Women and Health
Volume 40, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 113-130

Voices of South Asian women immigration and mental health (Article)

Ahmad F.* , Shik A. , Vanza R. , Cheung A.M. , George U. , Stewart D.E.
  • a University Health Network, Women's Health Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada, St. Michael's Hospital, Inner City Health Research, 70 Richmond Street East, Toronto, Ont. M5B 1W8, Canada
  • b University Health Network, Women's Health Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • c University Health Network, Women's Health Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • d University Health Network, Women's Health Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • e Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • f University Health Network, Women's Health Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada

Abstract

Purpose: This qualitative research aimed to elicit experiences and beliefs of recent South Asian immigrant women about their major health concerns after immigration. Methods: Four focus groups were conducted with 24 Hindi-speaking women who had lived less than five years in Canada. The audiotaped data were transcribed, translated, and analyzed by identification of themes and subcategories. Results: Mental health (MH) emerged as an overarching health concern with three major themes, i.e., appraisal of the mental burden (extent and general susceptibility), stress-inducing factors, and coping strategies. Many participants agreed that MH did not become a concern to them until after immigration. Women discussed their compromised MH using verbal and symptomatic expressions. The stress-inducing factors identified by participants included loss of social support, economic uncertainties, downward social mobility, mechanistic lifestyle, barriers in accessing health services, and climatic and food changes. Women's major coping strategies included increased efforts to socialize, use of preventative health practices and self-awareness. Conclusion: Although participant women discussed a number of ways to deal with post-immigration stressors, the women's perceived compromised mental health reflects the inadequacy of their coping strategies and the available resources. Despite access to healthcare providers, women failed to identify healthcare encounters as opportunities to seek help and discuss their mental health concerns. Health and social care programs need to actively address the compromised mental health perceived by the studied group. © 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Stress Mental health South Asian Immigration Canada

Index Keywords

Communication Barriers lifestyle clinical research India mental health human immigration Health Behavior middle aged Asian continental ancestry group economic aspect health service Stress, Psychological mental stress coping behavior Aged Adaptation, Psychological social support social care health program South Asia Humans Adolescent Canada female qualitative analysis Article women's health experience health care awareness adult health care access Emigration and Immigration Health Services Accessibility attitude to health Focus Groups
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-21044457971&doi=10.1300%2fJ013v40n04_07&partnerID=40&md5=f75732ef462610d05de42194502330a0
DOI: 10.1300/J013v40n04_07
ISSN: 03630242
Cited by: 65
Original Language: English