Ethnicity or cultural group identity of pregnant women in Sydney, Australia: Is country of birth a reliable proxy measure?

BACKGROUND: Australia has one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse maternal populations in the world. Routinely few variables are recorded in clinical data or health research to capture this diversity. This paper explores how pregnant women, Australian-born and overseas-born, respond to survey questions on ethnicity or cultural group identity, and whether country of birth is a reliable proxy measure. METHODS: As part of a larger study, pregnant women attending public antenatal clinics in Sydney, Australia, completed a survey about their knowledge and expectations of pregnancy duration. The survey included two questions on country of birth, and identification with an ethnicity or cultural group. Country of birth data were analysed using frequency tabulations. Responses to ethnicity or cultural group were analysed using inductive coding to identify thematic categories. RESULTS: Among the 762 with 75 individual cultural groups or ethnicities and 68 countries of birth reported. For Australian-born women (n=293), 23% identified with a cultural group or ethnicity, and 77% did not. For overseas-born women (n=469), 44% identified with a cultural group or ethnicity and 56% did not. Responses were coded under five thematic categories. CONCLUSIONS: Ethnicity and cultural group identity are complex concepts; women across and within countries of birth identified differently, indicating country of birth is not a reliable measure. To better understand the identities of the women receiving maternity care, midwives, clinicians and researchers have an ethical responsibility to challenge practices that quantify cultural group or ethnicity, or use country of birth as a convenient proxy measure.

Low prevalence of autoimmune diabetes markers in a mixed ethnic population of Singaporean diabetics.

BACKGROUND: Circulating antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADab) and tyrosine phosphatase-like molecule IA-2 (IA-2ab) are major indicators for auto-immune destruction of pancreatic islet cells. They identify a majority of Caucasians with type 1 diabetes and approximately 50% of Asians, providing evidence of an idiopathic aetiology in the latter. The present study investigated these autoantibodies in a mixed ethnic group. METHODS: Hospital clinic patients with clinically defined type 1 (n = 93) and type 2 (n = 300) diabetes and representing Singapore's major ethnic groups--Chinese, Indians and Malays--were studied. GADab and IA-2ab frequencies, and association of autoimmunity status with clinical and biochemical profiles were analysed. RESULTS: Radio-immunoprecipitation assays detected either or both antibodies (seropositivity) in 41.9% of subjects with type 1 diabetes. GADab was detected in 36.6% and IA-2ab in 23.7% of type 1 diabetics. Prevalence of IA-2ab showed a reduction in frequency with disease duration (P = 0.026). In clinical type 2 diabetics, seropositivity was 10.0% with higher frequency in Malays (17.5%) than Chinese (9.7%) and Indians (4.5%). Multivariate analysis revealed that low fasting C-peptide was associated with seropositivity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04-0.58). A significant relationship (OR = 13.5; 95% CI = 5.0-36.7) between insulin requirement and duration (>5 years) was also revealed. In patients with type 2 diabetes there was a trend of gradual progression to insulin dependency. However, there was considerable variation in body mass index between ethnic subgroups of type 2 diabetics, particularly for Chinese (mean (SD) = 26.0 (4.7)) and Malays (mean (SD) = 29.2 (5.9); P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of both antibodies in our mixed ethnic group of type 1 diabetes patients was much lower than in Caucasians. Significant numbers of patients were seronegative for antibodies. Influences due to ethnicity and adiposity would require further investigations.

Tyrosine phosphatase-like protein (IA-2) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) autoantibodies: a study of Chinese patients with diabetes mellitus.

Type 1 diabetes in most Asian populations may not have a salient autoimmune basis when assessed with single determinations of the major markers, islet cell antibodies (ICAs) and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GAD65ab). With the inclusion of antibodies to tyrosine phosphatase-like protein IA-2 (IA-2ab) as an additional major marker, we re-examined autoimmune diabetes in a group of Chinese patients. We studied 272 subjects at various stages of disease with blood samples procured for biochemical analysis. ICAs were measured by immunofluorescence, GAD65ab and IA-2ab by radioimmunoassay. Sixty-seven patients fulfilled clinical diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and the remaining 205 patients were type 2. Prevalence of single autoantibody type in recent-onset type 1 diabetes ( < 1 year duration; n = 47) showed 10.6% with ICAs, 44.7% GAD65ab and 36.2% IA-2ab. GAD65ab account for more than two-thirds of the markers found in type 1 diabetes. Combined analysis further showed that 51.1% had at least one antibody type, 31.9% with two or more antibodies and 8.5% with all three antibodies. Islet autoimmunity presence in childhood-onset type 1 diabetes improved with the addition of IA-2ab, though less impact was seen in the adult-onset. Similarly, combined analysis for type 2 patients with recent diabetes showed a modest increase to 13% with islet autoimmunity compared to 8% when assessed by GAD65ab alone. Combining IA-2ab and GAD65ab assays results detected slightly more immune-mediated diabetes, compared to using a single GAD65ab determination. Non-autoimmune causes need to be considered in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in Chinese, particularly in adults.

Collecting and using aboriginal health information in New South Wales.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of guidelines for the management of Aboriginal health information in NSW. The purpose of the guidelines is to promote the ethical management of Aboriginal health information, with appropriate consideration for cultural factors. METHODS: The guidelines were developed collaboratively by the NSW Aboriginal Health Partnership, which comprises NSW Health (the central administrative office, named NSW Department of Health, and the Area Health Services) and the NSW Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AHMRC), the peak body representing member Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in NSW. A lengthy and comprehensive consultation process enabled a wide range of interested groups to have input into the guidelines. RESULTS: The project culminated in the production of the NSW Aboriginal Health Information Guidelines, covering the collection, ownership, storage, security, release, usage, interpretation and reporting of information, as well as issues of privacy and confidentiality. The Guidelines formed the basis of a formal Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the NSW Minister for Health, NSW Department of Health and the AHMRC, on 24 August 1998. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The Guidelines make an important contribution to meeting a need for protocols on the collection, ownership and use of Aboriginal health information. Their production reflects successful collaboration between government and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services in NSW. Future reviews of the Guidelines will ensure their effectiveness and consistency with Aboriginal community principles.

Increased risk of postnatal depression after emergency caesarean section.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether women having an emergency caesarean section are at increased risk of developing postnatal depression at one, three and six months postpartum. DESIGN: Participants were part of a larger study examining the relationship between personality dysfunction and postnatal depression. All women were recruited at an antenatal clinic in the first trimester of their pregnancy. These women were followed up at one, three and six months postpartum to identify cases of postnatal depression, defined by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). RESULTS: Data were collected from 188 women, who were divided into three groups by method of delivery: 21 women had an emergency caesarean section, 49 had a forceps delivery and 118 had a spontaneous vaginal delivery. Comparison of the groups indicated a significant difference at three months postpartum only. Women having an emergency caesarean section had significantly higher EPDS scores than women who had forceps or spontaneous vaginal delivery (9.15 +/- 6.18 v. 5.05 +/- 3.81 v. 5.79 +/- 4.47; F(2,143) = 4.2, P less than 0.02). Analysis of postnatal depression at three months indicated that women in the emergency caesarean section group had a relative risk of 6.82 (95% confidence interval, 2.85-16.15) compared with women in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: When compared with women having spontaneous vaginal or forceps deliveries, women having an emergency caesarean section had more than six times the risk of developing postnatal depression three months postpartum. Special attention to this group appears warranted.

Antenatal tests of fetal welfare and development at age 2 years.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the outcomes at 2 years of age of fetuses delivered electively before 34 weeks, studied antenatally with two tests of fetal well-being. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-two fetuses from high-risk pregnancies delivered electively by cesarean section before 34 weeks were stratified into normal versus abnormal subgroups with umbilical Doppler flow velocity waveform and fetal heart rate results. Developmental outcome was assessed at 2 years. Two comparison groups were also selected: 40 matched premature controls delivered spontaneously before 34 weeks and 67 normal babies delivered spontaneously at term. Frequency outcome data were tested with chi 2 analyses and the remainder with analyses of variance. RESULTS: Within the electively delivered study group poor cognitive progress at 2 years was more strongly associated with an abnormal fetal heart rate result than an abnormal Doppler result. Compared with the premature control and normal term groups, electively delivered fetuses were significantly delayed in growth, cognition, and motor development (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Adverse fetal welfare in a high-risk obstetric sample was associated with poorer outcome at 2 years. However, the whole of the group of fetuses from such high-risk pregnancies showed significant developmental delay compared with normal term children and, more importantly, matched premature infants delivered spontaneously from otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies.

Malnutrition in cystic fibrosis: psychosocial functioning of patients and their families.

The relationship between nutritional status and psychosocial functioning was examined in 35 children with cystic fibrosis, aged 7-16 years. Twelve malnourished children and their families were compared with 23 well nourished children and their families. Established measures of adjustment and coping in the children, parents and families were used. Few statistically significant differences between the two groups emerged, and all comparisons of psychosocial functioning were not significant. The results of the study suggest that there is no relationship between the nutritional status of the child with cystic fibrosis and the current psychosocial adjustment and coping of child, parents and family.

Have MMPI MF scale correlates changed in the past 30 years?

This study was designed to investigate whether behavioral correlates of the MMPI Masculinity-Femininity (MF) scale are similar to or different from those established in the 1950s, given the many social and cultural changes that have taken place since then. There were 306 participants in the study, 102 target subjects (51 males, 51 females) and 204 same-sex friends. The former were administered the first 399 items of the MMPI, the Interpersonal Adjective Scale (IAS), and other questionnaires. The friends described each subject on the IAS. Low MF females were rated by themselves and their peers as tender and emotional, whereas high MF females considered themselves exploitative and self-confident and were rated as bold and unsympathetic by their peers. Low MF males described themselves as domineering and impersonal and were described by their peers as well-mannered. High MFs saw themselves as undemanding and shy and were perceived as emotional by their peers. It appears that the behavioral correlates established a generation ago are still valid today, at least for college students.