Search

Purpose The purpose of this study is to highlight the challenges and opportunities for the well-being of older migrants and refugees in rural Australia by learning from the example of the Bhutanese community in Albury, New South Wales. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint focusses on health and aged care barriers that affect the well-being of older migrants and refugees in Australia. It also demonstrates how these can be intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Engagement though agriculture, and a sense of “belonging” strengthen the cultural well-being of the Bhutanese older adults in Albury. However, major issues remain as health-related resources and information are lacking in rural Australia. How this group’s meaningful activities in Albury enabled collaborations to be built is shown in this working example and can provide lessons for other communities that experience similar problems of disconnection as they get older. Research limitations/implications The information regarding the Bhutanese older adults in Albury is primarily based on the authors’ personal communication with the General Secretary of the Bhutanese Australian Community Support Group in Albury Wodonga Inc. Originality/value Australia’s older population is growing rapidly, and older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee backgrounds face numerous barriers such as limited linguistic, health and digital literacy. The authors describe common health and aged care issues that affect the well-being of older adults in rural Australia. They particularly emphasize those that occurred or intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This novel information is now especially relevant to the health and aged care sectors in changing and diverse communities not only in Australia but also overseas.

South Asia hosts the largest proportion of undernourished children in the world. Hidden hunger and undernutrition continue to be a major global health concern in the region. A systematic review looking at factors and drivers for hidden hunger and child undernutrition was undertaken.This review was conducted using the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta- Analysis guidelines. Five computerized databases were searched: CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus, in addition to various grey literature sources.A total of 3601 articles were retrieved from databases and 25 studies from grey literature, 98 studies met our inclusion criteria. Included studies were assessed for quality by validated tools. A Meta-ethnographic narrative approach was used to analyse the findings. The most commonly reported factors for child undernutrition were maternal education, poor dietary diversity and rural residence.Based on findings we propose a model to mainstream context specific nutrition behavioural change along with nutrition specific and sensitive interventions aimed at targeting gender, social and cultural factors and norms. Findings from the review add to the extant literature of child undernutrition to inform policy and program.

People living with HIV (PLWH) are often culturally and linguistically diverse populations; these differences are associated with differing barriers to antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. Cultural competence measures the extent to which trial design recognises this diversity. This systematic review aimed to determine whether adherence trial participants represent the diversity of PLWH. Randomised Controlled Trials in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries to improve ART adherence were eligible. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. For all included trials, we searched for their development, testing and evaluation studies. We compared trial participant characteristics with nationally reported PLWH data. We appraised trial cultural competence against ten criteria; scoring each criterion as 0, 1 or 2 indicating cultural blindness, pre-competence or competence respectively. For 80 included trials, a further 13 studies presenting development/testing/evaluation data for the included trials were identified. Only one of the 80 included studies reported trial participants representative of the country's population of PLWH. The median (IQ) cultural competence score was 2.5 (1.0, 4.0) out of 20. HIV adherence trial participants are not reflective of the population with HIV, which may be due to limited adoption of culturally competent research methods.

The relationship between gender and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is an issue for many developing states. This scoping review demonstrates that in Nepal, women bear the major social...

Small communities in remote, riparian sites often have limited resources, and experience energy insufficiencies and poor disaster resilience to intensifying weather hazards such as rainstorms and floods. Humanitarian engineering interventions for off-grid renewable energy generation and flood response at the local level have the potential to support community hazard management and socio-economic development. This scoping review examines communities in low and lower middle-income countries, and their use of renewable energy and flood warning systems. Its primary focus is vulnerable communities and how they can achieve hazard protection as part of sustainable development initiatives. The findings highlight that it is important to consider institutional, environmental, social/ethical, economic and technical indicators in developing a comprehensive understanding of the success or failure of a given system. The study concludes that an integrated renewable energy and flood warning system may provide an optimal, community-managed approach to address priority needs.

The Parallel Lives of Women (TPLW) research project is a collaboration between researchers from Western Sydney University’s Humanitarian and Development Research Initiative (HADRI), the Community Migrant Resource Centre (CMRC) and SydWest Multicultural Services (SydWest). The focus of the study was to understand how immigration policy intersects with the different policy areas of migration, housing, education, and health to affect the cultural well-being of two cohorts of women who are subject to vastly different visa restrictions while living in Australia. These were: 1. Sri Lankan Tamil Women who came to Australia by boat on or after 13 August 2012 and before 1 January 2014, and who have asked for Australia’s protection. 2. Syrian women who arrived in Australia within the last three years (2017-2020) as refugees from the Syrian conflict. These two cohorts were selected to explore the implications of different political treatment of women fleeing persecution and violence in their home country on their settlement experience in Greater Western Sydney (GWS), Australia. Specifically we focus on how the various types of visa category, and the different government services and entitlements that can be accessed, affect women from within Australia.

This systematic review aims to understand the impact of heritage tourism on sustainable community development, including the health and wellbeing of local host communities. The protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. It highlights the scope and methodology for the systematic review to be conducted. Studies will be included if they: (i) were conducted in English; (ii) were published between January 2000 and December 2018; (iii) used quantitative and/or qualitative methods; and (iv) analysed the impact of heritage tourism on sustainable community development and/or the health of local host communities. Data extraction will be informed by Cochrane Collaboration. The quality of evidence of the studies included will be assessed using validated tools. Findings will be summarised into themes and narrated. The systematic review will establish the impact of heritage tourism on sustainable community development including health and well-being. It also aims provide a theoretical framework which will inform recommendations to improve the life-worlds of local host communities and moderate any tensions between the expanding heritage reach of states and the maintenance of customary and traditional value systems, community governance structures, and associated community development and health benefits.

Australian Child Protection practitioners who work with children from sub-Saharan African migrant backgrounds often face challenges when applying child protection laws and policies to address childrearing and parenting issues. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of cultural beliefs, values, attitudes and practices on childrearing practices within sub-Saharan African communities. The systematic review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Databases searched included Science Direct, ProQuest Central, Embase, EbescoHOST (Medline; PsychINFO; CINAHL; ERIC; SocINDEX; PsycARTICLES), Web of Science (SCI-EXPANDED; SSCI) and Google Scholar; the search dates were from January 2000 to December 2016. The studies were assessed using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) and the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology guidelines (STROBE). The search strategy identified 2631 articles, of which 57 met the inclusion criteria for the review. Participants were children aged from three months old to seventeen years and adults aged eighteen years or older. Data analysis resulted in 7 primary themes: Illness Conception, Traditional Beliefs and Health-seeking Behaviour; Fosterage and Community Responsibility; Family Dynamics; Discipline; Child Spirits and the Supernatural; Body Stimulation; and Female Genital Mutilation. Framed within the acculturation theory, the review identifies important factors that converge to provide insight into the specific caregiving context of sub-Saharan African families. It further makes clear that, for the most part, the childrearing practices of sub-Saharan African migrants who settle in Australia are influenced by their cultural values and norms.

Background and Objectives Australia’s population is growing, aging, and becoming more ethnically diverse, resulting in barriers and challenges around social inclusion for non-English-speaking migrants and refugees. This scoping review investigates the experiences of aging within Australia among older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrant and refugee backgrounds to identify barriers to social integration. Research Design and Methods A scoping review of English language literature and gray literature on the experiences of aging among CALD migrants and refugees living in Australia was conducted from January 2000 to January 2021, according to Arksey and O’Malley’s review process. A total of 34 studies were identified for analysis. Results Three primary themes were identified: (a) sociocultural similarities in settlement experiences, (b) engagement with technology for social connection, and (c) engagement with family and community networks. Discussion and Implications Aging, language, sociocultural, and technology contexts shape attitudes to belonging, as well as access to sociomedical services. We argue a cultural well-being framework may assist in developing policy for improved social integration of older CALD adults. As the focus is on social and cultural experiences, all studies with a primary focus on medical and other chronic conditions were excluded. Future studies could include health-related articles to present a more comprehensive approach regarding older CALD adult needs. Follow-up research could focus on the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the experiences of older adults in Australia, in particular those of CALD backgrounds.

Child wasting continues to be a major public health concern in South Asia, having a prevalence above the emergency threshold. This paper aimed to identify factors associated with wasting among children aged 0–23 months, 24–59 months, and 0–59 months in South Asia. A weighted sample of 564,518 children aged 0–59 months from the most recent demographic and health surveys (2014–2018) of five countries in South Asia was combined. Multiple logistic regression analyses that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights were used to examine associated factors. Wasting prevalence was higher for children aged 0–23 months (25%) as compared to 24–59 months (18%), with variations in prevalence across the South Asian countries. The most common factor associated with child wasting was maternal BMI [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for 0–23 months = 2.02, 95% CI: (1.52, 2.68), AOR for 24–59 months = 2.54, 95% CI: (1.83, 3.54), AOR for 0–59 months = 2.18, 95% CI: (1.72, 2.77)]. Other factors included maternal height and age, household wealth index, birth interval and order, children born at home, and access to antenatal visits. Study findings suggest need for nutrition specific and sensitive interventions focused on women, as well as adolescents and children under 2 years of age.

South Asia continues to be the global hub for child undernutrition with 35% of children still stunted in 2017. This paper aimed to identify factors associated with stunting among children aged 0&ndash, 23 months, 24&ndash, 59 months, and 0&ndash, 59 months in South Asia. A weighted sample of 564,518 children aged 0&ndash, 59 months from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (2014&ndash, 2018) was combined of five countries in South Asia. Multiple logistic regression analyses that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights were used to examine associated factors. The common factors associated with stunting in three age groups were mothers with no schooling ([adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for 0&ndash, 23 months = 1.65, 95% CI: (1.29, 2.13)], [AOR for 24&ndash, 59 months = AOR = 1.46, 95% CI: (1.27, 1. 69)] and [AOR for 0&ndash, 59 months = AOR = 1.59, 95% CI: (1.34, 1. 88)]) and maternal short stature (height &lt, 150 cm) ([AOR for 0&ndash, 23 months = 2.00, 95% CI: (1.51, 2.65)], 59 months = 3.63, 95% CI: (2.87, 4.60)] and [AOR for 0&ndash, 59 months = 2.87, 95% CI: (2.37, 3.48)]). Study findings suggest the need for a balanced and integrated nutrition strategy that incorporates nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions with an increased focus on interventions for children aged 24&ndash, 59 months.

UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger links ending hunger to achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) is a region where such linkages can be investigated as the PICTs are confronting climate change while facing a decrease in available arable land and increasing rates of urbanisation. Around 80% of all Pacific Islanders still rely on agricultural produce from their own gardens or from small holder farmers to support or to supplement their diets. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has declared the years 2019–2028 to be the Decade of Family Farming. Food imports are increasingly common in PICTs, and can provide cheap, although not particularly nutritious foods, leading to generalised health problems. Increased reliance on imports is itself an indicator of diminishing food security, and with the PICTs facing a range of food security challenges, it is timely to assess the existing literature in the PICTs on the relationship between smallholder farming and food security. This scoping review analyses 49 peer reviewed and grey literature studies in English from 1970–2019 concerning the relationship between food security and small holder farming in the PICTs. It identifies four main themes: (1) Community adaptation, resilience and crop diversification; (2) Decreased availability of local foods and land; (3) Changes in diet; (4) Gender and agricultural production. The review shows Pacific peoples quickly adapt to changing circumstances to plant different crops both for food and for sale, and it identifies the role of small holder agriculture as crucial to: (1) growing local foods to support food security, and (2) expanding domestic asset creation to promote economic development, especially for women.

Background South Asia has one of the largest proportions of undernourished children in the world, especially stunting, wasting, and underweight as well as micronutrient deficiencies such as the deficiency of iron, vitamin A, and zinc. Undernutrition continues to pose a major threat to this region’s economic and social growth. This systematic review aims to assess the drivers and identify priorities for child undernutrition in South Asia. It aims to appraise, synthesise, and summarise literature to create an evidence base that looks at multiple faces of macro and micro child undernutrition in South Asia. Methods A systematic review of published and grey literature on child undernutrition, including macro and micronutrient deficiencies, in South Asia covering the period January 2000 to September 2019 will be undertaken. Studies with all relevant study designs and those published in English will be considered for inclusion. Five academic databases will be searched: CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus, in addition to various grey literature sources. The analysis will incorporate a narrative synthesis, meta-ethnography or a meta-analysis as appropriate, depending on the nature of the retrieved data. Quality of the included studies will be assessed by validated tools. The UNICEF conceptual framework on child undernutrition will be used to frame findings. Discussion This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. The protocol gives an insight into the scope and parameters for the systematic review to be carried out. Systematic review registration The protocol was registered by the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews, reference CRD42018112696. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-019-1112-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: This study aimed to systematically review observational studies on perinatal mortality in South Asia. Methods: This review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Five computerized bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for published studies which reported factors associated with perinatal mortality in South Asia from 1 January 2000 to 20 March 2018. All relevant observational studies (cohort, cross-sectional and case-control) were reviewed. Results: Fourteen studies met the selection criteria. The most common factors associated with perinatal mortality were: low socioeconomic status, lack of quality health-care services, pregnancy/obstetric complications and lack of antenatal care. Conclusions: Interventions to reduce perinatal mortality in the South Asia should focus on the provision of adequate antenatal care and quality healthcare services which are accessible to women of low socioeconomic status.

Background Southern Africa has long been vulnerable to climate-induced disasters, especially droughts and floods. The severity and frequency of disasters increased in the early 1980s, continuously eroding livelihoods, which in turn invoked humanitarian intervention. A systematic review of the relationship between resilience to drought and well-being will be undertaken. Methods Studies will be included if they were conducted between January 1980 and December 2017; used quantitative and/or qualitative methods; were peer reviewed or comprise grey literature; covered Southern Africa; and measured resilience and its relationship to well-being. Data extraction will be informed by the Cochrane Public Health Group and the Joanna Briggs Institute manuals. The quality of evidence of the studies included will be assessed for risk bias, psychometric properties of tools used, and their suitability. The findings will be summarised into themes and narrated. Discussion This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. The protocol gives insight of the scope and parameters for the systematic review to be carried out. The systematic review will establish how resilience to climate-induced disasters affects well-being. It will also provide recommendations to improve humanitarian coordination in Southern Africa. Systematic review registration The protocol was registered by the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews, reference CRD42017064396. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-018-0796-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction: Child undernutrition is a major public health problem. One third of all undernourished children globally reside in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this study was to systematically review studies to determine the factors associated with stunting, wasting and underweight in SSA and contribute to the existing body of evidence needed for the formulation of effective interventions. Methods: This systematic review was conducted using the 2015 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Five computerized bibliographic databases were searched: Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase. The included studies were rated using eight quality-appraisal criteria derived from the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist: sample size, sampling methodology, response rate, outcome measures, statistical analyses, control for confounding, study limitation, and ethical consideration. Results: Of a total of 2810 articles retrieved from the five databases, 49 studies met our inclusion criteria. The most consistent factors associated with childhood stunting, wasting and underweight in SSA were: low mother’s education, increasing child’s age, sex of child (male), wealth index/SES (poor household), prolonged duration of breastfeeding (>12 months), low birth weight, mother’s age (