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Small cities tend to have modest immigrant settlement services and cultural amenities, engendering a distinct sense of place among immigrants and impacting their wellbeing differently from large cities. To study the impacts of place characteristics on settlement needs, this photovoice research examines the sense of place among immigrant women through their attribution of meanings to places of comfort and discomfort as they settled in a small city in Canada. Thirty-two immigrant women of different immigration admission statuses, i.e., economic, family, and refugee classes, ranging in age from 19 to 48, took photographs of places that they considered to be either comfortable or uncomfortable. Most participants were from Asia, Africa, and South America, and they had lived in Canada for less than 10 years. Findings indicated that these women appreciated the warmth and support extended to them by settlement services provider organizations, libraries, and faith-based organizations, attesting to the relational nature of the place. Nevertheless, immigrant women dreaded harsh winter conditions and felt unsafe in downtown areas. A close read of these women's photo stories revealed that their apprehensions about punitive winter conditions are closely linked to their role as primary household caregivers who take their children to public places. Their sense of vulnerability towards downtown areas demonstrates female subordination and their distaste for public spaces. Immigrant women sought comfort in locales that this paper terms "restorative space," showing their creative use of private and public spaces for relaxation. This study contributes to our understanding of the gendered and interwoven nature of the self, social, and physical spaces. The findings from this study call for settlement policies that attend to distinct characteristics of local places to better serve the settlement needs of immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper places Latour's (2004) concept of "body talk" alongside literature on symbolic boundaries to consider how the symbolic judgements and evaluations that comprise body talk frame the impact of structural pressures on the body. Drawing from individual and focus group interviews with 36 first-generation Arab Canadian immigrant women, this study shows that the female body, and practices of feeding and exercising it, are sites where structural inequalities embedded in the immigration process are materially experienced, resisted, and managed. In constructing boundaries between Arab women's bodies in Canada and the Arab world alongside those of so-called "Canadian" women, we argue that women communicate their immigration and settlement struggles and recoup dignity otherwise compromised in the migration process—ultimately allowing them to frame their struggles as products of their moral integrity as immigrant wives and mothers. Through these findings, this paper demonstrates the role of body talk in framing the impact of structural pressures on the body, while simultaneously highlighting the centrality of boundary work to that framing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the positioning of gender within women-focused capital funds (WFCFs) to consider the extent to which these digitally enabled sources of finance reflect the tenets of entrepreneurial feminism. Content analysis of 27 funds situated in Canada and the USA informs about fund mandates, rationales, types of capital, and anticipated outcomes. Our findings reveal that a minority of WFCFs examined sought to enhance equity and counter structural barriers associated with women entrepreneurs' access to financial capital. Alternatively, the majority of WFCFs were positioned as vehicles to facilitate individual wealth creation. Eligibility ranged from multiple gender identities of the business owner to "women-led" businesses—defined as at least one woman executive, board or steering committee member. The latter of these criteria has the effect of diverting attention away from firms that are launched by women entrepreneurs. Pinkwashing was more likely to occur when WFCFs were created as add-ons to mainstream programs and services, rather than as a central element of the organization's mission of supporting women and non-binary femmes. The findings support arguments that technology can both challenge or reinforce structural constraints that impede women entrepreneurs in the digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the social and cultural experiences of second-generation Ethiopian and Eritrean young women in relationship to expectations surrounding identity continuity by way of maintenance of traditional culture. From the analysis of ten in-depth interviews, complexities in family relationships emerged as a major category with interrelated concepts that particularize the social and cultural experiences of second-generation Ethiopian and Eritrean women with their process of identity formation. These included gendered intergenerational relationships whereby Ethiopian and Eritrean parents maintained a strong sense of belonging to the larger culture they left behind and raised their daughters with such expected continuity; and the confrontation of cultural resistance through communication as a means of forging a balance between conflict and consensus in families. Findings from this study highlight the need to expand understandings in the scope of intergenerational activities and values in immigrant families in both research and clinical practice. This necessitates that practitioners take into account the structure and composition of family, the values imbedded within, and the role and functions of each member of the unit. This cannot be decontextualized from the family’s experiences of migration and ongoing settlement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on research that the author conducted in 1998 this paper re-examines theories of immigrant adaptation by relating Philomena Essed's three-point framework of immigrant adaptation to the settlement of Ghanaian immigrant women in Canada. Essed identifies three phases of the adaptation process that she categorizes as “when are we going back”, “are we going back,” and “here to stay.” This paper examines what it meant for Ghanaian women to “look back” and how “looking back” dictated their adaptation strategies. The paper moves beyond notions of adaptation that stress measurable and quantifiable outcomes to one that stresses the agency of immigrant women. The author argues that Ghanaian immigrant women's seemingly low status in the economy was not a reflection of poor adaptation but rather a measure to help them connect with people in the homeland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how women managers themselves interpret the factors that constrain and those that facilitate management careers for women. We will do this by first reviewing some of the interpretations that have been put forward in the academic literature to explain the relatively small number of women managers and particularly the small number of very senior women managers. In the light of these interpretations, we will examine the opinions of a sample of intermediate and senior women managers in the public and private sectors in Ontario and Québec. More specifically we will look at their answers to questions about what blocks and what facilitates management careers for women generally and what obstacles they themselves have met. We will then compare their interpretations of their own career development with the interpretations that exist in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I examine the effect of family co-residence and proximity on the labor force participation and working hours of Canadian women. I find lower labor market attachment for married women without young children who co-reside with their mothers (those women most likely to care for their elderly mothers) and for married women with young children who live more than half a day away from their mothers (those women least likely to benefit from the availability of family provided childcare). I find no effect of proximity for single women with children on the extensive margin, but do find that they work fewer hours if they live far from their mothers. The results hold only for proximity to living mothers (as opposed to proximity to widowed fathers), suggesting that it is the mothers themselves, and not merely the home location, that drives the results. I incorporate IV estimation using province of birth and whether one was born in the same province of either parent to estimate proximity, and find consistent results. To the extent that the positive effect of close proximity is related to the availability of grandchild care, policies that impact the labor force behavior of grandmothers may also impact the labor force behavior of their daughters. Regional patterns in proximity suggest that national childcare and labor market policies may yield different results across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on findings from a qualitative interview-based study of women's experiences and perceptions of menstrual suppression using a diverse sample of 12 women from Vancouver, Canada. The study used open-ended, in-depth interviews to ask women questions related to the following overarching research question: How do Canadian women perceive and experience menstrual suppression? Of the 12 women, six had experience with menstrual suppression, while six had never suppressed their periods. The six women who suppressed their periods cited convenience, pain management, and feeling more positively about their bodies as their reasons for suppression. The six women who had not suppressed their cycles cited fears about compromising their health, worries about altering the 'natural' menstrual cycle, and an uneasiness with pharmaceutical products in general as rationales for rejecting menstrual suppression. Ultimately, the findings reveal that there are many considerations and factors involved in women's decisions about menstrual frequency. While many of the women appreciated the appeal of menstrual suppression, the long-term risks and health uncertainties deterred many of them from reducing their menstrual frequency. The findings are discussed in relation to medical literature which encourages women to suppress their menses, as well as sociological theorizing about menstrual culture within a Foucauldian framework of discipline and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental health of Canada’s Aboriginal women has received little scholarly attention. This paper describes the mental health of First Nations women living on reserve in Ontario and compares these findings with results from the National Population Health Survey (NPHS). Reserve communities were randomly selected within urban, rural, remote and special access regions. Depression was measured by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Alcohol use and health services utilization questions were identical to those used in the NPHS. Compared with NPHS women, First Nations women reported significantly higher rates of depression (18% vs 9%) but significantly lower rates of alcohol use (55% vs 74% reported drinking in the last year), although significantly greater proportions reported having 5+ drinks on one occasion (43% vs 24%). Given the burden of suffering associated with depression and the twofold risk found here, it is important to examine risk and protective factors specific to First Nations women. The findings of a higher proportion of abstainers, but also a higher proportion of consumers of 5+ drinks among First Nations women relative to NPHS women indicate the need for a more careful investigation, based on community rather than clinical data, of patterns of alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of International Migration & Integration is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

: The Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) is a prospective cohort study which will measure the incidence and prevalence of osteoporosis and fractures, and the effect of putative risk factors, in a random sample of 10 061 women and men aged ≥25 years recruited in approximately equal numbers in nine centers across Canada. In this paper we report the results of studies to establish peak bone mass (PBM) which would be appropriate reference data for use in Canada. These reference data are used to estimate the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in Canadian women and men aged ≥50 years. Participants were recruited via randomly selected household telephone listings. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry using Hologic QDR 1000 or 2000 or Lunar DPX densitometers. BMD results for lumbar spine and femoral neck were converted to a Hologic base. BMD of the lumbar spine in 578 women and 467 men was constant to age 39 years giving a PBM of 1.042 ± 0.121 g/cm2 for women and 1.058 ± 0.127 g/cm2 for men. BMD at the femoral neck declined from age 29 years. The mean femoral neck BMD between 25 and 29 years was taken as PBM and was found to be 0.857 ± 0.125 g/cm2 for women and 0.910 ± 0.125 g/cm2 for men. Prevalence of osteoporosis, as defined by WHO criteria, in Canadian women aged ≥50 years was 12.1% at the lumbar spine and 7.9% at the femoral neck with a combined prevalence of 15.8%. In men it was 2.9% at the lumbar spine and 4.8% at the femoral neck with a combined prevalence of 6.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates a reduced form neoclassical model of Canadian fertility dynamics using an econometric technique that integrates several features not usually found in the demographic and economic literature. We find considerable support for the neoclassical model. We also find that correlated unobservables and parity stopping effects play an important role in Canadian fertility dynamics as well as other socio-demographic features of Canadian women. However, we fail to totally characterize the important drops in the fertility rate that took place for this era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Given growing concerns of im/migrant women's access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, we aimed to (1) describe inequities and determinants of their engagement with SRH services in Canada; and (2) understand their lived experiences of barriers and facilitators to healthcare. Using a comprehensive review methodology, we searched the quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed literature of im/migrant women's access to SRH care in Canada from 2008 to 2018. Of 782 studies, 38 met inclusion criteria. Ontario (n = 18), British Columbia (n = 6), and Alberta (n = 6) were primary settings represented. Studies focused primarily on maternity care (n = 20) and sexual health screenings (n = 12). Determinants included health system navigation and service information; experiences with health personnel; culturally safe and language-specific care; social isolation and support; immigration-specific factors; discrimination and racialization; and gender and power relations. There is a need for research that compares experiences across diverse groups of racialized im/migrants and a broader range of SRH services to inform responsive, equity-focused programs and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between incarceration and women's vulnerability to sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) is understudied in Canada, despite numerous studies showing that justice-involved women experience very high rates of infection. Justice-involved women in Canada are highly mobile, as a result of high rates of incarceration and extremely short sentences. From a public health perspective, it is productive to understand how the mobility of justice-involved women shapes their vulnerability to STBBI. Results: This narrative review demonstrates that mobility between incarceration facilities and communities drives sexually transmitted and blood-borne disease risk for justice-involved women in Canada. Associations and interactions between epidemics of gender-based and intimate partner violence, substance use, and STBBIs shape the experiences of justice-involved women in Canada. In correctional facilities, the pre-existing vulnerability of justice-involved women is compounded by a lack of comprehensive STBBI care and limited harm reduction services. On release, unstable housing, disruptions to social support networks, interruptions in medical care, and relapse to or continuation of substance use, significantly increase individual disease risk and the likelihood of community transmission. High rates of incarceration for short periods perpetuate this cycle and complicate the delivery of healthcare. Conclusions: The review provides evidence of the need for stronger gender-transformative public health planning and responses for incarcerated women, in both federal and provincial corrections settings in Canada. A supportive, evidence-based approach to STBBI identification and treatment for incarcerated women - one that that removes stigma, maintains privacy and improves access, combined with structural policies to prevent incarceration - could decrease STBBI incidence and interrupt the cycle of incarceration and poor health outcomes. A coordinated and accountable program of reintegration that facilitates continuity of public health interventions for STBBI, as well as safe housing, harm reduction and other supports, can improve outcomes as well. Lastly, metrics to measure performance of STBBI management during incarceration and upon release would help to identify gaps and improve outcomes for justice-involved women in the Canadian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reanalyses data on migrants to Alberta, collected by Statistics Canada in a 1980 Labour Force Survey. The findings indicate that migrant men are gainers and migrant women, particularly migrant wives are the losers from such movement, even during a period of relative economic prosperity in the Province. Women's occupational status tends to improve with time spent in the new labour force. However there is a failure to return to occupational statuses enjoyed before the move. This means, first, that male and female workers are more sex-differentiated after the move than before it; second, that migrant women, especially wives, enjoy fewer occupational returns on their educational investment than migrant men; third, that the balance of economic contribution, and possibly therefore influence, within a migrant household is shifted towards greater male dominance by the move. It is to be emphasized that each of these findings is to be regarded as tentative pending the completion of further analyses on this and three. related data sets. In particular the analysis of household level data will be critical in assessing any hypotheses about family power before and after the move. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a glimpse of some of the challenges posed to academic women demographers in Canada, is offered. As the title of the paper suggests, "Alice's" look from the other side of the looking glass may not be every woman's, but hopefully in sharing reflections on challenges to women in academia generally, and the gender challenge to demography in particular, the door can be opened for further discussion, research and change. Scholars have always had an ambiguous position in society, and still do. On the one hand, they are respected for their knowledge, often esoteric and greater than that of the general public. Sometimes this knowledge is even useful to the wider society. On the other hand, scholars are regarded with suspicion, seen as eccentric, arrogant and made the brunt of jokes. There has been the persistent fear that terrible things happen to women with higher education: they become "barren" (presumably, according to nineteenth century beliefs, because non-renewable bodily energy available goes to brains rather than to reproductive systems); or, give birth to monsters; or, perhaps worst of all, become monsters -- kind of hermaphroditic she/he beasts. Possession of esoteric knowledge, if ambiguous for men, for women is a liability or at least more of a liability than it is for men. Witches and shamans arc but two examples of "knowing women." While some shamans are highly respected in their cultures, they are often set apart as different; and, we all know what happened and happens to witches.

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

"First comes love; then comes marriage; along comes Joanie with a baby carriage." This straightforward temporal sequence so long taken for granted in North America may no longer be valid. With marriage rates declining, birth rates at an historic low, births occurring outside legal marriage, and dramatic increases in single parenthood after marital dissolution, it may be that previous assumptions about marriage as a prerequisite for childbearing and about marriage preceding childbearing must be questioned. In this paper, an attempt is made to reconceptualize fertility to account for the emerging patterns in North America. Contributions of feminist sociological theory and of family sociology are explored for their capacities to enhance understanding of the nuptiality/fertility relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Studies in Population is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Sustained undetectable viral loads (UDVLs) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) eliminate sexual HIV transmission. We measured prevalence and correlates of sexual anxiety among women living with HIV. Methods: We used questionnaire data collected between August 2013 and May 2015 from 1422 women ≥ 16 years in the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study. Among women reporting consensual sex in the past month (n = 474), we determined the proportion who reported high anxiety ("always/usually became anxious or inhibited during sexual activity with a partner"), low anxiety ("sometimes/seldom"), and no anxiety. Logistic regression identified medical, psychological, relational, and social correlates, including awareness of ART prevention benefits (i.e., "makes the risk of transmitting HIV a lot lower"). Results: Cohort diversity is reflected in age (range 17–66; median 39), gender (5.7% trans), ethnicity (41.6% White, 24.5% Indigenous, 27.0% African/Caribbean/Black), sexual orientation (14.2% lesbian/queer), and time living with HIV (range 18 days–30 years.). Overall, 58.6% reported feeling no sexual anxiety, while the remainder said that they always/usually (14.6%) or sometimes/seldom (26.8%) became anxious or inhibited during sex. Current sex work, previous illicit drug use, and depression were associated with higher adjusted odds of sexual anxiety, while greater emotional closeness and more equitable relationship power were associated with lower odds. There was no correlation between awareness of ART prevention benefits and sexual anxiety. Conclusions: Relatively few women reported high anxiety during sex with a partner. This was more socially and relationally influenced than linked to understanding ART prevention benefits. Policy Implications: Women living with HIV should be supported to have great sex, free from worry, by tackling unequal power in women's intimate relationships, lack of access to resources, and mental health difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Love remains hidden in HIV research in favor of a focus on risk. Among 1424 women living with HIV in Canada, we explored (1) whether eight facets of sex and intimacy (marital status, sexual activity, physical intimacy, emotional closeness, power equity, sexual exclusivity, relationship duration, and couple HIV serostatus) may coalesce into distinct relationship types, and (2) how these relationship types may be linked to love as well as various social, psychological, and structural factors. Five latent classes were identified: no relationship (46.5%), relationships without sex (8.6%), and three types of sexual relationships-short term (15.4%), long term/unhappy (6.4%), and long term/happy (23.2%, characterized by equitable power, high levels of physical and emotional closeness, and mainly HIV-negative partners). While women in long-term/happy relationships were most likely to report feeling love for and wanted by someone "all of the time," love was not exclusive to sexual or romantic partners and a sizeable proportion of women reported affection across latent classes. Factors independently associated with latent class membership included age, children living at home, sexism/genderism, income, sex work, violence, trauma, depression, HIV treatment, awareness of treatment's prevention benefits, and HIV-related stigma. Findings reveal the diversity of women's experiences with respect to love, sex, and relationships and draw attention to the sociostructural factors shaping intimate partnering in the context of HIV. A nuanced focus on promoting healthy relationships and supportive social environments may offer a more comprehensive approach to supporting women's overall sexual health and well-being than programs focused solely on sexual risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore Canadian women’s use of vaginal hygiene products including feminine washes, douches, sprays, deodorants, wipes, and powders. Vaginal hygiene products in North America are part of a two billion dollar industry, which focuses on cleanliness and freshness in their advertising toward women. In interviewing women who were currently using or had previously used vaginal hygiene products, we found that vaginal cleanliness and freshness were also frequently brought up as reasons for using these products. Using an inductive thematic analysis informed by Braun and Clarke (2013) we explore how attaining a clean-and-fresh vagina has become a subjective physical need for the participants in our study. In a society where female genitalia are constructed as unclean, we argue the marketing of vaginal hygiene products contributes to the problematization of women’s genitalia by suggesting women need to use these products to attain an ideal (i.e., clean and fresh) vagina. The reliance on vaginal hygiene products reported by participants in attaining sensations of vaginal cleanliness and freshness raises concerns in the context of medical literature suggesting adverse health risks that may result from using some of these products. Potential risks include bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and a higher susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, among others. We believe that companies that advertise these products as beneficial for vaginal health and hygiene can be perceived as not just misinforming women but also profiting from products that are harmful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent years, anti-choice dialog has shifted from a focus on the fetus to a focus on the woman. This new movement constructs itself as positive and pro-woman, while perpetuating harmful stereotypes about women and the effects of abortion. Research has shown a relationship between benevolent sexism (beliefs that women are morally pure creatures in need of protection and nurturing) and restrictive attitudes towards abortion, although no research has qualitatively explored this relationship. Method: The present study seeks to explore this by interpreting the content of one-on-one interviews with Canadian individuals holding an anti-choice stance through the theoretical framework of benevolent sexism. Results: Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed three main themes: (1) protective paternalism, (2) complementary gender differentiation, and (3) the categorization of women. Conclusion: These themes connect strongly with benevolent sexism, providing evidence that abortion is still a stigmatized procedure. This stigma has shifted from viewing women who have abortions in an overtly negative way to viewing them as pitiable and poor decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the emerging presence of South Asian elderly population in Canada, there continues to be a paucity of research concerning the immigration and acculturation experiences of these marginalized elderly populations and their quality of life. This research builds knowledge of the quality of life experiences faced by South Asian elderly immigrant women residing in Canada using an intersectional analytical framework. While there is a gradually developing body of research regarding elder persons globally, the present research is unique in that explores challenges, stresses and strains, and builds an understanding of the treatment of older ethnic minorities and immigrant families. Furthermore, this research has implications for policies and practices governing these growing aging populations. Finally, this research gives voice to a "silenced" and invisible group of elders whose stories may help to make improvements in the quality of living and well-being for the aging South Asian immigrant population in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore housing insecurity among women newcomers to Montreal, Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 newcomer women who had experienced housing insecurity and five women's shelter service providers. The primary cause of housing insecurity for newcomer women was inadequate income in the face of rapidly rising housing costs, coupled with unfamiliarity with the dominant culture and the local housing system. Specific events often served as tipping points for immigrant women-incidents that forced women into less secure housing. To avoid absolute homelessness, most women stayed with family, couch surfed, used women's or educational residences, shared a room or an apartment, lived in hotels, single rented rooms, or transitional housing. These arrangements were often problematic, as crowded conditions, financial dependency, differing expectations and interpersonal conflicts made for stressful or exploitive relationships, which sometimes ended abruptly. Only two of the 26 women interviewed described their current living situation as stable. Based on the findings on the study, we recommend training for housing and immigration service providers, wrap-around services in terms of health, housing and immigration settlement programs that take into account a broad range of immigration statuses and transitional housing that caters to the specific needs of migrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiences of racialized immigrant women in Canada bring into sharp focus constructions of home and sense of belonging. Embedded within their constructions of home is a sense of security. It is this sense of security that motivated many immigrants to choose Canada as home. However, the concept of home remains elusive, and belonging is highly contested. This article explores the experiences of racialized immigrant women who are living with the paradox of home without security and security without home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been traditionally low rates of health care utilization by persons with mental health issues in developed countries such as Canada due to barriers that discourage health care service use such as waitlists, long distances to health services, and stigma that can be associated with seeking help for mental health issues. This project examined barriers to mental health care using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 4,134) to understand gender and income-related disparities in access to mental health care services. Data were modeled using logistic regression to determine whether gender and household income predicted experiencing barriers to care. There were significant variations in the barriers to care reported by gender and income. Both men and women from low-income (<$29,999) households were significantly more likely to report all types of barriers to care. Men were much more likely to report 'acceptability' barriers to care that related to their perceptions of mental health issues and usefulness of health care services, whereas women were much more likely to report availability or accessibility issues such as a lack of transportation or childcare. The findings of this study demonstrate that despite universal health insurance, there are significant inequities in access to mental health care for low-income Canadians and differences in the types of barriers to care experienced by gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article tells the story of Josie, a gender non-conforming, young queer woman living with a disability. Through attention to critical moments and turning points in the participant's lived experience of disability, sexuality, and gender, this study examines how intersecting identities both shape and are shaped by context and experiences of the body as both complex and fluid. This qualitative study employs a feminist-informed and narrative methodology called the 'personal experience story' which seeks to uncover the meaning in an individual's lived experiences. Five in-depth interviews were conducted with the participant. The impact of illness on the embodiment of identity, as well as on the participant's agency and resistance to social and cultural norms relating to sex, gender, and the body, were main themes that emerged. Agency and resistance were important lived concepts for her, particularly in interactions with health care providers and systems and among communities in which she both located support and challenged hegemonic practices of gender presentation and discrimination. The findings revealed the importance of addressing heterosexism, homophobia and ableism at individual and institutional levels, in order to develop a social work practice that addresses the intersectional nature of identity, and the impacts of occupying multiple marginalized positions on a client's experiences of their sexuality, body and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges of the settlement process can at times give way to persistent feelings of sadness, loneliness, and despair for immigrant women. Based on analysis of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada, this article shows that immigrant women's self-reported experiences of mental health vary at arrival and over the course of the settlement process because of the intersection of pre- and post-migration factors. The results show how ethnic origins and religious differences intersect with women's main activities in Canada and influence multiple mental health trajectories. Immigrant women strategically pursue different post-migration pathways because some are more likely to find the social interactions of employment contexts emotionally distressing while for others shouldering responsibilities for full-time care work in the home leads to mental health problems. Still others who study to retrain or get a Canadian degree find the experience detrimental to their emotional health. However, these very same activities can be conducive to mental well-being for women with different ethno-religious backgrounds. The results illustrate that the intersection of ethnicity, religion, and gender in a stratified Canadian society is complex and produces a range of mental health outcomes. Concerns are raised about the high emotional toll of racialized Canadian workplaces and the stress that some employed Muslim women report. An awareness of influences on immigrant women's mental health can assist employers and public service providers as well as members of cultural associations and religious groups in providing appropriate social support for them in the early months and years after arrival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acculturation process is an important factor in the experience of all immigrants. Although previous studies have indicated the challenges faced by Korean immigrants, little attention has been paid to Korean women's immigration experiences. A focused ethnography was used to examine midlife and older Korean immigrant women's experiences following their immigration to Canada. Fifteen women were interviewed in a city in Western Canada. The findings showed that in coming to Canada, women focused on caring for their children and often sacrificed their personal dreams. They had to be employed to support their families, and received support from family and government. Women participated regularly in a Korean Church and drew on their Christian faith to ease their adjustment. They retained hopes for the future including good health and a better life for their children. Most women indicated that it was difficult to integrate into Canadian society but they never gave up on their adjustment to a new culture. In this manuscript, the adjustment experience of the immigrant women is discussed in the context of an acculturation framework. The findings will enhance health professionals' awareness of adjustment patterns and associated challenges to Korean immigrant women's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article expands understanding of gender and advancement in academic science by going into a new dimension of inquiry: Focusing on women associate professors in computing, it assesses the relationship between perceived chances for promotion to full professor and indicators of entrepreneurship, as part of key sets of individual and departmental independent variables that are also addressed. Data from a national survey of women in academic computing indicate that time spent in entrepreneurial activity does not predict excellent/good (compared to fair/poor) chances for promotion perceived by these women faculty, nor does the quantity/quality of entrepreneurial activity that they report for their home units. Departmental reward structures reported as favoring entrepreneurial activity negatively predict perceived chances for promotion. Other key individual and departmental characteristics also predict chances for promotion: faculty members' age, collaboration, family characteristics, departmental climate, and US (compared to Canadian) location. Findings from interviews with a small subset of respondents to the survey illuminate the survey findings on the role of entrepreneurial factors in perceived chances for advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is a paucity of female corporate directors in Canada, women are slowly managing to break the gender barrier of all-male boards of directors. Using resource dependency theory a model is developed that identifies the human capital characteristics that contribute to a woman being appointed to an all-male board. The model is tested on a sample of 193 Canadian firms that appointed women to their boards of directors between 1996 and 2004. The results show that women who are appointed to all-male boards have specialized knowledge skills; either they have firm-specific knowledge as insiders, or they are support specialists with a specific financial or legal expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the measurement equivalence (i.e., invariance) of osteoporosis-specific and general health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) instruments in Canadian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. A total of 258 Aboriginal and 181 non-Aboriginal women were recruited to the First Nations Bone Health Study from rural and urban sites in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the mini-Osteoporosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (mini-OQLQ) were administered to study participants by trained interviewers. Confirmatory factor analysis techniques were adopted to test hypotheses about four forms of invariance for the two groups using likelihood ratio tests and other goodness-of-fit indices. For the mini-OQLQ instrument configural and metric invariance were satisfied, indicating that both groups have the same conceptualization of osteoporotic quality of life and the concepts have equivalent meaning. However, scalar and complete invariance were not satisfied for this instrument. The SF-36 exhibited complete invariance in the two groups. Measurement equivalence, which is required to conduct valid group comparisons, was not demonstrated for the disease-specific quality-of-life instrument but was supported for the general instrument. Ethnicity appears to influence responses about the effects of osteoporosis on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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There is currently a void in the literature regarding the kinds of support women find most beneficial when dealing with a spouse’s sexually addictive or compulsive behaviors. Addressing this void is particularly relevant for clergy, seeing as they are increasingly sought out as an initial and/or primary support for dealing with this marital issue. Using grounded theory methodology, 22 women from Canada and the USA were interviewed to find out what they found most helpful as they sought support to cope with a spouse’s sexually addictive and compulsive behaviors. Insights for pastoral counselors and clergy were highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women age 35 and older account for an increasing proportion of births and are at increased risk of having difficulties conceiving and of delivering a multiple birth, low birth weight infant, and/or preterm infant. Little is known about men’s and women’s understanding of the maternal age related risks to pregnancy. Objectives: 1) To determine the factors influencing the timing of childbearing for non-parenting men and women, 2) to determine knowledge among non-parenting men and women about maternal age-related reproductive risks, the consequences of low birth weight and multiple birth, and issues related to infertility, and 3) to determine characteristics associated with limited knowledge of these reproductive risks. Methods: An age-stratified random sample of individuals, aged 20–45 years and without children, completed a computer-assisted telephone interview from two urban regions of Alberta, Canada (1006 women and 500 men). Results: Factors that influenced timing of childbearing for both men and women included: financial security (85.8%) and partner suitability to parent (80.2%). Over 70% of men and women recognized the direct relationship between older maternal age and conception difficulties. Less than half knew that advanced maternal age increased the risk of stillbirth, caesarean delivery, multiple birth and preterm delivery. Conclusions: Poor understanding of the links between childbearing after age 35, pregnancy complications and increased risk of adverse infant outcomes limits adults’ ability to make informed decisions about timing of childbearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important consideration in the management of patients with vertebral fractures. The purpose of this study was to examine patient-related factors that contribute to HRQL after vertebral fractures, including co-morbidities, medications, fracture history, family disease history, demographics, exercise, education and living environment. A total of 1,129 post-menopausal women (mean age 67.2, SD 11.9 years) was studied from the Canadian Database of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia (CANDOO). HRQL was measured using the mini-osteoporosis quality of life questionnaire (mini-OQLQ). Separate multivariable linear regression analyses [parameter estimates and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI)] were performed for each of the five mini-OQLQ domains: symptoms, physical functioning, emotional functioning, activities of daily living and leisure domains. A strong positive association was found between HRQL and post-secondary education, a family history of osteoporosis, working and thiazide therapy. Exercise improved HRQL; however, several hours a week were required to be meaningful. Living in long-term care had the most marked negative effect on HRQL. Smoking, past surgery of the hip or spine, sedatives, anticonvulsants, atherosclerotic disease and hypertension were also associated with a substantially decreased HRQL across several domains. Calcium channel-blockers, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, diabetes, migraines, the number of non-vertebral fractures and falls had a negative impact on selected domains. We demonstrated that several modifiable factors influence HRQL in patients with vertebral fractures, and physicians should be aware of these and other markers of reduced HRQL to enhance patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to investigate osteoporosis knowledge, as well as health beliefs and practices among Korean immigrants in Nova Scotia. Twenty-six participants (18 women and eight men) completed the questionnaire. The mean age of participants was 48, and their average length of stay in Canada was 14 years. The mean osteoporosis knowledge score was 50% for both men and women and perceived susceptibility to the disease was low, especially in men. Perceived seriousness and health motivation was high relative to perceived susceptibility. Only 62% indicated both that their diet met their nutritional and cultural needs, and changes in dietary and exercise habits since arrival in Canada were reported by 73 and 64%, respectively. This study helped identify existing osteoporosis awareness weaknesses in this population: a) Perceived susceptibility, especially for men; and b) knowledge related to prevention and treatment options, including diet and exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many older persons have chronic conditions and limitations in their everyday functioning. While some individuals prepare for their future care needs, many others do not. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews, discourse about dealing with the risk for needing help or care in the future was investigated in 23 East German, 10 U.S., and 12 Canadian elderly community-dwelling women (> or =65 years). Eighty percent had thought about future care needs; 64% had made general plans for their future care. Four preparation styles were identified in the three social-structural contexts: Avoidance of preparation, thinking without planning, short-term planning, and long-term planning. Individuals using these styles differed in their subjective assessment of preparation as well as in objective personal conditions. More similarities than differences were found between German, U.S. and Canadian women in the use of these styles. Results suggest that limited resources, system instability, and personal characteristics contribute to the choice of planning style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article documents the existence of two contradictory depictions of computer-aided home-based work found in the popular press and the academic literature. Working at home is sometimes said to allow individuals to gain a full and successful integration of their paid and family work. At other times the physical proximity of home and work activities accompanying homework is portrayed as the cause of great anxiety and stress. Through case studies of women and men who do professional work at home in Canada, I explore the ways in which these two contradictory images are in fact simultaneously reflected in individuals' experiences of working at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the importance of barriers to the participation of women in local union activities. Male and female officers of local unions in Canada were surveyed to determine the importance of eight barriers to participation. The results indicate that the most important barriers are that women hold two jobs (at home and at work) and have no time for union activities; child care responsibilities prevent greater participation in unions; and women underestimate their abilities and believe that male employees are better suited to union officer positions. The analysis also explores differences in male and female ratings. Conclusions are reached regarding the importance of overcoming barriers at local levels in reducing the under-representation of women in national union governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents contemporary feminist ideologies regarding the relationship between gender and justice, particularly on certain examples of the experiences of women in courts in Canada. The issues examined include child custody, sexual assault, pornography, the female offender, and the role of First Nations women. Focus is made on the importance of Carol Gilligan's concept of an ethic of justice that runs counter to an ethic of care to analyze the involvement of women in the legal system.