Cultural values influencing iTaukei women's discussion of family planning in the home.

Pacific Sexual and reproductive health is influenced by cultural taboos and sensitivities. Although Pacific values are integral to family planning, open communication in the home is often difficult in the face of changing socio-cultural norms. This study explores the experiences of iTaukei Pacific women living in Fiji and Aotearoa New Zealand, and their discussion of family planning within the family setting. The study utilises talanoa methodology to understand women's realities and their navigation through shifting sexual and reproductive norms in both countries. The study found that although family may be seen as a place of 'truth' in which appropriate, culturally sensitive family planning communication should be available, this was challenged by cultural taboos or tabu which were persistent in family planning discussions. The study calls for greater reliance on holistic approaches to Pacific family planning perspectives and a greater examination of va or the spaces within which Pacific women's experiences are negotiated and informed.

Services for seniors in small-town Canada: the paradox of community.

There is a prevailing argument that what small towns lack in formal services they make up for in close ties among rural people and a shared understanding of the notion of community. Drawing on research undertaken in 9 small towns across Canada, the authors examine how the concept of community operates with respect to the provision ofin-home and community care for seniors. The analysis is based on interviews with 55 key informants from local governments, health and social care agencies, voluntary sector organizations, and community groups. The findings reveal the paradox of the conventional belief that rural communities can compensate for lack of services for seniors while failing to take into account the uncertain coping ability of the local informal sectors. The authors challenge rural health policy decision-makers, researchers, and providers to debunk assumptions about services for seniors in rural Canada.