Health and literacy in first- and second-generation Moroccan Berber women in the Netherlands: Ill literacy?

Bekker, Lhajoui, Lhajoui Mina

Description

Aim The present study was aimed at investigating the role of literacy and generation in the self-reported general health status of Moroccan Berber speaking women in the Netherlands. Method Fifty women in our sample ( N = 75) were first generation women, from which group 25 were literates and 25 illiterates. Another group of 25 literate women belonged to the second generation. The three groups were matched for demographic characteristics. Questionnaires were administered reflecting all concepts under study. We hypothesized that, within the first generation, illiterates compared with literates would report worse health. Our second hypothesis was that literates of the first generation compared with those of the second generation would have a similar health condition. Results After controlling for age, having a job, and having an employed partner, the first generation literates compared with the illiterates of the first generation indeed reported significantly better health. Additionally, we did not find any differences in health condition between both literate groups, even after controlling for age, number of children, and marital status. Health complaints that were most frequently reported by both groups, concerned pain in shoulders, back and head. Conclusions Our results underline the importance of offering immigrants optimal access to opportunities and facilities that can improve their literacy and reading ability.

Sujets

• Women
• Morocco
• Literacy
• Ethnic group
• Generation effect
• Health care

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2004
• Nombre de lectures: 7
• Langue: English

Extrait

International Journal for Equity in Health

BioMedCentral

Open Access Research Health and literacy in first- and second-generation Moroccan Berber women in the Netherlands: Ill literacy? 1 2 Marrie HJ Bekker* and Mina Lhajoui

1 2 Address: Marrie H.J. Bekker, Tilburg University, Dept. of Clinical Health Psychology; Gender and Health; Tilburg, The Netherlands and Mina Lhajoui, Erasmus Medical Centre, Dept. of Public Health, Rotterdam, The Netherlands Email: Marrie HJ Bekker*  [e-mail]; Mina Lhajoui  [e-mail] * Corresponding author

Published: 28 June 2004 Received: 30 January 2004 Accepted: 28 June 2004 International Journal for Equity in Health2004,3:8 doi:10.1186/1475-9276-3-8 This article is available from: http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/3/1/8 © 2004 Bekker and Lhajoui; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.

womenMoroccoliteracyilliteracyhealth statusethnicitygeneration effectmigrantshealth care

Abstract Aim:The present study was aimed at investigating the role of literacy and generation in the self- reported general health status of Moroccan Berber speaking women in the Netherlands. Method:Fifty women in our sample (N = 75) were first generation women, from which group 25 were literates and 25 illiterates. Another group of 25 literate women belonged to the second generation. The three groups were matched for demographic characteristics. Questionnaires were administered reflecting all concepts under study. We hypothesized that, within the first generation, illiterates compared with literates would report worse health. Our second hypothesis was that literates of the first generation compared with those of the second generation would have a similar health condition. Results:After controlling for age, having a job, and having an employed partner, the first generation literates compared with the illiterates of the first generation indeed reported significantly better health. Additionally, we did not find any differences in health condition between both literate groups, even after controlling for age, number of children, and marital status. Health complaints that were most frequently reported by both groups, concerned pain in shoulders, back and head. Conclusions:Our results underline the importance of offering immigrants optimal access to opportunities and facilities that can improve their literacy and reading ability.

Background One of the most substantial sources as well as expressions of inequity among various groups participating in the same society is their differential access to written lan guage, in other words, their degree of literacy. Although illiteracy occurs, in Western countries, more frequently among migrants than among native inhabitants, it also strikes a considerable proportion of the latter group [1].

Nevertheless, the problem of illiteracy is definitely more substantial and influential among migrants [1], and there fore migrants' illiteracy is the issue of the present paper.

Literacy affects all domains of life including one's health. In the United States, several studies have been done on the relationship between health and literacy indicating an association between bad health and illiteracy (for an

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