qualitative data that participants viewed diabetes management as reducing carbohydrate intake. Participants reported difficulties incorporating diabetes-related dietary and lifestyle recommendations into their routine and a lack of knowledge about available organisational support. They mentioned challenges in receiving social support from families and friends and relied on support from health professionals. Facilitators included proficiency in nutrition information label reading and self-blood glucose monitoring skills. Enhancing the accessibility to organisational support, facilitating the adaption of dietary recommendations into individuals' routines, and strengthening support from health professionals are essential components in intervention development to improve diabetes management for South Asians.

Integrating Better but Multilingually: Language Practices of South Asian Immigrants for Settlement and Integration in Canada

Canadian Index for Measuring Integration (CIMI) is used by researchers, policy analysts, and government agencies to evaluate newcomer performance against the local-born population across four dimensions: economic, social, political, and health. Despite recognizing integration as a multidimensional and complex phenomenon, the index mainly evaluates the achievement of the four dimensions but without looking at how they are achieved (e.g., the role of different languages) and the type of integration (narrowed or broader) taking place. One underlying assumption can be that since Canada is a bilingual country, one of the official languages must be used for settlement and integration. However, as this study finds, this may not reflect the social reality of the Canadian society where diverse immigrant populations capitalize on official and non-official languages for settlement and integration. Utilizing the four dimensions with language as an additional variable, this quantitative study reports findings from 493 participants from a sub-group of South Asians from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan who are able to settle and integrate better when English and ethnic languages are used for socio-politico-economic and health integration. In addition to reporting micro-level multilingual integration supported by ethnic concentrations, this study calls for further investigation of the type of integration in ethnic concentrations and its long-term implications for the Canadian society.

Associations of Discrimination, Low Social Support, and Limited English Proficiency with Depression in South Asian Immigrants.

South Asians face stressors as a growing immigrant group in America. Work is needed to understand how these stressors impact mental health to identify those at risk of depression and design interventions. This study examined associations of three stressors (discrimination, low social support, limited English proficiency) with depressive symptoms in South Asians. Using cross-sectional data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study (N = 887), we fit logistic regression models to evaluate independent/joint effects of three stressors on depression. Overall prevalence of depression was 14.8%; 69.2% of those with all three stressors had depression. The combined effect of high discrimination/low social support was significantly greater than the sum of the individual factors. Experiences of discrimination, low social support, or limited English proficiency, as well as a combination of these factors, should be considered when diagnosing/treating South Asian immigrants in a culturally appropriate manner.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour among south Asian immigrants in Australia.

South Asians make up the second-largest group of immigrants in Australia and experience a higher burden of chronic diseases compared with non-immigrants. Most chronic diseases are associated with insufficient physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB); however, studies involving PA and SB in immigrants are limited. This study aimed to explore PA and SB and associated factors among South Asian immigrants in Australia. South Asian adult immigrants in Australia were surveyed online (from November 2020 to March 2021) about PA, SB, knowledge and barriers to PA. Logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with insufficient PA (<150minutes/week) and a high sitting time (>8hours/day). A total of 321 participants provided complete data. Approximately 76% of participants reported insufficient PA and 27% reported high sitting time. Only 6% of participants walked or bicycled. The main reported barriers to PA were lack of time, costs, transport facilities, skills, and culturally appropriate resources. Around 52% of participants were not aware of the importance of PA. Participants with self-reported poor health and who used motorized travel were more likely to have inadequate PA. High sitting time was more common among middle-aged, overweight/obese, and middle-income participants. Most South Asian immigrants are insufficiently active with a lack of socio-economically appropriate PA facilities identified as a major challenge. A stronger collaboration between policymakers and community is required for sustainable solutions. SO WHAT?: Affordable and appropriate PA facilities in neighbourhoods could overcome major barriers. Also, information about PA should incorporate cultural expectations in the general recommendations to encourage participation.

Metabolic Syndrome and Chronic Disease Risk in South Asian Immigrants: A Review of Prevalence, Factors, and Interventions

South Asians (SAs) are among the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the U.S. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition that is characterized by multiple health factors that increase the risk for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. MetS prevalence among SA immigrants ranges from 27-47% in multiple cross-sectional studies using different diagnostic criteria, which is generally higher compared to other populations in the receiving country. Both genetic and environmental factors are attributed to this increased prevalence. Limited intervention studies have shown effective management of MetS conditions within the SA population. This review reports MetS prevalence in SAs residing in non-native countries, identifies contributing factors, and discusses ways to develop effective community-based strategies for health promotion targeting MetS among SA immigrants. There is a need for more consistently evaluated longitudinal studies to facilitate the development of directed public health policy and education to address chronic diseases in the SA immigrant community.

Religious Hybridity of Asian Diaspora: A Postcolonial Criticism on The Buddha of Suburbia and Anita and Me

This article investigated the negotiation of Islamic and Hindu beliefs held by South Asian immigrants in British society, which resulted in religious hybridity as depicted in two diasporic fictions, The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi and Anita and Me by Meera Syal. This was a qualitative study. Data was collected through document studies of the two novels. The data were then analyzed using content analysis techniques in conjunction with cultural hybridity theory. The findings indicated that the religious practices of the British Asian diaspora were ambiguous. On the one hand, they continued to practice Islam and Hinduism, while on the other, they attempted to reconcile their religious beliefs with the religious, social, and cultural aspects of British society.

Midlife Transition Experiences of South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration.

South Asians make up a significant portion of the immigrant population in Canada, and a large portion of them are in their midlife. To improve the midlife transition of South Asian immigrant women, it is necessary to understand their lived experiences. Guided by the transition theory, this study investigates the midlife experiences of South Asian immigrant women in Canada. Twenty-two South Asian midlife, immigrant women were recruited to participate in this study from the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. This study consisted of one asynchronous online focus group with 12 participants and ten one-on-one telephone interviews. Qualitative content analysis was guided by transition theory. South Asian immigrant women experienced many different transitions in their midlife in Canada. These transitions included changes in their (a) lifestyle, (b) career, (c) family, (d) physical health, (e) mental health, (f) social, (g) environment, and (h) personal development. Women actively managed their transitions using strategies such as exercise, socialization, counseling, and religion. Women expressed the need for social, community, and governmental support to facilitate their midlife transitions. To promote healthy midlife transition, governments need to create better employment policies to facilitate immigrant women settlement, transferring skills, and re-employment in Canada. In addition, health care and community services to promote physical and mental health should be emphasized.

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence Among South Asian Immigrants in the United States

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence Among South Asian Immigrants in the United States

Religious Identity Discrimination in the Physician Workforce: Insights from Two National Studies of Muslim Clinicians in the US.

Discrimination negatively impacts physician career trajectories and well-being. Quantify perceived religious discrimination among US Muslim physicians and compare trends over time. Two national surveys tabulated discrimination. The 2013 survey involved a mailed questionnaire to a random sample of 746 Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) members, while the 2021 survey was administered online to subscribers of IMANA, American Muslim Health Professionals, and the US Muslim Physician network. Eligible participants had to be practicing US Muslim physicians, and English-proficient (the 2021 sample was further restricted to physicians in academic medicine). Questionnaires assessed experiences of religious discrimination and accommodation. In 2013, the 255 participants had a mean age of 52 years, were mostly male (70%), Sunni (91%), South Asian (70%), and adult immigrants (65%). In 2021, the 264 participants had a mean age of 39.5 years, were mostly male (65%) and Sunni (75%). In contrast to 2013, the majority were born in the USA (59%; p<0.01), and respondents were more diverse with 33% South Asians, 22% Arabs, and 16% African Americans. Greater proportions of the 2021 sample reported facing religious discrimination frequently in their career (24 to 53%; p<0.01), experiencing job turnover (7 to 32%; p<0.01), and having patients refuse their care (9 to 33%; p<0.01). A higher proportion of South Asians, Arabs, and participants under the age of 40 reported discrimination and job turnover in 2021 when compared to 2013. Higher proportions of South Asians and Whites reported being passed over for professional advancement and having patients refuse their care in 2021 relative to 2013. Many American Muslim clinicians encounter religious discrimination at the workplace, and these experiences appear to be on the rise. Healthcare workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity programming should include a focus on accommodating the religious identities of physicians.

Bullying Experiences of South Asian Immigrants in Australia: a Mixed-Method Study.

Bullying is a pervasive problem faced by immigrants that negatively impacts their health and well-being. Understanding the factors that contribute to bullying and the prevalence of bullying victimisation may help to develop strategies to prevent bullying. Using a mixed-method approach, this study explored the perceptions and prevalence of bullying of South Asian immigrants living in Australia. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to explore bullying experiences and to inform an online survey. The online survey included the California Bullying Victimisation Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R) to measure prevalence, types, and places of bullying victimisation. Data collected from FGDs were thematically analysed while survey data were examined to identify factors associated with bullying. The main contributing factors reported by participants during FGDs were ethnic attire (clothing), religion, accent, workplace achievement, skin colour, and body shape. The online survey collected responses from 313 participants that included females (44%) and males (56%) with a mean age of 41.0 (SD ± 10.3) years. Almost 31% of participants surveyed experienced multiple bullying incidents per month with no differences observed between gender (32% in males, 31% in females). Males were mostly bullied (63%) in their workplaces while females were mostly bullied (56%) at bus or train stations. Country of birth, employment status, educational qualification, and English proficiency significantly associated with bullying experience (p < 0.001). These findings show that bullying affects male and female immigrants in different forms and settings; therefore, a large national assessment is needed to evaluate the magnitude of bullying and its consequences on immigrant health and well-being.

Literature Review of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in South Asian Populations

Background: South Asians have been recently identified as having rapidly rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There is a paucity of data regarding the phenotypic and genotypic associations of IBD among the patients of this region. Due to the rising disease prevalence, a study on South Asian population can disclose more information about the etiopathogenetic causes of the disease. Methods: Here we did a review article of IBD among South Asians. In order to get a correct sense of factors associated with the disease, we have reviewed approximately 150 articles through the PubMed search and google scholar. Results: We attempted to find temporal trends of IBD among south Asian population, compared phenotype and genotype of IBD among South Asians and western patients and looked at the patterns of IBD presentation in different countries of South Asia. We have also reviewed the differences in the incidence of IBD among South Asian immigrants and discussed the treatment challenges of IBD among this special population. Conclusion: We identified that both patients in South Asia as well as South Asian patients living in Western countries are at greater risk for all types of IBD. This geographical region provides an opportunity for revealing possible etiopathogenetic factors. Further population-based studies, comparison of studies in South Asians and immigrants from South Asian countries, and large-scale biologic treatment models need to be accelerated to control the disease burden in South Asians, as well as to achieve reduced burden globally.

"South Asian Woman's Identity: A Comprehensive Analysis of Zara Raheem's "The Marriage Clock"

Second-generation South Asian immigrants most often experience cultural hybridity where the task to balance between the home culture and the culture of the new world is gruesome for many. Understanding cultural hybridity signifies that transcultural relations are complex, processual and dynamic (Kraidy, 2002). This paper aims to find out the issues faced by South Asian women in embracing their home culture and its norms completely. It further notices how cultural diversity impacts a South Asian woman in shaping her identity and the perceptions of first generation immigrants with respect to the hybrid culture. The paper tends to observe how the traditional “matchmaking” process in association with marriage in South Asian culture works for a woman in the light of Zara Raheem’s “The Marriage Clock” (2019). A qualitative study is carried out for conducting the research where Bhabha’s “Theory of Hybridity &amp; Third Space” (1995) is employed for interpreting the transcultural relationships present within the book.

Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in South Asians: Risk Factors Prevention and Early Screening is the Key

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have declined over the past two decades.1 However, despite improvements in population health, marked racial and ethnic disparities in longevity and CVD management persist. South Asians (SAs), people with ancestors from the Indian subcontinent constitute 1/5 of the world's population. During the late 1980s, the term “double burden of disease” was first used and can be defined as the burden of non-communicable diseases on top of infectious diseases that remain undefeated.2 Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called heart disease, stood out as the most common cause of this increasing double burden of diseases. The first study that was published related to South Asians and CAD risk was in 1991 by McKeigue et al.3 The study assessed the relation of central obesity and insulin resistance with high type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence and CAD risk in immigrant SAs. A sample of industrial workers and general practitioners in the United Kingdom were shown to have a higher prevalence of diabetes, higher blood pressure, higher fasting and post-glucose serum insulin concentrations, higher plasma triglyceride (TG), and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This study confirms the existence of an insulin resistance syndrome in SAs.

Development of B.R.A.K.E. the Cycle: A Culturally Responsive Bystander Intervention for South Asian Immigrants in the United States

South Asian (SA) immigrants are one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States. Due to the stigma associated with domestic violence among SAs, disclosing victimization experiences may be challenging. In circumstances where experiences are disclosed, informal help-seeking through family/friends is utilized more often than formal help-seeking. Therefore, it is essential for friends/family to be empowered to effectively intervene. B.R.A.K.E. the Cycle has been developed as an innovative online intervention for SA community members (informal resources) to provide support to those experiencing abuse. The goal of this intervention is to enhance responsibility and knowledge among bystanders. Utilizing a culturally responsive intervention is an integral step in enriching services provided by practitioners serving immigrants, which we highlight in this practice note.

Health Care Use and Barriers to Care for Chronic Inflammatory Diseases (CID) among First and Second Generation South Asian Immigrant Children and Parents in Ontario Canada.

Although immigrants are disproportionately impacted by growing chronic inflammatory disease (CIDs) rates, yet suffer barriers to access health care, little attention has been given to their primary healthcare or specialist healthcare access as it relates to complex, chronic diseases in Canada, a country with universal health care. This study aims to investigate CID health care use and barriers to care among first- and second-generation immigrant South Asian children and parents in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario. Drawing on analysis of 24 in depth interviews with children and parents (14 children, 10 parents), the results reveal that although CIDs disproportionately affects South Asian immigrants, they encounter health system, geographic, interpersonal, and knowledge barriers to access requisite care. These barriers exist despite participants having a GP, and are compounded further by limited familial systems, culturally insensitive care, and structural inequities that in some instances make parents choose between health access or other basic needs. Although all participants recognized the importance of specialized care, only 11 participants regularly accessed specialized care, creating new schisms in CID management. The findings suggest that a multisectoral approach that address individual and structural level socio-structural drivers of health inequities are needed to create more equitable healthcare access.

Stigma, discrimination and HIV or AIDS: an empirical investigation of Asian immigrants and refugees in Canada

PurposeHIV or AIDS remains invisible and dismissed by most South Asians living in Canada as HIV or AIDS issues are perceived as an offshoot of Western lifestyle linked with drug use and promiscuity. This paper aims to look into how people living with HIV or AIDS (PLWHA) cope with prejudice and stigma.Design/methodology/approachTo guide this research, a constructivist grounded theory approach was adopted as the theoretical and methodological framework. The authors reached the participants through a Toronto-based group that works with PLWHA. The authors chose their respondents in a snowball method and interviewed them both in person and online.FindingsThis paper identifies how South Asian immigrants and refugees/refugees with HIV or AIDS claimants are vulnerable to discrimination in Canada due to the following factors, which include but are not limited to: a lack of information about HIV and AIDS incidence in the community; and the Canadian health system's inability to respond appropriately to the lack of information.Practical implicationsHIV service engagements should take place within the context of a constellation of local traditions, or standardized expectations of patient engagement with HIV services can be counterproductive.Originality/valueIt is critical that governmental action prioritizes increasing public understanding of stigma. To minimize the consequences of HIV-related discrimination and stigma, misconceptions about HIV transmission must be debunked.