Exploring South Asian women's perspectives and experiences of maternity care services: A qualitative evidence synthesis

BACKGROUND

The United Nations Women and other sources have highlighted the poor maternal and neonatal care experienced by South Asian women, emphasizing the need to understand the cultural factors and specific experiences that influence their health-seeking behavior. This understanding is crucial for achieving health equity and improving health outcomes for women and infants.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to examine and synthesize qualitative evidence on the perspectives and experiences of South Asian women regarding maternity care services in destination countries.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's approach. Eight databases were searched for studies capturing the qualitative views and experiences of South Asian women - Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, Scopus, PsycInfo, British Nursing Index and the Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts. Qualitative and mixed method studies written in English are included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the JBI's QARI checklist for qualitative studies and the MMAT checklist for mixed-methods studies.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies, including twelve qualitative and two mixed-methods studies, were identified and found to be of high methodological quality. The overarching theme that emerged was "navigating cross-cultural maternity care experiences." This theme encapsulates the challenges and complexities faced by South Asian women in destination countries, including ethnocultural and religious differences, communication and language barriers, understanding different medical systems, and the impact of migration on their maternity care experiences.

CONCLUSIONS

South Asian migrant women often have expectations that differ from the services provided in destination countries, leading to challenges in their social relationships. Communication and language barriers pose additional obstacles that can be addressed through strategies promoting better communication and culturally sensitive care. To enhance the utilization of maternity healthcare services, it is important to address these factors and provide personalized, culturally sensitive care for South Asian migrant women.

Clinical phenomenology of mental disorders caused by Qigong exercise

One hundred and nine patients with mental disorders caused by Qigong psychophysical exercise deviation are studied. These patients were divided into schizophrenic type (47 cases) and neurotic type (62 cases) and were analyzed by standard psychiatric rating scales and improved Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI). The results show that patients with Qigong deviation presented abnormalities in perception, thinking, and behavior of varying degree. The clinical characteristics could not be classified into extent psychiatric disease units. Most of these patients manifested specific physical symptoms of Qigong deviation. The authors suggest that this kind of mild, benign mental disorder associated with the unique culture of our country be studied to contribute to the study of the classification of mental disorders. Qigong triggered disorders usually normalized during short term follow-up.

Influence of group selective reagents in tissues containing alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors

N-ethylmaleimide which is known to react irreversibly with free -SH groups of protein when incubated with rabbit aorta (alpha-adrenoreceptor) or atria (beta-adrenoreceptor) markedly depressed the dose-response curves of norepinephrine isomers in the aorta but not in atria. Dithiothreitol, a reagent which reduces S-S linkages caused a parallel shift of the dose-response curves of both isomers to an equal degree in aorta. However, in atria the reagent drastically and selectively reduced the maximal effects of (+)-norepinephrine and dopamine. This selective alteration of the (+)-isomer by the reagent probably reflects the conformational changes at the beta-adrenoreceptor. The concentrations of N-ethylmaleimide and dithiothreitol required to alter the activity of norepinephrine isomers was higher for atria than for aorta. It may be that alpha-adrenoreceptors are more susceptible than the beta-adrenoreceptors on the -SH group selective reagents. In the highest concentration tested, two other reagents 2,4-dimethoxybenzylamine and N-acetylimidazole, did not influence the activity of the steroisomers on aorta. In the presence of dithiothreitol, the pharmacologic effects of a nonadrenoreceptor stimulant drug, histamine was potentiated on aorta (H1) and not on atria (H2). Results are discussed in the light of similarity and dissimilarity of adrenoreceptors as reflected by the group selective reagents and the stereoisomers.