TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of culture and religion on sexual and reproductive health indicators and help-seeking attitudes amongst 1.5 generation migrants in australia
T2 - A quantitative pilot study
AU - Dune, Tinashe
AU - Ayika, David
AU - Thepsourinthone, Jack
AU - Mapedzahama, Virginia
AU - Mengesha, Zelalem
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: Western Sydney University as well as the Translational Health Research Institute and the School of Health Sciences (both organisations within Western Sydney University) provided funding for this research through Early Career Research Grants in 2015. However, these units did not have a role in the design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
Funding Information:
Western Sydney University as well as the Translational Health Research Institute and the School of Health Sciences (both organisations within Western Sydney University) provided funding for this research through Early Career Research Grants in 2015. However, these units did not have a role in the design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/2/2
Y1 - 2021/2/2
N2 - In Australia, 1.5 generation migrants (those who migrated as children) often enter a new cultural and religious environment, with its own set of constructs of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), at a crucial time in their psychosexual development—puberty/adolescence. Therefore, 1.5 generation migrants may thus have to contend with constructions of SRH from at least two cultures which may be at conflict on the matter. This study was designed to investigate the role of culture and religion on sexual and reproductive health indicators and help-seeking amongst 1.5 generation migrants. An online survey was completed by 111 participants who answered questions about their cultural connectedness, religion, sexual and reproductive health and help-seeking. Kruskall-Wallis tests were used to analyse the data. There was no significant difference between ethnocultural groups or levels of cultural connectedness in relation to sexual and reproductive health help-seeking attitudes. The results do suggest differences between religious groups in regard to seeking help specifically from participants’ parents. Notably, participants who reported having ‘no religion’ were more likely to seek help with sexual and reproductive health matters from their parent(s). Managing cross-cultural experiences is often noted in the extant literature as a barrier to sexual and reproductive health help-seeking. However, while cultural norms of migrants’ country of origin can remain strong, it is religion that seems to have more of an impact on how 1.5 generation migrants seek help for SRH issues. The findings suggest that 1.5 generation migrants may not need to adapt their religious beliefs or practices, despite entering a new ethnocultural environment. Given that religion can play a role in the participants’ sexual and reproductive health, religious organizations are well-placed to encourage young migrants to adopt help-seeking attitudes.
AB - In Australia, 1.5 generation migrants (those who migrated as children) often enter a new cultural and religious environment, with its own set of constructs of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), at a crucial time in their psychosexual development—puberty/adolescence. Therefore, 1.5 generation migrants may thus have to contend with constructions of SRH from at least two cultures which may be at conflict on the matter. This study was designed to investigate the role of culture and religion on sexual and reproductive health indicators and help-seeking amongst 1.5 generation migrants. An online survey was completed by 111 participants who answered questions about their cultural connectedness, religion, sexual and reproductive health and help-seeking. Kruskall-Wallis tests were used to analyse the data. There was no significant difference between ethnocultural groups or levels of cultural connectedness in relation to sexual and reproductive health help-seeking attitudes. The results do suggest differences between religious groups in regard to seeking help specifically from participants’ parents. Notably, participants who reported having ‘no religion’ were more likely to seek help with sexual and reproductive health matters from their parent(s). Managing cross-cultural experiences is often noted in the extant literature as a barrier to sexual and reproductive health help-seeking. However, while cultural norms of migrants’ country of origin can remain strong, it is religion that seems to have more of an impact on how 1.5 generation migrants seek help for SRH issues. The findings suggest that 1.5 generation migrants may not need to adapt their religious beliefs or practices, despite entering a new ethnocultural environment. Given that religion can play a role in the participants’ sexual and reproductive health, religious organizations are well-placed to encourage young migrants to adopt help-seeking attitudes.
KW - 1.5 generation migrants
KW - Australia
KW - Cross-cultural
KW - Religiosity
KW - Sexual and reproductive health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100242343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph18031341
DO - 10.3390/ijerph18031341
M3 - Article
C2 - 33540735
AN - SCOPUS:85100242343
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 18
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 3
M1 - 1341
ER -