A growing corpus of evidence reveals that smoking patterns of migrant women tend to converge with that of the host population over time (‘acculturation paradox’). In this paper we aim to adopt a health equity perspective by studying the extent to which this pattern reflects a convergence with the group of natives who are more socioeconomically disadvantaged. Using population-based registers, we study 1,194,296 women who gave birth in Sweden between 1991 and 2012. Using logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios to assess the effect of duration of residence on the association between smoking during pregnancy and women's origin (classified according to inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (iHDI) of the country of birth). Sibling information and multilevel models were used to assess the extent to which our results might be affected by the cross-sectional nature of the data. Smoking during pregnancy increases with duration of residence among migrants from all levels of iHDI to such an extent that they tend to converge or increase in relation to the levels of the Swedish population with low education and low income, leaving behind the native population with high education and income. The results are robust to possible selection bias related to the cross-sectional nature of the data. Ourfindings indicate the need of a health equity perspective and suggest the use of ‘unequal assimilation’ rather than ‘acculturation paradox’ as a more suitable framework to interpret these findings.

Parenting after forced migration entails specific challenges, especially during the first years after flight, such as reception and social networks in the new country, socioeconomic situation, migration related difficulties, mental ill-health, discrimination, to learn a new language, new norms and expectations, and leading a transnational life. This report is a scoping review with the aim to compile and describe the existing knowledge about the experiences of newly arrived forced migrant parents, as well as key factors that affect parenting during the first year after having fled to another country. PubMed, Sociology Collection and PsychInfo were systematically searched. The report includes 27 articles.

The result of the literature review was systematised into two main themes that were salient in the empirical material: strengths/possibilities and challenges. Strength/possibilities relate to four categories: health and social service, new possibilities, establishing oneself, and networks and family. Challenges relate to the four categories health, establishing oneself, socioeconomic status, and social networks and relationships. Many studies note the importance of access to, as well as accurate information about, health care and social services where the newly arrived parents' situation is taken into account. Fleeing to another country may mean possibilities such as education and to be able to live in peace and freedom. To be able to establish oneself in the new country is a supporting factor for parenting. Family life and social networks are also noted as central supporting factors. On the other hand, lack of information and poor treatment are barriers to access to health care. Several studies report on some form of mental ill health among the parents. To be subjected to new norms for parenting and experiences of discrimination are other challenges for these parents. Many newly arrived parents have low socioeconomic status. Worries related to residence permits may also affect parenting in a negative way.

This scoping review shows that this group of newly arrived parents often lack the stability that the sedentary and settled groups may enjoy. There is a need for parenting support for this group that takes this into account. While not assuming that this group is homogenous, another challenge to consider is mental ill-health among newly arrived parents, not least related to unsafe living conditions and previous traumatic events.