Bbkayi means Baby plus two in Cantonese. It’s the title of a report which outlines the enablers and barriers for Chinese women in the City of Whitehorse to access antenatal, maternal and parent support. The study found that family and Chinese cultural practices such as the 30 day confinement period play an important part during pregnancy and childrearing and influence how Chinese women access programs and services. Many factors, including the resettlement experience, lack of familiarity with the Australian health system, and differing health and spiritual beliefs of different cultures can make it difficult for immigrant and refugee communities to access health services.
The study, commissioned by Whitehorse Community Health Service, is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in improving the cultural relevance of health services. Congratulations to Megan Wong, the project leader and author of the report and special thanks to MCWH Chinese BHEs, Dongmei Zhang, Rebecca Heli and Yuki Murdolo, who made invaluable contributions to the project with their experience and knowledge.
You can read the full report here.