Sunflower's Sorrow: Health Struggles of South Asian Women in Australia — ASN Events

Sunflower's Sorrow: Health Struggles of South Asian Women in Australia (#35)

Mehwish Dr Nisar 1 , Asaduzzaman Ass/Prof Khan 1
  1. The university of Queensland, Brisbane, QUEENSLAND, Australia

South Asians constitute one of the fastest-growing groups in Australia, comprising 45% of women residents. Despite struggling with a high prevalence of chronic diseases, migrant women from South Asia encounter significant obstacles in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours and accessing healthcare services, resulting in their underutilisation. Using a mixed method approach (online survey and focus group discussion), this study explored the health challenges confronting South Asian women in Australia, particularly in relation to non-communicable diseases. Of the 250 participating women, around 45% reported the presence of at least one chronic disease, while 29% reported multiple conditions. Additionally, three-quarters failed to meet recommended levels of physical activity (74%) and dietary (65%) guidelines. Bullying incidents also emerged as a noteworthy issue, with almost 31% of the surveyed women experiencing multiple instances per month. Accessing healthcare presented difficulties for 20% of survey participants in times of necessity, mainly due to extended wait times, out-of-pocket expenses, and limited awareness and availability of services. The barriers to adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours include lack of knowledge about recommended guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity and the absence of gender-segregated exercise facilities. Healthcare service utilisation was influenced by various sociocultural factors, including language barriers, restricted access to pertinent information, long waiting time, high costs of specialist and dental care, dissatisfaction with rushed doctor interactions, and system-related concerns. In summary, this study underscores the pressing health issues faced by South Asian migrant women in Australia, stemming from problems related to information, availability, and affordability in accessing healthcare. Addressing these challenges necessitates comprehensive, culturally sensitive strategies tailored to the specific needs of South Asian migrant women in Australia. This involves implementing strategies to decrease wait times and language barriers, increase awareness of healthcare services, and prioritise patient-centred care to promote healthy lifestyles.

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