SECOND GENERATIONS: Culture and Sexual Health: Exploring the experiences of young South Asian Women

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SECOND GENERATIONSCulture and Sexual Health
Exploring the experiences of young South Asian
Women in Nova Scotia

• Atlantic Metropolis Health Domain
• Monica Palak, MAHP
• Presented by Suzanne Baker

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BACKGROUND

• Canada is a multicultural, multiethnic country,
  therefore, sexual and reproductive health
  services based on majority cultural norms for
  sexuality may not be appropriate for all
  Canadians
• Very little research has explored the experiences
  of South Asian women regarding sexuality and
  sexual health, this has resulted in a lack of
  knowledge of this populations beliefs and needs
  associated with sexual and reproductive health

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PURPOSE

• To explore how a bi-cultural upbringing and
  socialization in Western and non-Western cultures
  has influenced sexuality and sexual health among
  this sample of South Asian women

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OBJECTIVES

• To explore how a bi-cultural upbringing and
  socialization in Western and non-Western cultures
  has influenced sexuality and sexual health among
  a sample of South Asian women
• To explore bi-cultural tensions or conflicts
  that might arise from being socialized in these
  two cultures
• To explore what types of sexual and reproductive
  health information and services this sample of
  young South Asian women access

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METHODS

• Qualitative exploratory study
• Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews
• Eight second generation South Asian women
• Aged 18 to 23 years old
• Recruitment on local university campus and in
  the community
• General Inductive Approach/Iterative Process

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OUTCOMES

• Family Influence on Sexuality
• Gender-based Behavioural Expectations
• Rules and restrictions regarding socializing with
  others, dating and sexual experience
• Clear boundaries between accepted South Asian and
  Canadian norms regarding sexuality
• Participating in behaviours considered to be
  Canadian questioned commitment to culture

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OUTCOMES

• Honour and Shame
• Gender-based double standard regarding honour
• Womens behaviour is more closely tied to their
  honour and the honour of their family
• Importance of the collective good and lack of
  autonomy

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OUTCOMES

• Communication
• Atmosphere of silencing discussion around sex and
  sexual health
• Messages received about sex and sexual health
  from parents
• Sex is a stigmatizing behaviour and should
  therefore not be discussed openly
• Premarital sex is something that South Asian do
  not do
• Sexual health issues, such as menstruation, are
  private matters that should not be discussed

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IMPLICATIONS

• Sexual health educators need to appreciate the
  potential discrepancy between ones public face
  and private behaviour which results from the
  pressure to maintain family honour
• Sexual and reproductive health educators and
  service providers should also consider the
  importance of privacy and confidentiality when
  locating sexual and reproductive health services
• Locating services in multi-purpose service
  centres may be useful or drop-in spaces

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IMPLICATIONS

• School-based Sexual Health Education
• Culturally relevant sexual health promotion
  material
• Educators need to create comfortable environments
  to receive information and ask questions and be
  aware of their own biases and assumptions
• Involve South Asians in sexual health education
  programs and in service delivery or seek input to
  ensure that the programs are meaningful and
  address the realities of the group

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FUTURE DIRECTION FOR RESEARCH

• Similar research involving young South Asian men
  to contrast and compare the perceptions and
  beliefs of the two populations
• Research examining the parent-child relationship
  regarding sexuality and assessing parental
  beliefs
• Quantitative research examining the sexual
  beliefs, behaviours and attitudes of Canadian
  South Asians