Having enough cultural food? A qualitative exploration of the experiences of migrants in a regional area of Australia
- Authors: Yeoh, Joanne , Lê, Quynh , Terry, Daniel , McManamey, Rosa
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Food Research Vol. 4, no. 2 (2014), p. 16
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- Description: The notion of food security encompasses the ability of individuals, households and communities to acquire food that is healthy, sustainable, affordable, appropriate and accessible. Despite Australia’s current ability to produce more food than required for its population, there has been substantial evidence demonstrating that many Australians struggle to feed themselves, particularly those from a cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the experiences of food security among migrants in a regional area of Australia (Tasmania). 33 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Tasmanian migrants. The interviews were analysed thematically using Nvivo 10.0 and three main themes emerged: (1) migrant’s experiences of food security in Tasmania; (2) the factors that influence migrant food security in Tasmania; and (3) acculturation strategies. Participants were satisfied with their current food security in Tasmania but they still encountered some challenges in the availability, accessibility and affordability of healthy and cultural food. Factors that influenced their food security were educational background, the language barrier, socioeconomic status, geographical isolation, and their cultural background. Migrants managed to adapt to the new food culture by using different acculturation strategies. Migrants residing in Tasmania encounter a diverse number of challenges pertaining to food security and use different food security strategies while acculturating to the new environment. These findings may inform other migrant communities in Australia, relevant non-government organisations and government departments and suggest strategies to address food security challenges among migrants.
Social capital among migrating doctors : the “bridge” over troubled water
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Lê, Quynh
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Health Organization and Management Vol. 28, no. 3 (2014), p. 315-326
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- Description: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of social capital among International Medical Graduates (IMGs). It will specifically examine bridging social capital and greater intercultural communication which provides IMGs access to the wider community and plays a key role in cross-cultural adaptation and acculturation. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the literature. Findings – An Australian wide shortage of doctors has led to an increased reliance on the recruitment of IMGs. As IMGs migrate, they may encounter different meanings of illness, models of care and a number of social challenges. Nevertheless, greater cross-cultural adaptation and acculturation occurs through bridging social capital, where intercultural communication, new social networks and identity aids integration. This process produces more opportunities for economic capital growth and upward mobility than bonding social capital. Practical...
The baby, the bath water and the future of IMGs
- Authors: Terry, Daniel , Lê, Quynh
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Innovative Interdisciplinary Research Vol. 2, no. 1 (2013), p. 51-62
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- Description: Migration has significantly accelerated over in the past few decades, with the migration of doctors and other health professionals from developed countries forming a large part of the globalisation of health care. As such, migrant labour has been observed as a means of meeting job shortages within developed countries, from low-skilled to highly-skilled professional occupations, such as International Medical Graduates (IMG). Australia, like many other developed countries, has trained insufficient doctors in the past. This has led to the immigration of IMGs to fill this gap, particularly in rural and remote areas. As countries, such as Australia has developed an ongoing need for IMGs, so too the policies and regulations have developed over the decades to meet those needs. However, as Australia now begins to train more local medical graduates, the future for IMGs remains less conceivable. The aim of this paper is to discuss the increased use of IMGs and the development of legislation and policy to regulate this cohort of migrant labour in Australia while examining what the future may be for IMGs.