Migration-related Factors and Settlement Service Literacy

Findings from the Multi-site Migrants’ Settlement Study

Bibliographic Data

ID18928603
AuthorsA M N Renzaho (0000-0002-6844-0833, Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals, corresponding author), Michael Polonsky (0000-0003-2395-1311, Deakin University), Adnan Yusuf (0000-0002-3347-3264, Deakin University), Ahmed Ferdous (0000-0002-8424-3055, Deakin University), Michael Szafraniec (New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry), Bukola Salami (0000-0003-1030-0464, University of Alberta), Julie Green (0000-0002-6741-5759, The University of Melbourne)
Year2023
Volume24
Issue4
Pages1589-1609
Publication date2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of International Migration and Integration / Revue de l integration et de la migration internationale (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1488-3473 • E-ISSN: 1874-6365
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12134-023-01023-x
PMID37360640
OpenAlexW4327910537
LanguageEN
References cited27

Migrants’ access and effective utilisation of settlement services depend on their level of settlement service literacy (SSL). However, SSL is multi-dimensional in nature and has many facets that are influenced by demographic and migration-related factors. Identifying factors that drive various components of SSL, and thus allowing for more focused development of specific dimensions, is critical. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between components of SSL and migration-related and migrants’ demographic factors. Using a snowball sampling approach, trained multilingual research assistants collected data on 653 participants. Data were collected using face-to-face or online (phone and via video platforms such as Zoom and Skype) surveys. Our findings suggest that demographic and migration-related factors explained 32% of the variance in overall SSL; and 17%, 23%, 44%, 8%, 10% of the variance in knowledge, empowerment, competence, community influence, and political components of SSL respectively. SSL was positively associated with pre-migration and post-migration educational attainment, being employed in Australia, being a refugee, coming from the sub-Saharan region but negatively associated with age and coming from the East Asia and Pacific region. Across SSL dimensions, post-migration education was the only factor positively associated with the overall SSL and all SSL dimensions (except the political dimension). Employment status in Australia was also positively associated with competency and empowerment, but not other dimensions. Affiliating with a religion other than Christianity or Islam was negatively associated with knowledge and empowerment whilst being a refugee was positively associated with knowledge. Age was negatively associated with the empowerment and competency dimensions. The study provides evidence of the importance of some pre- and post-migration factors that can assist in developing targeted initiatives to enhance migrants’ SSL. Identifying factors that drive various components of SSL will allow for more focused development of specific dimensions and therefore is critical

Business · Economic growth · Economics · Geography · Literacy · Diaspora, migration, transnational identity · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy · Finance · Marketing

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access