This study examines how in the context of international
migration, ethnic (cultural) assimilation may influence fertility
and attitudes towards fertility. The relationships between ethnic
assimilation (measured by the extent to which immigrants will have
subscribed to the core values of Canadian society through life
style or behaviourial characteristics and social networks),
socioeconomic status (that is, level of education and income), and
six variables used to measure fertility and attitudes towards
fertility of Black African immigrant women in Canada are examined.
These include: ideal number of children; ideal number of Sons;
currently preventing pregnancy; currently pregnant or trying to get
pregnant; children ever born still living and more sons than
daughters. The African women who participated in the study were all
immigrants in Canada, selected from the different African
communities. Only women in their child bearing years were selected.
An attempt was made to include women from all the different
categories of immigrants. Africans that were not black and blacks
from North America and the Caribbean were excluded from the sample.
Data collection for the study was at the micro-level. In total, 165
questionnaires, consisting of structured questions were handed out.
Results revealed statistically significant relationships
between ethnic assimilation and fertility and attitudes towards
fertility. For example, a significant relationship existed between
attending African dances, parties and informal social affairs, and currently preventing pregnancy, and pregnant or trying to get
pregnant. A significant negative correlation was found between
income and children ever born that were still living. Age too was
found to be related to fertility, with women in the older
age—group (35-44) reporting higher averages for ideal number of
children and sons, as opposed to those in the younger age—groups
and the entire population. Surprisingly enough, no significant
relationships were recorded between level of education, feeling of
ethnicity, maintenance of contact with homeland, years spent in
Canada, residence in Africa, the category immigrants belonged to,
and fertility as originally anticipated.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/5485 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Nyadoi, Florence |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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