Emotional Health and Wellbeing in the
Spanish Speaking Community –
Consultation Report
Area Women’s Health and
Community Partnerships
September 2007
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Acknowledgements
The project team of the Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women Project
would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following partners for their
assistance with this project.
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Nubia Montero – Settlement Worker – Spanish and Latin American
Association for Social Assistance (SLASA)
Anna Maria White – Spanish speaking Counsellor – Area Mental Health
SESIAHS
Madeleine Chapman – Diversity Health Coordinator – Multicultural Health
(Sutherland Hospital) SESIAHS
Sheila Lever – Women’s Health Nurse -Area Women’s Health and
Community Partnerships SESIAHS
Jenny Grey – Migrant Services Coordinator – Gymea Community Aid &
Information Service
Magda Arango – Volunteer – Gymea Community Aid & Information Service
Maree Everitt – Sutherland Shire Council
Zenia Anderson – Spanish speaking worker, Multicultural Carers Program
Mila Acevedo – Multicultural worker South East Neighbourhood Centre
Pauline Foote – Manager, Area Women’s Health and Community
Partnerships SESIAHS
Leigh Wilson - Area Women’s Health and Community Partnerships SESIAHS
Debra Hanlin – Area Women’s Health and Community Partnerships SESIAHS
The project team would like to especially acknowledge the women of the Spanish
speaking community in south east Sydney for their honest and considered opinions
about the emotional wellbeing of Spanish speaking women who migrate to Australia.
“We have different stages of this migration process. On the first stage,
everything is fantastic and new, but later on you realise that you do not have
your family, friends, culture - that was so hard. However, I believe that women
are like a phoenix bird so they can rebirth again and move on (women have
that ability)”
Sutherland group
Cover Photo:
Claire Ferguson
This document was prepared by Wilma Espinoza and Leigh Wilson
© Area Women’s Health and Community Partnerships
South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service
September 2007
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Contents
Summary ........................................................................................................1
Introduction ....................................................................................................2
Project description ........................................................................................3
Background ..............................................................................................................3
Aims..........................................................................................................................4
Methodology .............................................................................................................4
Consultations............................................................................................................4
Characteristics of groups consulted .........................................................................5
Background characteristics of women participants ..................................................6
Stakeholder interviews .............................................................................................7
Consultations with women............................................................................8
Emotional health.......................................................................................................8
Issues common to the groups consulted ..................................................................9
Differences between the groups consulted ............................................................13
Future directions in this Spanish speaking community...........................................14
Limitations working with the Spanish speaking women..........................................14
Consultations with stakeholders................................................................15
Strategies to maintain and promote emotional health and wellbeing .....................19
Barriers to maintaining emotional health and wellbeing .........................................20
Discussion....................................................................................................22
Conclusion ...................................................................................................22
Recommendations.......................................................................................23
Appendices...................................................................................................24
Appendix 1 – SESIAHS Consent form ...................................................................24
Appendix 2 – Demographic questionnaire (Spanish) .............................................25
Appendix 3 – Consultation guide............................................................................27
Appendix 4 – Stakeholder interview guide .............................................................29
Bibliography .................................................................................................30
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Summary
There are many factors known to influence the emotional health and wellbeing of
women. Evidence has shown that women experience different influences on their
health than men. These influences are not only related to biological factors but also
to the roles they play socially and within their families.
Research suggests that migrant women are likely to have additional stressors related
to their migration experience and in adapting to a new way of life in Australia. Migrant
women have been identified as a group at high risk of mental illness as a result of
stressors associated with the migration process. These stressors include poor
English skills, lack of family support, high demands of family responsibilities and
feelings of longing for their homeland.
Spanish speaking women make up 5% of the population of women in South Eastern
Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service (SESIAHS) (ABS Census data 2001). Previous
consultations with women of CALD backgrounds living in SESIAHS indicated migrant
women have higher levels of stress related illness, depression and emotional
distress. As a result of this information the Emotional Wellbeing Project was initiated.
The first phase of the project was the preparation of a literature review exploring
emotional wellbeing in migrant women. Phase two of the project involved
consultations with women from Spanish speaking backgrounds, and key
stakeholders who work with Spanish speaking women.
Spanish speaking women from a range of communities in south east Sydney were
recruited by the Bilingual Community Development Worker (who speaks Spanish)
and other Spanish speaking workers in the area. Thirty four women participated in
focus group consultations and five key stakeholders working with women in the
Spanish speaking community were interviewed.
The results of the consultations indicated that there are varying levels of emotional
wellbeing among women of Spanish speaking background. There were many factors
associated with the way women felt about emotional wellbeing. These included how
long ago the women migrated to Australia, their age, level of English skill, access to
appropriate services and availability of support networks.
The results of this project provide evidence which identifies the major factors
associated with emotional wellbeing in Spanish speaking women. The project results
highlight the importance of ensuring appropriate, accessible services are available to
women from CALD backgrounds. In addition, the consultations with women underline
the importance of providing opportunities for social interaction as a way of building
community cohesion and social connectedness, thereby improving emotional
wellbeing.
This report highlights the implications for organisations and facilities providing
services for migrant women, including supplementing their limited financial resources
and special needs with regard to language specific services. Collaboration between
key partners working in SLASA, Mental Health, Women’s Health and Multicultural
Health will enable a range of targeted strategies to be developed that will assist the
Spanish speaking community The report makes recommendations to further the
development of the Emotional Wellbeing Project in Spanish speaking women, but
also identifies strategies which may be implemented in other CALD communities.
-1-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Introduction
There are many factors which influence the emotional health and wellbeing of all
women. It is now accepted that women experience different influences on their health
not only related to biological factors, but also to their family and social roles.
Traditional ways of thinking passed down through the generations and social
structures in each culture have served to create and maintain differences in the roles
and life experiences of women and men. Gender differences in social, economic and
political opportunities and expectations between men and women have a potent
influence on women’s health (NSW Health 2000).
Most women who migrate to Australia demonstrate good health on their arrival and
for some years afterwards. This is reflected in lower hospitalisation and death rates
and lower prevalence of lifestyle factors that put them at risk of chronic disease. This
phenomenon, known as ‘the healthy migrant effect’, results from the good health
status required as part of the criteria to migrate to Australia (Australian Institute of
Health & Welfare 2004).
Research suggests that migrant women are likely to have additional stressors related
to their migration experience and in adapting to a new way of life in Australia. As a
result of stressors such as limited English, lack of family support, high demands of
family responsibilities and feelings of longing for their homeland, the emotional health
and wellbeing of many migrant women is compromised. In light of this, migrant
women have been identified as a high risk group for mental illness (NSW Health
1994).
Promoting mental health and emotional wellbeing among women has been identified
as priority in a number of documents including:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
NSW Women’s Health Outcomes Framework (2002)
NSW Strategic Framework to Advance the Health of Women (2000)
National Mental Health Plan 2003 – 2008
National Women’s Health Policy: Advancing Women’s Health in Australia (1989)
Previous consultations with women of CALD backgrounds indicated migrant women
have higher levels of stress related illness, depression and emotional distress. As a
result of this information, consultations with women from Spanish speaking
backgrounds, and key stakeholders who work with Spanish speaking women took
place in late 2006 and early 2007.
This project report details the methods and approach used during the consultation
phase of the project, and presents in detail the results of consultations and
interviews. The report includes recommendations for the future development of the
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women Project.
-2-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Project description
Background
The Emotional Wellbeing Project was established in 2005 as a result of information
obtained from a range of sources including statistical data and previous community
consultations. This information highlighted the specific issues amongst CALD women
living in the south east Sydney region of South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health
Service (SESIAHS). Research in Australia has shown that women in general show
higher levels of psychological disorders than men, in particular depression, anxiety
and other emotional problems (South East Health 2003). It is also known that
women from CALD communities experience a lot of emotional distress as a result of
migration and adjustment to living in an English speaking multicultural society, and
the conditions they experience as women.
The first phase of this project was a literature review examining the emotional health
and wellbeing of migrant women, undertaken by the Area Women’s Health Unit in
South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service in 2006. The literature review,
focussed on the importance of using a community development approach to address
emotional health and wellbeing in CALD women, and recommended tis project be
piloted initially in the Spanish speaking community.
Statistics from the 2001 Census indicates that Spanish speaking women make up
5% of the population of women in SESIAHS. The Spanish speaking community is the
sixth largest CALD group in south east Sydney and an emerging community in the
Sutherland area. The migration of Spanish speaking people to Australia happened in
five major ‘waves’. The first large groups of Spanish speaking people to migrate
came from Spain and settled in the 1950’s – 1970’s. Between 1970 – 1980 the
majority of migrants came from Latin American countries experiencing political unrest
including Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Peru. The third major wave of immigrants
came from Central America, particularly El Salvador as a result of continued political
unrest in the area at the time. Between 1995 and 2002, many Spanish speaking
people migrated under the Family Reunion Program, and more recently people from
Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Ecuador have migrated to Australia as skilled
migrants (with their working spouses) (SLASA 2007).
Information provided by Spanish speaking workers and reports from the Spanish and
Latin American Association for Social Assistance (SLASA) indicate that there are
high levels of emotional distress among Spanish speaking women as a consequence
of the interaction of a range of factors. The major issues relating to health in Spanish
speaking women are social isolation, language barriers, the ongoing pressure of
maintaining a caring role in addition to their own difficulties in a new culture and
separation from family and loved ones. As a result, many women show signs of
stress or develop depression.
Based on the evidence from the literature review, the experience of the Bilingual
Community Education Program, and known levels of stress and depression in the
Spanish speaking community, the second phase of the Emotional Wellbeing Project
– Consultations with the Spanish speaking community, commenced in 2006.
This report presents the information gained through interviews with stakeholders and
consultations among Spanish speaking women with the aim of developing and
implementing strategies to address the emotional wellbeing of those women.
-3-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Aims
The Emotional Wellbeing Project aims to establish appropriate partnerships and
networks with local services to address health issues among Spanish speaking
women. It is also anticipated that by working in partnership with Spanish speaking
women, existing skills and strengths can be identified thereby further enhancing
community capacity to identify and address women’s health issues. The project also
aims to facilitate strategies to build self-esteem and confidence among women,
facilitate activities and support groups and improve access among women to local
health and social services.
The aim of the consultations was to collect information about major issues that
impact on the emotional health and wellbeing of Spanish speaking women living in
south east Sydney.
Methodology
The methods used in this project were qualitative and included focus groups with
Spanish speaking women and individual interviews with key stakeholders working
with the Spanish speaking community. The women consulted were from existing
groups that regularly met for a variety of reasons including social and recreational,
craft, support groups and information.
Consultations conducted included:
• Four focus group consultations
• Five stakeholder interviews
Consultations
The decision to use focus groups meant women could provide responses which
reflected their personal experiences as a migrant, as well as their perceptions of their
community.
The focus groups were conducted with Spanish speaking women of different ages
and length of residency in Australia. The groups consisted of:
•
•
•
One group of relatively recently arrived young women
Two groups of older women and
One group of young mothers
Before the focus groups were conducted, women were provided with brief
information about the project and were reassured about the importance of their
participation and input. Each woman was asked to complete a standard SESIAHS
consent form (read to them in Spanish) (Appendix 1) and a questionnaire, written in
Spanish, to obtain demographic data (Appendix 2).
To conduct the focus groups it was necessary to develop a questionnaire guide
which contained 5 sections; the first was related to health in general, the second was
related to emotional health; the third section was related to stress and depression,
the fourth was related to health services and the last section was related to working
with the Spanish speaking community (Appendix 3).
-4-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Characteristics of groups consulted
Sutherland Women’s Group
This group has approximately 15 to 20 women who usually meet every Friday at
Gymea Community Aid & Information Service. The majority of these women are
more recent arrivals to Australia, having been here between 5 to 10 years. Most are
young women who have some English skills or are studying English, while others are
looking after young children. There are a few older women who have come to
Australia very recently and do not have English skills.
This group is very active and have suggested range of activities which they have
organised into a weekly program. This year, with the support of a trained volunteer,
the group has been involved in relaxation programs and techniques to overcome
stress and anxiety.
Eastlakes Women’s Group
The Eastlakes Group was established last year with the encouragement of the South
Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service Spanish speaking counsellor. This
group was established as a support group and women meet once a week at
Beaconsfield in a venue provided by the South East Neighbourhood centre.
The group has 12 to18 members, with the majority having been in Australia many
years. The members of this group are older women who have retired due to health
problems or ageing. Most of them came to the group because it was suggested by
the Spanish speaking counsellor as a way of reducing their isolation and assisting
with other issues. The women participate in many different activities organised by the
Spanish speaking counsellor in conjunction with the Multicultural worker from South
East Neighbourhood Centre and sometimes with the support from Area Women’s
Health and Community Partnerships.
St George Women’s Group
The St George Women’s Group has been established for many years and consists of
15 to 20 women. The majority of women in this group are retired and participate in
this group to overcome their isolation due to a lack of English skills. The women also
participate in information sessions on a range of different issues organised by the
Spanish speaking worker from SLASA. The women have formed a committee which
organises outings and other activities for them.
Young Mothers Group
The Young Mother’s Group was established 5 years ago with the aim of providing
opportunities for young mothers to meet, socialise and obtain information from the
Spanish speaking worker from SLASA. The group has a leader who keeps women
updated about future events and activities. The women in this group are aged
between 25 and 35, have small children, and attend the group to socialise and make
friends. The majority have been here in Australia between 5-10 years. Some of them
are learning English and others are waiting for their small children to go to school so
they can go to work. The women also bring their children to the group to provide
them with the opportunity to meet and play with other children.
-5-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Background characteristics of women participants
Thirty four women participated in the consultation which was conducted in Spanish.
Of these 10 were from the Sutherland group, 7 from the Eastlakes group, 9 from the
St George group and 8 from the young mothers group.
Women came from a number of countries in South America. Eleven women came
from Chile, seven from Argentina, five from Colombia and Peru as well and one each
from Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Mexico. Although the people in each of
these countries speak Spanish as their national language, the countries are
geographically widespread and have cultures and customs that vary significantly.
Age, living arrangements and residency
The women who participated in the focus groups ranged in age from 25 - 67 years.
The majority of women were over 65 years old (12). Women aged 25 - 35 were
represented, however women aged between 36 - 45 were not represented in the
focus groups, possibly due to work or other family commitments. The majority of
participants stated that they were living with their husband or families, showing they
have support networks. Only three participants were living by themselves, all the
others were living with their relatives. Most of the participants had been living in
Australia for over 10 years.
-6-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Education, occupation and English proficiency
The majority of women in the consultation did not go out to work. This was primarily
because young women were caring for small children and the older women were
retired. Older women preferred to identify themselves as housewives. The majority of
women had high school level education; some had tertiary studies and two had only
primary level education. Most participants had at least an average level of English, a
large proportion spoke good English and few did not have English skills.
Community participation
Most women demonstrated active community participation, saying they were involved
in group activities, and considered themselves belonging to different groups. Two
women said they were involved in volunteer activities and only two did not participate
in any community activities.
Stakeholder interviews
Face to face interviews were conducted with key stakeholders working with women
from a Spanish speaking background. Five interviews were conducted among
stakeholders whom work in south east Sydney (Appendix 4).
These included:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Bilingual Spanish speaking counsellor Area Mental Health - South East
Sydney Illawarra Health
Settlement Services Worker - Spanish and Latin American Association for
Social Assistance
Migrant Services Coordinator, Gymea Community Aid and Information
Service
Diversity Health Coordinator Multicultural Health - South East Sydney
Illawarra Health
Spanish speaking worker, Multicultural Aged and Disability Services, Bexley
-7-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Consultations with women
All women participants in the focus groups were asked about their perception of
health, and whether they could define health. It was noticed by the facilitator of the
groups that the Spanish speaking women found health difficult to define.
Women did comment however that they value health as one of the most important
things in their life and related the concept to positive feelings. Women also
commented that they valued health in terms of not having illness.
“Feeling good not only physically but emotionally as well”
Sutherland Group
Emotional health
Spanish speaking women of all ages found it difficult to explain and describe
emotional health. They defined emotional health in terms of their feelings therefore
for them emotional health was related to being calm and relaxed. Women also
commented that good emotional health was about ‘feeling good’ and this was
important to them. The women interviewed felt that there were a range of factors
which influenced their emotional health. Women raised factors which impacted both
positively and negatively on their emotional wellbeing.
Some of the factors the women felt enhanced their emotional wellbeing were: having
a positive attitude, having friends, doing activities such as dancing, exercise, Tai Chi,
Yoga and listening to music. Other health enhancing behaviours included going on
outings with others, joining in on group activities and meeting with friends.
Although women of all ages raised challenges in their emotional health as an issue,
different groups used differing strategies to deal with emotional issues. In the
Sutherland group the majority suggested using different strategies such as dancing,
listening to music, having a positive attitude and communicating with your family
members to help them maintain their emotional health. Similar responses were
obtained from the St George Group. However both the St George Group and the
Young Mothers Group commented on the importance of relationships with their
partners and family members. All these groups agreed that support, socialising and
doing activities was important for good emotional health.
“It is important to take time off otherwise women become tense due to
multiple occupations…we should have time for ourselves unfortunately we
do not realise this until we get depression”
Eastlakes Group
“We need excursions or other activities - they are therapy for us”
St George Group
“Having support from our partners or family”
“It is important to participate in a group where you can share similar
experiences; migration, language, culture that help us in not being isolated”
Young Mothers Group
-8-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Issues common to the groups consulted
The women all felt that there were a range of common factors which impacted on
their emotional health and wellbeing. The most common issues identified by women
were:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Migration
Isolation and language barriers
Stress and pressures of fast paced living
A lack of knowledge of health services
Migration issues
Spanish speaking women felt that the major factors affecting their emotional health
were as a result of the migration process.
“Moving from one country to another is big issue and has a lot of implications.
The migration process could create emotional instability and sometimes it
takes a lot of time (to adapt)”
Sutherland Group
Most of the women agreed that the lack of language skill, isolation, loneliness and
integrating into the systems of a new country is very difficult for most migrants.
Women from the Sutherland Group were aware of different stages in the migration
process and showed a positive attitude to migration and living in Australia.
Most of these women came to Australia to reunite with their family – (husband came
first) or with their grown up children.
Women in the Young Mothers Group raised the fact that although there were
difficulties with migration, Australia provided them with new possibilities and creative
opportunities. However, they felt ‘divided’ between two countries and sometimes felt
they wanted to live half ‘over there’ and half ‘over here’.
“We have a mixture of feelings about this issue for instance; I would like being
half of the year over there and the other half over here …I still missing my
culture, traditions, relatives, customs, etc” “Being a migrant is not easy
however I do not consider myself going back to Colombia”
Young Women’s Group
Younger women discussed the importance of ‘moving on’ following migration.
Women in all groups expressed a mixture of feelings about this issue, although some
women recognised that they had already adapted to this country and had moved on.
However groups where the majority of women were older were acutely aware of the
loss of family, relatives and friends and consequently expressed loneliness. These
women felt strongly that they are ‘divided’ as a consequence of the migration process
“one part of us is here and the other in our country” .The majority of women in this
group are not working anymore due to illness or retirement therefore their personal
circumstances make them vulnerable.
“The loss of relatives or friends - also knowing that our parents died and we
could not go to their funerals because they are far away”
Eastlakes Group
-9-
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“We have different stages of this migration process. On the first stage,
everything is fantastic, and new, but later on you realise that you do not have
your family, friends, culture -that was so hard. However, I believe that women
are like a phoenix bird so they can rebirth again and move on (women have
that ability)”
Sutherland Group
Isolation and language barriers
One of the main issues associated with migration is isolation from one’s friends,
family and others. Many of the women interviewed commented that isolation
negatively impacted on their health. Isolation for many of the women was a direct
result of their inability to speak fluent English.
For the majority of women attending groups, the support obtained has assisted them
in overcoming the isolation they had felt previously. The Eastlakes Group members
agreed that being able to attend this type of support group, enabled them to connect
with other women therefore helping to break the pattern of isolation.
“Not having the language skills leads to isolation”
St George Group
“Attending groups is so important avoiding loneliness and at the same time
you are getting important information and support from different workers”
Eastlakes Group
Older women were particularly aware of the impact isolation and language barriers
had on their health, most commonly leading to stress and depression.
“We begin on having emotional problems when we start thinking about the
past specifically about our country and become depressed…in Australia we
do not have friends, we are isolated and that affects the emotional health”
St George Group
Stress and pressures of fast paced living
Many women in different groups were confused about the difference between the
terms stress, depression and anxiety but acknowledged that these issues affect their
lives. The women from Sutherland felt that stress was from living in a fast society,
often not even realising they are stressed.
Women from Eastlakes expressed the different ways stress could present, such as
anxiety, nervousness, tiredness or emotions that stop them from ‘moving on’,
whereas the women from St George felt that stress related to feelings of vulnerability.
Other symptoms women associated with stress included nervousness, anxiety,
feeling bored, anger, not having energy, feeling sad and angry, tearful, melancholic.
Some women listed headaches and physical illness as a result of continued stress in
their lives. Some of the young women stated that when they feel stressed they feel
the urge to eat, and often do so when they are bored as well.
Younger women said even the smallest activity (like walking) in Australia could
produce stress, because you have to be aware of many things including traffic, noise
and a busy fast environment.
“We live so fast having a lot of tensions, sometimes generated by our family
or our surroundings without being able to manage them”
- 10 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“You are feeling tired physically and emotionally and you are not having
energy to keep going so you feel fatigue and tiredness”
Eastlakes Group
Many young women commented that they had support from their husbands when
looking after children and carrying out household duties, but many women,
particularly older women, expressed the view that they are not always supported by
their partners, due to the cultural ‘macho’ tendency of Spanish speaking men.
Most women interviewed agreed that women have more responsibility associated
with bringing up children and caring for a family, this can cause additional stress and
emotional health issues. Women in the Sutherland Group commented on the specific
challenges of looking after teenaged children, and acknowledged that working
mothers do not have enough time to do that job properly. The ability of women to
‘multi-task’ was also highlighted as a reason why they become overloaded, stressed
and develop emotional health issues.
“Women get stressed because she is the one who does all the housework
from when she wakes up until late. She is working at home; cleaning,
cooking, looking after the children and when the husband comes home he
finds everything done. Especially women who have ’macho’ husbands they
do not understand the demanding work at home”
Young women’s Group
The older women from the Eastlakes Group highlighted the stresses that are caused
from retiring from work, and coming to terms with life in a new country. Many
commented that it was hard to accept you could no longer work. Women from St
George also commented on the stress of growing older, and the worries connected
with chronic illness. Younger women felt that stress was from a variety of causes, but
felt it was more a personal issue, different for every woman.
“When you become retired it sometimes creates stress because you have to
adapt to a new way of living”
Eastlakes Group
Knowledge of health services
Most women in all groups showed limited knowledge of health services available in
the area, particularly those related to emotional health. The women from the
Sutherland group were aware of mental health service providers in the area and
acknowledged that a mental health worker came last year and provided information
of services available in the hospital. They were also aware of support available
through Gymea Community Aid Centre.
“Last year a health nurse came to the group and gave a extensive information
about the services available in Sutherland hospital specifically those relate to
mental health …that was useful”
Sutherland Group
Women in the Eastlakes Group were grateful for the support of the Spanish speaking
counsellor, and although they were aware of other services they could access, they
were not using them due to their language barrier. Young women were particularly
concerned at the slow process of gaining access to see a counsellor or psychologist.
Using the local GP for services was the preferred option for the women in the St
- 11 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
George Group, with women admitting their knowledge of other services was limited.
One of the big issues raised by older women was the lack of available interpreters.
“When we are looking for help we need to wait three months or more so
when it is available it is too late so, the stress has already gone”
Young women’s Group
Coping strategies used by Spanish speaking women
Women felt that having a positive attitude, family support, balanced diet and doing
exercises were important aspects that impacted positively on their health. All women
commented on the importance of continuing activities similar to those practiced in
their home countries to help alleviate stress and to improve their emotional health
and wellbeing. These included dancing, listening to music, doing exercise and talking
to others.
The Sutherland Group is very active and has developed a program of activities for
the women members. These women commented how important is to have a range of
activities. Likewise, women in the Eastlakes Group expressed their gratitude to the
Spanish speaking counsellor for her assistance in setting up the group and providing
activities in which the women can be involved. Women were also particularly grateful
for the opportunity of meeting others from their culture and homeland.
All women felt it was important to keep occupied, and commented on doing things
that kept them busy and took their mind of stressful issues. Women particularly
enjoyed yoga and other physical activities.
“Practising yoga, last year, was very helpful for us”
Sutherland Group
“Meeting people, listening to them and sharing ideas are helpful. It is good to
meet people and talk to them”
Eastlakes Group
“Outdoor and physical activities including; swimming, dancing, shopping,
cleaning and working more are very important for us. Is good to be occupied”
Young Women’s Group
Coping with a mental health problem
The women were very aware of the importance of their emotions and what to do if
they felt they were emotionally unwell. The majority of women interviewed agreed
they would seek help either from professionals or friends when they had an
emotional health problem. Most women stated they would go to their GP in the first
instance, but would preferably look for someone who speaks Spanish. Women in the
Eastlakes Group were grateful that they were able to access the Spanish speaking
counsellor, and the Young Women’s Group mentioned that they could also get
support from a priest.
- 12 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“It would be good to talk to someone who speaks Spanish since you could
express yourself better and so you could be understood properly”
Sutherland Group
“Sometimes is good to go to the church because you feel relief after you
pray”
Young Mothers Group
In all groups women knew about annual check ups and acknowledged the
importance of having them on a regular basis. However, the most important aspect of
health mentioned by the women was maintaining positive emotions. The St George
Group raised the issue that many doctors prescribe medicines for stress related
conditions, and because the women get used to the medications they did not feel the
need to discuss emotional health issues with their doctors any longer.
“It is important to be aware of our emotions so if we are depressed without
reason we should check up with someone because the depression is a major
issue for many people “
Sutherland Group
“It is important to participate in this group because you become connected
and supported -then you are not isolated and that is very important for your
spiritual state”
Eastlakes Group
“Having emotional stability and feeling good with ourselves is very important”
Young Mothers Group
Differences between the groups consulted
The major differences between the groups of women consulted were related to their
age, language proficiency and the reasons they migrated to Australia.
The older group are now facing health issues related to the aging process, including
retirement and poor health. Many of these women are homesick for their family and
friends in their home country, and have limited social interaction with others. Older
women were more sensitive to and concerned about the way migration issues impact
on their health. Many of the older women who had not developed proficient English
skills found it much more difficult to mix within the mainstream community than
younger women who were more likely to be able to speak English well. For this
group, being part of a Spanish speaking group was essential in order to maintain
social contacts and interaction with friends at a wider level than just family.
Younger women who have arrived in Australia relatively recently from Spanish
speaking countries are still focussing on issues of settlement and are usually looking
for work, or caring for their children. These women tend to be very positive about the
migration experience due to a range of factors including having better English skills,
and no real concept of the longer term implications of migration. However the young
women do acknowledge the limitations of coming from a different culture, such as not
having family and friends support and not knowing or understanding the health
system.
- 13 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Future directions in this Spanish speaking community
All groups agreed on the importance of having groups specifically for women from a
Spanish speaking background because through them women are able to make
friends and access up to date information. The women suggested promoting the
groups more because not all women in the community have heard about them.
Women suggested group activities where they could share skills such as cooking, art
and organised outings.
“The comfort we find in this group is due to the Spanish language and the
understanding of each other – and in this way we break the isolation”
Older women in both the Eastlakes and St George Groups suggested having outings
because they help overcome sadness and loneliness and provide information about
different topics. Women also commented they would like to have information
sessions about health and suggested organising activities such as visiting different
places including nursing homes.
“Organising groups like this one and getting talks about health could help us
on maintaining our health”
“Having outings help us to forget worries or sadness, they are therapy for us”
The women in the Young Mothers Group stressed that it was imperative to have
childcare services provided for any outings or presentations; otherwise they can not
participate in the activities provided. They requested any talks or presentations be
provided in Spanish.
“I prefer to come and listening to talks provided in Spanish rather than reading
since I do not have time for myself”
“It is necessary to have someone who mind our children while we are
attending activities otherwise we are not able to attend”
Limitations working with the Spanish speaking women
Women in all groups commented there were many limitations working with the
Spanish speaking community, and all gave their own perspective. The majority of
women agreed that a lack of time is the biggest limitation in working with the Spanish
speaking community.
Some women interviewed felt that the multiple responsibilities of Spanish speaking
women would limit their participation in group activities, but they also commented that
group activities were not promoted enough. For many of the women, the lack of
available transport is a big issue, combined with limited community facilities,
particularly on weekends.
“Ideally, we could have the meetings in afternoon time but the community
centre will not be open so we cannot count on this venue or place”
“The transport is a big issue in this area - some women need to catch two
trains to come here”
- 14 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Older women felt that limited finances often prevented women from attending and
participating in activities. They were also clear that some women prefer to stay at
home rather than socialising, particularly as they get older.
“I know that some women do not participate in the group because they do not
have economic resources and they feel embarrassed that they can not afford
to pay for outings or other activities”
“We have to recognise that as we are getting older we have some limitations
and complications, for instance it is not easy to walk long distances”
One of the biggest issues raised by the Young Mother’s Group was the difficulty they
encountered when trying to arrange someone to mind their children while they
participated in the activities.
“I could not attend the last talk even though it was important to our emotional
health - unfortunately they did not provide childcare services”
Consultations with stakeholders
In order to obtain as much information about the Spanish speaking community as
possible it was decided to interview five key stakeholders working with this
community. All stakeholders interviewed work in the geographical area of south east
Sydney. Three stakeholders work specifically with the Spanish speaking community
and the other two work broadly with migrant communities within the South Eastern
Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service . Those interviewed were the:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Spanish speaking Counsellor - Area Mental Health SESIAHS,
Settlement Services Worker - Spanish and Latin American Association for
Social Assistance (SLASA)
Spanish speaking Worker - Multicultural Carers support program.
Migrant Services Coordinator – Gymea Community Aid and Information Service
Diversity Health Coordinator – Multicultural Health (Sutherland Hospital)
As a result of the close connection to the Spanish speaking community the views
expressed by the stakeholders interviewed reflect closely the needs of this
community.
Health issues
All stakeholders interviewed felt that Spanish speaking women experience high
levels of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and stress. The
stakeholders also commented that one of the biggest factors associated with
depression, anxiety and stress was the migration experience, and the subsequent
loss of social connections, family and friends. The stakeholders were acutely aware
that many of the issues facing the Spanish speaking community were not about
health, but impacted negatively on their health. Examples include: migration, poor
language skills and isolation.
- 15 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“In the community there are a lot of cases of (poor) mental health but
sometimes people are not aware of them. They come to the service looking
for help and suddenly they become aware that they are having anxiety,
depression, panic attacks and stress”.
Migration
Many stakeholders commented on the negative effects migration had on the health of
Spanish speaking women. These effects are mitigated by the length of time they
have been in Australia, the level of language skills developed and the number of
social connections they have in the local area. The reason the women migrated to
Australia also has an impact on their long term emotional health and wellbeing.
“We have to be aware that these issues are not health issues they are issues
related to the migration process, the acculturation process is demanding and
has created anxiety and depression in many cases”.
”Migrant people have to face a lot of issues such as the lack of language,
learning the system, searching for employment and getting jobs that they are
not used to. They have to face a lot of stressors and that makes them more
vulnerable to mental and other illnesses. Moreover, in women it is more
difficult because in many cases they face their families breaking down as a
result of too many stressors”.
“The impact of the migration process is huge, whether people have lived
here long time or not. Leaving behind everything; part of your life, house,
work, family, country and status and then having to start from scratch is a big
issue. So people become vulnerable and have mental or health issues”
“Unfortunately many migrant people are facing a lack of identity, they do not
have the feeling of belonging here or to their country anymore so that brings a
lot of instability in their lives and this affects their health”
“The majority of cases are related to the migration process (loss of country,
culture, language, loss of extended family, and the loss of the family here)
and even not having relationships with the grandchildren”
Language skills
Stakeholders felt that although there are a variety of needs amongst the community,
the needs depend on individual circumstances such as length of time of living here,
conditions under which they migrated, personal circumstances and importantly, their
level of English language skill.
Lack of English skills is a big issue among the community even in women who
migrated a long time ago.
“There are a lot of social needs among the community but one of the big
barriers is the lack of English skill indeed”.
- 16 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“Unfortunately the lack of English skills is a big issue for many in the
community. People feel they are excluded from the community, they can not
fight for their rights and cannot express their feelings so they become
frustrated and upset as they can not deal with all that pressure”
“Due to the lack of English skills many migrants do not have access to
rehabilitation services. There are many services around; art and informative
groups but women can not participate because of the language barrier”
Communicating with children who are born in this country and have different
generational issues, cultural values and language skills is a major issue for many
Spanish speaking women.
“Grandparents can not communicate with their grandchildren due to the lack
of English skills or the limited spoken Spanish language of their
grandchildren. As a result the ageing population become more isolated”
“On top of the intergenerational gap between parents and children there is
another issue which brings conflict - children have acquired the values of this
society and this is often in conflict with their parents’ values”
Social isolation
Many of the stakeholders interviewed commented on the social isolation experienced
by Spanish speaking women. One of the biggest issues leading to social isolation is
poor language skill and this can lead to further stress and depression.
“Women become isolated due to the lack of language skills so women
become more anxious”
“Unfortunately women who do not have the language skills become isolated,
they have problems connecting with other people and that increased isolation.
Even though they are participating in English classes they find it difficult to
learn so they exclude themselves”
“There are many cases of women being isolated - so coming together and
meeting other Spanish speaking women is good to break down the isolation
and loneliness”
Lack of family support leading to social isolation, loneliness and depression is
another issue raised by the stakeholders. Where women are isolated in the
community, they do not access services because they do not know what is available,
and this continues the cycle of isolation. The cost of some services and activities is
an issue for some women, and stakeholders commented that many prefer to stay at
home when financial resources are limited.
“Many Spanish speaking women miss their relatives or extended family,
because of their migration experience and also living far away from their
children (referring that they only see their children once a month because of
the distance and cost of travel)”
- 17 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“Unfortunately isolation brings loneliness and this is an issue for older people.
There are many people living on their own who say ‘I do not want to bother
my children’. Keeping to them it makes the issues worse”.
Mental Health
Stakeholders recognised that although there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental
health issues, Spanish speaking women are becoming more aware of mental health
and the importance of addressing this as part of their overall health.
“Many people are looking for help because they are aware of the issues.
Even so it has been a slow process because of the stigma and the myths
associated with mental health”
“Women are requesting talks about depression, anxiety, stress, relaxation
and self esteem”
“Many women look for help - for instance the workshops on emotional health
were well attended”
Social factors impacting on health
Stakeholders were asked about other issues which impact on the health of Spanish
speaking women. All mentioned gender related issues and the women’s lack of
knowledge about looking after themselves. Of particular note was the tendency of
women to put their families first and suppress their own needs for the sake of the
family.
“I believe women have to learn about self giving and understand that the
difference between selfless and selfish is giving to yourself like you give to
others - promoting self is a good thing”
“Sometimes women do not know how to look after themselves or they do not
have the information or know where to go”
“Many women become separated as a result of family breakdown. They have
to deal with their children’s issues by themselves without support from their
previous partners and sometimes they have to deal with hard issues; drugs,
or complex issues”
Of concern to some stakeholders was the relationship between the community and
the health system. One issue raised was the difficulty migrant women have
communicating when under stress particularly in medical settings, and the
importance of having skilled, understanding staff able to manage this when it occurs.
The limited number of bilingual health professionals which can be accessed by the
Spanish speaking community was highlighted a particular problem in the health
system.
“The health issues presented in the community are complicated by either lack
of language, lack of understanding of the Australian health system, or the
Australian health system not being able to respond to them”
- 18 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“The lack of resources is a big issue; even I do not have support. For
instance, there are not enough psychiatrists, professionals or interpreters
especially for people who already have mental health problems and who are
difficult to deal with”
“We need more bilingual counsellors in the workforce. Using interpreters in
mental health services does not always work. People feel more comfortable
to speak with someone who speaks their own language”
Strategies to maintain and promote emotional health and
wellbeing
Stakeholders were asked about the strategies used by women to maintain emotional
health and wellbeing. All agreed that providing the opportunity for women to meet in
social groups assisted in promoting emotional health and wellbeing. The
stakeholders outlined the value of groups in allowing women to meet with others from
similar cultural backgrounds, communicate in the same language, access information
and improve social connectedness. It was noted that some of the same language
speaking groups have become very strong and cohesive, and move on to find
resources and activities which meet their own needs.
“Lately, I suggested my group organise themselves to meet in their houses to
play cards or share recipes or bake cakes - now they feel happy with the
things they are doing”
Another important strategy for improving connectedness in the Spanish speaking
community is the provision of regular outings. Many of the groups organise social
outings for women and these have proved extremely popular with the Spanish
speaking women. All stakeholders agreed that promotion of activities and groups is
essential to maintain women’s involvement and to increase attendance at the groups.
“Providing outings are important since that women come to the groups to
enjoy, going out and have fun”
“Promoting this group through flyers, newspapers, radio to allow women to
become aware of activities provided in the community”
There were many ways the stakeholders felt the groups and activities could be
increased and further promoted in the community. Some of the ways to increase
attendance included advertising in GP surgeries, ensuring groups were held in areas
easily accessible by public transport, organising activities at different times including
weekends, motivating women to bring friends to join the group and providing
childcare for younger women with small children.
It was also suggested to try a range of different activities for women in addition to
those already existing. Suggestions included activities such as informal meetings
where women could play cards or share recipes and establishing a book club where
women can come together and interact. Encouraging women to be involved in
community activities such as volunteering or developing skills in new technologies
such as computers and the Internet was also suggested. The importance of having
groups and training in Spanish was raised, as this assists women who are having
difficulties with the English language.
- 19 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
“In our service we try to provide different activities: workshops, activities,
outings or just providing the space for women to meet regularly so they can
connect with others. For instance, some women are training and developing
skills in English and are looking for employment or courses at TAFE”
The stakeholders provided a variety of ideas and suggestions on ways to overcome
prejudices and misconceptions about emotional health issues. One of the strategies
raised as valuable was community education. Stakeholders were of the opinion that
women responded well to talks and activities focussing on self esteem, stress and
emotional wellbeing and that these should be provided more widely. Stakeholders
felt that more Spanish speaking group leaders were needed to assist in the delivery
of these programs. Stakeholders also raised the importance of culture to the Spanish
speaking women, and how recognising this in the delivery of programs was essential.
“We need to do something that will help women to overcome that cultural
barrier and at the same time recognise how culture is important, otherwise
women could resist participating in activities. There are some programs in the
area such as the quit smoking program for the Arabic speaking women which
is a specific program for a specific group I think that is a good way to appeal
to them”
Other ways of involving women included the provision of activities which are primarily
for fun and enjoyment such as dancing and laughter workshops.
Barriers to maintaining emotional health and wellbeing
The stakeholders raised four main barriers to women being able to maintain their
emotional health and wellbeing. These were: a lack of resources, the stigma
associated with mental health, cultural barriers and access issues.
Three of the stakeholders interviewed stated that a lack of financial and educational
resources affect the Spanish speaking community. Many women do not have enough
money to regularly attend activities or outings, so activities that are provided free of
charge or at a minimal cost are more likely to be well attended. Stakeholders
commented that they were also in a difficult position as funding had been cut and
services were likely to be minimised rather than increased as a result.
“We can not organise activities since we do not have enough funds and
sometimes women can not afford the activities (outings)”
“It is a complex issue because it involves multiple factors so it is necessary for
radical change in the system. For instance, our funding has been cut so that
will limit our work and our capacity to run programs”
Although women do participate in community activities which focus on emotional
health, stress and self esteem there is still a definite stigma associated with mental
health. This is a limitation for many women who are afraid or ashamed to seek
assistance when they feel they are not coping or are in need of emotional help.
“The stigma associated with mental health is still in the community so that is a
big limitation since that prevents people looking for help”
The stakeholders were quick to mention that cultural barriers play a large part in
limiting the participation of women in activities which focus on emotional health
- 20 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
issues. Culturally it is not acceptable to discuss mental health and emotional issues,
and more education around this topic needs to be provided. Stakeholders also
commented that women feel shy and often intimidated about joining a group,
particularly when they do not know anyone else who attends to the group.
“Our Spanish speaking community have cultural barriers that limits their
involvement in various activities”
“It is important to provide community education to help women to overcome
their cultural barrier and prejudices. Knowledge is the best asset to help
overcome misconceptions about mental health issues”
Access to services and activities was also raised as a major barrier to women
participating in activities and therefore maintaining their emotional health and
wellbeing. Access issues included poor transport, a lack of services for women with
disabilities, poor services for older women and a lack of sensitivity to CALD women in
some services.
“For areas such as Sutherland, transport is a big issue and it is necessary to
organise activities”
“The services have to be sensitive to CALD populations (being welcoming
and acting on behalf of them). Also, the services should be accessible for
older people/women and members with disability”
- 21 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Discussion
Although Spanish speaking women come from 22 different countries within Central
and South America and also from Spain, women interviewed in these consultations
came mainly from South America and Mexico. It is important to acknowledge the
different waves of migration among the Spanish speaking population and the impact
the circumstances of migration has had on the women in each community. Women
who participated in the discussions came mainly from two different waves of
migration – the second wave (1970 – 1980) and the fifth wave (1995 – 2002). Those
who arrived in the second wave have been living in Australia for many years and
came with almost no English skills. The women who migrated more recently, in the
fifth wave of migration (1995 – 2002), are predominantly younger women who came
to Australia with some English skills.
Although many issues for both groups of women were similar, there were distinct
differences for the women based upon when and why they migrated to Australia. The
older group are now facing health issues related to the aging process, poor language
skills and less social interaction. These women were more sensitive to and
concerned about the way migration issues impact on their health.
The group of younger women are still focussing on issues of settlement, looking for
work, or looking after small children. Although, this group is very positive due to their
experiences of learning English skills or other subjects or having other possibilities
they acknowledge their limitations of coming from a different culture. For instance,
they are aware of lack of family (relatives) support and not knowing or understanding
the health system. With regard to migration, this group are aware of the issues,
however, due to their short time in Australia have no real feel for the longer term
implications of migration, with many of them still in ‘the honeymoon period’. It
remains unclear what the long term self reported health of this group will be,
particularly as they age and revert back to their native language.
In spite of the differences, there are similarities between most of women participants
who were involved in the consultations. All of them value good health and considered
it as the most valuable asset in their lives. All acknowledged the importance of having
a healthy diet, doing regular exercise and having annual check ups as a way of
maintaining health. In addition, all women were aware of the negative impact
isolation and stress could have on their health. Major issues raised by all women with
regard to participation in services include a lack of resources, both financial and
material, availability of suitable services and access issues including poor transport.
Conclusion
Consultations with Spanish speaking women in south east Sydney highlight the
range of issues related to emotional health and wellbeing experienced in this
community. Of particular note are the issues related to the migration experience and
the differences experienced by women migrating at different times and for different
reasons.
A limitation of this information is that only women from two main waves of migration
participated in the consultations. This indicates that these women are already
involved in social activities and groups, however begs the question as to why there
were no women from the other waves of migration involved in the groups. It is
- 22 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
possible that these women are even more isolated within the community and are in
need of activities and programs which support emotional health and wellbeing. In
view of the low number of women in the 35 – 45 year old age group participating in
the consultations, it seems likely that this group are currently active in the workforce.
The consultations identified existing skills and strengths in the Spanish speaking
community, and highlighted the women’s knowledge of emotional health and needs,
the resources available in their community, knowledge of health services and access
to them. Providing an opportunity for women to be involved in planning and
implementation of their own activities enhances self esteem, develops skills and
knowledge and improves social connectedness thereby having a positive impact on
their emotional health and wellbeing. The input the women provided will be valuable
in determining recommendations for future directions of the project.
Recommendations
Following these consultations, the Area Women’s Health and Community
Partnerships Unit will develop a model to work with women in the community to build
both individual and community capacity thereby managing stress and adversity
effectively so that physical and emotional wellbeing are maintained and enhanced.
Initially the focus will be on working with the Spanish speaking community living in
south east Sydney. As the community development approach is refined it may be
used with other CALD communities.
This report highlights the implications for organisations and facilities providing
services for migrant women. Mental health services, community organisations and
multicultural health services must take into account the limited financial resources of
migrant women when providing services or activities. By working collaboratively with
partners such as SLASA, St George Multicultural Health, SESIAHS Multicultural
Health Services, SESIAHS Mental Health Services and other Spanish speaking
workers it is anticipated that the key issues facing Spanish speaking migrant women
can be addressed using a number of strategies.
As a result of this project the following recommendations are made:
ƒ
Existing Spanish speaking groups should be promoted through a wide variety
of networks and organisations including GP surgeries, multicultural
organisations and local business.
ƒ
Information sessions and facilitated groups addressing stress management
and emotional wellbeing in migrant women be provided free of charge, in
Spanish in a variety of locations.
ƒ
An educational training package (building on the BCE model) be developed
for service providers addressing issues of migration and associated issues of
grief and loss in migrant women.
ƒ
Additional free, widely available activities such as a Spanish Book Club and
Spanish Social Network be developed collaboratively in conjunction with
Spanish speaking women and key stakeholders.
ƒ
Opportunities should be provided for Spanish speaking women of all ages to
mix with each other and provide support on a regular basis.
- 23 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Appendices
Appendix 1 – SESIAHS Consent form
Patient Consent Form
To be used for Filming, Photography, Interviews
Patient’s Name:
Address:
Reason:
Representative:
Organisation:
I/We: give my permission for:
a) Contents of the interview given by me and/or
To be used by the media outlet named above.
I accept that I do not have to participate in any media-related activity if I choose,
and I agree to comply with any request made by the Hospital Executive, Area
Media Liaison Officer or Security.
Signature:
Address:
Witness:
Area Media Liaison Officer:
Hospital Executive:
Date: / /
- 24 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Appendix 2 – Demographic questionnaire (Spanish)
Cuestionario Confidencial dirigido a las mujeres de habla hispana en la zona
de Sutherland
Estimada participante,
Primero, le agradecemos su participación en esta consulta. El Area de la Salud de la
mujer reconoce los diferentes problemas de las mujeres por lo tanto esta dirigiendo
esta consulta con la finalidad de escuchar las opiniones de las mujeres y así
implementar estrategias para superar los problemas detectados
Por favor note que la información proveída será mantenida estrictamente en forma
confidencial
1. – País en el que nació ____________________________________
2. – Edad (por favor marque el grupo correcto)
25-35
36-45
46-55
56-65
Mayor de 65
3. – Vive Ud con:
Vive con su familia (esposo y/o hijos)
Vive sola
Otro (por favor especifique)_______________________________________
4. – Cuanto tiempo tiene viviendo en Australia (por favor tick el grupo apropiado)
Menos de 5 años
5 aniso to 10 años
Mas de 10 años
5. – Como describes el dominio del idioma Ingles (Please tick the appropriate)
Muy bien
Bien
No muy bien
Poco
Nada
6. – Puede decirnos su nivel de educación? (Please tick the appropriate)
Primaria incompleta
Primaria
Secundaria
Superior
- 25 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
7. – Cual es su situación laboral?
Trabajo a tiempo completo
Medio tiempo
Temporal
Buscando trabajo
Otro _________________________________
8. – Participa en alguna actividad comunitaria?
Pertenece a alguna organización
No pertenece a ninguna organización
Participa in actividades comunitarias
Otro ________________________________
9. – Que es aquello que lo limita a participar en actividades comunitarias?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
El Area de la Salud de la Mujer del Area del Sud Este Sydney le agradece por su
tiempo y participation en esta consulta.
- 26 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Appendix 3 – Consultation guide
Emotional Wellbeing Project
(Spanish)
Objetivos de la consulta
El Objetivo de realizar esta consulta comunitaria es identificar las necesidades con
respecto a la salud emocional de las mujeres de habla hispana y al mismo tiempo
identificar las caracteristicas predominantes en ellas que nos permitirá establecer
estrategias para mejorar la salud emocional.
Temas de discussion
•
•
•
Salud emocional, falta de información o recursos disponibles
Participación comunitaria, actividades , buscando estrategias para motivar la
participación de las mujeres que viven en esta zona
Sugerencias para superar los obstáculos que impiden una participación
activa de las mujeres en las diferentes actividades comunitarias
Guia de la consulta
Introduccion del projecto y objetivos de esta consulta
En caso de que los participantes no contribuyan con aspectos relevantes al estudio
se sugiere proveer algunas ideas específicas que permitan una discusión rica en
detalles y sugerencias.
Salud
1. Que significa estar saludable?
2. Que aspectos contribuyen a tener una buena salud ( en general)
3. Que hace Ud para mantenerse saludable?
Salud emocional
4. Que significa estar emocionalmente saludable?
5. Que aspectos contribuyen a tener una buena salud emocional?
6. Que hace ud. generalmente para mejorar su salud emocional?
7. Que harían Uds si tuvieran un problema emocional?
8. Piensa Ud que la mujer tiene mas problemas emocionales que el hombre?
Porque?
9. Cuales son las dificultades que tenemos que enfrentar como inmigrantes?
- 27 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Stress y estrategias para superar el estrés
10. Que es stress (o que entiende o significa estrés)
11. Cuales son las causas/motivos que producen estrés?
12. Como reacciona cuando esta bajo estrés?
13. Que actividades hace para superar el estrés (o que estrategias usa)
Servicios de salud
14. Sabe donde buscar ayuda si experimenta uno de estos problemas emocionales
15. Cuales son los servicios de salud que Ud usaría para resolver problemas
emocionales?
16. Conoce Ud como tener acceso o ser atendido por esos servicios?
Trabajando con la comunidad para mejorar la salud emocional
17. Que contribuiría al bienestar emocional de las mujeres de habla hispana?
18. Que actividades o programas sugiere para mejorar la salud emocional de las
mujeres de habla hispana?
19. Que es aquello que la limita a participar en actividades comunitarias?
- 28 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Appendix 4 – Stakeholder interview guide
Emotional Wellbeing project - Stakeholder Interview
Aims
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Involve stakeholders in the planning and implementation of the Emotional
Wellbeing project
Gain a better understanding of the different factors that influencing emotional
wellbeing of Spanish speaking women
Assess current resources and strengths available in the community those could
enhance emotional wellbeing of Spanish speaking women
Obtain relevant information about possible strategies to be included in the project
Introduction
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Welcome
Explain the purpose of the interview
Explain about confidentiality issues and check if it is OK for then to record the
information provided
Discussion guide
ƒ Start the facilitation with an open question to gain the first impressions and
thoughts
ƒ When specific information is needed use the prompts to invite further discussion
1. How many years have you been working with the Spanish speaking community?
2. What are the most common health issues that Spanish speaking women present
with? In your experience what are the mayor health issues for the Spanish
speaking women?
3. What are the needs of Spanish speaking women with regard to their emotional
health?
4. What are your concerns in regard to emotional health of Spanish speaking
women?
5. What sorts of things that Spanish speaking women do to maintain their emotional
wellbeing?
6. What sorts of things that Spanish speaking women do not do to maintain their
emotional wellbeing?
7. Which strategies could help women to improve their emotional wellbeing? What
sort of things could you do or other could do to address health issues identified
on Spanish speaking women?
8. Do you have an idea on how we can increase participation of Spanish speaking
women on those activities?
9. Are there any barriers to prevent Spanish speaking women to participate in any
community activities?
- 29 -
Emotional Wellbeing in Spanish Speaking Women
Consultation Report
Bibliography
Australian Health Ministers 2003 National Mental Health Plan 2003 – 2008 Australian
Government, Canberra
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004 Australia’s Health 2004 AIHW
Canberra
Commonwealth Department of health and Aged Care 2000 Promotion, Prevention
and Early Intervention for Mental Health – A monograph Mental Health and Special
Programs Branch Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care Canberra
Illawarra Health and NSW Refugee Health Service 2003 Factors which have
promoted and maintained health and wellbeing amongst refugee communities in the
Illawarra. Study Report Illawarra Area health Service NSW Refugee Health Service
Wollongong
Meadows L, Thurston W, Melton Cl 2001 Immigrant Women’s Health Social Science
and Medicine 52(9):1451-1458
NSW Health Department 1994 NSW Non-English speaking Background Women’s
Health: A Source Book NSW Health Department Sydney
NSW Health 2000 Strategic Framework to Advance the Health of Women NSW
Health Sydney
Schofield T, Nasser N and Kambouris N 1993 Non- English Speaking Background
Women’s Mental health: A Community-Based Study Immigrant Women’s Speakout
Association of NSW Granville NSW
South East Health 2003 Healthier Women: Strategic directions to advance the health
of women in South East Health 2003 – 2008 South Eastern Sydney Area Health
Service
Spanish and Latin American Association for Social Assistance (SLASA) 2003 Profile
and Needs Analysis of the Spanish Speaking Communities in the South West
Sydney Region and Western Sydney Region SLASA Sydney
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation 2005 A Plan for Action 2005- 2007 promoting
Mental Health and Wellbeing Australia VHPF Carlton South Victoria
Women’s Health NSW 2002 The Nature of Women’s Health: Past; Present: Future
Women’s Health NSW Sydney
World Health Organisation 2000 Women’s Mental Health: concepts, emerging
evidence: Summary Report WHO Geneva
- 30 -