Approaches for prioritising the nutritional needs of refugee communities

Abstract

<jats:p>An important part of health promotion planning is identifying priority areas for programs. A typical approach includes a needs assessment where a deficit-oriented approach captures problems within a community. Approaches that focus on strengths have emerged as potentially more appropriate and effective methods for program planning. This report describes the outcomes and learning from using both a deficit-oriented and strength-based approach for identifying and describing nutrition priorities of refugee communities. Focus groups (n = 11) were conducted using both methods with a total of 69 community members from Afghan, Burmese and Sudanese backgrounds. Analysis of the focus group transcripts using a content analysis approach identified key influences on food choice and determinants of health and nutrition. There were differences in the type of information obtained from the deficit-oriented and strength-based approach. Although the strength-based approach was unfamiliar to participants and offered several challenges, it identified unique aspects of the communities that were not identified by the deficit-oriented approach, and could be used as the basis for planning community health promotion strategies. Elements of each method should be considered when designing community program planning strategies.</jats:p>

Utamu wa Afrika (the sweet taste of Africa): The vegetable garden as part of resettled African refugees' food environment

“…Healthy nutrient‐dense foods are expensive and the cost of fruits and vegetables has been identified as a barrier to their purchase and consumption . In Australia, resettled refugees have reported that the cost of vegetables is higher than that of meat, which may account for the increased consumption of meat and decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables reported among resettled refugees . In addition, the cost of core foods such as fruits and vegetables has also been reported to be high across Australia .…”

Relationship Between Food Insecurity, Social Support, and Vegetable Intake Among Resettled African Refugees in Queensland, Australia

“…10 This increased consumption of foods such as meat and eggs may be as a result of the high status ascribed to these foods by refugee families. 11 In addition, resettled refugees have reported that the price of vegetables is higher and that of meat is lower, 12 which may increase the consumption of these foods, especially in households with limited finances. Furthermore, healthy nutrient-dense foods are more expensive than energy-dense foods, 13,14 which may hinder households with limited income from consuming a healthy diet.…”