Search

Background: The majority of Chinese Americans is foreign-born, and it is well-documented that immigration to the United States (US) leads to increased risk for chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes. Increased disease risk has been attributed to changes in lifestyle behaviors following immigration, but few studies have considered the psychosocial impact of immigration upon biomarkers of disease risk., Purpose: To examine associations of psychological stress and social isolation with markers of type 2 diabetes risk over time among US Chinese immigrants., Methods: In this longitudinal study of 614 Chinese immigrants, participants completed assessments of perceived stress, acculturative stress, negative life events, and social isolation annually at three time points. Fasting blood samples were obtained at each time point to measure blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance. Mean duration between baseline and follow-up assessments was approximately 2 years., Results: Increases in migration-related stress, perceived stress and social isolation were associated with significant increases in fasting glucose at follow-up independent of age, body mass index, length of US residence, and other potential covariates. Moreover, increases in glucose varied depending on perceived stress levels at baseline, such that those with higher baseline stress had a steeper increase in glucose over time., Conclusions: Psychological stress and social isolation are associated with increases in fasting glucose in a sample of US Chinese immigrants. Findings suggest that the unique experiences of immigration may be involved in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition that is prevalent among US Chinese despite relatively low rates of obesity., (© Society of Behavioral Medicine 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

After dispersal, what cues trigger social learning in immigrants? A new study in wild-caught great tits in PLOS Biology suggests that changes in the physical environment, rather than the social environment, are key in prompting social learning by immigrants., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Rachel A. Harrison. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Access to equal health services is a key issue in most European countries. In the coming years, immigrants will constitute an increasing proportion of older adults in Europe, and their need for healthcare services will likely increase. Healthcare services must prepare for such encounters to make them equitable. Older immigrants' hospitalization experiences require elucidation. Their patient experiences can provide important knowledge when the healthcare system is working toward equal and equitable healthcare services., Methods: This study employed an exploratory qualitative design. Data were collected through narrative interviews with a purposive sample of eight older adult immigrants, aged 61-79 years. Patient narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis with a reflexive approach, as outlined by Braun and Clarke., Results: The analysis created three themes that shed light on older adult immigrants' experiences as hospital patients. The themes conveyed experiences related to challenging involvement and interaction, notions of what an ideal patient should be like, and participants not feeling valued as a person., Conclusion: The findings indicate that communication between healthcare professionals and older adult immigrant patients is deficient: older immigrants in this study did not make their voices heard nor were they invited to participate by healthcare professionals. This contributes to limited involvement in assessment, treatment, and care. The older immigrants felt that they were not valued nor met as unique individuals. The findings indicate that health policy goals regarding patient participation and person-centered care are not met when older immigrants are patients. Consequently, the experiences of older adult immigrants in this study indicate that equal health services are at risk., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki [49]. This study was submitted to the Regional Committee for Medical and Health-Related Research Ethics in Mid Norway (No. 2019/988/REK-midt), which assessed and concluded that the project was exempt from the requirements of the Health Research Act [50]. The Norwegian Centre for Research Data (now named SIKT - Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research) approved that the processing of personal data complied with personal data legislation in Norway (No. 241115).All participants received written and verbal information regarding the study purpose and were given opportunities to ask questions about anything that was unclear or difficult to understand. It was made clear that participation was voluntary and that they could withdraw from the study at any time, without having to provide a reason. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the face-to-face interviews. For the telephone interviews, participants had to provide verbal informed consent prior to the interview by answering the following three questions: (i) whether they had received information about the project, (ii) whether the information was understood or if anything was unclear, and (iii) whether they voluntarily agreed to participate in the telephone interview. This was clarified and performed in accordance with guidelines from the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (No. 241115). Participants provided written informed consent following the telephone interviews. Confidentiality was safeguarded throughout the project to protect participants’ personal data. We ensured that encrypted audio recordings, consent forms, and personally identifiable information were kept in a locked cabinet in a locked office, separate from de-identified transcripts. We have been careful with using quotations and have created broad demographic categories, such as age and length of stay in Norway, to minimize the risk of participant identification. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Immigrants, and particularly immigrant men, are often stereotyped as untrustworthy in European societies. However, little research has examined how stereotypes of characteristics other than ethnicity might impact natives' perceptions of the trustworthiness of immigrants. Here, I test whether facial attractiveness, a trait associated with a variety of positive stereotypes, might modify ethnic biases in trustworthiness perceptions. I vary facial attractiveness and ethnicity using photo and name stimuli presented in a hypothetical "lost wallet" vignette, in which respondents assess the likelihood of the pictured man returning their lost wallet. Results from an German online panel survey indicate that while attractiveness has a modest positive effect on perceived trustworthiness, the value of attractiveness does not differ between ethnic majority German men and men with a Turkish migration background. Rather, the largest differences in the perceived trustworthiness of Turkish-origin men are found between respondents with inclusionary and exclusionary immigration attitudes, with inclusionary respondents reporting that Turkish-origin vignette persons are more trustworthy than ethnic majority German vignette persons. These results suggest that physical attractiveness does not act as a substantial moderator of ethnic biases in trustworthiness perceptions, but that immigration attitudes are highly relevant., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: Vaccination programs become increasingly crucial during migratory movements driven by conflict and other disruptions. This study aims to determine the prevalence of childhood vaccination hesitancy among Syrian parents under temporary protection and identify areas for targeted interventions., Method: A total of 227 Syrian parents attending three Immigrant Health Centers in Sultangazi were assessed using the Arabic version of the Parent Attitude about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) survey, conducted between October and December 2023., Results: The prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among these parents was found to be 10.6%. An inverse correlation was observed between maternal education level and vaccine hesitancy, indicating that higher education levels were associated with lower levels of hesitancy., Conclusion: The observed rate of vaccine hesitancy among Syrian parents under temporary protection underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions. Tailored vaccination strategies for immigrant populations are essential to improve immunization rates and ensure the health and well-being of these communities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: To compare the perspective of nurses, long-stay immigrants and cultural mediators on intercultural communication in care encounters., Design: Qualitative secondary analysis of data obtained in two primary studies., Methods: Two sets of data from two primary studies on nurses and long-stay immigrants (including in total two focus groups and 15 in-depth interviews) were merged. The sample was extended to include a focus group of cultural mediators. An amplified analysis was conducted using Charmaz's approach to grounded theory., Results: The results are structured under the core category "Agreements and discrepancies in intercultural communication," split into two subcategories: (1) Communication and the role of culture; (2) (Non) equitable and culturally (in)sensitive care. Immigrant patients and mediators detect barriers associated with generic aspects of communication, while nurses and mediators value culture. Nurses recognise paternalistic attitudes, while long-stay immigrants sometimes detect biased treatment that mediators do not see. Immigrant patients and mediators value informal conversation as a strategy for cultural learning and building mutual trust, while nurses request regulated training., Conclusion: The findings show that there are always discrepancies in this relationship. Changes to health care should be based on the participation of all actors. Communication skills training programs should be implemented., Implications for the Profession And/or Patient Care: The convergences and divergences of nurses, immigrants and mediators expose new ways to approach care. Communication skills training programs should be implemented. Changes to health care should be based on the participation of all actors, including immigrant patients and mediators, and allow them to voice their opinions and make decisions., Impact: This study addresses intercultural communication from three different perspectives: nurses, long-stay immigrants and cultural mediators. Nurses, long-stay immigrants and cultural mediators sometimes show convergence but never completely agree. The research may have an impact on primary-care nursing by making it more culturally competent., Patient or Public Contribution: Each participating long-stay immigrant, nurse and cultural mediator reviewed their own interview. The findings were reviewed by a verifier member of each group (a nurse, patient and mediator)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This paper examines encounters of mothers and their children with detention facility staff during our fieldwork in immigration detention centres in Canada. We sought to understand how detainees and institutional staff understand each other and their roles within the broader system. Using a critical ethnographic frame that views the inner psychic worlds of subjects as contingent upon larger systems of power and oppression we organize our data around narrative and content themes. Our findings suggest that guards and staff see their roles as protectors of children, even as they communicate implicitly that these families are risks. Further, we propose that staff tend to project the aggressor onto the Other, in this case, migrant mothers, as a way to cope with the moral distress of witnessing the suffering of detained children, and with the burden of potential complicity. By describing how empathy, denial and responsibility are negotiated in these custodial spaces, we analyze the ways these micropolitical encounters can illuminate larger trends in the representation and reception of migrants with important implications for mental health care and border control practices and policy more broadly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: While early diagnosis is fundamental to the development of children with developmental disabilities (DD), limited attention has been paid to immigrant parents' experience of early encounters with systems when they begin seeking supports for their children with DD. This study aimed to contribute to better understanding of immigrant parents' experiences of early encounters with services for families and children with suspected or diagnosed DD., Design: A longitudinal, qualitative approach was adopted. Over 12 months, multiple interviews were conducted with four immigrant families with children aged between two and four years who were attending a mobile playgroup offering early learning supports for children with suspected or diagnosed DD in communities with low access to formal supports. During the first three months of the study, families were accompanied by the first author on weekly visits to the playgroup. Participant observations and informal discussions with staff delivering early intervention supports via the playgroup provided further insight into families' initial and on-going encounters with services and supports. During the remaining nine months, multiple interviews were conducted with participating families, to document their on-going experiences and encounters with medical practitioners and therapists., Results: Thematic analysis of data generated four key themes: Initial encounters with medical professionals, Confusion and 'missed' diagnosis, Gaps in understanding, collaboration and communication, and Families' desire to learn and implement strategies., Conclusion: Families made concerted efforts to locate appropriate supports. They also faced barriers including a lack of openness and genuine consultation, particularly in their encounters with health professionals. These barriers resulted in a level of mistrust and detachment from formalised supports. Results highlight the critical importance for health professionals of 'tuning into' family concerns through relationship-based approaches, in order to establish shared understanding and mutual respect between professionals and families, particularly for immigrant families seeking support for their young children.

At a time when national identities are being reasserted in Western Europe alongside moral and intellectual visions of a cosmopolitan order more inclusive than nationalism, what does belonging mean for immigrants who are non-Europeans, particularly for women from South Asia, Africa and the Middle East? Based on the lived experiences of 23 women of diverse backgrounds, who are first-generation immigrants, regarding their experiences while accessing the healthcare system in Zurich, Switzerland, I illustrate through migrant experiences how Othering and belonging are experienced within the web of chaotic meanings and social space one navigates. By employing a phenomenological-sociological approach, I present how embodied migrant experiences can capture the experiences of being an 'Other', as well as how moral emotions such as shame and humiliation can influence one's moral self and its significance to everyday moral discourse. While much of the academic discourse around belonging focuses on a place and its related connectedness to one's racial, gender and ethnic identity, here, I analyse cosmopolitanism's possibilities through Othering/belonging experiences within the healthcare context, and beyond. I conclude this paper with the key contributions of the ethics of belonging to the normative discourse on migration health., (© 2024 The Author(s). Sociology of Health & Illness published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.)

Objective: To describe experiences of Latina women who were currently pregnant or recently gave birth around discrimination, anti-immigrant policies, and community violence during the early COVID-19 pandemic., Design: Qualitative secondary analysis., Setting: Online or phone interviews., Participants: Latina women who were currently pregnant or recently gave birth (N = 26)., Methods: We used reflexive thematic analysis to examine transcribed data from semistructured interviews conducted during the early COVID-19 pandemic with a subgroup of participants enrolled in a larger study related to prenatal care. Participants were English- or Spanish-speaking, Medicaid-eligible, Latina-identifying women who resided in Fresno County, California. We analyzed responses to questions about personal discrimination, the Black Lives Matter movement, and immigration policies using the theoretical frameworks of critical race theory and the political economy of health., Results: We identified four major themes: Avoidance of Community Engagement, Chronic Fear and Vigilance, The Role of Media, and Everyday Discrimination and Injustice., Conclusion: Participant experiences reflect the pervasiveness of fear and socioeconomic inequity and call attention to the racialized structures that affect health and health care access for Latina women. These exposures during the perinatal period may have intergenerational effects. These findings underscore the need for responsive and race-conscious perinatal nursing care for Latina women, assessment of the effect of the current sociopolitical environment on well-being, and policies that support equitable access to health and social care., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors report no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships., (Copyright © 2024 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Acculturation is a critical aspect of social experience for immigrants, including Asian immigrants. Existing literature has shown mixed findings on the health impacts of acculturation and largely relied on cross-sectional studies, preventing drawing definitive conclusions. This study aimed to examine the long-term effects of acculturation on depressive symptoms and activities of daily living (ADL) limitations in a large sample of older Chinese immigrants in the United States., Research Design and Methods: Data were drawn from 2,811 older Chinese immigrants from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago. Acculturation was assessed at baseline, and questionnaires on depressive symptoms and ADL limitations were completed at 4 assessments., Results: Overall, results showed that acculturation was not associated with depressive symptoms at baseline but was associated with a faster decline in depressive symptoms over time. No associations were found between acculturation and ADL limitations. Stratified analyses showed that the significant relationship between acculturation and a faster decline in depressive symptoms was only evident among female participants. Also, acculturation was associated with a lower risk of reporting ADL limitations at baseline in female participants but a higher risk of reporting ADL limitations in male participants., Discussion and Implications: This study indicates the long-term benefits of acculturation on mental health among older Chinese immigrants in the United States, particularly among females. Initiatives supporting the acculturation process need to consider sex disparities and individual preferences, aiming to foster sustained benefits for healthy aging in this population., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.)

Harlow's seminal work on the nature of attachment focused on the importance of warm, responsive, and loving relationships in children's healthy development. While the need for love and care is arguably universal, the ways in which these emotions are expressed can vary across cultural contexts. We examined how Chinese American parents' expressions of love were associated with children's attachment security. A total of 110 Chinese American immigrant parent-child dyads (children 7-11 years old, 49% girls) participated in 3-min conversations in which parents were instructed to communicate love and care. Proposition-level analyses in speech (total 8825 propositions) identified three types of affection: training (guan and chiao shun); relational affection (qin); and validation (acceptance and encouragement of child's own expression of emotion, thoughts, and behaviors). Higher training was observed in parents with lower American orientation and lower income. Higher relational affection was observed in parents with lower income. Higher validation was observed in parents with higher income. Using path analyses, training and validation were found to be positively associated with children's attachment security beyond parenting styles. Effects of parents' relational affection were moderated by children's American orientation. Results demonstrate how immigrant parents draw on multiple cultural scripts to express love and care. These findings expand traditional concepts of parental love in immigrant families and illustrate how bicultural expressions of love can shape attachment security in middle childhood. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/HqUfIDxkFsE RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Analyses of parent-child discussions identified three parental affection styles (i.e., training, relational affection, and validation) as expressions of love and care in Chinese American immigrant families. Training and validation were positively associated with children's attachment security. Relational affection was associated with lower attachment security for children with higher American cultural orientation, suggesting the effects of parent-child expressions of love are shaped by acculturation., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Patient experience is an important part of perinatal care quality. Migrant women in high-income countries often report more negative experiences than non-migrants, but evidence in Europe is patchy. In this study, we compared the experiences of two migrant populations with non-migrants, taking into account socioeconomic characteristics., Methods: We surveyed mothers born in Belgium, North-Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa (n = 877) using an adapted version of the Migrant-Friendly Maternity Care Questionnaire. Two patient experience scores were created using multiple correspondence analyses: a) information and communication with healthcare professionals and overall satisfaction with pregnancy care, and b) patient-centred aspects and satisfaction with delivery care. Through descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regressions we estimated the associations of maternal characteristics with each score., Results: Overall, positive experiences were reported in terms of communication (83 %) and patient-centred care (86 %). North African immigrants with low language proficiency had higher odds of negative communication experience (especially problems understanding information) (ORa: 2.30, 95 %CI 1.17-4.50), regardless of socioeconomic position. Among women with language barriers, 88 % were never offered a professional interpreter, relying on family members for translation. Patient-centred care was not associated with maternal birth region but was rated more negatively by older mothers, those with longer residence in Belgium, and higher majority-language proficiency., Conclusion: In Belgium, perinatal care experiences were generally positive, although communication with immigrants was suboptimal. Language barriers, single motherhood, and unstable housing increased communication issues. Our findings underline the necessity to improve information-exchange with immigrants and socioeconomically vulnerable women., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: The MAKASI intervention aimed to empower Sub-Saharan African immigrants living in precarious situations in the Paris metropolitan area. Because there are factors specifically related to immigration that may increase the risk for common mental disorders, the present study aimed to examine participants' levels of depression and loneliness and analyze the effect of the intervention on depression and loneliness., Methods: The MAKASI study was designed as a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial. Study participants were recruited through an outreach program led by a nongovernmental organization and randomly assigned to two clusters, with an intervention delay of 3 months between them. Participants were assessed for 6 months after inclusion and the effect of the intervention on depression and loneliness was assessed using generalized linear mixed models. The study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 and took in consideration whether being interviewed during one of the Covid-19 confinement had an effect on the results., Results: Between 2018 and 2021 a total of 821 subjects participated in the Makasi study. High levels of depression and loneliness were found in the study population. We found no effect of the intervention on depression [95% CI 0.77 to 2.40]. Similarly, no effect of the intervention was found on loneliness [95% CI 0.87 to 2.54]., Conclusions: The intervention tested did not appear to improve the level of depression and loneliness among participants. However, the high prevalence of mental and emotional problems in the study population suggests a public health crisis among immigrants in the greater Paris area., Clinical Trial Registration Number:  Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04468724 (July 13, 2020)., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the association between women's migrant status (majority, immigrant, descendant) and use of postpartum mental healthcare and investigate whether migration characteristics are associated with mental healthcare use., Methods: Retrospective cohort study. We included all mothers of children born between 2002 and 2018 in 34 municipalities of Denmark who had an identified mental health need as clinically assessed by a child health visitor (CHV) or by a score of 11 or more on the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Women were followed until the first mental healthcare received 2 years' postpartum, death or emigration. Using Cox regression models, we estimated the time to mental healthcare by migrant status and explored the role of migration characteristics., Results: A total of 29% of women ( n = 45,573) had a mental health need identified by the CHV, and 7% ( n = 4968) had an EPDS ⩾ 11. Immigrants accounted for 19.5%, and descendants for 4.7% of the sample. Immigrants were at lower risk of using mental healthcare than the majority group (CHV: hazard ratio adjusted (HRa) 0.75 (0.70-0.79), EPDS: HRa 0.67 (0.58-0.78)), as were descendants (CHV: HRa 0.77 (0.70-0.86), EPDS: HRa 0.69 (0.55-0.88)). Among migrants, those not refugees, newly arrived, whose partners were immigrants or descendants, and those originally from Africa showed a lower risk of using postpartum mental healthcare., Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the need to strengthen access to mental healthcare for immigrants and descendants experiencing postpartum mental health concerns and consider migration characteristics as indicators of potential inequalities in access to maternal mental healthcare ., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: When providing health information in a diverse society and during health crises, it is crucial that nurses can adapt their communication to immigrants, as this may have an impact on their health outcomes. This study seeks to identify how nurses experienced and assessed their communication and information work with immigrants during COVID-19 and to discuss measures to improve practice., Method: The study has an interpretive and explorative qualitative design, analyzing 10 semi-structured interviews with nurses from the municipal health service in Norway., Results: Three themes were created as follows: multilingual infection control teams and cooperation with volunteers, challenges when providing COVID-19 information, and the nurses' suggestions for improvements in the event of a new pandemic or other health crisis., Discussion: Nurses' cultural competence and their knowledge of immigrants' health literacy can help them understand how immigrants think and behave during illness. It is important that nurses use discretion during health crises., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs associated with Pap screening adherence among a sample of African American and sub-Saharan African immigrant women in the United States. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted via an online survey. Participants were recruited from central Kentucky counties. Ninety-one eligible women participated (mean age 38 ± 12 years), 49.5% identified as African American. Twenty-nine percent indicated never being screened or not being up-to-date. Self-reported demographic data, HBM constructs for Pap screening, and Pap screening history were collected. Bivariate and logistic regressions were performed. Results: There was a significant negative association between perceived barriers and being up-to-date. For every one-point increase in perceived barriers, the odds of being up-to-date decreased by 81%, ( p = 0.004; CI: 0.06-0.60), findings from further evaluation of the barrier construct showed that barriers significantly associated with screening include items related to lack of knowledge about where to get a Pap screening, lack of time to attend the screening, screening-associated shame and pain, negligence, and age. There were no other significant HBM constructs associated with up-to-date Pap screening status. There was no difference in perceived barriers between African American and sub-Saharan African women. Conclusions: Despite public health efforts to decrease screening barriers, a perception of barriers exists among Black women. Continued efforts to address screening barriers as well as the perception of barriers are warranted among Black women.

Given the significance of heritage cultural identity for optimal adolescent development, it is imperative to investigate factors influencing the efficacy of interventions aimed at promoting heritage cultural identity. Using latent profile cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regressions, this longitudinal study examined how autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction at school (1) related to heritage cultural identity development trajectories, and (2) moderated effects of a school-based intervention. The study included N = 198 adolescents (M age  = 12.86 years, SD age  = 0.75, 52% female, 41% immigrant descent, 49% intervention group) in Germany. Teacher-student relationships played an important role in facilitating intervention effects on identity development trajectories, emphasizing the importance of the relational context when implementing school-based interventions to promote heritage cultural identity development., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Students changing classrooms or schools may face challenges from entering a new peer context without friends and standing out from the crowd as newcomers. Two studies examined whether newcomer status predicts peer victimization at school, exploring several potential moderating factors (e.g., social anxiety, immigrant background and having good friends in the classroom) (Study 1: n = 6,199; M age =12.53) and whether being victimized as a newcomer varied based on the different reasons for mobility (e.g., parental dissolution, residential move, previous victimization, changing into a more suitable school) (Study 2: n = 58,738). In both studies, newcomers reported higher peer victimization compared to established students. Having good friends in the classroom was found as a protective factor in Study 1, being the only statistically significant moderator. All reasons for mobility, except changing into a more suitable school, predicted slightly higher peer victimization in Study 2, with the highest risk for those changing schools due to previous peer victimization experiences., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethical Standards Ethical Approval This multi-sample study was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the recommendations of the Ethics Board of University of Turku. We have reported how we determined our analytical sample in both studies, including all data exclusions and manipulations. Fully anonymized data sets and analysis codes are available from the first author upon reasonable request. This study was not pre-registered., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

While both the classroom cultural diversity climate and curriculum-based interventions can promote cultural identity development, they have not been studied together. Drawing on theories of ethnic-racial identity development, the current study aimed to understand the dynamic interplay of a curriculum-based intervention (the Identity Project) with the classroom cultural diversity climate (heritage culture and intercultural learning, critical consciousness socialization and equal treatment) on cultural identity exploration and resolution. Our sample included 906 mid-adolescents in Italy (32.36% immigrant descent, M age (SD) = 15.12 (0.68) years, 51.73% female), and 504 early adolescents in Germany (53.86% immigrant descent, M age (SD) = 12.82 (0.89) years, 42.37% female). Bayesian multivariate linear models show that the Identity Project and a stronger critical consciousness climate in the classroom before the intervention promoted cultural identity exploration at post-test in both countries. However, effects of the intervention and facets of the diversity climate on subsequent resolution were only observed in Italy. There was some evidence that the intervention could alter the classroom cultural diversity climate in Germany, while the intervention could compensate for a less positive diversity climate in the slightly older sample in Italy. Thus, it seems promising to systematically build in opportunities to engage with students' diverse heritage cultures and identities when developing new curricula, as well as to train teachers to implement such curricula., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Stressful experiences are common among migrants and may have health implications. With the only US nationally representative data set on migration, the New Immigrant Survey, we used survey-adjusted descriptive and multivariate regression methods to examine whether victimization prior to resettlement was associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and chronic lung disease. Among foreign-born people who obtained lawful permanent residence in the US in 2003-04, 6.7 per cent reported victimization before arriving in the US. Those who had experienced victimization more often suffered from chronic conditions than people without such experiences: they were 32 per cent more likely to suffer from at least one chronic condition ( p  < 0.05), especially cancer (4.36, p  < 0.05), arthritis (1.77, p  < 0.01), and cardiovascular disease (odds ratio 1.32, p  < 0.05). These relationships were in part mediated by differences in healthcare access after arriving in the US between those who had experienced victimization and those who had not. Victimization may have consequences for integration and later-life chronic disease.

Purpose: The Arab experience is understudied because until 2024 Arabs were categorized as White on the U.S. Census, leading to diminished documentation of their personal experiences. There is also little understanding of the Arab experience and its intersectionality with gender, being an international medical graduate (IMG), and working in academia. The authors studied the experience of Arab women IMGs working in the U.S. academic system., Method: This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze in-depth interview data from 20 first-generation U.S. immigrant Arab women who were IMGs. Interpretative phenomenologicalanalysis involved data familiarization, immersion, and coding. Codes were grouped into potential themes on the participants' experience. The authors explored connections between the themes and engaged in reflexive practice through memo writing and team meetings. The study was performed from November 2022-May 2023., Results: The experiences of the 20 first-generation U.S. immigrant Arab women IMGs were as diverse as the Arab identity itself but congruent with some documented IMG experiences. Political turmoil, desire for new opportunities, and career goals were all reasons that led them to emigrate, but cultural differences, isolation from their home countries, and missing family were central to their experiences. Muslim women wearing the hijab or those with heavy accents faced more microaggressions and xenophobia in academic clinical settings. Those in environments that embraced their differences and supported them described less discrimination. They all felt, nonetheless, that they benefited from training in the United States. However, they noted room for improving cultural humility in residencies and the need for a more inclusive workplace., Conclusions: This study highlights the visible and invisible challenges that affect Arab women IMGs' experience in the United States. Program directors and department leaders should try to learn about the backgrounds of IMGs and current geopolitical events that might affect IMGs and extend support., (Copyright © 2024 the Association of American Medical Colleges.)

Immigrants may experience many psychosocial problems when migrating from a home to a host country, including social isolation. Social exclusion is also important among the problems experienced by immigrants. This study aims to determine the factors affecting Afghan immigrants' perceived social exclusion in Türkiye. Accordingly, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 211 Afghan immigrants (M age  = 30.66, SD = 9), 24% of whom were females. The socio-demographic information form, social exclusion scale, self-esteem rating scale, and life satisfaction scale were used to collect data in this study. The findings showed that Turkish language proficiency, the length of residence in Türkiye, working status in Türkiye, life satisfaction, and negative self-esteem were predictor factors for social exclusion. Considering the results, suggestions to decision-makers and mental health professionals to reduce the perceived social exclusion of Afghan immigrants are discussed., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. undocumented immigrants were at heightened risk of contracting COVID-19, with many of them being "frontline essential workers" and residing in crowded living spaces. Given undocumented immigrants' elevated susceptibility to contracting COVID-19 at the peak of uncertainty surrounding the virus, we used the structural influence model of communication to explore: (1) how undocumented immigrants acquired information about COVID-19; (2) how they assessed information trustworthiness and accuracy; (3) their perceptions of COVID-19; and (4) how they prevented or managed COVID-19. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 46 Latina/o/x/e undocumented immigrants residing in California, we found four key themes: (1) (dis)trust in traditional media as participants relied heavily on social media for COVID-19 information; (2) weak and strong ties played a crucial role in co-constructing health outcomes with different levels of organization; (3) learning about COVID-19 through (in)direct experiences; and (4) coping through health literacy and cultural beliefs. The study's findings can inform future efforts to reach highly-vulnerable immigrant communities during a crisis (or different outbreaks in COVID-19 variants), and hopefully, help reduce health inequities.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem. In Spain, although the prevalence of IPV is greater in immigrant women than in Spanish-born women, immigrant women seem to access services to a lesser extent. This study aimed to explore and compare perceptions of barriers to and strategies for seeking formal help among Spanish-born and immigrant women IPV survivors. A qualitative study was conducted based on three focus groups with women of Spanish (n = 9), Romanian (n = 4), and Latin American (n = 4) origin. The thematic analysis was supported by Atlas.ti. Three categories and 12 subcategories were identified: general characteristics of help-seeking behavior (e.g., children as the main motivating factor), barriers (e.g., immigrant status, fear of the perpetrator), and strategies for accessing services (e.g., increasing education). Differences in help-seeking behavior were found between groups. Relevant information for professionals to improve women's access to IPV support services is provided., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Language barriers have been identified as a key access barrier to healthcare services for immigrants. The aim of this study was twofold: to investigate immigrants' and healthcare professionals' experiences with barriers and facilitators of interpreter services, and to examine the influence of barriers to interpreter services on the quality of care from immigrant and healthcare professional perspectives., Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, SocINDEX and PsycINFO, resulting in 1425 studies. A total of 21 original quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies published between 1996 and 2021 were assessed as eligible for inclusion., Results: Identified barriers included: lack of immediately available interpreter services, cost, lack of knowledge about availability, and attitude towards interpreter services. Facilitators included: a high number of interpreters in the requested language, awareness among healthcare professionals and patients of the patient's rights to interpreters, and a positive attitude towards use of interpreter services. Regarding quality of care, language barriers created safety risks for the patients, made patients feel unsafe, or delayed patient contact with the healthcare system., Conclusions: Immigrant patients and healthcare professionals experience barriers in using interpreter services due to restrictive policies regarding user fees and limitations to entitlement to interpreters, a limited number of qualified interpreters and lack of knowledge. Medical encounters with unaddressed language barriers can put patients at risk and reduce quality of care for immigrants, which calls for strengthening formal and informal access to interpreters ., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Aims: Among international immigrants, health changes by duration of residence are commonly interpreted as an expression of acculturation to the receiving country context. This study compares changes in immigrants' health risk behaviors by duration of residence to changes by acculturation levels, in order to assess whether duration of residence can be regarded as a proxy for acculturation., Methods: Using data from a previous systematic review, we identified 17 quantitative studies examining changes in alcohol, tobacco and drug use, physical inactivity, and diet by both duration of residence and acculturation level in the same population. We compared the directionality and consistency of these associations through tabulation and vote counting., Results: The majority of studies reported no or inconsistent changes in health risk behaviors by duration of residence versus by acculturation, including with opposite directionality. Four studies reported significant estimates with consistent directionality, while five reported consistent, non-significant estimates., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that duration of residence should not be used as a proxy for acculturation when studying health risk behaviors among immigrants. Researchers should consider additional time-dependent factors to explain behavioral changes by duration of residence ., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: While the individual impacts of long-term residence and food insecurity on overweight/obesity are well-documented, their combined effect on immigrants' weight status is less understood. This study examines the interaction between length of residence and food insecurity in predicting overweight/obesity among immigrants and investigates whether this relationship is gender-specific., Design: A national cross-sectional survey., Setting: The 2017-2018 Canadian Community Health Survey., Subjects: Immigrants aged 18 and older (N = 13 680)., Measures: All focal variables were self-reported., Analysis: Logistic regression models were employed., Results: Long-term immigrants were more likely to report overweight/obesity than their short-term counterparts (OR = 1.39; P < .001). Moreover, immigrants from food-insecure households were at a higher risk of reporting overweight/obesity (OR = 1.27; P < .05) compared to those from food-secure households. The analysis further revealed that food insecurity exacerbated the detrimental association between length of residence and overweight/obesity in men (OR = 2.63; P < .01) but not in women (OR = .66; P > .05)., Conclusion: The findings suggest that long-term immigrant men may be especially susceptible to the compounded chronic stressors of extended residence and food insecurity. Health professionals and policymakers should advocate for psychosocial resources to help mitigate these adverse effects and support the well-being of immigrant populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

A higher prevalence of depression is found among patients with a migration background within the Belgian population. Nevertheless, this group is underrepresented in ambulant and residential mental health care services. Since general practitioners (GPs) have a crucial gatekeeping role, this led some researchers to investigate the possibility of a provider bias influencing GPs' assessment and referral of depressed patients with a migration background. However, GPs' accounts may be influenced by wider professional discourses present at the policy level, which are inevitably linked to institutions regulating the conduct of GPs. Therefore, this study applied a Foucauldian discourse analysis (a) to identify broader professional discourses in Belgian policy documents regarding patients with a migration background and depression in general practices, (b) to examine how patients with a migration background are discursively positioned and (c) to investigate which different balances of power in the relationship between GPs and patients with a migration background are demonstrated in the identified discourses. We identified three recurring discourses: (a) the othering discourse, (b) the health literacy discourse, and (c) the person-centred discourse . Our analysis demonstrated that the former two discourses illustrate the perpetuation of a biomedical discourse. While the last discourse is aligned with a counter-discourse associated with the person-centred care model in health care. Consequently, our analysis demonstrated the construction of a contradictory discursive framework throughout the various policy documents on which GPs might rely when speaking about patients with a migration background suffering from depression., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: There is a high burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in West Africa. Over the past 20 years, West African immigration to the United States (U.S.) has been increasing. Prevalence of HBV infection in West Africa has been reported to be as high as 5-10%., Methods: We sought to understand knowledge and attitudes of and barriers and facilitators to HBV screening, vaccination, and treatment in a cohort of West African immigrants in the Bronx living with or at risk for HBV through a series of one-on-one qualitative interviews. We interviewed 23 West African immigrants and analyzed transcripts for recurring themes using Applied Thematic Analysis. We situated our analysis in the socioecological model (SEM) and adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ)., Results: Multiple themes emerged, most prominently themes relating to HBV knowledge/awareness, trust in U.S. healthcare providers and the U.S. healthcare system, positive social support improving healthcare access, knowledge sharing, stigma towards those with HBV, issues concerning immigration status, insurance status, and access to healthcare services., Conclusion: Raising awareness of HBV, addressing social and structural barriers such as stigma and health insurance, and improving access to culturally sensitive programs among West African communities are needed to increase HBV screening, vaccination, and linkage to care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Prenatal care provides pregnant women with repeated opportunities for prevention, screening and diagnosis that have no current extension to future fathers. It also contributes to women's general better access to health. The goal of PARTAGE study was to evaluate the level and determinants of adherence to a prenatal prevention consultation dedicated to men., Methods: Between January 2021 and April 2022, we conducted a monocentric interventional study in Montreuil hospital. We assessed the acceptance of a prenatal prevention consultation newly offered to every future father, through their pregnant partner's prior consent to provide their contact details., Results: Three thousand thirty-eight women provided contact information used to reach the fathers; effective contact was established with 2,516 men, of whom 1,333 (53%) came for prenatal prevention consultation. Immigrant men were more likely to come than French-born men (56% versus 49%, p < 0·001), and the more they faced social hardship, the more likely they were to accept the offer. In multivariate analysis, men born in Subsaharan Africa and Asia were twice as likely to attend the consultation as those born in Europe or North America., Conclusion: Acceptance of this new offer was high. Moreover, this consultation was perceived by vulnerable immigrant men as an opportunity to integrate a healthcare system they would have otherwise remained deprived of., Trial Registration: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov, US National Library of Medicine https://classic., Clinicaltrials: gov/ct2/show/NCT05085717 Clinical Trial number:  NCT05085717 . Date of registration: 20/10/2021., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: According to the World Health Organization report, immigrants are at increased risk of malnutrition. Nutritional deficiencies in pregnancy are a public health concern and around 20 to 30 percent of pregnant women suffer from it worldwide. There has not been any investigation about the effect of any intervention on improving nutritional intake in pregnant Afghan immigrant women. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on food intake in pregnant Afghan immigrant women., Methods: A semi-experimental study study was conducted on 116 Afghan immigrant pregnant women who have the inclusion criteria, were referred to health center No. 2 in Mashhad, Iran in June 2022 until February 2023, and were randomly assigned to the intervention (56) and control (56) groups. The demographic, HBM questionnaire and the standard 24-h food reminder questionnaire were the research tools. The intervention consisted of four sessions of 45-60 min of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model in groups of 8-10 people. The questionnaires were completed before, immediately, and one month after the intervention by the research units. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 21 software., Results: The intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D increased in the intervention group immediately and one month after the intervention significantly compared to before the intervention (P < 0.05). Although all these nutrients intake had a significant decrease in control group women (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: Nutrition education based on the health belief model is effective in the nutritional intake of Afghan immigrant pregnant women. According to the importance of getting enough nutrients in pregnancy and its effects on the mother and fetus's health, nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model model is suggested for these mothers., Trial Registration: It is registered in the Iranian clinical trials database under the code: IRCT20220629055312N1, Date of first registration: 25/07/2022., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: To examine the relationship between acculturation, cultural perceptions surrounding mental health (MH) burden and utilization of MH services among South Asian (SA) adults in the United States., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Online survey., Participants: Four hundred five SA adults (≥18 years old) residing in the United States., Methods: Cross-sectional study of acculturation, attitudes toward MH burden, and MH service utilization was conducted via online survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to understand how these factors were associated with MH service utilization., Main Outcome Measure: Utilization of MH services., Results: Among the 405 participants, 49.0% identified as immigrants (75.1% Indian, 8% Bangladeshi, 5.5% Pakistani, and 3.8% from other SA countries). Current utilization of MH services was associated with comfort conversing in English (odds ration [OR]=5.99; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.63, 27.02), having English-speaking peers (OR=3.80; 95% CI=1.12, 12.93), and having family (OR=2.37; 95% CI=1.21, 4.64) and peers (OR=5.64; 95% CI=1.71, 18.66) who used MH services. Participants with mostly SA peers (OR=0.48; 95% CI=0.23, 0.97) reported lower lifetime MH service utilization, and those with positive perceptions about MH burden reported higher lifetime utilization (OR=1.04; 95% CI=1.01, 1.09)., Conclusions: Comfort expressing emotions in English, knowledge of family/peer MH service use, and type of social connections were associated with MH service utilization among SA immigrants. Interventions should aim to increase SA languages in which MH services are offered and to engage with SA communities to increase acceptance of MH service utilization., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest reported by the authors.

Knowledge of Mexican immigrant sleep health is limited. We investigated the association between acculturation, depression, and having trouble sleeping among a nationally representative sample of Mexican immigrant adults. We used a logistic regression model on cross-sectional data from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on 2,670 non-U.S.-born Mexican adults aged ≥18 years old. Living in the U.S. for ≥10 years (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.18; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.39-3.41), speaking majority English (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.00-2.64), and mild (AOR = 2.70; 95% CI = 1.82-4.02), moderate (AOR = 3.96; 95% CI = 2.53-6.19), and moderately severe/severe (AOR = 5.75; 95% CI = 3.08-10.75) depression levels were associated with having trouble sleeping. Non-U.S. citizenship status was associated with lower odds of having trouble sleeping (AOR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.43-0.88). Greater acculturation and depression are associated with higher odds of having trouble sleeping. We provide new knowledge on how citizenship status may be linked to the sleep health of Mexican immigrant communities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.)

Immigrant newcomers and refugees (INRs) are two migrant categories that experience consistent systemic barriers to settlement and integration in Canada as older adults. This paper explores the challenges experienced by Arabic-speaking INR older adults in Edmonton, Canada, during settlement and discusses policy and service implications. A qualitative description study using community-based participatory research principles was implemented to evaluate and support digital literacy in Arabic-speaking INR older adults. We included men and women aged 55 and older who identified as immigrants or refugees and spoke Arabic. Experiences of settlement challenges were consistently identified during data collection and engagement of INR older adult participants. A thematic sub-analysis of interviews with (10 individuals and one couple) of participants' narratives was completed in 2022 and was used to identify themes related to settlement barriers for this population. Two main themes were identified: (1) Limited English skills and digital literacy gaps create service barriers for INR older adults, and (2) Gaps in services and policies as basic needs remain unmet. We describe key challenges experienced by INR older adults, such as language barriers, precarious finances, poor access to health care services and lack of transportation and employment opportunities, which hinder successful integration into the new society. This study showcases the ongoing challenges with early settlement and integration that continue despite Canada's well-developed immigration settlement landscape. INR older adults often remain invisible in policy, and understanding their experiences is a first step to addressing their needs for resources that support healthy aging in the post-migration context., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Nisa et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: People with structural vulnerabilities (including immigrants, people who use drugs, and those who are unhoused or uninsured) are more likely to experience COVID-19 testing disparities relative to other groups. We documented barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 testing and explored how structural vulnerabilities created and/or exacerbated COVID-19 testing barriers., Methods: Between 2021 and 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 34 members of structurally vulnerable populations and 27 key informants who provide health and social services to them. Our abductive analysis was iterative, utilizing both inductive and deductive coding processes. Recognizing that adequate and appropriate testing for COVID-19 is a complex health behavior that involves both decision-making and issues related to access, we developed a hybrid model of COVID-19 testing behavior to organize reported barriers. We then used that model for more in-depth analysis of structural vulnerabilities in the context of testing., Results: Our model of testing behaviors provides a framework for understanding the many barriers and facilitators relevant to COVID-19 testing. After identifying locally-reported barriers, we found that specific conditions-economic precarity, legal precarity, the confusing U.S. healthcare landscape, English-exclusive environments, and stigmatizing medical encounters-make adequate and appropriate testing less likely by making COVID-19 testing feel riskier (entailing legal, financial, and psycho-social risks) and making healthcare, and thus vicariously testing, more difficult to access., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed disparities in health care delivery. To avoid under-testing and its associated health consequences during the next pandemic, public health efforts should address structural conditions to ameliorate risks and bolster testing infrastructure to improve access., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kohut, Sclar, Nicoll, Fernandes, Volkers, Tucker, Jacobs and Fairfield.)

Background: The use of machine learning (ML) in mental health (MH) research is increasing, especially as new, more complex data types become available to analyze. By examining the published literature, this review aims to explore the current applications of ML in MH research, with a particular focus on its use in studying diverse and vulnerable populations, including immigrants, refugees, migrants, and racial and ethnic minorities., Methods: From October 2022 to March 2024, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and PubMed were queried. ML-related, MH-related, and population-of-focus search terms were strung together with Boolean operators. Backward reference searching was also conducted. Included peer-reviewed studies reported using a method or application of ML in an MH context and focused on the populations of interest. We did not have date cutoffs. Publications were excluded if they were narrative or did not exclusively focus on a minority population from the respective country. Data including study context, the focus of mental healthcare, sample, data type, type of ML algorithm used, and algorithm performance were extracted from each., Results: Ultimately, 13 peer-reviewed publications were included. All the articles were published within the last 6 years, and over half of them studied populations within the US. Most reviewed studies used supervised learning to explain or predict MH outcomes. Some publications used up to 16 models to determine the best predictive power. Almost half of the included publications did not discuss their cross-validation method., Conclusions: The included studies provide proof-of-concept for the potential use of ML algorithms to address MH concerns in these special populations, few as they may be. Our review finds that the clinical application of these models for classifying and predicting MH disorders is still under development., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: South Asians (SA) represent the fastest growing US immigrant group, and previous studies have indicated that they face disproportionately high burden of cardiometabolic disease. Cardiometabolic disease manifests as a syndemic or synergistic epidemic encompassing multiple disease clusters influenced by biological, social, and psychological factors stemming from the acculturative process. This process may exacerbate morbidity within immigrant subgroups. Our aim was to identify cardiometabolic risk profiles among SA using indicators of acculturation., Methods: We conducted a latent class analysis on data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study ( N =771). A composite cardiometabolic disease outcome was constructed using prevalent hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and body mass index. Acculturation indicators included years living in the US, English language proficiency, dietary behaviors, preservation of cultural traditions, social and neighborhood support, maintenance of social relationships (i.e., friendships), and experiences of discrimination, along with proxies of acculturative stress (i.e., depressive symptomology, trait anxiety and anger). Social and environmental determinants of health, health behaviors, religiosity and spirituality served as covariates to further assess latent class membership., Results: Four cardiometabolic risk profiles emerged: (1) lowest risk [73.8% of sample] characterized by high integration into both SA and US cultures; (2) the modest risk [13.4% of sample], exhibiting elevated levels of mental health distress and experiences of discrimination, and distancing themselves from both cultures; and the (3) moderate risk [8.9% of sample] and (4) highest risk [3.9% of sample], demonstrating greater assimilation into US culture. Compared to the lowest risk profile: the modest risk profile was associated with low-income and conflicting attitudes about religion/spirituality, while the moderate risk profile was characterized by lower income and educational attainment with positive behaviors and attitudes toward religion/spirituality., Conclusion: Findings expand our understanding of immigrant cardiometabolic health as a syndemic issue wherein multiple co-occurring and interacting processes synergize to produce negative outcomes in already at-risk subpopulations. Furthermore, acculturation emerges as a crucial factor in understanding health disparities among immigrant and refugee groups in the US., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Montiel Ishino, Canenguez, Cohen, Kent, Villalobos, Needham, Kandula, Kanaya, Shields and Williams.)

Background: Among the many pressing concerns of the Somali-American community, and other similar immigrant and refugee communities as they grow in the United States, is the provision of care for older adults and adults with disabilities. The implications of effective caregiving range from the facilitation of community building and place-making to the delivery and management of healthcare on a systemic level. However, little is currently known about Somali-American family caregivers, including their duties and responsibilities, primary concerns, and the impacts of surrounding influences on their ability to fulfill their role., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Somali-American family caregivers in Somali language. The resulting transcripts were translated into English by a professional interpreter and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. A key informant from the community was additionally consulted for insights regarding cultural nuances and interpretations of idiomatic expressions and concepts., Results: Thematic analysis of the reports revealed the principal themes of visitation, patient accompaniment, and self-sacrifice through acceptance and God-consciousness as pervasive and salient concerns across participants. Furthermore, the heightened stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed just how severe the consequences can be when access to culturally habituated navigational tools and coping mechanisms are restricted., Conclusions: In light of our findings, the growing concern for discrimination and sociocultural discord in the Somali-American community presents a particularly prescient threat to the well-being and sustainability of family caregivers. Their experiences must be understood and used to promote education and partnership between the healthcare system and the community in order to build trust and ensure a healthy future for this indispensable population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Malaria disease is one of the most dangerous protozoan parasitic infections with a high mortality rate in developing countries. Malaria is a public health issue, especially in Hormozgan province, and is highly affected by foreign immigrants (Pakistani and Afghani); thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of an intervention based on the health belief model (HBM) on the promotion of malaria prevention behaviors in Afghani immigrants over the age of 18. The participants resided in Persian city in Hormozgan province., Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 200 Afghans immigrants over 18 years of age who visited four comprehensive health service centers in Parsian city, south of Iran in June until December 2023. Sampling was by cluster method. In this way, the health centers were considered as clusters, and then 4 centers were randomly selected from among them (two centers of the control group and two centers of the intervention group) and participants were selected by a systematic random method by list of records in the National Integrated Health Record System (called SIB) (100participants control group, 100 participants intervention group). The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire based on the HBM before and after the educational intervention An educational program was designed and implemented to promote preventive behaviors against malaria in five sessions using different strategies and based on the HBM for the intervention group. The data were analyzed using independent-samples T-test, paired-samples T-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, analysis of covariance and linear regression. All statistical analyses and hypothesis testing were done in IBM SPSS version 25, at a significance level of 0.05., Results: In the intervention group, there was a significant difference in the mean scores of knowledge (6.48, 95% CI: 5.9,7.05), perceived susceptibility (10.57, 95% CI: 10.03, 11.1), perceived severity (16.61, 95% CI: 15.83, 16.83), perceived self-efficacy (18.26, 95% CI: 17.55, 18.96), perceived benefits (15.43, 95% CI: 14.68, 16.17), perceived barriers (-22.49, 95% CI: -23.63, -21.30), cues to action (15.06, 95% CI: 14.36, 15.75), and preventive behaviors (20.05, 95% CI: 19.44, 20.65), before and after the educational intervention. P-value < 0.001. The regression analysis showed that the constructs of perceived susceptibility (T = 4.72, P < 0.001), cues to action (T = 5.30, P < 0.001)and perceived self-efficacy (T = 4.93, P < 0.001) led to the greatest change in malaria prevention behaviors(R-Square = 0.549)., Conclusion: The present findings showed that the HBM -based intervention was effective in preventive behaviors against malaria in Afghans. It is recommended to design suitable educational interventions in order to increase the perceived susceptibility, cues to action and self-efficacy in order to improve preventive behaviors against malaria in Afghans., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The study aimed to explore whether the 1-in-X bias is also present in relation to immigration growth rates. We tested this research question on a representative sample of adult residents in Trento, Italy, between March and April 2019. Participants were presented with data comparing the foreign immigrant-to-resident population ratio in Italy for 2001 (1 in 40) and 2011 (1 in 15), using two distinct formats-1-in-X and percentages. They were then asked to express the perceived increase. Baseline measures of several individual-level factors, including cultural worldviews, perceptions of immigration, numeracy, science literacy, and economic literacy, were also collected to explore the potential role of individual differences in influencing the effect of the 1-in-X format on the perceived increase in immigrants. The results confirmed the existence of the 1-in-X bias, demonstrating that the immigration growth rate in the 1-in-X format was perceived as higher than in the percentage format, even after controlling for the effects of the idiosyncratic variables. The results of this study provide insight into how different numerical formats can influence public perceptions of immigration growth rates, offering suggestions to policymakers, communicators, and stakeholders about how the presentation of information can shape public opinion., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Dickson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Recently, an increasing number of immigrants and asylum seekers and refugees (ASRs) have settled in both Canada and the United States. The poor oral health status prevalent among this population is a significant issue. Oral health professionals in both countries should understand newcomers' experiences with oral health care services to become more culturally competent. This narrative review aims to explore the experiences of immigrants and ASRs with oral health care in Canada and the United States and identify research gaps for future qualitative studies., Methods: This review was conducted from January to April 2024 using Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the PRISMA-ScR guideline. Four electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, DOSS, and EMBASE) were searched using keywords grouped under 2 themes: "immigrants" and "oral health service." Only peer-reviewed qualitative articles published in English within the last 10 years were selected., Results: Of 1349 original studies identified, 8 articles were included and reviewed. Three main themes emerged from newcomers' perspectives on their experience with oral health care in Canada and the United States: quality of care and professional behaviours, concerns about pediatric oral health care, and challenges in accessing care., Discussion and Conclusion: There is a need to improve cultural sensitivity and cross-cultural communication skills curricula in professional oral health education. Furthermore, making dental insurance more affordable, clarifying coverage for newcomers, and promoting collaboration between stakeholders and policymakers are essential to addressing the oral health concerns of immigrants and ASRs. Future research should prioritize primary interviews to gain more insights into newcomers' experiences when accessing oral health care., Competing Interests: The author has declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 CDHA | ACHD.)

In recent years, numerous scholars have advocated for the concept of embodiment-defined as the experience of engaging one's body with the world (Allan, 2005; Piran & Teall, 2012)-as a valuable framework for understanding women's experiences of their bodies. However, there is a paucity of research on embodiment specifically among newcomer women (including immigrants, refugees, and non-permanent residents) who belong to racialized groups in Canada. This article presents findings from a feminist research study employing an Arts-Based Engagement Ethnography (ABEE) methodology to investigate the embodiment experiences of six racialized newcomer women in Canada. The study reveals several unique factors influencing embodiment in this demographic, suggesting that future research, clinical practice, and social justice efforts should consider these factors both conceptually and methodologically., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: Hispanic/Latinx youth vary in their immigration heritage (e.g., country of origin, familial migration history, etc.) and the structure of their communities. This study is a qualitative exploration of Hispanic/Latinx youth experiences of cultural stress in Miami and Los Angeles in 2021., Method: A total of 23 Hispanic/Latinx adolescents in Los Angeles (n = 12) and Miami (n = 11) provided in-depth interviews to assess: (a) appraisals of family immigration history and (b) experiences across three cultural stressors: sociopolitical, language brokering, and intragroup marginalization. Interviews were analyzed using a general inductive analytic approach and case comparison methodology to assess differences across sites., Results: For appraisals of family immigration history, gratitude and hope emerged as positive emotions experienced when youth reflected on their immigrant origins. Miami participants reported perceived worsening of sociopolitical stress as a result of changes in political administration whereas participants in Los Angeles felt a sense of relief. Participants in Miami and Los Angeles reported similar strengths and challenges in language brokering with COVID-19 variedly impacting youth's perceived language brokering stress. Last, to youth intragroup marginalization experienced from family members was experienced as more detrimental than from peers, and they reported the use of cognitive reframes to cope., Conclusion: Cultural stressors are dynamic and diverse. This study further informs cultural stress theory by cataloging how families' immigration history and national current events inform experiences of stress among youth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Immigrants, and the children of immigrants, are exposed to unique stressors rooted in both (a) the need to balance their heritage culture with the destination culture and (b) the widespread framing of immigrants as real and/or existential threats to the destination society. Seeking to better conceptualize these unique cultural stressors, and to better understand the mechanisms and protective factors, several lines of research have converged, leading to the development of cultural stress theory (CST). This introduction provides an overview CST, starting with its theoretical roots, then proceeding to its key tenets. In addition, and serving as an overall framework for the articles included in this special issue, we outline key directions for future research on cultural stress, highlighting how the articles within this special issue serve to expand CST in important new ways and directions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective: African immigrants in the United States have unique experiences and stressors, resulting in diverse outcomes and disparities. As such, examining the effects of cultural stressors (e.g., discrimination, the negative context of reception, bicultural stress) on immigrant populations' mental health can provide a useful framework for explaining and identifying malleable targets to reduce African immigrants' health disparities. This review mapped conceptual and methodological knowledge of cultural stress in African immigrants by applying the cultural stress theoretical framework to reveal (a) what we currently know about the impact of cultural stressors on African immigrants' mental health and (b) coping strategies African immigrants utilize to persist in achieving positive health outcomes., Method: Conforming to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Review guidelines, this scoping review spans five interdisciplinary, health-focused databases and includes peer-reviewed articles published in English since 1980., Results: Covidence software was used to screen 2095 articles, review 129 full-text records, and extract data from the 22 studies that met criteria and focused on mental health. Participant and study characteristics (i.e., country of origin, generation, methodology, duration) are highlighted. The impact of discrimination on African immigrants' mental health was the dominant research focus. Congruent with cultural stress theory, negative context, bicultural stress, and immigration-related familial stress also negatively impact their mental health. Nevertheless, African immigrants utilize various coping strategies to achieve positive outcomes., Conclusions: Mapping the existing evidence of immigrant cultural stress and mental health elucidates gaps for research and demonstrates that culturally relevant interventions ought to address immigration-related stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

In the context of international migration, intergroup contact has been widely recognised as a strategy for enhancing host populations' positive attitudes towards immigrants. However, the moderating factors that influence this association have been relatively understudied. In this research, we propose that generalised trust plays a significant role as a moderator in the relationship between the quality and quantity of intergroup contact and the positive attitudes of Chileans towards Peruvian and Venezuelan immigrants. We hypothesize that both types of contact will be associated with more positive attitudes towards immigrants in hosts with generalised trust (vs. no generalised trust). Using a sample of 916 Chilean participants, we conducted a linear regression analysis to test our hypotheses, and results show us a moderation effect only with contact quality. These findings have theoretical and practical implications, particularly in understanding how the moderation effect of generalised trust can contribute to improving intergroup attitudes., (© 2024 International Union of Psychological Science.)

Background: South Asian gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in the United States have been persistently overlooked in HIV research and programming. To address this limitation, this article describes their HIV-related knowledge, risk perception, and minority stressors, with a focus on identifying variations between American-born individuals and immigrants., Methods: Participants were recruited from April-July 2022 through social media advertising and peer referral and surveyed about their sociodemographic and HIV-related behavioral characteristics. Previously validated scales were used to assess their HIV-related knowledge, risk perception, disclosure of sexual identity, experienced homophobia, and perceived racism within the sexual and gender minority community. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were conducted to compare those born in the United States and those born abroad., Results: Of the 112 participants, 26 (23.21%) were American-born individuals and 86 (76.79%) were immigrants. Despite similar levels of sexual risk behaviors, such as having multiple male sex partners, engaging in condomless anal sex, and using alcohol or drugs immediately before or during sex, immigrants had lower levels of HIV-related knowledge ( p = .0480) and risk perception ( p = .0114) compared to American-born individuals. Immigrants were also less likely to have disclosed their sexual identity to family, friends, and society compared to American-born individuals ( p = .0004). No differences were identified with respect to experiences of homophobia ( p = .2303) or perceptions of racism ( p = .4011)., Conclusion: Comprehensive HIV prevention efforts that address the social and cultural norms of South Asian GBM in the United States are needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Anxiety is the most prevalent mental health disorder among adults worldwide. Given its increased prevalence among migrants due to their marginalized position in the societies where they reside, psychometric evaluations of anxiety measures such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) are needed for use with migrants. The present study is the first attempt to compare the structure of GAD-7 scores for (a) different Latino groups in the same country and (b) the same Latino group in two different countries. Using three samples of Mexican and Venezuelan migrants (total N = 933), we provide reliability and validity evidence of the GAD-7 for use with adult Latino migrants. Utilizing confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, we demonstrate that the GAD-7 is internally consistent, possesses a strong single-factor structure, and generates scores with equivalent psychometric properties. GAD-7 is appropriate for use with Mexican and Venezuelan migrants across differing gender groups and education levels., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Evidence suggests that social identities, which provide purpose and a sense of belonging, enhance resilience against psychological strain and safeguard well-being. This applies to first-generation migrant populations facing adverse experiences, including prejudice and disconnection from previous identities during host country integration, negatively impacting their well-being. The importance of social identity also extends to first-generation migrant descendants, confronting dual-identity challenges and experiencing exclusion and discrimination despite being native born. Building on the social identity approach to mental health, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate how migrants construct their social identities, their perspective on the challenges and changes they experience in relation to group memberships and ultimately, the influence this has on their psychological well-being. Findings emphasize the significance of social identity continuity and gain pathways in first-generation migrants' successful adjustment and psychological well-being. For second-generation migrants, dual-identity development is especially difficult during adolescence due to social exclusion and discrimination in schools. Even in early adulthood, pressure to maintain heritage identity can lead to negative mental health outcomes over time. The current study contributes to and strengthens the social identity approach to migrant mental health and has wider implications for psychological interventions and policy., (© 2024 The Authors. British Journal of Social Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.)