Research Library

This study investigated the impacts of nature-based leisure on the well-being of refugees in Canada. We explored how the experiences of a two-day winter camping in northern Alberta affected refugees’ well-being. Participants, from three African countries, and Iran, welcomed an opportunity to be away in a natural setting, to connect with others, to learn new activities, involve their families, and as a distraction from their daily lives. Refugees acknowledged the welcoming efforts of the social services and parks agencies in bolstering their confidence and well-being. Refugees’ experiences underscored both the importance of access to nature-based leisure in mitigating stress, and host societies’ attitudes toward newcomers in fostering their well-being. Our findings suggest that developing nature-based leisure opportunities for refugees may promote their well-being and sense of belonging. This study investigated the impacts of nature-based leisure on the well-being of refugees in Canada. We explored how the experiences of a two-day winter camping in northern Alberta affected refugees’ well-being. Participants, from three African countries, and Iran, welcomed an opportunity to be away in a natural setting, to connect with others, to learn new activities, involve their families, and as a distraction from their daily lives. Refugees acknowledged the welcoming efforts of the social services and parks agencies in bolstering their confidence and well-being. Refugees’ experiences underscored both the importance of access to nature-based leisure in mitigating stress, and host societies’ attitudes toward newcomers in fostering their well-being. Our findings suggest that developing nature-based leisure opportunities for refugees may promote their well-being and sense of belonging.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the timing of the first prenatal ultrasound in Canada. 68.4% of Canadian women received an optimally timed first prenatal ultrasound, 27.4% received early ultrasounds and 4.3% received late ultrasound. Only 68% of Canadian women received an optimally timed prenatal ultrasound which was influenced by several factors including province of prenatal care, maternal age and country of birth, and an interaction effect between prenatal care provider and history of miscarriage. These findings establish a baseline of factors influencing the timing of prenatal ultrasound in Canada, which can be built upon by future studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the timing of the first prenatal ultrasound in Canada. 68.4% of Canadian women received an optimally timed first prenatal ultrasound, 27.4% received early ultrasounds and 4.3% received late ultrasound. Only 68% of Canadian women received an optimally timed prenatal ultrasound which was influenced by several factors including province of prenatal care, maternal age and country of birth, and an interaction effect between prenatal care provider and history of miscarriage. These findings establish a baseline of factors influencing the timing of prenatal ultrasound in Canada, which can be built upon by future studies.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

The Canadian Diabetes Risk Assessment Questionnaire (CANRISK) is a validated, evidence-based, self-administered tool to assess the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in multiethnic Canadian adults. Identifying individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes allows early intervention that improves modifiable risk factors. This study examined the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in multiethnic urban youth in Edmonton, Alberta. Almost 25% of the participating multiethnic youth 11 to 23 years of age scored in the moderate or high category of CANRISK. The most prevalent risk factors were ethnicity, followed by physical inactivity, overweight or obesity and low fruit and vegetable consumption. A validated type 2 diabetes screening tool for youth as well as culturally appropriate, evidence-based and multidisciplinary diet and lifestyle interventions aiming to improve modifiable type 2 diabetes risk factors in multiethnic youth, particularly targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged and immigrant children and youth, should be developed, implemented and evaluated. The Canadian Diabetes Risk Assessment Questionnaire (CANRISK) is a validated, evidence-based, self-administered tool to assess the risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in multiethnic Canadian adults. Identifying individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes allows early intervention that improves modifiable risk factors. This study examined the risk factors for type 2 diabetes in multiethnic urban youth in Edmonton, Alberta. Almost 25% of the participating multiethnic youth 11 to 23 years of age scored in the moderate or high category of CANRISK. The most prevalent risk factors were ethnicity, followed by physical inactivity, overweight or obesity and low fruit and vegetable consumption. A validated type 2 diabetes screening tool for youth as well as culturally appropriate, evidence-based and multidisciplinary diet and lifestyle interventions aiming to improve modifiable type 2 diabetes risk factors in multiethnic youth, particularly targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged and immigrant children and youth, should be developed, implemented and evaluated.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This research focused on understanding the integration and settlement of Syrian children and youth in Winnipeg and Calgary. The goals were to understand how communities and schools might better support integration, the unique psychosocial and academic needs of Syrian refugees, and how schools can support reciprocal learning among refugee, immigrant, and Canadian-born students. Findings revealedthatmany refugees experience triple trauma as a result of forced migration, having experienced trauma in their country of origin, during transition, and again upon resettlement in Canada. Further challenges includeddifficulties in acquiring a new language, interrupted schooling, lack of resources for teachers who felt unprepared for the complexities of student needs, and racism and discrimination experienced by youth trying to integrate with their Canadian peers. The project reveals many gaps in programs and services and highlights the need for a coordinated approach among the different stakeholders in the refugee settlement and integration process. This research focused on understanding the integration and settlement of Syrian children and youth in Winnipeg and Calgary. The goals were to understand how communities and schools might better support integration, the unique psychosocial and academic needs of Syrian refugees, and how schools can support reciprocal learning among refugee, immigrant, and Canadian-born students. Findings revealedthatmany refugees experience triple trauma as a result of forced migration, having experienced trauma in their country of origin, during transition, and again upon resettlement in Canada. Further challenges includeddifficulties in acquiring a new language, interrupted schooling, lack of resources for teachers who felt unprepared for the complexities of student needs, and racism and discrimination experienced by youth trying to integrate with their Canadian peers. The project reveals many gaps in programs and services and highlights the need for a coordinated approach among the different stakeholders in the refugee settlement and integration process.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This study examined the barriers and facilitators to community belonging for immigrants in Alberta, Canada. Participants discuss two forms of community belonging in this study: (a) belonging to an ethnocultural group; and (b) belonging within mainstream Canadian society. Barriers to mainstream community belonging for immigrants include employment barriers, language barriers, and discrimination. Recent immigrants often experience a sense of belonging to their ethnic group within the host country before feeling connected to others in their local geographic community. A major factor contributing to this trend is the lack of ethnocultural diversity in local community organizations in the areas where immigrants live. Immigrant service agencies and religious institutions compensate for this deficiency through creating avenues for social connection within and across ethnocultural groups and to mainstream Canadian society. Thus local community organizations should address issues of ethnocultural diversity and discrimination to improve the mental health of immigrants by fostering community belonging. Supporting programs in immigrant service agencies and religious institutions to increase social participation and engagement would, also, help strengthen community belonging and improve immigrant mental health. This study examined the barriers and facilitators to community belonging for immigrants in Alberta, Canada. Participants discuss two forms of community belonging in this study: (a) belonging to an ethnocultural group; and (b) belonging within mainstream Canadian society. Barriers to mainstream community belonging for immigrants include employment barriers, language barriers, and discrimination. Recent immigrants often experience a sense of belonging to their ethnic group within the host country before feeling connected to others in their local geographic community. A major factor contributing to this trend is the lack of ethnocultural diversity in local community organizations in the areas where immigrants live. Immigrant service agencies and religious institutions compensate for this deficiency through creating avenues for social connection within and across ethnocultural groups and to mainstream Canadian society. Thus local community organizations should address issues of ethnocultural diversity and discrimination to improve the mental health of immigrants by fostering community belonging. Supporting programs in immigrant service agencies and religious institutions to increase social participation and engagement would, also, help strengthen community belonging and improve immigrant mental health.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Difficult migration journeys and challenges in leaving one country and adapting to another are detrimental to immigrants’ mental health. Often these life stressors are coupled with a lack of adequate support which makes the adaptation process even more challenging. One area of support is access to and use of mental health services to prevent and address mental health concerns. Immigrant service providers in Canada support the integration and overall well-being of newcomers. This study focuses on immigrant service providers’ perceptions of access to and use of mental health services for immigrants and refugees in Alberta. Barriers to access and use of mental health services include language barriers, cultural interpretations of mental health, stigma around mental illness, and fear of negative repercussions when living with a mental illness. Strategies to improve mental health service delivery include developing community-based services, attending to financial barriers, training immigrant service providers on mental health, enhancing collaboration across sectors in mental health service delivery, and advancing the role of interpreters and cultural brokers. Overall, immigrant service providers present a nuanced view of the complex and inter-related barriers immigrants and refugees experience and identify potential approaches to enhancing mental health service delivery. Difficult migration journeys and challenges in leaving one country and adapting to another are detrimental to immigrants’ mental health. Often these life stressors are coupled with a lack of adequate support which makes the adaptation process even more challenging. One area of support is access to and use of mental health services to prevent and address mental health concerns. Immigrant service providers in Canada support the integration and overall well-being of newcomers. This study focuses on immigrant service providers’ perceptions of access to and use of mental health services for immigrants and refugees in Alberta. Barriers to access and use of mental health services include language barriers, cultural interpretations of mental health, stigma around mental illness, and fear of negative repercussions when living with a mental illness. Strategies to improve mental health service delivery include developing community-based services, attending to financial barriers, training immigrant service providers on mental health, enhancing collaboration across sectors in mental health service delivery, and advancing the role of interpreters and cultural brokers. Overall, immigrant service providers present a nuanced view of the complex and inter-related barriers immigrants and refugees experience and identify potential approaches to enhancing mental health service delivery.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices. Child discipline remains a topic of public health interest across the globe. Despite this enduring interest, very little is known about the child disciplinary practices of African immigrants in Canada. This paper explores the disciplinary practices of African immigrant parents in Alberta, a Canadian province with a recent surge in the population of African immigrants. As members of the African immigrant community, we were deeply immersed in the research settings, which afforded us the opportunity to collect observational data in the form of reflexive notes. We found that African immigrant parents used corporal discipline (i.e. spanking and pinching, and more severe practices as kicking and slapping), persuasive discipline (i.e. timeouts and withdrawal of privileges, positive reinforcement techniques, such as the use of rewards), and a hybrid of the two. They also used emerging practices involving transnational fostering (fostering chronically misbehaving children to relatives and friends in Africa) and emotional isolation of children who persistently misbehaved. These practices, in their totality, appeared to be influenced by parents’ cultural backgrounds, as well as their interactions with Canadian educational system. We present theoretical, policy, and service implications of our findings, including a recommendation to incorporate sociocultural dimensions of child discipline into Canadian child welfare policies and practices.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes. This article discusses how the migrants with no or irregular migration status engaged in various strategies to survive while they were going through uncertain legal status in Alberta, Canada. This article shows that often the compromised legal status happens because of immigration policy developments and other factors outside of temporary foreign workers’ control. Nevertheless, although participants of this study recount experiencing high amounts of stress because of their situations, the role played by cognitive processes, which include imagining, strategizing, and what I call “inter-provincial legal consciousness”, allowed them to deal with this experience and reclaim agency over their lives. These processes allowed them to build communities and networks of support and to imagine potential life paths in other provinces through other provinces’ provincial nominee programmes.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

East African (EA) women are a subpopulation who are at very high risk for gestational diabetes (GDM) and poor obstetric outcomes, but little is known about the care experiences of this understudied group. The objective of this study was to document the impact of a diagnosis of GDM and the perceptions of diabetes care among EA immigrant women. EA immigrant women had varied experiences related to GDM. Thematic analysis revealed the negative impact of GDM diagnoses on women, including the burdens of self-care, fear, community influences and cultural and financial barriers. The positive impacts of the experience of diagnosis noted were primarily in the empowerment to make healthful behaviour changes. Study findings point to the need for more context-specific and culturally appropriate support and care. Diagnoses of GDM extended beyond the individuals affected and impacted their families culturally, psychologically and financially. Addressing the emergent themes during pregnancy is imperative to improving care providers’ engagement with EA immigrant women in postpartum diabetes screening activities and beyond. The findings of this study contain elements transferable to other immigrant groups in similar socioecologic contexts. East African (EA) women are a subpopulation who are at very high risk for gestational diabetes (GDM) and poor obstetric outcomes, but little is known about the care experiences of this understudied group. The objective of this study was to document the impact of a diagnosis of GDM and the perceptions of diabetes care among EA immigrant women. EA immigrant women had varied experiences related to GDM. Thematic analysis revealed the negative impact of GDM diagnoses on women, including the burdens of self-care, fear, community influences and cultural and financial barriers. The positive impacts of the experience of diagnosis noted were primarily in the empowerment to make healthful behaviour changes. Study findings point to the need for more context-specific and culturally appropriate support and care. Diagnoses of GDM extended beyond the individuals affected and impacted their families culturally, psychologically and financially. Addressing the emergent themes during pregnancy is imperative to improving care providers’ engagement with EA immigrant women in postpartum diabetes screening activities and beyond. The findings of this study contain elements transferable to other immigrant groups in similar socioecologic contexts.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly

Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care. Vulnerable pregnant women (e.g. women with low socio-economic status or recent immigrants) are less likely to receive adequate prenatal care or to attend perinatal education classes. CenteringPregnancy (CP) is a model of group prenatal care which combines assessment, education and support. This study aimed to assess patient experience among vulnerable women in group prenatal care compared to individual care. Results: Women in CP were younger, more likely to be single and having their first baby than women in individual care. Women in CP were significantly more likely to report having received enough information on exercise during pregnancy, breastfeeding and baby care. Women in CP were more likely to report that they felt their prenatal care providers were interested in how the pregnancy was affecting their life. Hence, group prenatal care provides a positive experience and improves information exchange among vulnerable populations. Programs interested in engaging, educating and empowering vulnerable pregnant women may benefit from implementation of group care.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly