Health information priorities and recommendations: findings from community listening sessions with women of refugee background from Myanmar in Western Australia.

PURPOSE: Targeted evidence is needed to inform health promotion initiatives amongst growing Myanmar diaspora communities in Australia and globally. This study aimed to report on health information priorities and recommendations identified by women of refugee background from Myanmar settled in Western Australia and their female community leaders.

METHODS

Guided by participatory action research principles, four community listening sessions were conducted with 39 women of refugee background from Myanmar and community leaders in February and March 2024. Women were from Karen and Chin cultural groups living in metropolitan and regional communities. Data underwent content analysis informed by an unstructured analysis matrix.

RESULTS

Five categories and 27 subcategories were identified: 1) changing contexts, 2) motivations, 3) information priorities, 4) information sources, and 5) structural barriers for action. Categories contextualise women's health information experiences and priorities, before offering a set of topics for which women needed information. Identified gaps in available information resources and structural barriers have implications for health and settlement policies.

CONCLUSIONS

Health literacy is framed as a collective, relational, and structurally constrained process for women of refugee background from Myanmar. To support women to build their health knowledge, comprehensive health promotion initiatives and targeted improvements to structural barriers are needed.