Swarna Weerasinghe and Matthew Numer
This article presents a study of the social, emotional and physical health lifestyle behaviours of a socially marginalised segment of Canada's population: retired, widowed…
Abstract
This article presents a study of the social, emotional and physical health lifestyle behaviours of a socially marginalised segment of Canada's population: retired, widowed, immigrant mothers from a South Asian country. Using a narrative research process, we explore how present physical, emotional and social health leisure activities are influenced by behaviours from their childhood, with emphasis on migration to Canada, retirement and widowing as lifestyle behavioural change points. Our sample of immigrant women were living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada during the time of the study. The study employed narrative inquiry, which is often used in migration studies. Our qualitative data analyses uncovered themes that linked present social health activities and early life behaviours and the influence on them of cultural constraints or stimulants. Three forms of sociocultural influences, gender segregation, patriarchal protection and early preparation for marriage, shaped adolescence and adult life as less physically active but more emotionally and socially healthy. Later life events, migration, retirement and widowing, enabled women to gain freedom to renegotiate and reconstruct late‐life styles to be more physically and socially active through ethno‐cultural social networks they had built after migration. The concluding discussion makes recommendations for health and social programme planning to draw attention to cultural realms that could help these women become physically active after migration without compromising traditional social behaviours.
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In this article visible minority immigrant women's encounters and perceptions in accessing healthcare in Canada are explored. The aim is to understand the role play of the…
Abstract
Purpose
In this article visible minority immigrant women's encounters and perceptions in accessing healthcare in Canada are explored. The aim is to understand the role play of the vulnerability statuses, gender, visibility, immigration and their intersectionality as factors contributing to (in)equitiesin healthcare accessibility.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data were collected from a sample of 32 adult immigrant women, living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, using five focus group meetings. The participants have migrated from five regions of the world; South‐Eastern Asia, Middle‐Eastern Asia, the African continent, Latin/South America and non‐English speaking countries in Eastern Europe. Data were analysed using an inductive coding using the cultural health capital framework.
Findings
The findings reveal that audio and visual personal attributes such as skin colour, accent and excess body weight that are beyond Canadian norms lead to unfavourable interpersonal dynamics. Fundamental causes of diseases and clinical discourses are embedded in ethno‐cultural realties of gender, ethno‐racial identity, English communication styles and immigration related economic downturns.
Research limitations/implications
Individual level recommendations include self efficacy and empowerment. Policies and program level recommendations include enhancement of multicultural realms of healthcare to promote equity in healthcare accessibility.
Originality/value
Utilization of cultural health capital framework to illustrate inequities in healthcare accessibility, for visible and audible minority immigrant women, living in a country with universal healthcare coverage, brings a novel conceptual approach. New policy implications stemmed from the original research findings. Canadian cultural health capital framework that was developed in this article can be applied to illustrate other minorities' healthcare accessibility.
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Julia Wong, Shirley Wong, Swarna Weerasinghe, Lydia Makrides and Thelma Coward‐Ince
To describe the process of building partnerships between a health professional group (university‐based researchers and organizations from within and outside the health sector) and…
Abstract
Purpose
To describe the process of building partnerships between a health professional group (university‐based researchers and organizations from within and outside the health sector) and the black communities, highlight the accomplishments and identify problems in the process.
Design/methodology/approach
The description of the process of building partnerships with four black communities in Nova Scotia is organized in the following sections: the impetus for launching a Diabetes Primary Prevention for the Black Communities Project, its preparation, implementation, and evaluation. The accomplishments and the problems associated with the Project are analysed.
Findings
Recruitment of participants for the focus groups was challenging. Response rate to survey questionnaire was moderate. Presentation of the Project results by one of the black Project assistants to the participant communities was well received. The Project was quite successful in encouraging community involvement by engaging community groups in several small‐scale activities. Three issues related to project implementation were identified: recruitment of focus groups, participant disappointment, and survey return rates. Strategies incorporating the principles of involving a target audience, providing a service, empowering people and respecting cultural diversity with the aim to ensure successful partnership building with the black communities were proposed.
Originality/value
This paper describes the process of forging partnership with the black communities. The results of the Project could serve as a paradigm for developing culturally sensitive and responsive strategies to lessen the burden of type 2 diabetes in other racial minority communities.
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Shirley Wong, Julia Wong, Lydia Makrides and Swarna Weerasinghe
Type 2 diabetes mellitus has emerged as a major public health problem in Canada. Although the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among black people is higher than that of white people…
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus has emerged as a major public health problem in Canada. Although the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among black people is higher than that of white people in Canada, there is no diabetes prevention programme specifically designed to address the behavioural and sociocultural influences on the development of the disease in the black communities. This paper discusses a proposed conceptual framework for the development and evaluation of a diabetes prevention programme that is culturally relevant and responsive to the black communities in Canada. The research literature and results of a recent pilot study that assessed the programming needs of four black communities provide the basis upon which the proposed framework is developed.
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Nisha Jayasuriya, Punmadara Shyam Kumari Jayasinghe, Ashani Rajapaksha, Tharushi Dharmasiri, Damith Sumanasinghe and Ayesha Dasanayake
Referral marketing can be identified as the commercial form used to encourage word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. It has become popular in recent times, supporting organisations to…
Abstract
Purpose
Referral marketing can be identified as the commercial form used to encourage word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. It has become popular in recent times, supporting organisations to attract new customers towards making strides in how customers are pursued to purchase certain types of products/industries. However, some factors impact the success of referral marketing programmes. This study focuses on analysing the impact of such factors as brand, rewards and celebrity endorsement on user engagement in social media referral marketing programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
Further, this study discusses the moderating impact of social ties on this relationship mainly focusing on the cosmetic industry. The data were collected from respondents with exposure to referral marketing programmes through the social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Instagram. The structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data collected.
Findings
The results of the study revealed that brand, reward and celebrity endorsement significantly impact the participation willingness of customers in social media referral marketing programmemes. Moreover, it showed that the social tie moderates only the brand impact on the participation willingness of customers, whereas it does not moderate the impact of rewards and celebrity endorsement on the participation willingness of customers. In doing so, the study looks extensively into the elements that drive or shape customer behaviour within this specific market niche by investigating the effect of brand, incentives and endorsements by celebrities on customer engagement.
Originality/value
Accordingly, this study sheds light on the complex relationship among brands, rewards and celebrity endorsements, while also considering social ties within the context of social media referral marketing initiatives. It also delivers useful information for academics as well as practitioners. Limited studies have been conducted in this field, and therefore, this study adds some knowledge, also highlighting the moderation effect of social ties.