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Iwuagwu AO, Poon AWC, Fernandez E. A scoping review of barriers to accessing aged care services for older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:805. [PMID: 39358719 PMCID: PMC11446002 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05373-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The ageing population of the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population is increasing in Australia. This is because the number of early migrants in Australia is ageing, coupled with increasing family reunification. This scoping review aimed to describe the nature and extent of research on the barriers to aged care services for CALD older adults in Australia using Penchansky and Thomas's Access to Care Framework of five A's dimensions: availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability. Arksey and O'Malley's five-step scoping review framework was adopted to search 6 databases from inception till August 2024. Title/abstract and full-text screening were conducted using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, with supplementary search of references from included articles to identify additional articles. Findings show that while all the five A's of access to care services were barriers for CALD older adults, accommodation and acceptability of services were the major areas of concern due to the lack of cultural sensitivity of such services in Australia. An additional barrier captured and termed as Awareness was noted in some of the included studies, highlighting the need to expand the five A's to 6 A's. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on ageing could leverage these findings to improve cultural practice sensitivities when supporting these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Obinna Iwuagwu
- School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
- Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria.
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Iwuagwu AO. "Ọmụgwọ" As Unpaid Labor? The Perceptions of Postpartum Caregiving Among Older Grandmothers in Southeast Nigeria. Innov Aging 2023; 8:igad069. [PMID: 38577519 PMCID: PMC10993719 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igad069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives In Nigeria and many Sub-Saharan African countries where the majority are poor and cannot afford formal postpartum care, nursing mothers rely primarily on their mothers or older female relatives for postpartum care. Despite their invaluable contributions, such grandmothers often operate in a reality of inadequate social and institutional support. Yet, little is known about how women perceive this form of traditional care in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study explored the views of older grandmothers in Southeast Nigeria about postpartum caregiving, called "Ọmụgwọ." Research Design and Methods Using a qualitative descriptive inquiry, the author employed criterion-purposive sampling and snowballing to recruit 17 older grandmothers who participated in the interviews, and data were analyzed in themes. Results Three themes and eight subthemes emerged. The themes cover perceptions supporting the continuity of Ọmụgwọ practice irrespective, the influence of culture on Ọmụgwọ practice, and the indirect rewards of the practice. Discussion and Implications The findings of this study could potentially influence postpartum caregiving policies for female older adults in Sub-Saharan Africa and further advance the quality of informal care during postpartum periods in Africa.
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Iwuagwu AO, Lai DWL, Ndubuisi Ngwu C, Kalu ME. Social Workers' Involvement in Developing and Implementing Social Programs for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria: A Concept Paper and Suggestions for Action Plans. JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK 2022:1-13. [PMID: 36259471 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2022.2135657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Social workers, especially in the Global North/developed countries such as the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have been actively involved in implementing social programs to improve the psychosocial, health, and wellbeing of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this is not the case in the Global South/developing countries like Nigeria, Ghana, etc. This concept paper aims to describe the current state of Nigerian social workers' role in developing and implementing social programs for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify action plans for further strengthening their involvement. We systematically reviewed the literature to identify Nigerian social workers' role in developing and implementing social programs for older adults during COVID-19. Our review reflected that social workers are rarely involved in developing and implementing social programs; when involved, their involvement is on a consultation basis, which limits their active involvement in multidisciplinary team of COVID-19 prevention and vaccination ad hoc committees in Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Obinna Iwuagwu
- School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing-African Network, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Daniel W L Lai
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Micheal Ebe Kalu
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing-African Network, Abuja, Nigeria
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Iwuagwu AO, Ngwu CN, Ekoh CP. Challenges of Female Older Adults Caring for Their very old Parents in Rural Southeast Nigeria: A Qualitative Descriptive Inquiry. JOURNAL OF POPULATION AGEING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12062-022-09392-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Kalu ME, Oyinlola O, Ibekaku MC, Adandom II, Iwuagwu AO, Ezulike CJ, Nwachukwu EC, Uduonu E. A Mapping Review on the Uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccine among Adults in Africa Using the 5A's Vaccine Taxonomy. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:tpmd210515. [PMID: 35533697 PMCID: PMC9209920 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Uptake of a vaccine is complete if individuals are aware of the associated risks of the vaccine, accept the vaccine, and respond positively to the nudges (activation) to increase the uptake, and respond when the vaccine is made accessible and affordable. We mapped systematically the existing literature concerning the 5As-acceptability, accessibility, affordability, awareness, and activation-of COVID-19 vaccination among adults and, specifically, older adults (55 years and older) in Africa. We searched multiple databases from 2020 to December 2021. Using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers screened citations, conducted title and abstract screening, and extracted data independently. We included 68 articles conducted in 33 African countries, primarily cross-sectional studies (n = 49, 72%). None of the articles focused on older adults only, but 22 articles (32%) included at least one older adult (55 years and older) in their sample size. Acceptance (n = 58, 85%) was the most commonly researched aspect of vaccine uptake, followed by accessibility (n = 17, 25%), awareness (n = 13, 19%), and affordability (n = 5, 7.0%). We found only one report on activation. Factors affecting acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Africa were grouped into sociodemographic factors; knowledge-, attitude-, and belief-related factors; a COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety concern factor; and trust in government and public health authorities. The governments of African nations should focus on strategies to influence the modifiable factors identified in this review. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of nudges (activation) to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in African nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Kalu
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Oluwagbemiga Oyinlola
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Medical Social Services Department, University College Hospital Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Michael C. Ibekaku
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Nigeria
| | - Israel I. Adandom
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Cedarcrest Hospitals, FCT-Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Anthony O. Iwuagwu
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
| | - Chigozie J. Ezulike
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Social Work, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ernest C. Nwachukwu
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Physiotherapy Department, Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital, Parklane-Enugu
| | - Ekezie Uduonu
- Emerging Researchers and Professionals in Ageing–African Network, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences and Technology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
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