Ethnicity matters in perceived impacts and information sources of COVID-19 among mothers with young children in Australia: a cross-sectional study

Examining the influence of community leaders and other community actors on immunisation practices in Australia: A national cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Variation in COVID-19 vaccination coverage and increasing vaccine hesitancy are well documented, especially amongst ethnic minority populations and current channels of vaccine and communication have been found to be inadequate. It has been suggested that more be done to utilise community-led pathways to improve vaccine readiness in ethnic minority communities in Australia. The study aimed to explore receptiveness towards the role of different actors and methods of communication about immunisation.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 1,227 adults in Australia was conducted to examine the roles of various actors in promoting vaccine uptake. Chi-square analyses and independent samples t-tests were used to identify significant associations between sociodemographic characteristics, vaccine practices, and vaccine information-seeking behaviours and (1) COVID-19 vaccine uptake (at least one dose) and (2) speaking a language other than English.

RESULTS

At the time of the survey, 93% of respondents had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. There were significant associations between COVID-19 vaccine uptake and: perceived capacity to locate accurate and timely vaccine information; receiving the COVID-19 vaccination information from a Nurse or Pharmacist; and receiving a vaccine recommendation by a GP. Additionally, respondents who spoke a language other than English reported were significantly more likely to have received information from family, friends, workplaces, local councils, religious centres, community leaders, and religious leaders than those who only spoke English.

CONCLUSION

Significant variations in vaccine practices and vaccine information-seeking behaviours were found, especially in those who speak a language other than English. To enhance vaccine uptake and to address vaccine hesitancy in Australia, vaccine promotion strategies and health communication efforts require significant consideration of information accessibility and communication source preferences.

Barriers and enablers to accessing child health resources and services: Findings from qualitative interviews with Arabic and Mongolian immigrant mothers in Australia

BACKGROUND

Over the past two decades, there has been an increase of immigrants in Australia. Despite this, the availability of culturally responsive resources and services that cater to their needs remains insufficient.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the resources used and trusted by Mongolian- and Arabic-speaking migrant mothers in Australia for child health information and examine how they navigate and overcome challenges they encounter accessing this information.

DESIGN

Semi-structured telephone interview.

METHODS

A theory informed semi-structured 60-min telephone interview was conducted in Arabic and Mongolian with 20 Arabic- and 20 Mongolian-speaking migrant mothers of children younger than 2 years or currently pregnant and living in Australia. Data were analysed thematically using the framework method.

RESULTS

The reliance on digital platforms such as google emerged as a common trend among both groups of mothers when seeking child health information. Notably, there were differences in resources selection, with Mongolian mothers showing a preference for Australian-based websites, while Arabic-speaking mothers tended to opt for culturally familiar resources. There were various barriers that hindered their access to health services and resources, including language barriers, cost, and limited knowledge or familiarity with their existence. Negative encounters with healthcare professionals contributed to a perception among many mothers that they were unhelpful. Both groups of mothers employed a cross-checking approach across multiple websites to verify trustworthiness of information. Acculturation was shown only among the Mongolian-speaking mothers who adapted their cultural practices in line with their country of residence.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study highlight the importance of addressing the needs of migrant mothers in accessing child health information. Health professionals, government agencies, and researchers have an opportunity to provide culturally responsive support by fostering a culturally inclusive approach to developing and promoting equitable access to services and resources, ultimately enhancing the wellbeing of migrant families.

Twelve-month effectiveness of telephone and SMS support to mothers with children aged 2 years in reducing children's BMI: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Few quality intervention studies have assessed whether a combined telephone and short message service (SMS) intervention to mothers is effective in reducing BMI and obesity risk behaviors of children at 3 years of age. This study aimed to assess effectiveness of telephone and SMS support in reducing children's body mass index (BMI) and obesity risk behaviors.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 662 women of 2-year-old children (with the proportion of overweight and obesity being similar to the general population) was conducted in Sydney, Australia, March 2019-October 2020. The mothers in the intervention group received three telephone support sessions plus SMS messages and mailed-intervention-booklets over a 12 months period i.e., 24-26, 28-30, and 32-34 months of the child's age. Mothers in the control group received usual care and two mailed booklets on information not related to the intervention. The primary outcome was child's BMI at 3 years of age. Secondary outcomes were children's dietary and activity behaviors. All outcome measures were based on mothers' self-report using standardized tools due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

RESULTS

537 (81%) mothers completed the post-intervention assessment at 3 years with only 470 (71%) children having weight and height measures. Multiple imputation analysis showed no statistically significant difference in mean BMI between the groups. Children in the intervention group were more likely not to eat in front of the TV [AOR 1.79 (95% CI 1.17-2.73), P = 0.008], more likely to meet the dietary recommendations [AOR 1.73 (95% CI 0.99-3.02), P = 0.054] and meet the activity recommendations [AOR 1.72 (95% CI 1.11-2.67), P = 0.015] than those in the control group respectively. Among those with an annual household income (

CONCLUSIONS

A staged telephone and SMS support intervention to mothers with children aged 2 years was associated with improved dietary and activity behaviors. The intervention was also associated with reduced children's BMI at age 3 years only for those from lower income households.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial is registered with the Australian Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12618001571268).

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Key Words

• epidemiology
• risk factors

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MESH Headings

• Female
• Humans
• Child, Preschool
• Mothers
• Body Mass Index
• Australia/epidemiology
• COVID-19
• Obesity/epidemiology
• Weight Loss
• Telephone

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Affiliation(s)

Li Ming Wen Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH), Sydney, NSW, Australia. Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Huilan Xu Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Philayrath Phongsavan Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Chris Rissel Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia College of Medicine and Public Health, Rural and Remote Health, South Australia and Northern Territory, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
Alison Hayes Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH), Sydney, NSW, Australia
Sarah Taki Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH), Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Limin Buchanan Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Their Families, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Lisa Simone Health Promotion Unit, Population Health Research & Evaluation Hub, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Renee Moreton Population Health, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Louise A Baur Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH), Sydney, NSW, Australia Specialty of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

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Communication and engagement of community members from ethnic minorities during COVID-19: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

This review examined the factors influencing communication and engagement with ethnic and racial minority groups in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to answer two main questions: (1) what communication problems people from these communities typically faced during the pandemic? and (2) what strategies and recommendations were suggested to enhance communication and engagement for ethnic and racial minorities during the current COVID-19 pandemic and any similar events in the future?

DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO and CINAHL. Grey literature was searched within organisations' websites and a Google search of key terms.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

We included original research, case studies, reports (including government and charity reports), systematic and scoping articles and literature reviews in English, published from January 2020 to August 2022.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two researchers independently assessed the literature for eligibility and extracted data from the included literature. The selected papers were analysed and summarised into themes relevant to the research questions. The final review included 38 studies combining published academic papers and grey literature.

RESULTS

Key themes relating to communication and engagement issues included a lack of trust in authority, a lack of access to information and ineffective communication channels and a lack of timely and culturally responsive materials. To reduce the issues, the papers spoke about the key role of community organisations to provide local support and community leaders as trusted spokespersons. Lastly, key recommendations to reduce inequity and strengthen future pandemic responses focused on the need for collaborations and consultations, increasing the number of bilingual workers and supporting community-led communication efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

The insights gained from the activities and experiences documented in this review during the COVID-19 pandemic should be incorporated into future decision-making and interventions to enhance communication and engagement strategies.

Main COVID-19 information sources in a culturally and linguistically diverse community in Sydney, Australia: A cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

Describe COVID-19 information-seeking experiences for culturally and linguistically diverse groups in Sydney, Australia.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey, translated into 11 languages; participants recruited from March 21 to July 9, 2021. Regression models identified factors associated with difficulty finding easy-to-understand COVID-19 information.

RESULTS

Across 708 participants (88% born overseas, 31% poor English proficiency), difficulty finding easy-to-understand COVID-19 information was rated 4.13 for English (95%CI: 3.85-4.41) and 4.36 for non-English language materials (95%CI: 4.07-4.66) (1 easy to 10 hard). Participants who were older (p < 0.001), had inadequate health literacy (p < 0.001), or poor English proficiency (p < 0.001) found it harder to find easy-to-understand English-language COVID-19 information. Those who had greater difficulty finding easy-to-understand non-English COVID-19 information were younger (p = 0.004), had poor English proficiency (p < 0.001), were university-educated (p = 0.05), and had spent longer living in Australia (p = 0.001). They were more likely to rely on friends and family for COVID-19 information (p = 0.02). There was significant variation in information-seeking experiences across language groups (p's < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Easy-to-understand and accessible COVID-19 information is needed to meet the needs of people in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

COVID-19 communication efforts must involve working alongside these communities to leverage existing communication channels and tailor messages.

Demographic Predictors of Mothers' Willingness to Vaccinate Young Children Against COVID-19, Get Tested and Isolate: A Cross-Sectional Survey Before and During the Greater Sydney Lockdown 2021, Australia

Background and Objectives

Having a COVID-19 vaccination, getting tested, and self-isolating if symptomatic are some of the most important mitigation strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate whether demographic factors are associated with mothers' willingness to vaccinate their 4-year-old children against COVID-19 if a suitable vaccine becomes available or to get tested and self-isolate if they themselves have COVID-19 symptoms and whether the willingness could be influenced by the Greater Sydney lockdown 2021.

Methods

A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted between 24th February and 26th October 2021. Questions from the NSW Adult Population Health Survey and from previously published studies were used to assess family demographics, mothers' willingness to vaccinate their young children, and willingness to get tested and self-isolate if symptomatic. The survey involved 604 mothers of children aged 4 years who participated in an existing trial in Sydney, Australia.

Results

Mothers were more willing to vaccinate their children when the child's father had a tertiary education or higher, with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 2.60 (95% CI 1.67–4.04). Mothers who were older than 30 years or who completed the survey during the lockdown were more willing to get tested if symptomatic, with AOR 2.50 (95% CI 1.17–5.36) and AOR 3.36 (95% CI 1.41–8.02), respectively. Mothers who were married or had de-facto partners were more willing to self-isolate if symptomatic [AOR 17.15 (95% CI 3.56–82.65)].

Conclusion

Fathers' educational level, mothers' age, and marital status were associated with mothers' willingness to vaccinate their young children if a suitable vaccine were available, to get tested, and self-isolate if symptomatic respectively. The promotion of mitigation strategies for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic needs to take into account specific family demographics.