Acculturation of Pacific mothers in New Zealand over time: Findings from the Pacific Islands Families study

Schluter, PJ, Tautolo, ES and Paterson, J (2011) Acculturation of Pacific mothers in New Zealand over time: Findings from the Pacific Islands Families study. BMC Public Health, 11 : 307-1-307-12.


Author Schluter, PJ
Tautolo, ES
Paterson, J
Title Acculturation of Pacific mothers in New Zealand over time: Findings from the Pacific Islands Families study
Journal name BMC Public Health  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2011-05-12
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1186/1471-2458-11-307
Volume number 11
ISSN 1471-2458
Start page 307-1
End page 307-12
Total pages 12
Place of publication London, United Kingdom
Publisher BioMed Central
Collection year 2012
Language eng
Formatted abstract Background: The epidemiological investigation of acculturation has often been hampered by inconsistent
definitions and measurement, and methodological short-comings. Adopting a bi-directional model, with good
theoretical and psychometric properties, this study aimed to describe the temporal, ethnic and socio-demographic
influences of acculturation for a group of Pacific mothers residing in New Zealand.
Methods: Pacific mothers of a cohort of Pacific infants born at a large tertiary hospital in South Auckland in 2000
were interviewed at 6-weeks, 4-years and 6-years postpartum. At each measurement wave a home interview
lasting approximately 90 minutes was conducted with each mother. Adapting the General Ethnicity Questionnaire,
two scales of acculturation were elicited: one measuring New Zealand cultural orientation (NZAccult) and one
measuring Pacific Islands cultural orientation (PIAccult). Acculturation scores were standardised and analysed using
random intercept polynomial and piecewise mixed-effects regression models, accounting for the longitudinal
nature of the repeated measured data. Mothers who immigrated to New Zealand and those who lived their lives
in New Zealand were investigated separately.
Results: Overall, 1276 Pacific mothers provided 3104 NZAccult and 3107 PIAccult responses over the three
measurement waves. Important and significant differences were observed in both bi-directional acculturation measures
between the two maternal groups studied. New Zealand cultural orientation increased, on average, linearly with years
lived in New Zealand both for immigrant mothers (0.013 per year, 95% CI: 0.012, 0.014), after adjusting for maternal age,
and for mothers who lived their lives in New Zealand (0.008 per year, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.010). Immigrant mothers
maintained their Pacific cultural orientation for, on average, 12 years before it began to linearly decrease with each year
lived in New Zealand thereafter (-0.009 per year, 95% CI: -0.010, -0.008), after adjusting for maternal age. Mothers who
lived their lives in New Zealand had a Pacific orientation that was, on average, unchanged regardless of the number of
years lived in New Zealand. Significant ethnic and socio-demographic variations were noted.
Conclusions: Understanding the patterns and trajectories of acculturation over time, and its key determinants, is
necessary for the development of appropriate targeted health policy and care in typically vulnerable and
marginalised immigrant populations.
Keyword United States
Migration
Health
Attitudes
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Official 2012 Collection
School of Nursing and Midwifery Publications
 
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Created: Thu, 28 Jul 2011, 10:58:38 EST by Vicki Percival on behalf of School of Nursing and Midwifery