Research Library

This community-based research study provides new data collected from 25 in-depth individual interviews with immigrant women HCAs who were working in LTC in Calgary, Alberta between January 1 and March 30, 2021. The data, analysed through the lens of intersectional exclusion, highlight how the pandemic has impacted the working lives of immigrant women employed in LTC facilities on a daily basis, as well as their suggestions for enhancing their safety and employment conditions. Two key themes emerged during the process of data analysis: (a) HCA experiences of economic exclusion and workplace precarity—many of which pre-dated the pandemic but have been exacerbated by current policies and practices that prioritize profits over quality of community care, and (b) experiences of broader social exclusion, many of which are tied to being considered “just HCAs” who are doing “immigrant’s work”, rather than including HCAs in broader conversations about how to reform and improve the LTC sector for future. Concluding thoughts discuss how to improve policy to support low wage workers within LTC in order to address intersectional inequalities and to better support front-line care workers during current and future health pandemic recovery efforts. This community-based research study provides new data collected from 25 in-depth individual interviews with immigrant women HCAs who were working in LTC in Calgary, Alberta between January 1 and March 30, 2021. The data, analysed through the lens of intersectional exclusion, highlight how the pandemic has impacted the working lives of immigrant women employed in LTC facilities on a daily basis, as well as their suggestions for enhancing their safety and employment conditions. Two key themes emerged during the process of data analysis: (a) HCA experiences of economic exclusion and workplace precarity—many of which pre-dated the pandemic but have been exacerbated by current policies and practices that prioritize profits over quality of community care, and (b) experiences of broader social exclusion, many of which are tied to being considered “just HCAs” who are doing “immigrant’s work”, rather than including HCAs in broader conversations about how to reform and improve the LTC sector for future. Concluding thoughts discuss how to improve policy to support low wage workers within LTC in order to address intersectional inequalities and to better support front-line care workers during current and future health pandemic recovery efforts.
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Administrative data was used to study COVID-19 vaccine coverage in immigrants and refugees compared to the Canadian-born population. Broadly, immigrants and refugees (78.2%) had comparable vaccine coverage to Canadian-born individuals (76%). However, initiatives to improve vaccine coverage is needed for older immigrants, immigrants in rural areas, and immigrants from certain ethnicities. Administrative data was used to study COVID-19 vaccine coverage in immigrants and refugees compared to the Canadian-born population. Broadly, immigrants and refugees (78.2%) had comparable vaccine coverage to Canadian-born individuals (76%). However, initiatives to improve vaccine coverage is needed for older immigrants, immigrants in rural areas, and immigrants from certain ethnicities.
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More research is needed on the specific health and wellbeing needs of racialized newcomers, especially for mental health in the rapidly growing Filipino-Canadian diaspora. Focus groups with Filipino men in Calgary, AB discussed: Filipino immigrant men’s conceptualization of mental illness, health, and stigma; gender and intergenerational expectations as a form of mental health stigma; and motivations to join a mental health ambassador program for Asian immigrant men in Canada. More research is needed on the specific health and wellbeing needs of racialized newcomers, especially for mental health in the rapidly growing Filipino-Canadian diaspora. Focus groups with Filipino men in Calgary, AB discussed: Filipino immigrant men’s conceptualization of mental illness, health, and stigma; gender and intergenerational expectations as a form of mental health stigma; and motivations to join a mental health ambassador program for Asian immigrant men in Canada.
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African immigrant children experience some of the poorest mental health outcomes in Canada, yet limited research on their menta health determinants exist. This study explored parents’ perspectives of the factors influencing the mental health of African immigrant children in Alberta, Canada. Parents identified racial discrimination, limited mental health awareness, limited access to mental health supports, changing family dynamics, parental absenteeism, and unresolved pre-migration trauma as factors influencing their children’s mental health. These factors were perceived as contributing to children’s experiences of material deprivation, social problems, and emotional difficulties. The findings suggest that interventions to enhance the mental health of African immigrant children must target transformation of the family, community, and cultural systems within which their lives are embedded, as well as the policies and institutions that produce and reproduce child mental health vulnerabilities. African immigrant children experience some of the poorest mental health outcomes in Canada, yet limited research on their menta health determinants exist. This study explored parents’ perspectives of the factors influencing the mental health of African immigrant children in Alberta, Canada. Parents identified racial discrimination, limited mental health awareness, limited access to mental health supports, changing family dynamics, parental absenteeism, and unresolved pre-migration trauma as factors influencing their children’s mental health. These factors were perceived as contributing to children’s experiences of material deprivation, social problems, and emotional difficulties. The findings suggest that interventions to enhance the mental health of African immigrant children must target transformation of the family, community, and cultural systems within which their lives are embedded, as well as the policies and institutions that produce and reproduce child mental health vulnerabilities.
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Small cities tend to have modest immigrant settlement services and cultural amenities, engendering a distinct sense of place among immigrants and impacting their wellbeing differently from large cities. This research examines the sense of place among immigrant women through their attribution of meanings to places of comfort and discomfort as they settled in a small city in Canada. Immigrant women took photographs of places that they considered to be either comfortable or uncomfortable. Findings indicated that these women appreciated the warmth and support extended to them by settlement services provider organizations, libraries, and faith-based organizations, attesting to the relational nature of the place. Nevertheless, immigrant women dreaded harsh winter conditions and felt unsafe in downtown areas. Immigrant women sought comfort in locales that this paper terms “restorative space,” showing their creative use of private and public spaces for relaxation. The findings from this study call for settlement policies that attend to distinct characteristics of local places to better serve the settlement needs of immigrants. Small cities tend to have modest immigrant settlement services and cultural amenities, engendering a distinct sense of place among immigrants and impacting their wellbeing differently from large cities. This research examines the sense of place among immigrant women through their attribution of meanings to places of comfort and discomfort as they settled in a small city in Canada. Immigrant women took photographs of places that they considered to be either comfortable or uncomfortable. Findings indicated that these women appreciated the warmth and support extended to them by settlement services provider organizations, libraries, and faith-based organizations, attesting to the relational nature of the place. Nevertheless, immigrant women dreaded harsh winter conditions and felt unsafe in downtown areas. Immigrant women sought comfort in locales that this paper terms “restorative space,” showing their creative use of private and public spaces for relaxation. The findings from this study call for settlement policies that attend to distinct characteristics of local places to better serve the settlement needs of immigrants.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

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.
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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.
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The article documents refugee experience in the first year of their settlement in a small city in Canada and then explores whether the size of the community matters in the settlement processes. This is based on an extensive study of Syrian refugee settlement experiences in one large Canadian city (Edmonton) and one small Canadian city (Lethbridge). The findings argue that contrary to existing scholarly literature, small municipalities such as Lethbridge were more creative, nimble, and efficient in settling Syrian newcomers. In small cities, however, lack of denominational and non-denominational organizations to complement government assistance, the onset of compassionate fatigue among the city dwellers, and limited retention of newcomers due to limited employment opportunity are real threats to the settlement process immediately after newcomers’ arrival and in the long term. A more substantial role of municipal governments in the refugee resettlement process is recommended to offset the disproportionate burden settlement sector carries. The article documents refugee experience in the first year of their settlement in a small city in Canada and then explores whether the size of the community matters in the settlement processes. This is based on an extensive study of Syrian refugee settlement experiences in one large Canadian city (Edmonton) and one small Canadian city (Lethbridge). The findings argue that contrary to existing scholarly literature, small municipalities such as Lethbridge were more creative, nimble, and efficient in settling Syrian newcomers. In small cities, however, lack of denominational and non-denominational organizations to complement government assistance, the onset of compassionate fatigue among the city dwellers, and limited retention of newcomers due to limited employment opportunity are real threats to the settlement process immediately after newcomers’ arrival and in the long term. A more substantial role of municipal governments in the refugee resettlement process is recommended to offset the disproportionate burden settlement sector carries.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

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

Studies on immigrant populations’ access to healthcare in Canada tend to focus on adults and usually concentrate on specific ethnic groups. This study sought to present the experiences of immigrant parents in Edmonton, AB when they access health services for their children focusing specifically on the various sources of information that they used to improve their children’s health. Fifty immigrant parents from Edmonton semi-structured interviews. We developed three main themes from the data: Accessing social networks for informational support, the role of professionals in accessing health care information, and navigating and evaluating information sources. The study demonstrates that immigrant families consulted various sources of information in order to meet their children’s healthcare needs. The most common source was the Internet followed by friends and family members, and health care professionals. Findings suggest that health information that is disseminated using the Internet needs to be made available in multiple languages to facilitate communication to persons who are not fluent in English nor French. Also, policy makers and health care professionals must increase focus on informal sources of health care information. Studies on immigrant populations’ access to healthcare in Canada tend to focus on adults and usually concentrate on specific ethnic groups. This study sought to present the experiences of immigrant parents in Edmonton, AB when they access health services for their children focusing specifically on the various sources of information that they used to improve their children’s health. Fifty immigrant parents from Edmonton semi-structured interviews. We developed three main themes from the data: Accessing social networks for informational support, the role of professionals in accessing health care information, and navigating and evaluating information sources. The study demonstrates that immigrant families consulted various sources of information in order to meet their children’s healthcare needs. The most common source was the Internet followed by friends and family members, and health care professionals. Findings suggest that health information that is disseminated using the Internet needs to be made available in multiple languages to facilitate communication to persons who are not fluent in English nor French. Also, policy makers and health care professionals must increase focus on informal sources of health care information.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly