‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Haneefa Alliu; Mei Ying Boon; Marjorie Atchan; Natasha Jojo; Mary Ellen Hooper; Maryam Bazargan; Cathy Knight Agarwal; Nicola Irwin; Deborah Davis

doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147

‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Haneefa Alliu, Mei Ying Boon, Marjorie Atchan, Natasha Jojo, Mary Ellen Hooper, Maryam Bazargan, Cathy Knight Agarwal, Nicola Irwin, Deborah Davis

Midwifery

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most rapidly rising type of diabetes in Australia. Women of certain ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected, experiencing poorer health outcomes. The holistic healthcare needs of these women are not well understood Aim To compare the GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale results between women who primarily speak English and those speaking another language at home. Methods All pregnant women with GDM, residing in Australia and registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme were invited to participate in this observational, cross-sectional study. Participation involved completing the web-based GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale, from 4 May 2023. Results are presented as simple proportions, with the Chi-square test for independence comparing needs between the two groups. Findings Of the 342 participants, 282 (82.5 %) primarily spoke English and 60 (17.5 %) spoke mainly another language at home. Women speaking other languages had a significantly higher need for ‘information about managing GDM that takes account of your culture’ (P < 0.001) and ‘information provided in a language or words that you can understand’ (P = 0.03). Conversely, primarily English-speaking women reported a significantly higher need for ‘consistent information and advice from different healthcare providers’ (P = 0.04), and ‘not always feeling ‘high risk’’ (P = 0.05). Discussion Resources for women with GDM should be comprehensive and culturally appropriate, using words and language that can be easily understood. The GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale is a useful instrument for measuring holistic healthcare needs of women from diverse backgrounds. Conclusion The holistic healthcare needs of women with GDM should be considered throughout service and care planning to promote optimal outcomes for women and babies.

Original language	English
Article number	102147
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Women and Birth
Volume	39
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147
Publication status	Published - Feb 2026

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10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147

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Alliu, H., Boon, M. Y., Atchan, M., Jojo, N., Hooper, M. E., Bazargan, M., Agarwal, C. K., Irwin, N., & Davis, D. (2026). ‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Women and Birth, 39(1), 1-9. Article 102147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147

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title = "{\textquoteleft}What do you need?{\textquoteright} An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus",

abstract = "Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most rapidly rising type of diabetes in Australia. Women of certain ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected, experiencing poorer health outcomes. The holistic healthcare needs of these women are not well understood Aim To compare the GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale results between women who primarily speak English and those speaking another language at home. Methods All pregnant women with GDM, residing in Australia and registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme were invited to participate in this observational, cross-sectional study. Participation involved completing the web-based GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale, from 4 May 2023. Results are presented as simple proportions, with the Chi-square test for independence comparing needs between the two groups. Findings Of the 342 participants, 282 (82.5 %) primarily spoke English and 60 (17.5 %) spoke mainly another language at home. Women speaking other languages had a significantly higher need for {\textquoteleft}information about managing GDM that takes account of your culture{\textquoteright} (P < 0.001) and {\textquoteleft}information provided in a language or words that you can understand{\textquoteright} (P = 0.03). Conversely, primarily English-speaking women reported a significantly higher need for {\textquoteleft}consistent information and advice from different healthcare providers{\textquoteright} (P = 0.04), and {\textquoteleft}not always feeling {\textquoteleft}high risk{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} (P = 0.05). Discussion Resources for women with GDM should be comprehensive and culturally appropriate, using words and language that can be easily understood. The GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale is a useful instrument for measuring holistic healthcare needs of women from diverse backgrounds. Conclusion The holistic healthcare needs of women with GDM should be considered throughout service and care planning to promote optimal outcomes for women and babies.",

keywords = "Cultural diversity, Diabetes, Gestational, Language, MeSH, Needs assessment, Pregnant women",

author = "Haneefa Alliu and Boon, {Mei Ying} and Marjorie Atchan and Natasha Jojo and Hooper, {Mary Ellen} and Maryam Bazargan and Agarwal, {Cathy Knight} and Nicola Irwin and Deborah Davis",

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doi = "10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147",

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Alliu, H, Boon, MY , Atchan, M , Jojo, N , Hooper, ME, Bazargan, M, Agarwal, CK, Irwin, N & Davis, D 2026, '‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus', Women and Birth, vol. 39, no. 1, 102147, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147

‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. / Alliu, Haneefa; Boon, Mei Ying ; Atchan, Marjorie et al.
In: Women and Birth, Vol. 39, No. 1, 102147, 02.2026, p. 1-9.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

AU - Alliu, Haneefa

AU - Boon, Mei Ying

AU - Atchan, Marjorie

AU - Jojo, Natasha

AU - Hooper, Mary Ellen

AU - Bazargan, Maryam

AU - Agarwal, Cathy Knight

AU - Irwin, Nicola

AU - Davis, Deborah

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most rapidly rising type of diabetes in Australia. Women of certain ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected, experiencing poorer health outcomes. The holistic healthcare needs of these women are not well understood Aim To compare the GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale results between women who primarily speak English and those speaking another language at home. Methods All pregnant women with GDM, residing in Australia and registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme were invited to participate in this observational, cross-sectional study. Participation involved completing the web-based GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale, from 4 May 2023. Results are presented as simple proportions, with the Chi-square test for independence comparing needs between the two groups. Findings Of the 342 participants, 282 (82.5 %) primarily spoke English and 60 (17.5 %) spoke mainly another language at home. Women speaking other languages had a significantly higher need for ‘information about managing GDM that takes account of your culture’ (P < 0.001) and ‘information provided in a language or words that you can understand’ (P = 0.03). Conversely, primarily English-speaking women reported a significantly higher need for ‘consistent information and advice from different healthcare providers’ (P = 0.04), and ‘not always feeling ‘high risk’’ (P = 0.05). Discussion Resources for women with GDM should be comprehensive and culturally appropriate, using words and language that can be easily understood. The GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale is a useful instrument for measuring holistic healthcare needs of women from diverse backgrounds. Conclusion The holistic healthcare needs of women with GDM should be considered throughout service and care planning to promote optimal outcomes for women and babies.

AB - Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most rapidly rising type of diabetes in Australia. Women of certain ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected, experiencing poorer health outcomes. The holistic healthcare needs of these women are not well understood Aim To compare the GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale results between women who primarily speak English and those speaking another language at home. Methods All pregnant women with GDM, residing in Australia and registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme were invited to participate in this observational, cross-sectional study. Participation involved completing the web-based GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale, from 4 May 2023. Results are presented as simple proportions, with the Chi-square test for independence comparing needs between the two groups. Findings Of the 342 participants, 282 (82.5 %) primarily spoke English and 60 (17.5 %) spoke mainly another language at home. Women speaking other languages had a significantly higher need for ‘information about managing GDM that takes account of your culture’ (P < 0.001) and ‘information provided in a language or words that you can understand’ (P = 0.03). Conversely, primarily English-speaking women reported a significantly higher need for ‘consistent information and advice from different healthcare providers’ (P = 0.04), and ‘not always feeling ‘high risk’’ (P = 0.05). Discussion Resources for women with GDM should be comprehensive and culturally appropriate, using words and language that can be easily understood. The GDM Holistic Healthcare Needs Scale is a useful instrument for measuring holistic healthcare needs of women from diverse backgrounds. Conclusion The holistic healthcare needs of women with GDM should be considered throughout service and care planning to promote optimal outcomes for women and babies.

KW - Cultural diversity

KW - Diabetes, Gestational

KW - Language

KW - MeSH

KW - Needs assessment

KW - Pregnant women

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DO - 10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102147

M3 - Article

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ER -

‘What do you need?’ An observational, cross-sectional study of the holistic healthcare needs of culturally and linguistically diverse Australian women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

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