Review Article

A Critical Review of Social Exclusion and Inclusion among Immigrant and Refugee Women

Table 1

Studies and reports related to immigrant and refugee women.

Author, year, countryPurpose and methodsPopulationSocial determinants of exclusionSocial inclusionary processes
D&S&I&E&P&MicroαMesoαMacroα

Acharya and Northcott, 2007 [19], CanadaMental distress and coping strategies.
Qualitative interviews
N = 21. Indian immigrant women. Age: 60–74

Alvi and Zaidi, 2017
[20], Canada
Relationship between well-being and quality of life.
Qualitative interviews
N = 10. South Asian immigrant women. Age: 55–81

Baird, 2012 [21], the United StatesSituation-specific theory of well-being during cultural transition
1: Qualitative ethnography.
2: Community-based action research
N = 20, Southern Sudanese refugee women. Age: 21–63

Banulescu-Bogdan, 2019, [22], the United StatesStrategies for socially isolated to participate meaningfully.
Literature review
Immigrant/refugee women.
N = organizations for OECD countries

Bhuyan and Schmidt, 2019 [23], CanadaIsolation and vulnerability to social exclusion
qualitative interviews and focus groups
N = 35, immigrant women. N = 15, front-line service settlement workers. N = 5, key informants, leaders in organizations

Chai et al., 2018 [24], CanadaEconomic security in central Alberta
qualitative interviews
N = 22, immigrant women in Canada for <10 years

Choi et al., 2014 [25], CanadaExamined acculturation experiences and cultural identity.
Qualitative ethnography interviews
N = 15, Korean immigrant women. Age: 51–83

Choudhry, 2001 [26], CanadaImpact of immigration and resettlement.
Qualitative interviews
N = 10, South Asian immigrant women. Age: 59–78

Creese and Kambere, 2003 [27], CanadaExamines how an accent creates barriers to employment and civil participation.
Qualitative focus groups
N = 12, African women/Vancouver

Fernbrant et al., 2017 [28], SwedenTheoretical understanding on what characterizes processes, challenges, and relational conditions.
Qualitative Interviews
N = 14, Thai immigrant women. Age: 29–63

Felsman et al., 2019 [29], the United StatesThe levels of distress to develop interventions to enhance the resettlement.
Mixed methods: quantitative questionnaire and qualitative interviews
N = 23, refugee women. Age: 19–60

Gagnon et al., 2013 [30], CanadaExamine processes to respond to maternal-child health and psychosocial concerns in relation to social inclusion. Qualitative interviews and participant observationN = 16. International migrant women. Age: 27–38

Greenwood et al., 2017 [31], IrelandAspects of social context that shape experiences. Quantitative surveyN = 172. Immigrant women. Age: 18–57

Hansen et al., 2017 [32], CanadaExperiences of visually impaired immigrant women.
Qualitative interviews
N = 8. Visually impaired immigrant women. Age: 20–60

Ho et al., 2012 [33], Hong KongExogenous variables such as marital contentment and social support, and demographics that predict integration. Quantitative survey; literature reviewN = 506. Chinese immigrant mothers. Age range: 20–56

Kielsgaard et al., 2018 [34], DenmarkPerspectives of single mothers on living conditions and significance on exclusion.
Qualitative interviews
N = 3. Immigrant single women. Age: 37–39

Madhavi et al., 2014 [35], CanadaExperiences of loneliness.
Qualitative narrative interviews (repeat, drawings, and objects of meaning)
N = 2. Sinhalese women. Age: 65 and older

Martin-Matthews et al., 2013 [36], CanadaExplores the diversity and heterogeneity of widowhood in later life. Qualitative interviewsN = 20. Chinese immigrant widows. Age: 69–83

McMichael and Manderson, 2004 [37], AustraliaExplores meaning, order, and sense of well-being. Qualitative ethnography interviewsN = 42. Somali refugee women. Age: 19–65 years

Northcote et al., 2006, [38], AustraliaExplores settlement experiences, facilitators, and barriers to successful adjustment.
Qualitative interviews
N = 38. Muslim Sudanese and Afghan refugee women. Age: 20–45

Premji and Shakya, 2017 [39], CanadaExamine pathways between under or unemployment and health plus ways that social identities intersect to structure relationships in Toronto.
Qualitative interviews
N = 30. Racialized immigrant women. Age: 30–59

Rahder and McLean, 2013 [40], CanadaImmigrant women’s perceptions of knowing their place in Toronto. Qualitative interviewsN = 6. Immigrant women. Age not provided

Renzaho and Oldroyd, 2014 [41], AustraliaExplores views and perceptions about sociocultural barriers and health needs during pregnancy and postnatal periods.
Qualitative focus groups
N = 35. Migrant mothers, Afghani, African, Chinese, and Middle Eastern. Age: 24–38

Rodriguez, 2007 [42], the United KingdomExamines migration as change in gendered division between private/public spaces and ability to renegotiate participation in public. Qualitative interviewsN = 10. South Asian women. Age: 3 time-points: before migration (1970s–1980s), after 5 years and 20 years (2003–2004) of settlement

Salma et al., 2017 [43], CanadaExperiences of health-promoting practices with focus on social connectedness, social roles, and social support. Qualitative interviewsN = 16. Arab immigrant women, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestinian. Age: 45–75

Sanchon-Macias et al., 2016 [44], SpainExamine factors that determine subjective social status.
Qualitative interviews
N = 10. Latin American immigrant women. Age: 24–55

Shan, 2009, [45], CanadaExplore how Chinese immigrant women refashion lives to participate in labor market.
Qualitative interviews
N = 10. Chinese immigrant women. Age: 28–45 years

Suto, 2013 [46], CanadaExplore participation in leisure occupations in resettlement.
Qualitative interviews
N = 14. Migrant women. Age: 20–55

Tastsoglou, and Miedema, 2003 [47], CanadaExamines meaning of community from participation in organizations and contributions to community development. Qualitative interviewsN = 40. Immigrant women. Age: mean age of 30

Walker et al., 2015 [48], AustraliaExamines social support and mobile phone-enhanced communication.
Mixed method: qualitative interviews only reported
N = 111. Refugee women. Afghan (31), Burmese (36; 25 Buddhist, and 11 Muslim), Sudanese (44)

Waters, 2011, [49], CanadaExperiences of immigration and transnationalism change over time and in place in relation to citizenship and belonging. Qualitative interviewsN = 5. Immigrant women of 28 families (N = 28) in 1999, and 2007

Zaheer et al., 2018 [50], CanadaExperiences of immigration and relationship with distress and suicide-related behavior.
Qualitative interviews
N = 10. Chinese immigrant women. Age: 19–51

Social environment (SE); Social support (SS); Language ability (LA); Discrimination and racism (D&R); Settlement and identity (S&I); Education and credentials (E&C); Program and services (P&S). α micro; social capital; meso; social and civic participation (S&C); macro; policies and settlement programs.