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Hearn F, Brown SJ, Szwarc J, Toke S, Alqas Alias M, Essa M, Hydari S, Baget A, Riggs E. Perceptions and Experiences of Inequity for Women of Refugee Background Having a Baby during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Melbourne, Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:481. [PMID: 38673392 PMCID: PMC11049987 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21040481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Listening to What Matters is an exploratory descriptive qualitative study that aimed to (1) understand how women of refugee background in Melbourne, Australia experienced access to health information and maternity and/or early parenting care during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) whether pandemic health directives had an impact on structural inequities for women of refugee background who received maternity and/or early parenting care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 participants including 17 women of refugee background, who identified as belonging to the Karen, Assyrian Chaldean, Iraqi, Syrian, Afghan, Sudanese, or South Sudanese communities and 24 health and social care professionals who identified as providing pregnancy or early parenting care during the pandemic in the north western suburbs of Melbourne. Interviews with women were conducted in preferred languages by community researchers. Interviews with professionals were conducted in English by researchers. Reflexive thematic data analysis included constructivist positionality and a trauma and violence informed approach. The results reported in this paper include three themes, with four accompanying subthemes, as follows: theme (1), 'Structural inequities and the toll of the pandemic'; theme (2), 'Supportive infrastructure'; and theme (3), 'Cultural safety during the pandemic'. The results demonstrate that cumulative negative impacts such as unequal access to health information, family separation and isolation, inadequate household income, and mental and social health concerns had the potential to amplify pre-existing structural inequities for women of refugee background. Community engagement facilitated by bicultural workers, interpreters, and trusted care providers facilitated fast-paced, two-way communication that built capacity and health literacy for women who were unable to speak English and unfamiliar with the health care system and, improved experiences of care. More research is needed to understand how the intersectional cumulative impacts of structural inequities have affected maternal and neonatal health outcomes for women of refugee background during the pandemic, as well as any differences in maternal and neonatal health outcomes between Australian-born and refugee background women and babies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran Hearn
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Stephanie J. Brown
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | - Josef Szwarc
- The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc., Brunswick, VIC 3056, Australia
| | - Shadow Toke
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - May Alqas Alias
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Maryaan Essa
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Shogoufa Hydari
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Ashay Baget
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Elisha Riggs
- Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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Melov SJ, Elhindi J, White L, McNab J, Lee VW, Donnolley K, Alahakoon TI, Padmanabhan S, Cheung NW, Pasupathy D. Previous High-Intensity Breastfeeding Lowers the Risk of an Abnormal Fasting Glucose in a Subsequent Pregnancy Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. Nutrients 2023; 16:28. [PMID: 38201858 PMCID: PMC10780944 DOI: 10.3390/nu16010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Breastfeeding is associated with reduced lifetime cardiometabolic risk, but little is known regarding the metabolic benefit in a subsequent pregnancy. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between breastfeeding duration and intensity and next pregnancy oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results. A retrospective cohort study was conducted from March 2020 to October 2022. All multiparous women who met inclusion criteria and gave birth during the study period were eligible for inclusion. Analysis was stratified by risk for gestational diabetes (GDM). High GDM risk criteria included previous GDM and BMI > 35 kg/m2. The association between breastfeeding duration and high-intensity breastfeeding (HIBF) and subsequent pregnancy OGTT were assessed with multivariate logistic models adjusted for statistically and clinically relevant covariables. There were 5374 multiparous participants who met the inclusion criteria for analysis. Of these, 61.7% had previously breastfed for >6 months, and 43.4% were at high risk for GDM. HIBF was associated with 47% reduced odds of an abnormal fasting glucose in a subsequent pregnancy OGTT (aOR 0.53; 95%CI 0.38-0.75; p < 0.01). There was no association between HIBF and other glucose results on the OGTT. Women who smoked were least likely to breastfeed at high intensity (aOR 0.31; 95%CI 0.21-0.47; p < 0.01). South Asian women had 65% higher odds of HIBF than women who identified as White/European (aOR 1.65; 1.36-2.00; p < 0.01). This study highlights the importance of exclusive breastfeeding to potentially reduce the prevalence of GDM and may also translate into long-term reduction of cardiometabolic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Melov
- Reproduction and Perinatal Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.E.); (J.M.); (D.P.)
- Westmead Institute for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Women’s and Newborn Health, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia;
| | - James Elhindi
- Reproduction and Perinatal Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.E.); (J.M.); (D.P.)
| | - Lisa White
- Women’s Health Maternity, Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospitals, Blacktown, NSW 2148, Australia;
| | - Justin McNab
- Reproduction and Perinatal Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.E.); (J.M.); (D.P.)
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (V.W.L.); (N.W.C.)
| | - Vincent W. Lee
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (V.W.L.); (N.W.C.)
- Department of Renal Medicine, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Kelly Donnolley
- Consumer Representative, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW 2151, Australia
| | - Thushari I. Alahakoon
- Westmead Institute for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Women’s and Newborn Health, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia;
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (V.W.L.); (N.W.C.)
| | - Suja Padmanabhan
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia;
| | - N. Wah Cheung
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (V.W.L.); (N.W.C.)
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia;
| | - Dharmintra Pasupathy
- Reproduction and Perinatal Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (J.E.); (J.M.); (D.P.)
- Westmead Institute for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Women’s and Newborn Health, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia;
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