Multiplying and Dividing - The University of Auckland

understanding of their migration histories. Participants spoke about the multiple losses theyhad experienced in their lives and the way in which these losses had had a detrimental impacton their wellbeing and ability to resettle in New Zealand. Some participants directly linkedthese losses to the subsequent development of TB.The diagnosis of TB was yet another loss for participants and another obstacle to beovercome. Participants spoke about the ramifications TB has had upon their health and socialstanding in part due to the enduring stigma attached to the disease. Despite suggestions thatstigma has improved due to increased education about the disease, most individuals went togreat lengths to hide their illness and experienced considerable isolation when the truthemerged. The final theme highlights the extent to which TB can result in ongoing loss withmany participants facing ongoing health issues related to their experience of TB. Due to thelength of time before diagnosis, many individuals were extremely unwell and continue to livewith the after-effects of the damage the disease has had upon their bodies.While this paper has only briefly touched upon three aspects of the TB journeys faced bySomalis, I have attempted to highlight why it is vital to consider the lived experiences ofmigrants/refugees in order to understand the burden of TB amongst this group. TB is notexperienced in isolation from wider life experiences and struggles, a point which was directlyacknowledged by a number of my research participants. For many people I spoke with, TB isassociated with profound loss with many ramifications for the lives and wellbeing of thoseconcerned.AcknowledgmentsThe author wishes to gratefully acknowledge the contribution and support of the AucklandSomali Community and supervisors Prof. Robin Kearns and Associate Prof. Julie Park duringthe course of this research. This research was also supported by a Bright FuturesTop Achiever Doctoral scholarship.ReferencesAntunes, J. and E. Waldman, 2001. The impact of Aids, immigration and overcrowding on tuberculosisdeaths in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1994-1998. Social Science & Medicine, 52: 1071-1080.Chin, D., K. DeRiemer, P. Small, A. de Leon, R. Steinhart, G. Schecter, C. Daley, A. Moss, E. Paz, R.Jasmer, C. Agasino, and P. Hopewell, 1998. Differences in contributing factors to tuberculosisincidence in U.S.-born and foreign-born persons. American Journal of Respiratory CareMedicine, 158:1797-1803.Cowie, R. and J. Sharpe, 1998. Tuberculosis among immigrants: interval from arrival in Canada todiagnosis: a 5-year study in southern Alberta. Canadian Medical Association Journal,158(5):599-602.Cundall, D. and S. Pearson, 1988. Inner city tuberculosis and immunisation policy. Archives of Diseasein Childhood, 63:964-966.De Montclos, M., 2003. When the Somali go west. In K. Koser (ed.), New African diasporas. London:Routledge, pp. 37-55.Denholm, N. and I. Jama,. 1996. Female Genital Mutilation. A women's health care perspective in NewZealand. Auckland: Western Community Maternity Services, National Women's Hospital.DeRiemer, K., D. Chin, G. Schecter, and A. Reingold, 1998. Tuberculosis among immigrants andrefugees. Archives of Internal Medicine, 158(7):753-761.215