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.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

In this qualitative study, researchers conducted interviews with 11 participants who had entered Canada through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and who had since loss status. Findings show policy changes, abuse and exploitation by employers, language barriers, and misinformation and language gaps drive workers out of status. Once without status, people often remain in Canada because they are motivated by issues related to family. These can include the continued desire to bring family members to Canada, financial responsibilities for family members in countries of origin, the desire to stay with Canadian partners or children, or the breakdown of family ties which dissuades the desire to return. Challenges of living without status include mental health struggles, financial strain, and barriers to service access. Interplays between factors driving status loss and experiences of those who live without status in Canada show that the state plays an important role in creating precarity through restrictive immigration and residency policies. Understandings the state’s role in the production of precarity may inform effective policy changes moving forward. In this qualitative study, researchers conducted interviews with 11 participants who had entered Canada through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and who had since loss status. Findings show policy changes, abuse and exploitation by employers, language barriers, and misinformation and language gaps drive workers out of status. Once without status, people often remain in Canada because they are motivated by issues related to family. These can include the continued desire to bring family members to Canada, financial responsibilities for family members in countries of origin, the desire to stay with Canadian partners or children, or the breakdown of family ties which dissuades the desire to return. Challenges of living without status include mental health struggles, financial strain, and barriers to service access. Interplays between factors driving status loss and experiences of those who live without status in Canada show that the state plays an important role in creating precarity through restrictive immigration and residency policies. Understandings the state’s role in the production of precarity may inform effective policy changes moving forward.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Immigrants tend to have lower screening rates than non-immigrants, and religious leaders may help close this gap. In particular, increased awareness of cancer and access to cancer screening is needed among immigrants facing barriers to care, such as Muslim immigrants in Alberta. Imams in Calgary were interviewed, and results found that most had cancer knowledge, but less knowledge about cancer screening. Imams were highly supportive of incorporating health messaging into their faith messaging, and using their role and status in the community to help increase screening rates and counter misunderstandings. Immigrants tend to have lower screening rates than non-immigrants, and religious leaders may help close this gap. In particular, increased awareness of cancer and access to cancer screening is needed among immigrants facing barriers to care, such as Muslim immigrants in Alberta. Imams in Calgary were interviewed, and results found that most had cancer knowledge, but less knowledge about cancer screening. Imams were highly supportive of incorporating health messaging into their faith messaging, and using their role and status in the community to help increase screening rates and counter misunderstandings.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

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

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

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

This qualitative study explores South Asian immigrant women’s experiences of domestic violence, their views on help-seeking, and access to informal or formal sources of supports. Drawing from grounded theory approaches, this article focuses on one major theme, revictimization, which provides insights into the mistreatment and experiences of seven women who encountered challenges when disclosing abuse. Through an intersectional lens, this article examines how participants were revictimized and mistreated by people within and outside their own community including service providers who they trusted. Implications to reduce levels of mistrust for community members and service providers working with this specific population in Canada are discussed. This qualitative study explores South Asian immigrant women’s experiences of domestic violence, their views on help-seeking, and access to informal or formal sources of supports. Drawing from grounded theory approaches, this article focuses on one major theme, revictimization, which provides insights into the mistreatment and experiences of seven women who encountered challenges when disclosing abuse. Through an intersectional lens, this article examines how participants were revictimized and mistreated by people within and outside their own community including service providers who they trusted. Implications to reduce levels of mistrust for community members and service providers working with this specific population in Canada are discussed.
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

There remains an ongoing need to address not only the post-migration experiences of newcomers settling in Calgary but also to understand how systems that serve them perceive, make sense of, and contribute to these experiences. By hearing from those who work with newcomers within the institutional settings that support newcomers, we can begin to understand some complexities of newcomer integration. The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to explore the perceptions that front-line workers hold regarding needs and experiences of newcomers. This study involved a series of eleven semi-structured interviews with workers at an immigrant-serving language-learning agency which were analyzed using thematic coding. The findings highlighted: front-line workers perception of their newcomer cli-ents’ identity in connection to language; the clients’ emotional burden and sense of belonging; and the challenges clients faced balancing everyday commitments. Moreover, this study explored the front-line worker’s role in cultural brokerage and promoting wellness. This study provided reason to value the practices and interpretations that front-line workers have of the newcomer experience due to the role they play in creating a sense of integration for newcom-ers. The interpretations that surfaced in this study sheds light on the complexity that both front-line workers and newcomers face and implies that further research and interventions are needed to ensure successful integration There remains an ongoing need to address not only the post-migration experiences of newcomers settling in Calgary but also to understand how systems that serve them perceive, make sense of, and contribute to these experiences. By hearing from those who work with newcomers within the institutional settings that support newcomers, we can begin to understand some complexities of newcomer integration. The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to explore the perceptions that front-line workers hold regarding needs and experiences of newcomers. This study involved a series of eleven semi-structured interviews with workers at an immigrant-serving language-learning agency which were analyzed using thematic coding. The findings highlighted: front-line workers perception of their newcomer cli-ents’ identity in connection to language; the clients’ emotional burden and sense of belonging; and the challenges clients faced balancing everyday commitments. Moreover, this study explored the front-line worker’s role in cultural brokerage and promoting wellness. This study provided reason to value the practices and interpretations that front-line workers have of the newcomer experience due to the role they play in creating a sense of integration for newcom-ers. The interpretations that surfaced in this study sheds light on the complexity that both front-line workers and newcomers face and implies that further research and interventions are needed to ensure successful integration
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This article examines the relationship between Pho, a type of Vietnamese soup, and Vietnamese national identity in the linguistic landscape of Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). The study suggests that Pho has not only been used by Vietnamese restaurants in Edmonton for indexical function (pointing to the specialty of a restaurant) but also for symbolic evocation associating with Vietnamese cuisine and national identity. The data comes from three Vietnamese restaurants in Edmonton. The results indicate that Pho is a very prominent word in the linguistic landscape of three restaurants. Furthermore, the symbolic relationship between Pho and Vietnamese identity is evident in the way it is used to address the feelings of nostalgia among migrant patrons. This article examines the relationship between Pho, a type of Vietnamese soup, and Vietnamese national identity in the linguistic landscape of Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). The study suggests that Pho has not only been used by Vietnamese restaurants in Edmonton for indexical function (pointing to the specialty of a restaurant) but also for symbolic evocation associating with Vietnamese cuisine and national identity. The data comes from three Vietnamese restaurants in Edmonton. The results indicate that Pho is a very prominent word in the linguistic landscape of three restaurants. Furthermore, the symbolic relationship between Pho and Vietnamese identity is evident in the way it is used to address the feelings of nostalgia among migrant patrons.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly