Jaya Dantas

Barriers Accessing Mental Health Services Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Immigrant Women in Australia: Policy Implications

Immigrant and refugee women from diverse ethnic backgrounds encounter multiple barriers in accessing mental healthcare in various settings. A systematic review on the prevalence of mental health disorders among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women in Australia documented the following barriers: logistical, language and communication, dissonance between participants and care providers and preference for alternative interventions. This article proposes recommendations for policies to better address the mental health needs of immigrant and refugee women. Key policy recommendations include: support for gender specific research, implementation and evaluation of transcultural policies, cultural responsiveness in service delivery, review of immigration and refugee claims policies and social integration of immigrants.

Access to contraception and sexual and reproductive health information post-abortion: a systematic review of literature from low- and middle-income countries

Aim This systematic literature review documented, analysed and critiqued the accessibility of contraception and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information for women living in low- and middle-income countries who have undergone medical or surgical abortion. Methodology This review systematically collated relevant and recent empirical evidence regarding womens access to contraception and SRH information post-abortion within low- and middle-income countries. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework Guidelines, Flow Diagram and Checklist were utilised to undertake the review. The Ovid (MEDLINE), ProQuest, Science Direct, Web of Science, PUBMED and CINAHL databases were searched and studies that met edibility criteria were assessed for validity and analysis. A narrative synthesis of characteristics and results of the included studies is presented. Findings After detailed assessment of available and relevant literature, nine studies were selected for inclusion in the review. Studies highlighted barriers to contraception and SRH information including supply limitation, lack of comprehensive education and counselling, lack of skilled post-abortion care (PAC) providers and abortion stigma. Conclusions The review found that with access to a wide range of contraceptive methods combined with comprehensive SRH information and education, contraception uptake in women post-abortion does increase. The review also highlights the inconsistencies in clinic-reported ‘counselling’ and what this term actually involves within a PAC setting.

Motivations and Expectations of Undergraduate Nursing Students Undertaking International Clinical Placements

BACKGROUND International clinical placements are common in preregistration nursing programs in Australian universities to enhance awareness of cultural needs and global health issues. Yet, little is known about the motivations and expectations of nursing students who choose to participate. METHOD Using a qualitative exploratory design, individual semistructured interviews were undertaken with 52 preregistration final-year nursing students from four Western Australian universities 2 weeks prior to departure to the developing countries of Tanzania, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, and India. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS The interviews revealed that students were motivated by cultural inquisitiveness and a desire to help. They expected to gain cultural learning, to be challenged, to be fulfilled, to experience professional growth, and to feel gratitude. Developing an understanding of culture was a crucial outcome. CONCLUSION By understanding the impetus and personal motivations of students, educators can guide students toward a more transformative experience whereby a more multicultural perspective on health care can be developed. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(9):487-494.].

Intra-Household Nutritional Dynamics A Cross-Sectional Study of Maasai Communities in Kenya

To date, research on dietary consumption and nutritional outcomes of the Maasai in Kenya have failed to explore how gender dynamics and intra-household bargaining power affect dietary decisions. This exploratory qualitative study investigates the decision-making processes regarding eating habits and health-seeking behavior within Maasai families in Kenya, and how such roles currently support or conflict with maternal and child health (MCH) program activities in the field of nutritional education and practices. The data were collected from the three group ranches in Laikipia County in Kenya and draws on six focus group discussions with a total of 24 Maasai men and 24 Maasai women. Our research has documented that the dietary and health-seeking decisions of Maasai families are influenced by complex intra- and extra-household factors. Programmatic interventions need to examine decision-making processes within the context of multi-generational family dynamics and gender hierarchies to scale up community-driven interventions to ensure sustained behavior change.

Best practice for community-based management of postnatal depression in developing countries: A systematic review

ABSTRACT Postnatal depression (PND) is a common disorder that can be profoundly disabling for affected mothers and their infants. We reviewed published articles on the community-based management of PND in developing countries. Our aim was to propose recommendations to help women with PND. Various databases were searched for English articles from 2000 to 2014. Twelve articles met the selection criteria. We found that interventions involving cognitive behavioral therapy, infant stimulation, and problem solving can improve outcomes for PND. Challenges to implementation included: dependence on specific cadres of health workers; motivation and capacity of delivery agents for additional responsibilities; high level of supervision required; and lack of structures and mechanisms to ensure fidelity. Recommendations are proposed that can potentially assist future efforts at addressing PND in women, especially in developing countries. Further research is required to address these gaps.