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Social Capital and Rural Health for Refugee Communities in Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Lillian Mwanri

    (Centre for Public Health Research, Equity and Human Flourishing, Torrens University Australia, Adelaide Campus, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia)

  • Emily Miller

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Moira Walsh

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Melanie Baak

    (UniSA Education Futures, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5072, Australia)

  • Anna Ziersch

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia)

Abstract

Refugee resettlement significantly contributes to Australia’s migration programs, with recent policy directives prioritising rural resettlement. As a result, the cultural diversity of populations of several Australian rural towns has substantially expanded. Newcomers may encounter challenges becoming part of closed social networks and accessing the resources they need for a healthy life in resettlement. However, there are also benefits that stem from positive integration for newcomers and for receiving populations. As part of a larger study, which aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to successful resettlement in a rural setting, the objective of this paper was to show how social ties were important for participants’ health, both facilitating access to resources, including health services, and connecting people to health-promoting living conditions. In-depth individual interviews with 44 participants from refugee communities originally from Africa and South-East Asia, settled in a rural South Australian town, were conducted. Participants were invited to the study through snowball sampling via known connections between the researchers and key people within the communities. Interview transcripts were analysed using framework thematic analysis. The findings demonstrate how participants drew on connections within their cultural communities, reflecting collectivist cultural values. These social ties were key to enabling access to resources for health. These included emotional resources, such as a sense of belonging, as well as physical and practical resources, including food, housing, and/or accessing services. Several participants were also working towards a career in the health industry. Populations from refugee communities in rural towns are growing, not only with the continuation of new arrivals to these towns, but also as the settled populations expand their families and communities. Effective health service provision in these locations needs to serve these growing communities, and there is scope for services to tap into community networks to assist with this.

Suggested Citation

  • Lillian Mwanri & Emily Miller & Moira Walsh & Melanie Baak & Anna Ziersch, 2023. "Social Capital and Rural Health for Refugee Communities in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2378-:d:1050140
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ziersch, Anna M., 2005. "Health implications of access to social capital: findings from an Australian study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(10), pages 2119-2131, November.
    2. Joyce, Lisa & Liamputtong, Pranee, 2017. "Acculturation stress and social support for young refugees in regional areas," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 18-26.
    3. Catherine Cosgrave, 2020. "Context Matters: Findings from a Qualitative Study Exploring Service and Place Factors Influencing the Recruitment and Retention of Allied Health Professionals in Rural Australian Public Health Servic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-27, August.
    4. Asiya Patel & Jennifer Dean & Sara Edge & Kathi Wilson & Effat Ghassemi, 2019. "Double Burden of Rural Migration in Canada? Considering the Social Determinants of Health Related to Immigrant Settlement Outside the Cosmopolis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-20, February.
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    2. Xiuru Zhang & Lin Zhang & Tangzhe Nie, 2023. "Study on the Impact of Social Capital on Farmers’ Decision-Making Behavior of Adopting Trusteeship Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.

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