Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration
<b>Background: </b>South Asian immigrant women make up the largest visible minority in Canada, where visible minorities include persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour, and approximately half of these women are above the age of 35. Few...
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doaj-1723217c9a5948dfbababaedb208a75d2021-02-10T00:01:43ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-02-01918218210.3390/healthcare9020182Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative ExplorationPing Zou0Jing Shao1Yan Luo2Aarabi Thayaparan3Hui Zhang4Arzoo Alam5Lichun Liu6Souraya Sidani7School of Nursing, Nipissing University, Toronto, ON M6J 3S3, CanadaFaculty of Nursing, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaFaculty of Nursing, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, ChinaTemerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, CanadaDepartment of Cardiology, Guizhou Provincial People’s Hospital, Guiyang 550002, ChinaDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, CanadaCentre for Women’s Studies in Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1V6, CanadaDaphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2E7, Canada<b>Background: </b>South Asian immigrant women make up the largest visible minority in Canada, where visible minorities include persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour, and approximately half of these women are above the age of 35. Few studies have investigated the factors that impact the midlife transition for these women. This study aims to identify the facilitators and barriers experienced by South Asian immigrant women during the midlife transition. <b>Methods: </b>Two focus groups and ten one-on-one interviews about the midlife transition were held with South Asian first-generation immigrant women in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada; discussions were analyzed thematically. <b>Findings: </b>Personal facilitators to the midlife transition included being employed and possessing adequate life skills. Personal barriers consisted of financial strain, overwhelming demands, and limited life skills. Familial facilitators were stable financial status and support. Familial barriers included limited understanding and support and high expectations. Community facilitators included a close social circle and adequate healthcare. Community barriers were limited social support and cultural expectations. Fair and respectful societies were a facilitator, whereas inadequate policy support and acculturative stress were societal barriers. An environmental barrier was the colder Canadian climate. <b>Discussion: </b>Employment and education programs for South Asian immigrant women need to be prioritized to help them integrate into society. Family-centred assessment and education can improve familial support. Communities need to foster peer support groups and culturally sensitive healthcare. Social and employment policies should accommodate the midlife transition. <b>Conclusion: </b>South Asian immigrant women experience unique facilitators and barriers to their midlife transition that should be considered by healthcare providers, policymakers and society to support them.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/2/182influencing factorsmidlife transitionimmigrantSouth Asianfocus groupinterview |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Ping Zou Jing Shao Yan Luo Aarabi Thayaparan Hui Zhang Arzoo Alam Lichun Liu Souraya Sidani |
spellingShingle |
Ping Zou Jing Shao Yan Luo Aarabi Thayaparan Hui Zhang Arzoo Alam Lichun Liu Souraya Sidani Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration Healthcare influencing factors midlife transition immigrant South Asian focus group interview |
author_facet |
Ping Zou Jing Shao Yan Luo Aarabi Thayaparan Hui Zhang Arzoo Alam Lichun Liu Souraya Sidani |
author_sort |
Ping Zou |
title |
Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration |
title_short |
Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration |
title_full |
Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration |
title_fullStr |
Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration |
title_full_unstemmed |
Facilitators and Barriers to Healthy Midlife Transition among South Asian Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Exploration |
title_sort |
facilitators and barriers to healthy midlife transition among south asian immigrant women in canada: a qualitative exploration |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Healthcare |
issn |
2227-9032 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
<b>Background: </b>South Asian immigrant women make up the largest visible minority in Canada, where visible minorities include persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour, and approximately half of these women are above the age of 35. Few studies have investigated the factors that impact the midlife transition for these women. This study aims to identify the facilitators and barriers experienced by South Asian immigrant women during the midlife transition. <b>Methods: </b>Two focus groups and ten one-on-one interviews about the midlife transition were held with South Asian first-generation immigrant women in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada; discussions were analyzed thematically. <b>Findings: </b>Personal facilitators to the midlife transition included being employed and possessing adequate life skills. Personal barriers consisted of financial strain, overwhelming demands, and limited life skills. Familial facilitators were stable financial status and support. Familial barriers included limited understanding and support and high expectations. Community facilitators included a close social circle and adequate healthcare. Community barriers were limited social support and cultural expectations. Fair and respectful societies were a facilitator, whereas inadequate policy support and acculturative stress were societal barriers. An environmental barrier was the colder Canadian climate. <b>Discussion: </b>Employment and education programs for South Asian immigrant women need to be prioritized to help them integrate into society. Family-centred assessment and education can improve familial support. Communities need to foster peer support groups and culturally sensitive healthcare. Social and employment policies should accommodate the midlife transition. <b>Conclusion: </b>South Asian immigrant women experience unique facilitators and barriers to their midlife transition that should be considered by healthcare providers, policymakers and society to support them. |
topic |
influencing factors midlife transition immigrant South Asian focus group interview |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/2/182 |
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