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Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities: 2nd Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2024 | Viewed by 4955

Special Issue Editors

1. Intergernational Health, Murdoch Chidren’s Research Institute, Melbourne 3052, Australia
2. Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3052, Australia
Interests: health inequality; health disparities; health promotion; health; public health; dental caries; health systems; qualitative research; thematic analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. SAHMRI Women and Kids, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
2. Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Interests: maternal and child health; perinatal care; preterm birth
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We are pleased to announce the second edition of our Special Issue “Health Inequalities in Socially Disadvantaged Communities”. The first edition attracted the interest of researchers worldwide, and 13 peer-reviewed papers were published. The publications that are freely available for download are listed on the following page: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph/special_issues/health_inequalities_socially_disadvantaged_communities

 At an international level, recognition that action is needed to address inequalities in health was first expressed in the Declaration of Alma-Ata in 1978. The Declaration stated that “the existing gross inequality in the health status of the people … is politically, socially and economically unacceptable”. Decades later, gross inequalities in health and social outcomes remain within and between countries.

These inequalities are both avoidable and modifiable. Reducing social inequalities in health is therefore an issue of social justice. 

Examining equity in health requires attention to those at greatest risk of poor health, including those most affected by the negative impacts of structural inequities such as poverty, lack of affordable housing, stigma, racism, and other forms of discrimination. We also recognize the far-reaching impacts of intergenerational and collective trauma and interpersonal violence on individuals, families and communities. Working to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and family violence is critical for addressing structural and systemic forms of inequity, including stigmatizing and discriminatory beliefs and practices. Working with communities to implement and evaluate strengths-based, multi-faceted, sustained efforts to overcome injustice is essential. The values and ethics underpinning the practice of research also have a critical role in producing meaningful outcomes for communities. 

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight pioneering research that explores innovative ways to understand and respond to the inequalities experienced by socially disadvantaged and marginalized communities. This includes but is not limited to First Nations and Indigenous populations and populations forced to flee from their countries of origin due to war and human rights abuses. By highlighting these issues, this Special Issue will shine a light on the role of research, policy and community partnerships and innovative research practices in addressing health inequalities and achieving change. This Special Issue invites researchers of any discipline that focus on health inequalities in socially disadvantaged communities, including but not exclusive of social science, public health, anthropology, law and medicine.

Prof. Dr. Elisha Riggs
Prof. Dr. Alice Rumbold
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • health inequalities
  • social determinants
  • co-design and community engagement
  • intervention development and evaluation
  • epidemiology, qualitative and mixed methods
  • life course
  • maternal, paternal, child, family and community perspectives
  • indigenous, refugee and any population/community considered socially disadvantaged

Published Papers (3 papers)

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30 pages, 5002 KiB  
Article
Measuring Māori Health, Wellbeing, and Disability in Aotearoa Using a Web-Based Survey Methodology
by Tristram R. Ingham, Bernadette Jones, Meredith Perry, Martin von Randow, Barry Milne, Paula T. King, Linda W. Nikora, Andrew Sporle and Te Ao Mārama Study Group
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(18), 6797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20186797 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1209
Abstract
High-quality evidence on the prevalence and impact of health, wellbeing, and disability among Māori, and other Indigenous peoples, is crucial for mitigating health inequities. Current surveys are predominantly centred within a biomedical paradigm, with the constructs mismatched with Indigenous worldviews. We aimed to [...] Read more.
High-quality evidence on the prevalence and impact of health, wellbeing, and disability among Māori, and other Indigenous peoples, is crucial for mitigating health inequities. Current surveys are predominantly centred within a biomedical paradigm, with the constructs mismatched with Indigenous worldviews. We aimed to develop and deploy an accessible and culturally grounded survey exploring Māori health, wellbeing, and disability using a Kaupapa Māori Research methodology. An extensive codesign process with Māori community partners interrogated all aspects of the design to ensure the process and outcomes met the needs of Māori. A large-scale, nationally representative survey of people of Māori descent was conducted. We used a multi-modal deployment approach that included online and alternate methods of completion. Our analysis included a novel dual-weighting system to ensure generalisability of results to the national Māori population. This achieved a survey of 7230 participants, a sample size comparable with government-administered surveys. The response rate was 11.1%, with 7.3% opting for alternate methods. A high completion rate of 93.4% was observed. This approach demonstrated a high level of engagement, resulting in an unprecedented collection of Māori health, wellbeing, and disability data. This highlights the importance of Indigenous codesign for ensuring accessible and culturally appropriate survey methods. Full article
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14 pages, 313 KiB  
Protocol
A Systematic Scoping Review of Indigenous People’s Experience of Healing and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse
by Jordan Gibbs, Helen Milroy, Stella Mulder, Carlina Black, Catherine Lloyd-Johnsen, Stephanie Brown and Graham Gee
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030311 - 07 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Child sexual abuse is a form of violence that occurs across nations and cultures. Collective efforts are being made to address this issue within many Indigenous communities. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have expressed the need for cultural models of [...] Read more.
Child sexual abuse is a form of violence that occurs across nations and cultures. Collective efforts are being made to address this issue within many Indigenous communities. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have expressed the need for cultural models of healing child sexual abuse. A preliminary exploration of the relevant literature shows a lack of synthesis with regard to the current evidence base. This protocol outlines the methods and background for a scoping review that aims to explore and collate the broad scope of literature related to healing from child sexual abuse within an Indigenous context. The proposed review utilises a ‘population, concept, and context structure’ from the Joanna Briggs Institute to explore the broad scope of the literature within a scoping review framework. The target population is Indigenous survivors of child sexual abuse, including Indigenous populations from six distinct regions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from Australia; Māori peoples from Aotearoa (New Zealand); First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples from Canada; Native American peoples from North America; Native peoples from Alaska; and the Sámi peoples of the Sápmi region in Northern Europe. The concept within the review is healing from an Indigenous perspective, which includes a broad range of processes related to both recovery and personal growth. The contexts explored within this review are any context in which healing from child sexual abuse can occur. This may include processes related to disclosure and accessing services, specific interventions or programs for survivors of child sexual abuse, as well as broader non-specific healing programs and personal experiences of healing without intervention. The scoping review will use search strings with broad inclusion and exclusion criteria to capture the potential breadth of perspectives. The search will be conducted across several academic databases and will also include an extensive search for grey literature. This protocol establishes the proposed benefits of this scoping review. Full article
20 pages, 684 KiB  
Systematic Review
A Systematic Review of Child Health, Developmental and Educational Outcomes Associated with High Mobility in Indigenous Children from Australia, Canada and New Zealand
by Arwen Nikolof, Stephanie J. Brown, Yvonne Clark, Karen Glover and Deirdre Gartland
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054332 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1861
Abstract
Indigenous families tend to move house more often, especially families with young children. However, little is known about the impact of high mobility on children’s well-being and development. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between residential mobility and [...] Read more.
Indigenous families tend to move house more often, especially families with young children. However, little is known about the impact of high mobility on children’s well-being and development. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between residential mobility and children’s health, developmental, and educational outcomes for Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Indigenous children (0–12 years). Four databases were investigated with pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search identified 243 articles after independent screening by two authors. Eight studies assessing four child health outcomes were included, six quantitative and two qualitative. Child health outcomes were classified into four broad categories—physical health, social and emotional behavior, learning and development, and developmental risk. The review identified limited evidence; possible links were identified between high mobility and emotional and behavioral difficulties for younger children. One study identified evidence of a linear relationship between the number of houses a child has lived in since birth and developmental risk. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of high residential mobility for Indigenous children at different developmental stages. Prioritizing the involvement, collaboration, and empowerment of Indigenous communities and leadership is critical for future research. Full article
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