Health promotion focusing on migrant women through a community based participatory research approach

Abstract

Background Migrants are often more vulnerable to health issues compared to host populations, and particularly the women. Therefore, migrant women’s health is important in promoting health equity in society. Participation and empowerment are central concepts in health promotion and in community-based participatory research aimed at enhancing health. The aim of this study was to identify conditions for health promotion together with women migrants through a community-based participatory research approach. Methods A community-based participatory research approach was applied in the programme Collaborative Innovations for Health Promotion in a socially disadvantaged area in Malmö, Sweden, where this study was conducted. Residents in the area were invited to participate in the research process on health promotion. Health promoters were recruited to the programme to encourage participation and a group of 21 migrant women participating in the programme were included in this study. A qualitative method was used for the data collection, namely, the story-dialogue method, where a process involving issue, reflections and actions guided the dialogues. The material was partly analysed together with the women, inspired by the second-level synthesis. Results Two main health issues, mental health and long-term pain, were reflected upon during the dialogues, and two main themes were elaborated in the process of analysis: Prioritising spare time to promote mental health and Collaboration to address healthcare dissatisfaction related to long-term pain. The women shared that they wanted to learn more about the healthcare system, and how to complain about it, and they also saw the togetherness as a strategy along the way. A decision was made to start a health circle in the community to continue collaboration on health promotion. Conclusions The community-based participatory research approach and the story dialogues constituted an essential foundation for the empowerment process. The health circle provides a forum for further work on conditions for health promotion, as a tool to support migrant women’s health.

Lay Health Promoters Empower Neighbourhoods-Results From a Community-Based Research Programme in Southern Sweden

“…Studies that have been carried out on various outcomes of the Lindängen initiative ( 13 , 17 , 20 – 23 ) indicate that it has in many respects been successful. However, the present study also points to important structural issues in collaboration between public institutions and communities.…”

“…The present study focuses on the role of the LHPs, and therefore only provides a brief description of the management and support structure for the Lindängen initiative as a whole. Details concerning the programme's management structure, CBPR processes and the individual health promotion labs have been reported in other studies [see ( 13 , 17 , 20 – 23 )]. The LHPs occupied a key position in the structure, since they were involved in the steering committee, the local HUB, and the individual labs, as well as having their own internal meetings.…”

“…Details concerning other aspects of the programme have been reported in publications concerning physical activity, safe environment for children, oral health and nutrition, and the overall health promotion programme ( 13 , 17 , 20 – 23 ).…”

How can humanitarian services provision during mass displacement better support health systems? An exploratory qualitative study of humanitarian service provider perspectives in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

“…Religious leaders are able to help, particularly in health promotion and outreach (e.g. increasing awareness of Covid-19 prevention and vaccination) but socially marginalised community groups must also be involved ( Jalloh et al., 2019 , Lindsjö et al., 2021 ).…”

Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF in citizens from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Southern Sweden

“…The population sampled was predominantly women, and this may also be considered a limitation since the results may not be completely generalizable. However, this study was part of a larger program that mainly included women migrants who were frequently excluded from larger health promotional initiatives ( Lindsjö et al, 2021 ; Avery et al, 2022 ). Hence, they can be regarded as representative of the cohort population under study.…”