Please note, this is not an open access database or repository. We have focused on creating simple summaries of reports and articles that we have accessed through websites and academic journals, with a focus on key findings, so that even if a full report is not free to access you can reference it. When possible, we include a link to wherever the original document is hosted (which may or may not be open-access). If you come across a link that is no longer active, please let us know and we can update it. There are also some reports that will have been submitted directly to the project. In this case, these reports are uploaded directly with permission from the author or publisher. Any original documents found on this site are stored in Canada on our secure servers

Actions needed to promote health equity and the mental health of Canada’s Black refugees

Healthcare access and mental health challenges faced by Black refugees in Calgary and Edmonton, AB were explored. Language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system were major obstacles to accessing care. Successful programs and initiatives implemented in other countries to promote health equity among refugee populations are highlighted. Overall, the importance of taking a holistic approach to addressing the mental health needs of Black refugees in Canada is emphasized. Healthcare access and mental health challenges faced by Black refugees in Calgary and Edmonton, AB were explored. Language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of trust in the healthcare system were major obstacles to accessing care. Successful programs and initiatives implemented in other countries to promote health equity among refugee populations are highlighted. Overall, the importance of taking a holistic approach to addressing the mental health needs of Black refugees in Canada is emphasized.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Immigrant healthcare experiences and impacts during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study in Alberta, Canada

This cross-sectional study examines the healthcare experiences of Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on comparing experiences between those born in and outside Canada. The study collected 10,175 surveys in October 2020, with nearly 10% of respondents reporting their status as born outside Canada. The study found that foreign-born Albertans experienced more delays in care and had less access to healthcare services than Canadian-born Albertans. The study highlights the need for policy and practice changes to address the healthcare disparities faced by immigrant populations during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study examines the healthcare experiences of Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on comparing experiences between those born in and outside Canada. The study collected 10,175 surveys in October 2020, with nearly 10% of respondents reporting their status as born outside Canada. The study found that foreign-born Albertans experienced more delays in care and had less access to healthcare services than Canadian-born Albertans. The study highlights the need for policy and practice changes to address the healthcare disparities faced by immigrant populations during the pandemic.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Recruitment strategies used in a survey of African immigrant maternal mental health in Alberta, Canada

African immigrant women are underrepresented in health research on maternal mental health. Thus, there is a need to highlight successful recruitment strategies to engage African women in health-oriented research. This study highlights the importance of utilizing multiple recruitment strategies to successfully meet the desired sample size for a survey study. African immigrant women are underrepresented in health research on maternal mental health. Thus, there is a need to highlight successful recruitment strategies to engage African women in health-oriented research. This study highlights the importance of utilizing multiple recruitment strategies to successfully meet the desired sample size for a survey study.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Highly educated immigrant workers’ perspectives of occupational health and safety and work conditions that challenge work safety

This study explored the perspectives of new immigrant workers regarding occupational health and safety and workplace conditions that increase workers’ vulnerability to sustaining injury or illness. Using an interpretive research approach and semi-structured qualitative interviews, 42 new immigrant workers from a range of industries operating in two cities in a province in Canada were interviewed. Seventy-nine percent of the workers were highly qualified. A constant comparative approach was used to identify key themes across the workers’ experiences. The findings revealed that new immigrant workers have an incomplete understanding of occupational health and safety. In many workplaces, poor job training, little worker support, lack of power in the workplace, and a poor workplace safety culture make it difficult for workers to acquire occupational health and safety information and to implement safe work practices. This study proposes workplace policies and practices that will improve worker occupational health and safety awareness and make workplaces safer for new immigrant workers. This study explored the perspectives of new immigrant workers regarding occupational health and safety and workplace conditions that increase workers’ vulnerability to sustaining injury or illness. Using an interpretive research approach and semi-structured qualitative interviews, 42 new immigrant workers from a range of industries operating in two cities in a province in Canada were interviewed. Seventy-nine percent of the workers were highly qualified. A constant comparative approach was used to identify key themes across the workers’ experiences. The findings revealed that new immigrant workers have an incomplete understanding of occupational health and safety. In many workplaces, poor job training, little worker support, lack of power in the workplace, and a poor workplace safety culture make it difficult for workers to acquire occupational health and safety information and to implement safe work practices. This study proposes workplace policies and practices that will improve worker occupational health and safety awareness and make workplaces safer for new immigrant workers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Public and Private Sector Earnings of Immigrants and the Canadian-Born: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey

This paper evaluates the wage differences between immigrants and Canadian-born workers within the respective levels of the private and public sectors. We find that the immigrant wage gap tends to be negative and is largest in the private sector. The public-sector premium relative to the private sector is also larger for immigrants that for the Canadian-born when we compare wage differences within the two groups. Combined, these results suggest that public sector wages are important to narrowing the overall immigrant wage gap. This paper evaluates the wage differences between immigrants and Canadian-born workers within the respective levels of the private and public sectors. We find that the immigrant wage gap tends to be negative and is largest in the private sector. The public-sector premium relative to the private sector is also larger for immigrants that for the Canadian-born when we compare wage differences within the two groups. Combined, these results suggest that public sector wages are important to narrowing the overall immigrant wage gap.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Developing and testing a framework for understanding refugees’ job search processes

This article outlines the development of the Refugee Job Search Process Framework (RJSPF), which was created to help identify barriers that refugees face when trying to find employment. The framework incorporates an interdisciplinary, multi-level approach to the job search, delving into research from migration studies and Industrial/Organizational psychology to outline factors that exist on both the side of the refugee applicant and the organization at each stage of the RJSPF. The authors also tested the RJSPF with Syrian refugees and service providers in Canada to examine the validity of each component of the model. This article outlines the development of the Refugee Job Search Process Framework (RJSPF), which was created to help identify barriers that refugees face when trying to find employment. The framework incorporates an interdisciplinary, multi-level approach to the job search, delving into research from migration studies and Industrial/Organizational psychology to outline factors that exist on both the side of the refugee applicant and the organization at each stage of the RJSPF. The authors also tested the RJSPF with Syrian refugees and service providers in Canada to examine the validity of each component of the model.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Discrimination, Psychological Isolation, and Flight from School

Discrimination negatively impacts students’ ability to adapt to and deal with the educational stressors of a new environment. When students experience discrimination, their options are to fight, fawn, or flee—that is, skip school. Results show that experiences of discrimination and psychological isolation are significant predictors of truancy (skipping school). I also find support for the effects of length of residency, paid employment, and participation in voluntary activities on increasing truancy, suggesting the importance of acculturation, socio-economic status, and time availability. Discrimination negatively impacts students’ ability to adapt to and deal with the educational stressors of a new environment. When students experience discrimination, their options are to fight, fawn, or flee—that is, skip school. Results show that experiences of discrimination and psychological isolation are significant predictors of truancy (skipping school). I also find support for the effects of length of residency, paid employment, and participation in voluntary activities on increasing truancy, suggesting the importance of acculturation, socio-economic status, and time availability.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Fewer losses in the cascade of care for latent tuberculosis with solo interferon-gamma release assay screening compared to sequential screening

Refugees are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) soon after resettlement. Targeting high-risk populations for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and treatment is an important measure towards eliminating TB in low incidence countries, however, there are low rates of screening and treatment completion in the LTBI cascade of care. The authors hypothesized that an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) screening strategy would lead to a higher proportion of refugees completing LTBI screening and treatment, compared to sequential screening with tuberculin skin test (TST) and confirmatory IGRA. Refugees are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) soon after resettlement. Targeting high-risk populations for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and treatment is an important measure towards eliminating TB in low incidence countries, however, there are low rates of screening and treatment completion in the LTBI cascade of care. The authors hypothesized that an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) screening strategy would lead to a higher proportion of refugees completing LTBI screening and treatment, compared to sequential screening with tuberculin skin test (TST) and confirmatory IGRA.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Access to mental health for Black youths in Alberta

This study examined barriers that influence access to and use of mental health services by Black youth in Alberta. Interviews and conversation café-style focus groups with the youth highlighted key barriers that can limit access to and utilization of mental health services by Black youth, including a lack of cultural inclusion and safety, a lack of knowledge/information on mental health services, the cost of mental health services, geographical barriers, stigma and judgmentalism, and limits of resilience. Findings confirm diverse/intersecting barriers that collectively perpetuate disproportional access to and uptake of mental health services by Black youths. This study examined barriers that influence access to and use of mental health services by Black youth in Alberta. Interviews and conversation café-style focus groups with the youth highlighted key barriers that can limit access to and utilization of mental health services by Black youth, including a lack of cultural inclusion and safety, a lack of knowledge/information on mental health services, the cost of mental health services, geographical barriers, stigma and judgmentalism, and limits of resilience. Findings confirm diverse/intersecting barriers that collectively perpetuate disproportional access to and uptake of mental health services by Black youths.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Meaningful and deep community engagement efforts for pragmatic research and beyond: engaging with an immigrant/racialised community on equitable access to care

In this article, we reflect on a comprehensive community-engaged research approach that we undertook to identify the barriers to equitable primary care access among a South Asian (Bangladeshi) immigrant community in Canada. This article summarised the experience of our programme of research and describes our understanding of community-engaged research among an immigrant/racialised community that meaningfully interacts with the community. In this article, we reflect on a comprehensive community-engaged research approach that we undertook to identify the barriers to equitable primary care access among a South Asian (Bangladeshi) immigrant community in Canada. This article summarised the experience of our programme of research and describes our understanding of community-engaged research among an immigrant/racialised community that meaningfully interacts with the community.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly