Research Library

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of maternal depression and anxiety among African immigrant women living in Alberta, Canada up to 2 years postpartum. This cross-sectional study surveyed 120 African immigrant women within 2 years of delivery in Alberta, Canada from January 2020 to December 2020. The researchers found that social support and community belonging initiatives may improve the maternal mental health outcomes of African immigrant women. Given the complexities immigrant women face, more research is needed on a comprehensive approach for public health and preventive strategies regarding maternal mental health after migration, including increasing access to family doctors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of maternal depression and anxiety among African immigrant women living in Alberta, Canada up to 2 years postpartum. This cross-sectional study surveyed 120 African immigrant women within 2 years of delivery in Alberta, Canada from January 2020 to December 2020. The researchers found that social support and community belonging initiatives may improve the maternal mental health outcomes of African immigrant women. Given the complexities immigrant women face, more research is needed on a comprehensive approach for public health and preventive strategies regarding maternal mental health after migration, including increasing access to family doctors.
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International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who completed their medical degree and training outside Canada area notable portion of skilled migrants to Canada. However, due to a long and uncertain licensure process and limited opportunities many IMGs look for alternative career pathways where they can utilize their learned skills. Alternative careers in the health and wellness sector may offer such opportunities; however, IMGs’ success in these pathways were also less evident despite their high potential. Barriers that IMGs face when attempting alternative jobs in Canada was studied through focus groups in Calgary, AB and Toronto, ON. Focus groups found that IMGs encounter many barriers in different stages of their resettlement journey in Canada, including both the pre-migration and post-migration phases. Collaborations between organizations, policy makers and researchers are needed to target these barriers. International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who completed their medical degree and training outside Canada area notable portion of skilled migrants to Canada. However, due to a long and uncertain licensure process and limited opportunities many IMGs look for alternative career pathways where they can utilize their learned skills. Alternative careers in the health and wellness sector may offer such opportunities; however, IMGs’ success in these pathways were also less evident despite their high potential. Barriers that IMGs face when attempting alternative jobs in Canada was studied through focus groups in Calgary, AB and Toronto, ON. Focus groups found that IMGs encounter many barriers in different stages of their resettlement journey in Canada, including both the pre-migration and post-migration phases. Collaborations between organizations, policy makers and researchers are needed to target these barriers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

To date, very little is known about intimate partner violence (IPV) service providers’ experiences serving trans and immigrant women (IPV) survivors and their barriers in reporting and/or accessing formal services. Employing constructivist grounded theory, two vignettes were constructed – one featuring a trans woman and the other an immigrant woman, both seeking IPV services. American and Canadian IPV service providers responded to open-ended survey questions about both scenarios, resulting in several emergent themes including, but not limited to: service provider biases, shelter conflicts, and distrust of systems. Policy implications and future research are also addressed. To date, very little is known about intimate partner violence (IPV) service providers’ experiences serving trans and immigrant women (IPV) survivors and their barriers in reporting and/or accessing formal services. Employing constructivist grounded theory, two vignettes were constructed – one featuring a trans woman and the other an immigrant woman, both seeking IPV services. American and Canadian IPV service providers responded to open-ended survey questions about both scenarios, resulting in several emergent themes including, but not limited to: service provider biases, shelter conflicts, and distrust of systems. Policy implications and future research are also addressed.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Racialized, low-income, and migrant communities in East and Northeast Calgary were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, yet faced vaccine access barriers. This article is a formative evaluation of a low-barrier, community-engaged vaccine outreach clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on June 5–6, 2021. Stakeholder respondents felt the clinic was effective (99.2%), efficient (96.9%), patient-centered (92.3%), and safe (90.8%), and that the outreach model was scalable 94.6% (123/130). Suggested improvements include increased time for clinic planning and promotion, more multilingual staff, and further efforts to reduce accessibility barriers, such as priority check-in for people with disabilities. These findings support the value of community-engaged outreach to improve vaccine equity among other marginalized newcomer communities. Racialized, low-income, and migrant communities in East and Northeast Calgary were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, yet faced vaccine access barriers. This article is a formative evaluation of a low-barrier, community-engaged vaccine outreach clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on June 5–6, 2021. Stakeholder respondents felt the clinic was effective (99.2%), efficient (96.9%), patient-centered (92.3%), and safe (90.8%), and that the outreach model was scalable 94.6% (123/130). Suggested improvements include increased time for clinic planning and promotion, more multilingual staff, and further efforts to reduce accessibility barriers, such as priority check-in for people with disabilities. These findings support the value of community-engaged outreach to improve vaccine equity among other marginalized newcomer communities.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Health literacy is an important public health concern and can be defined as ‘the degree or extent to which the individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions’. Research on health literacy among recent immigrants to Canada is not that extensive, so this research described health literacy status among Nepalese immigrants residing in Calgary, Alberta. Noteworthy levels of limited health literacy and marginal health literacy were observed among the Nepalese immigrant population. Multidirectional, culturally tailored, community-led, collaborative initiatives are needed to improve health literacy among the immigrant population, to lessen health disparities and to promote better health outcomes. Health literacy is an important public health concern and can be defined as ‘the degree or extent to which the individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions’. Research on health literacy among recent immigrants to Canada is not that extensive, so this research described health literacy status among Nepalese immigrants residing in Calgary, Alberta. Noteworthy levels of limited health literacy and marginal health literacy were observed among the Nepalese immigrant population. Multidirectional, culturally tailored, community-led, collaborative initiatives are needed to improve health literacy among the immigrant population, to lessen health disparities and to promote better health outcomes.
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Underpinned by neoliberal rationalities, the contractual relationship between government funders and immigrant-serving organisations (ISOs) has led these agencies to promote neoliberal values of competition in the business market, prioritising quantity over quality in their services in order to secure government funding. Informed by Foucault’s concept of governmentality as its theoretical framework and institutional ethnography (IE) as its methodology, our study investigates the work experiences of 18 immigrant settlement workers (ISWs) at three ISOs in western Canada. This study identifies how following an outcomes-driven evaluation approach, as required by the federal government, produces a series of textually mediated accountabilities, constructing translocal textual social relations that further coordinate and govern ISWs’ conduct in their local ISO workplaces. This evaluation approach, as analyzed in our study, is exercised as the technologies of ruling power, which is strengthened by the ruling of systems, workplace knowledge, social relations, and the governed-self, producing ideal ISWs who are self-accountable, self-regulated, adaptable, and productive. This process of making ideal ISWs legitimises ISWs’ apparatus role in reinforcing technologies of ruling power from the individual, organisational and institutional perspectives to better serve the agenda of the state. Underpinned by neoliberal rationalities, the contractual relationship between government funders and immigrant-serving organisations (ISOs) has led these agencies to promote neoliberal values of competition in the business market, prioritising quantity over quality in their services in order to secure government funding. Informed by Foucault’s concept of governmentality as its theoretical framework and institutional ethnography (IE) as its methodology, our study investigates the work experiences of 18 immigrant settlement workers (ISWs) at three ISOs in western Canada. This study identifies how following an outcomes-driven evaluation approach, as required by the federal government, produces a series of textually mediated accountabilities, constructing translocal textual social relations that further coordinate and govern ISWs’ conduct in their local ISO workplaces. This evaluation approach, as analyzed in our study, is exercised as the technologies of ruling power, which is strengthened by the ruling of systems, workplace knowledge, social relations, and the governed-self, producing ideal ISWs who are self-accountable, self-regulated, adaptable, and productive. This process of making ideal ISWs legitimises ISWs’ apparatus role in reinforcing technologies of ruling power from the individual, organisational and institutional perspectives to better serve the agenda of the state.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

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.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Accessible primary health care is essential for the health of immigrant populations in Canada. This study explored barriers to accessing care among a relatively less studied immigrant population group, Nepalese immigrant women, which will help effectively shape public policy and improve access to primary health care for the wider immigrant population in Canada. Community-engaged focus groups were conducted in Calgary, AB. The focus groups identified long wait times as a major barrier to receiving PHC services, along with lack of proficiency in English, lack of access to medical records, competing responsibilities and unfamiliarity with the Canadian healthcare system. Accessible primary health care is essential for the health of immigrant populations in Canada. This study explored barriers to accessing care among a relatively less studied immigrant population group, Nepalese immigrant women, which will help effectively shape public policy and improve access to primary health care for the wider immigrant population in Canada. Community-engaged focus groups were conducted in Calgary, AB. The focus groups identified long wait times as a major barrier to receiving PHC services, along with lack of proficiency in English, lack of access to medical records, competing responsibilities and unfamiliarity with the Canadian healthcare system.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Available evidence in Canada suggests children born to immigrants face a greater risk of poor mental health outcomes. However, these comparisons often mask important ethno-racial differences in mental health risks and outcomes among immigrant populations. Recent evidence suggests African immigrant children have some of the poorest social and mental health outcomes in Canada. Despite this awareness, research has yet to identify community-based strategies for addressing the stressors underpinning such outcomes. This study used data obtained from focus groups with African immigrant parents in Edmonton, AB and surrounding towns to identify child mental health stressors and child mental health promotion strategies in the African immigrant community. Available evidence in Canada suggests children born to immigrants face a greater risk of poor mental health outcomes. However, these comparisons often mask important ethno-racial differences in mental health risks and outcomes among immigrant populations. Recent evidence suggests African immigrant children have some of the poorest social and mental health outcomes in Canada. Despite this awareness, research has yet to identify community-based strategies for addressing the stressors underpinning such outcomes. This study used data obtained from focus groups with African immigrant parents in Edmonton, AB and surrounding towns to identify child mental health stressors and child mental health promotion strategies in the African immigrant community.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study sought to determine the role pedagogical love can play in the emotional experience of (Arabic-speaking) refugee families in Calgary, Canada, as they engaged with the public education system at the Grade 4–12 level. This study sought to determine the role pedagogical love can play in the emotional experience of (Arabic-speaking) refugee families in Calgary, Canada, as they engaged with the public education system at the Grade 4–12 level.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly