# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Celebrating life through good health (Source: Unsplash, 2019)

# data[].attributes.body
Health to me means having the vitality that enables us to pursue our goals and passions, connect with others, and stand up to life’s challenges with resilience, strength and joy.

Citations:

Unsplash. (2019). Olga Nayda. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/3TQ8I-sR9a8 [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Flags of unity, demonstrating the rich variety of global cultures (Source: Unsplash, 2017)

# data[].attributes.headline
2. A Reflection on Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice

# data[].attributes.subject
2. A Reflection on Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice

# data[].attributes.body
In today’s world of globalization and diverse healthcare landscape, it is of crucial importance to embrace a culturally responsive clinical practice in order to deliver equitable and respectful care to all (Benuto et al., 2021). Therefore, I have taken a pledge to make dedicated efforts towards the adoption of Competency Standard 12.3 from the Domain 7 of the ‘Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice’ framework (Migrant & Refugee Women’s Health Partnership (MRWHP, 2019).

In this regard, I endeavor to prioritize person-centered and family-focused care by recognizing that a person’s cultural background has an inherent influence on the choices and decisions they take with regard to their health (Yates & de Oliveira, 2016). Therefore, by keeping this in mind, I aim to create a welcoming and an inclusive healthcare environment that values the autonomy of all patients, by ensuring that their values and preferences remain at the centre of the care that they receive (Oueslati et al., 2022).

In addition to this, I would also ensure to foster effective communication in all my therapeutic relationships in order to enable an open and respectful dialogue with my patients who belong to diverse backgrounds (Riza et al., 2020). I am confident that this approach will help enhance the trust between me and my patients while also deepening our mutual understanding, which would ultimately lead to better health outcomes for the culturally diverse groups of patients as well (Tuohy, 2019).

Citations:

Benuto, L. T., Newlands, R., Singer, J., Casas, J., & Cummings, C. (2021). Culturally sensitive clinical practices: A mixed methods study. Psychological Services, 18(4), 632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ser0000493

Migrant & Refugee Women’s Health Partnership (MRWHP). (2019). Culturally Responsive Clinical Practice: Working with People from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds. Available at: https://culturaldiversityhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Culturally-responsive-clinical-practice-Working-with-people-from-migrant-and-refugee-backgrounds-Jan2019.pdf [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

Oueslati, R., Reis, R., de Vries, M. C., Slager, M. T., van der Sijp, J. R., Stiggelbout, A. M., & Touwen, D. P. (2022). Towards culturally sensitive shared decision-making in oncology a study protocol integrating bioethical qualitative research on shared decision-making among ethnic minorities with ethical reflection. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21, 16094069221086731. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221086731

Riza, E., Kalkman, S., Coritsidis, A., Koubardas, S., Vassiliu, S., Lazarou, D., ... & Linos, A. (2020, April). Community-based healthcare for migrants and refugees: a scoping literature review of best practices. In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 115). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fhealthcare8020115

Tuohy, D. (2019). Effective intercultural communication in nursing. Nursing Standard, 34(2). https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2019.e11244

Unsplash. (2017). Andrew Butler. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/3TQ8I-sR9a8 [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

Yates, J. F., & de Oliveira, S. (2016). Culture and decision making. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 136, 106–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.05.003

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Access to healthcare remains unequal, highlighting disparities (Source: Unsplash, 2016)

# data[].attributes.headline
3. The impact of Social Determinants on Migrant and Refugee Health in Australia

# data[].attributes.subject
3. The impact of Social Determinants on Migrant and Refugee Health in Australia

# data[].attributes.body
Australia is a country that is widely known around the world for its multi-culturalism, as a result of which it welcomes migrants and refugees from diverse backgrounds with open arms (Collins, 2013). However, when it comes to their health outcomes, there are several key social determinants which have a direct impact on it, as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) (n.d.). These include the following:

1. Income and social protection

Many migrants and refugees arrive in Australia with limited financial resources and facing substantial economic hardships (Torlinska et al., 2020). Consequently, these insufficient income situations can give rise to several difficulties in securing basic necessities, such as access to healthcare, nutritious food, as well as safe housing (Siddiqui et al., 2020).

2. Education

Education is one of the key determinants of health, and despite this, language barriers and differences in the Australian educational systems from their home countries can hinder migrants’ and refugees’ access to quality education (Watkins et al., 2012). Consequently, this limited education can create a vicious cycle of disadvantage, by impacting potential employment opportunities and income for this vulnerable population (Cheng et al., 2016).

3. Housing, Basic Amenities, and the Environment

Health is also significantly influenced by safe as well as stable housing, which may be a great challenge for migrants and refugees to secure (Alidoust & Huang, 2023). Subsequently, residing in inadequate accommodations where there is overcrowding and exposure to environmental hazards can affect their overall well-being (Nkosi et al., 2019).

Citations:

Alidoust, S., & Huang, W. (2023). A decade of research on housing and health: A systematic literature review. Reviews on Environmental health, 38(1), 45-64. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2021-0121

Cheng, T. L., Johnson, S. B., & Goodman, E. (2016). Breaking the Intergenerational Cycle of Disadvantage: The Three Generation Approach. Pediatrics, 137(6), e20152467. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-2467

Collins, J. (2013). Multiculturalism and immigrant integration in Australia. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 45(3), 133-149. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/ces.2013.0037

Nkosi, V., Haman, T., Naicker, N., & Mathee, A. (2019). Overcrowding and health in two impoverished suburbs of Johannesburg, South Africa. BMC public health, 19, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7665-5

Siddiqui, F., Salam, R. A., Lassi, Z. S., & Das, J. K. (2020). The Intertwined Relationship Between Malnutrition and Poverty. Frontiers in public health, 8, 453. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00453

Torlinska, J., Albani, V., & Brown, H. (2020). Financial hardship and health in a refugee population in Australia: A longitudinal study. Journal of migration and health, 1, 100030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2020.100030

Watkins, P. G., Razee, H., & Richters, J. (2012). ‘I'm telling you… the language barrier is the most, the biggest challenge’: Barriers to education among Karen refugee women in Australia. Australian Journal of Education, 56(2), 126-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/000494411205600203

World Health Organization (WHO). (n.d). Social determinants of health. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1 [Accessed on: 7-October-2023]

Unsplash. (2019). Matheus Ferrero. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/yfmjALh1S6s  [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Migrants and refugees navigating health challenges and hope through adversity (Source: Unsplash, 2020)

# data[].attributes.headline
4. Addressing Immediate Health Concerns of Migrants and Refugees: An example of Afghanistan

# data[].attributes.subject
4. Addressing Immediate Health Concerns of Migrants and Refugees: An example of Afghanistan

# data[].attributes.body
Migrant and refugee populations may be particularly susceptible towards various types of health conditions, owing to their unique background, experiences as well as the presence of distinctive health challenges from their countries of origin. In this post, we shall explore 3 different health concerns that may be faced by this population coming to Australia from Afghanistan- as well as one treatment option for each.

| Illness | Treatment Option
| Hepatitis B virus (HBV) | If an individual’s HBsAg is positive, antiviral medications, such as tenofovir and entecavir, should be initiated to reduce the viral load (Lim et al., 2016).
| Malaria | If the test for Malaria is positive, patient should be admitted to the hospital and treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy (Banek et al., 2014).
| Unimmunized or under-immunized status | Refugees or migrants are at significant risk of being unimmunized or under-immunized on arrival in Australia due to their refugee or forced migration experiences (VFST, 2023). Therefore, a comprehensive catch-up immunization program is needed to ensure their immunization level is equivalent to an Australian-born individual of the same age (VFST, 2023).

Citations:

Banek, K., Lalani, M., Staedke, S. G., & Chandramohan, D. (2014). Adherence to artemisinin-based combination therapy for the treatment of malaria: a systematic review of the evidence. Malaria journal, 13(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-13-7

Lim, Y. S., Byun, K. S., Yoo, B. C., Kwon, S. Y., Kim, Y. J., An, J., ... & Lee, Y. S. (2016). Tenofovir monotherapy versus tenofovir and entecavir combination therapy in patients with entecavir-resistant chronic hepatitis B with multiple drug failure: results of a randomised trial. Gut, 65(5), 852-860. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2014-308353

Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST). (2023). Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide. Available at: https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/ [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

Unsplash. (2020). Julie Ricard. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/MX0erXb3Mms [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
(Image Source: Dance with me India, n.d.)

# data[].attributes.headline
5. Bhangra Dance of Punjab: Celebrating Health and Happiness Through Rhythmic Joy!

# data[].attributes.subject
5. Bhangra Dance of Punjab: Celebrating Health and Happiness Through Rhythmic Joy!

# data[].attributes.body
Bhangra, a vibrant dance form, originated in the ‘Majha’ area of Punjab among Punjabi farmers, as a sense of accomplishment after completing their agricultural chores (Dance with me India, n.d.). In the present day, this dance form not only lifts a person’s spirits but the energetic dance form also promotes physical fitness.

Citations:

Dance with me India. (n.d.). Know about Bhangra dance style. Available at: https://www.dancewithme.in/know-about-bhangra-dance-style/ [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.headline
6. What does Sikhi say about mental illness?

# data[].attributes.subject
6. What does Sikhi say about mental illness?

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txgCgM2vBF8

In this enlightening video, Basics of Sikhi, which is an educational charity that works towards sharing the wisdom of Sikh Gurus, presents the Sikhi perspective on mental health challenges.

# data[].attributes.headline
7. The power of Neem- Nature’s healer from the Indian subcontinent

# data[].attributes.subject
7. The power of Neem- Nature’s healer from the Indian subcontinent

# data[].attributes.body
A versatile tree that grows in various regions of India, including Punjab, the neem plant has been known and used for its medicinal properties for centuries. These include antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, and its role in supporting the immune system as well as oral health (National Research Council Panel on Neem, 1992).

Citations:

National Research Council Panel on Neem. (1992). Neem: A Tree For Solving Global Problems. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1992. 7, Medicinals. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234637/ [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

Unsplash. (2019). Madhav Malleda. Available at: https://unsplash.com/photos/L5aUutpdZ8Q [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.headline
8. Sarson Da Saag: A nutrient-packed delicacy from the heart of Punjab

# data[].attributes.subject
8. Sarson Da Saag: A nutrient-packed delicacy from the heart of Punjab

# data[].attributes.body
This traditional Punjabi dish that is made from mustard greens is not only a delicious meal, but also a powerhouse of essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium and dietary fibres (The Spruce Eats, 2023).

Citations:

The Spruce Eats. (2023). Sarson ka saag. Available at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/sarson-ka-saag-1957985 [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.body
A sacred term in Sikhism, the word “Waheguru” is a fusion of three elements.

"Wah" signifies the infinite and boundless nature of the divine

“Hay” refers to ‘thou’

"Guru" represents the inner teacher and divine wisdom within every individual.

Citations:

SikhDharma.org. (2018). Wahe guru trikuti mantra. Available at: https://www.sikhdharma.org/wahe-guru-trikuti-mantra/ [Accessed on: 9-October-2023]

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjUVH-emRZM

In this above informative video, ‘Basics of Sikhi’ show us the essence of ‘Seva’- the heartfelt act of selfless service.