Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration

Through the wine glass: How biographical midlife transitions and women's affective interpretations interact with alcohol consumption

BACKGROUND

Women during midlife are consuming larger quantities of alcohol than any other age group of women and any other generation of midlife women previously. This is concerning given alcohol related-health risks coalesce with age-related health risks for women, in particular, breast cancer.

METHODS

In-depth interviews with 50 Australian midlife women (aged 45-64) from different social classes explored women's personal accounts of midlife transitions and their descriptions of the role of alcohol in navigating these life experiences; both daily occurrences as well as significant moments in the life course.

RESULTS

Our findings point to the complex, confusing and co-existing biographical transitions women experience during midlife (generational, embodied/physiological and material changes) that sharpen a role for alcohol in women's lives and are nuanced by social class (volumes of social, economic and cultural capital). We pay close attention to women's affective interpretations of these transitions and ways alcohol is used to feel robust in navigating daily life or easing their prospective futures. Critically, for women living with limited access to capital, and who could not 'measure up' to social ideals by comparison with the achievements and trajectories of other midlife women, alcohol reconciled their disappointment. Our exploration shows how the social class conditions that shape how women make sense of their transitions through midlife might be differently shaped to enable different options forreducing drinking.

CONCLUSIONS

Policy must address the social and emotional concerns women experience through midlife transitions that give alcohol a worthwhile place in their lives. A first step might be responding to the absence of community and leisure spaces for midlife women especially those that do not integrate alcohol, with benefits including addressing loneliness, isolation and feeling invisible, and enabling positive constructions of midlife identities. Structural barriers to participation and feelings of worth must be removed for women who lack social, cultural and economic resources.

Menopausal experiences of South Asian immigrant women: a scoping review

IMPORTANCE AND OBJECTIVE

South Asians make up a significant portion of global immigration. Immigrants often face challenges when navigating the healthcare system, which can influence their experience during the menopausal transition. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize the existing literature on South Asian immigrant women's menopausal experience.

METHODS

Various electronic databases were systematically searched to identify research articles. The menopausal experiences of South Asian immigrant women were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 11 studies were included in this scoping review. A variety of physical symptoms were reported, including vasomotor symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms, somatic symptoms, and early onset of menopause. Psychosocial symptoms included anxiety, depression, and decreased memory/concentration. Cultural experiences were both positive and negative, depending on the connotations surrounding menopause. Individual facilitators for a healthy transition included education and employment. Familial barriers included a lack of knowledge and support. Community and societal factors were both positive and negative, depending on the level of acculturation. Self-management was the most widely used intervention.

DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION

Findings of this scoping review can help guide the development and evaluation of menopause interventions for South Asian immigrant women. Culturally sensitive care, increased discussion on sexual health, support networks, and reduction of socioeconomic barriers are needed to address the health needs of South Asian immigrant women. Further research is needed to better understand South Asian immigrant women's menopausal needs and help guide intervention design.