The Changing Health Care Behaviour of the Hmong Refugee Population in Sydney

Dados Bibliográficos

ID5877290
AutoresJennifer A Wang (TCA College, autor correspondente)
Ano2005
Volume43
Fascículo4
Páginas417-428
Data de publicação2005-12-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoGeographical Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1745-5863 • E-ISSN: 1745-5871
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1745-5871.2005.00339.x
OpenAlexW2171210983
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas14

Health care behaviour of Hmong refugees in Sydney was investigated after research in the United States had shown that, within the Southeast Asian refugee community in that country, Hmong refugees not only had the lowest rates of use of Western medicine but also were the most likely to assess their quality of health as only fair (Brainard and Zaharlick, 1989, 849). In contrast, this study found that the Sydney Hmong generally used Western medicine as a system of first choice. At the same time, most continued to use traditional medicines, albeit in a modified form. Minimal costs, freedom to choose their own doctor and appropriate, long term health education were the most important factors in Hmong using Western medicine in Sydney. Other contributing factors included the structure and size of the community, the presence of a long-term Hmong resident in Sydney upon arrival and familiarity with Western medicine. Thus, the Sydney Hmong community was able to maintain a reasonable quality of health at an affordable price. An unexpected finding was the improved social, economic and health status of Hmong women. Such differentiated results are a powerful argument for not looking at refugees as a homogenous group, even when investigating a single, national, ethnic or cultural group. This study highlighted both the multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature of health care behaviour and the contribution that a small in-depth case study can make to health and migrant policy

Economic growth · Environmental health · Ethnic group · Geography · Health care · Immigration · Population · Refugee · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Anthropology · Medicine · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Health and Trauma · Migration, Identity, and Health · Gerontology