PAST PROJECTS
Immigrant Women’s Health
According to the 2006 Canadian census, immigrant women made-up a record-breaking 20.3% of the population. This means that 1 in 5 women were born outside of Canada and the number is still growing as many women start a new life by immigrating to Canada with different hopes and dreams. Racism, sexism, and discrimination exists within every institution in our society. It is important to recognize the factors impacting immigrant and refugee women in all aspects of their lives, including access to sexual healthcare and social services. But, these are not the only barriers. Factors such as language, literacy, poverty, violence against women, immigration/refugee status, homophobia, culture, religion, limited means of transportation, and the necessity of shift-work also contribute to immigrant women’s health concerns. Canada has a relatively high standard of living for women that is reflected in the average life expectancy of 84-years, but for immigrant women, the quality of life they live can be greatly reduced.
Immigrant and racialized women’s health – Focus on mental health, maternal health, and prevention of chronic illnesses
Women’s Health project (IRWHP) uses a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to bring together various stakeholders to synthesize existing research in this area to inform health planning and management, clinical practice, and policy to ensure that health services in Ontario...
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: IPV in the Ethiopian context
Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem for women around the world, the majority of research has been conducted and focuses on high-income countries. This has led to a large gap in knowledge about the IPV in low and middle-income countries...
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: IPV in the Sri Lankan-Canadian context
Building on our previous and current research and existing connections, we seek a "Meetings, Planning and Dissemination- Global Health" grant to further develop collaborations between multidisciplinary health care professionals in Sri Lanka and Canada...
Older Tamil immigrant women’s experience of violence in the post-migration context
Violence against women occurs in every community and society. According to Statistics Canada reports on victims of violence, while both older and younger adults are more likely to be victimized by someone known to them, nearly half of older victims experienced abuse/violence...
Factors that influence the production of & responses to IPV in the Sri Lankan context
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a worldwide public health issue with far-reaching impacts, yet most health research on IPV and its effects has been conducted in North America. In a recent WHO study (2006), rates of lifetime IPV across 10 countries varied widely...
Moving forward: Prevention of abuse among older immigrant women
Immigrants represent 28% of the Canadian population over 65, and older immigrants – more of them are women – now comprise the majority of the aging population in Canada’s large metropolitan cities. Despite ample research about abuse of older adults in general, few Canadian studies...
Moving forward: Development of a program of research on prevention of abuse and neglect, and health promotion among older immigrant women
The project aimed to 1) establish collaborative research networks and partnerships; 2) convene a symposium for knowledge sharing/exchange, identify gaps, and build consensus on the priority research directions; 3) disseminate the knowledge gained from the symposium; 4) develop a shared program of research; and 5) refine priority research questions and prepare grant applications....
Please look below for resources from these projects:
A scoping review of mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada: Looking back, moving forward
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Youth comprise a significant portion of the total immigrant population in Canada. Immigrant and refugee youth often have different migration trajectories and experiences, which can result in different mental health outcomes. Research is emerging in this area, but study findings have not yet been consolidated. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is known from the existing literature about mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada? METHOD: We searched...
Social support, social conflict, and immigrant women's mental health in a Canadian context: a scoping review
Abstract
Researchers have documented the protective role of social support and the harmful consequences of social conflict on physical and mental health. However, consolidated information about social support, social conflict, and mental health of immigrant women in Canada is not available. This scoping review examined literature from the last 24 years to understand how social support and social conflict affect the mental health of immigrant...
Exploring the Experience of Loneliness Among Older Sinhalese Immigrant Women in Canada
Abstract
Although people can become lonely at any age, it is likely that older persons, especially those who migrate to a different country, will experience this phenomenon more often. Older women immigrants are particularly susceptible to loneliness owing to their greater longevity, which predisposes them to outlive their male partners. The purpose of this study was to uncover the experiences of loneliness among older Sinhalese immigrant women living in Toronto, Canada. A narrative research framework was used to explore two older...
Improving Immigrant Populations' Access to Mental Health Services in Canada: A Review of Barriers and Recommendations
Abstract
This article emerges from a scoping review of over two decades of relevant literature on immigrants’ access to mental health services in Canada. Key online databases were searched to explore the gaps and opportunities for improving access to mental health services using a review framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley. Immigrants and refugees came from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds and had complex mental health-related concerns that were not currently being adequately addressed by existing services...
Nurses’ Role in Caring for Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in the Sri Lankan Context
Abstract
Intimate partner violence has short- and long-term physical and mental health consequences. As the largest healthcare workforce globally, nurses are well positioned to care for abused women. However, their role in this regard has not been researched in some countries. This paper is based on a qualitative study that explored how Sri Lankan nurses perceive their role in caring for women who have experienced partner violence. Interviews with 30 nurses who worked in diverse clinical and geographical settings in Sri Lanka...
Prevention of abuse of older women in the post-migration context in Canada
Abstract
Immigrants represent 28% of the Canadian population over 65, and older immigrants--more of them are women--now comprise the majority of the aging population in Canada's large metropolitan cities. Despite ample research about abuse of older adults in general, few Canadian studies have focused on abuse of older immigrant women. This paper reports policy-relevant findings from a project that aimed to develop a shared program of research to prevent abuse of older immigrant women....
Rethinking Social Support and Conflict: Lessons from a Study of Women Who Have Separated from Abusive Partners
Abstract
Relationships have both positive and negative dimensions, yet most research in the area of intimate partner violence (IPV) has focused on social support, and not on social conflict. Based on the data from 309 English-speaking Canadian women who experienced IPV in the past 3 years and were no longer living with the abuser, we tested four hypotheses examining the relationships among severity of past IPV and women’s social support, social conflict, and health...
Intimate partner violence: a global health perspective
Abstract
Intimate partner violence is a serious violation of human rights and a significant global health problem. As the largest health workforce worldwide, nurses are well positioned to address this health issue. Based on literature from various countries, this article presents a summary of the literature on health consequences, costs, prevalence, risk factors, perceptions, and manifestations of intimate partner violence, and women's responses to it. Next, building on the author's program of research on intimate partner violence, the article highlights a number of implications for nursing: intersectionality; micro, meso, and macro levels; social violence; violence....
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: Intimate Partner Violence in the Ethiopian Context
Abstract
Background. Intimate partner violence is a global health issue and is associated with a range of health problems for women. Nurses, as the largest health workforce globally, are well positioned to provide care for abused women. Objectives. This nursing-led interdisciplinary project was conducted to understand the current state of knowledge about intimate partner violence in Ethiopia and make recommendations for country-specific activities to improve...
Violence against Women: An Exploration of the Physical and Mental Health Trends among Immigrant and Refugee Women in Canada
Abstract
Violence against women is a serious health and social problem for women worldwide. Researchers have investigated the broad physical and mental health consequences of violence against women but few have focused on immigrant and refugee women. We assessed the history of violence and the impairment of physical and mental health among 60 women participants from the Iranian and Sri Lankan Tamil communities in Toronto, Canada....
Older Women Speak About Abuse & Neglect in the Post-migration Context
Abstract
Elder abuse and neglect occur in every community and society. While considerable research is emerging on elder abuse, limited health science research exists to-date on older women experiencing abuse and neglect in the post-migration context in Canada. Building on our community partners’ interest in further understanding the topic of elder abuse and our previous work on violence against women throughout the migration process, this qualitative study...
Perceptions of Factors Contributing to Intimate Partner Violence Among Sri Lankan Tamil Immigrant Women in Canada
Abstract
In this article we explore Sri Lankan Tamil immigrant women's views on factors contributing to intimate partner violence (IPV). We conducted eight focus groups with young, midlife, and senior women and women who experienced IPV. Three main themes emerged: postmigration sources of stress and conflict, patriarchal social norms that dictated gendered behavior, and individual male attributes and behaviors. Study participants....
Immigrant women's experiences of receiving care in a mobile health clinic.
Abstract
AIM: This paper is a report of a study of the experiences of Portuguese-speaking immigrant women who used a mobile health clinic for their reproductive health care. BACKGROUND: Upon arrival in Canada, immigrant women often are in better health than their Canadian-born counterparts; however, this health status tends to deteriorate over time. One reason for this change is limited access to services. METHOD: Data collection during 2004 and 2005 involved individual interviews with seven Portuguese-speaking women...
Immigrant Mental Health
The Mental Health Commission of Canada found an estimated 1 in 5 people to be suffering from a mental illness; this rate is predicted to be much higher in immigrant communities. Although there has been significant progress in mental health and mental illness research, the development of strategies and interventions to address the stigma of mental illness is much less well investigated. In more recent years, stakeholders and agencies are beginning to see stigma as a serious public health concern. Stigma is particularly concerning because it can prevent early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of a mental health conditions through spreading fear and misinformation among the general public. Immigrants and refugees face a particular set of challenges that put them at a greater risk of being affected by a mental illness. For example, these populations have lower income security as a result being unable to find adequate employment (especially employment that matches their qualifications). Thus, the loss of status, as well as mental and physical strain, can be detrimental to one's health.
Strength In Unity – Focus on immigrant men's mental health
Strength In Unity is the largest intervention study in Canada aimed at building individual and community capacity to reduce the stigma of mental illness among men in Asian communities. We engaged two groups of men in piloting and evaluating two anti-stigma interventions: (a) individuals living with or affected by mental illness, and (b) community leaders interested in stigma reduction and advocacy.
Ontario Multicultural Health Applied Research Network – Focus on mental health
Ontario Multicultural Health Applied Research Network (OMHARN) brings together Ontario-based researchers, health, social and settlement service providers, and policymakers in the field of multicultural health to explore opportunities for high quality multicultural health...
Please look below for resources from these projects:
Mental Health and Service Issues Faced by Older Immigrants in Canada: A Scoping Review
Abstract
An aging population and immigration-based population growth necessitate research, practice, and policy focusing on the mental health of older immigrants in Canada, especially, because their mental health appears to deteriorate over time. This review focuses on: What is known about the social determinants of mental health for older immigrants in Canada and what are the barriers they face in accessing mental health services? Findings reveal that: (1) the key social determinants of mental health are culture, health services and gender; (2) older immigrants use fewer mental health services...
A scoping review of mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada: Looking back, moving forward
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Youth comprise a significant portion of the total immigrant population in Canada. Immigrant and refugee youth often have different migration trajectories and experiences, which can result in different mental health outcomes. Research is emerging in this area, but study findings have not yet been consolidated. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is known from the existing literature about mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada? METHOD: We searched...
Social support, social conflict, and immigrant women's mental health in a Canadian context: a scoping review
Abstract
Researchers have documented the protective role of social support and the harmful consequences of social conflict on physical and mental health. However, consolidated information about social support, social conflict, and mental health of immigrant women in Canada is not available. This scoping review examined literature from the last 24 years to understand how social support and social conflict affect the mental health of immigrant...
Improving Immigrant Populations' Access to Mental Health Services in Canada: A Review of Barriers and Recommendations
Abstract
This article emerges from a scoping review of over two decades of relevant literature on immigrants’ access to mental health services in Canada. Key online databases were searched to explore the gaps and opportunities for improving access to mental health services using a review framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley. Immigrants and refugees came from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds and had complex mental health-related concerns that were not currently being adequately addressed by existing services...
Knowing so much, yet knowing so little: a scoping review of interventions that address the stigma of mental illness in the Canadian context
Abstract
Stigma can have detrimental effects on the health and wellbeing of individuals living with a mental illness. This scoping review describes the nature, range, and extent of intervention research aimed at reducing public and self-stigma of mental illness in the Canadian context. The review was guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. A search of databases and relevant websites identified 35 primary studies. Most studies used...
Intersectionality as an Analytic Framework for Understanding the Experiences of Mental Health Stigma Among Racialized Men
Abstract
The objective of this research was to use intersectionality to explore Asian men’s experiences of stigma and mental illness to tease out the ways in which stigma of mental illness among Asian men is mediated by age, immigration experiences, sexual and gender identities, racism and racialization processes, normative expectations about masculinity, and material inequality. The data for this research are based on a 4-year, multi-site (Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto) mixed-methods intervention study that evaluated...
Immigrant Mental Health, A Public Health Issue: Looking Back and Moving Forward
Abstract
The Mental Health Commission of Canada’s (MHCC) strategy calls for promoting the health and wellbeing of all Canadians and to improve mental health outcomes. Each year, one in every five Canadians experiences one or more mental health problems, creating a significant cost to the health system. Mental health is pivotal to holistic health and wellbeing. This paper presents the key findings of a comprehensive literature review of Canadian research on the relationship between...
Working with immigrant women: guidelines for mental health professionals
Abstract
While there have been considerable collaborative efforts in expanding mental health research on immigrant women, certain research questions still require answers. Broadly, how is women's mental health defined and understood? How do the social determinants of mental health manifest in women's lives? How do perceptions of one's mental health differ for young girls, adolescent girls, adult women, and older women? Specifically, how do immigrant women's mental health...
Violence and Health
Violence against women is a serious health and social problem for women worldwide. Researchers have investigated the broad physical and mental health consequences of violence against women but few have focused on immigrant and refugee women. Violence can range from, aggressive and harmful speech, to physically hitting another individual. Commonly reported types of abuse included insulting, criticizing, and intimidation by partner (psychological abuse); slapping, hitting, and shoving (physical abuse); and forced sexual intercourse and sexually degrading acts (sexual abuse) by a partner/spouse. As a result of violence, people experience lower self-esteem, increased stress and fear, injury, as well as a reduction in recreational activity. Overall, this can greatly affect one’s health and well-being.
Pathways to care and services for immigrant women who have experienced intimate partner violence
Our project focuses on understanding the pathways to care and services for immigrant women who have experienced intimate partner violence in the Canadian context.With the help of our community partners, we recruited women from across the Greater Toronto Area to capture the related experiences...
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Sri Lanka
Through a Canada-Sri Lanka research partnership, the project will identify gaps in knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as best practices to address IPV in healthcare delivery in Sri Lanka. The project will help raise awareness about IPV among healthcare, community, and policy stakeholders, and develop...
Strengthening health policy response to address intimate partner violence in Sri Lanka
IPV is a significant public health issue in Sri Lanka, with one in three women at risk. The healthcare sector can play a significant role in responding to the needs of women experiencing IPV. Through a Canada-Sri Lanka research partnership, the projec has identifed gaps in knowledge, skills, and resources...
Health and abuse among refugee and immigrant women in Canada
Research has looked broadly at the physical and mental health consequences of violence but little attention has been focused on immigrant and refugee women. As such, this project was developed from a partnership between The Wellesley Insitute and Ryerson University...
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: IPV in the Ethiopian context
Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem for women around the world, the majority of research has been conducted and focuses on high-income countries. This has led to a large gap in knowledge about the IPV in low and middle-income countries...
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: IPV in the Sri Lankan-Canadian context
Building on our previous and current research and existing connections, we seek a "Meetings, Planning and Dissemination- Global Health" grant to further develop collaborations between multidisciplinary health care professionals in Sri Lanka and Canada...
Older Tamil immigrant women’s experience of violence in the post-migration context
Violence against women occurs in every community and society. According to Statistics Canada reports on victims of violence, while both older and younger adults are more likely to be victimized by someone known to them, nearly half of older victims experienced abuse/violence...
Factors that influence the production of & responses to IPV in the Sri Lankan context
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a worldwide public health issue with far-reaching impacts, yet most health research on IPV and its effects has been conducted in North America. In a recent WHO study (2006), rates of lifetime IPV across 10 countries varied widely...
Please look below for resources from these projects:
A review of the Sri Lankan health sector response to intimate partner violence: Looking back, moving forward
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major health concern for women worldwide. Prevalence rates for IPV are high in the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, but little is known about health-sector responses in this area. Health-care professionals can play an important role in supporting women who are seeking recourse from IPV. A comprehensive search was conducted to identify relevant published and grey literature over the last 35 years...
Intimate Partner Violence in Sri Lanka: A scoping review.
Abstract
South Asia is considered to have a high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. Therefore the World Health Organisation has called for context-specific information about IPV from different regions. A scoping review of published and gray literature over the last 35 years was conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. Reported prevalence of IPV in Sri Lanka ranged from 20-72%, with recent reports of rates ranging from 25- 35%. Most research about IPV has been conducted in a few provinces...
Time to step-up: A review of the health sector response to intimate partner violence in Sri Lanka
Abstract
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major health concern for women worldwide, and health care professionals can play a significant role in providing services to women who have experienced IPV. This paper critically examines Sri Lanka's health sector response to IPV.
Intimate partner violence: a global health perspective
Abstract
Intimate partner violence is a serious violation of human rights and a significant global health problem. As the largest health workforce worldwide, nurses are well positioned to address this health issue. Based on literature from various countries, this article presents a summary of the literature on health consequences, costs, prevalence, risk factors, perceptions, and manifestations of intimate partner violence, and women's responses to it. Next, building on the author's program of research on intimate partner violence, the article highlights a number of implications for nursing: intersectionality; micro, meso, and macro levels; social violence; violence....
Nurses’ Role in Caring for Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence in the Sri Lankan Context
Abstract
Intimate partner violence has short- and long-term physical and mental health consequences. As the largest healthcare workforce globally, nurses are well positioned to care for abused women. However, their role in this regard has not been researched in some countries. This paper is based on a qualitative study that explored how Sri Lankan nurses perceive their role in caring for women who have experienced partner violence. Interviews with 30 nurses who worked in diverse clinical and geographical settings in Sri Lanka...
Violence against Women: An Exploration of the Physical and Mental Health Trends among Immigrant and Refugee Women in Canada
Abstract
Violence against women is a serious health and social problem for women worldwide. Researchers have investigated the broad physical and mental health consequences of violence against women but few have focused on immigrant and refugee women. We assessed the history of violence and the impairment of physical and mental health among 60 women participants from the Iranian and Sri Lankan Tamil communities in Toronto, Canada....
Rethinking Social Support and Conflict: Lessons from a Study of Women Who Have Separated from Abusive Partners
Abstract
Relationships have both positive and negative dimensions, yet most research in the area of intimate partner violence (IPV) has focused on social support, and not on social conflict. Based on the data from 309 English-speaking Canadian women who experienced IPV in the past 3 years and were no longer living with the abuser, we tested four hypotheses examining the relationships among severity of past IPV and women’s social support, social conflict, and health...
Towards a Global Interdisciplinary Evidence-Informed Practice: Intimate Partner Violence in the Ethiopian Context
Abstract
Background. Intimate partner violence is a global health issue and is associated with a range of health problems for women. Nurses, as the largest health workforce globally, are well positioned to provide care for abused women. Objectives. This nursing-led interdisciplinary project was conducted to understand the current state of knowledge about intimate partner violence in Ethiopia and make recommendations for country-specific activities to improve...
Perceptions of Factors Contributing to Intimate Partner Violence Among Sri Lankan Tamil Immigrant Women in Canada
Abstract
In this article we explore Sri Lankan Tamil immigrant women's views on factors contributing to intimate partner violence (IPV). We conducted eight focus groups with young, midlife, and senior women and women who experienced IPV. Three main themes emerged: postmigration sources of stress and conflict, patriarchal social norms that dictated gendered behavior, and individual male attributes and behaviors. Study participants....
Intergenerational Violence: The Post-Migration Context in Canada
Abstract
Recent changes to Canadian immigration policies have made intra-family adaptation and interaction more restrictive and stressful, which in turn has implications for intergenerational relations in post-migration contexts. This working paper is a review of the literature on intergenerational violence; specifically on child abuse, conflicts between adolescents/youth and their parents, and elder abuse. Each of these areas are explored using an intersectionality approach as...
Primary prevention of violence against women
Abstract
The best mechanisms to prevent violence against women were reviewed in a critical appraisal conducted by the University Health Network Women’s Health Program. Several promising primary interventions were identified. These included: educational and policy-related interventions to change social norms, early identification of abuse by health and other professionals, programs and strategies to empower women, safety and supportive resources for victims of abuse, and improved laws and access to the...
Immigrant and Refugee Youth's Health
In 2012, approximately 12% of the 234,793 immigrants, and 21% of the 23,094 refugees, admitted to Canada were youth. Refugee and immigrant youth often have different migration trajectories and experiences from each other, which may result in different health outcomes. Refugee youth have often fled from war or natural disasters in their home countries and may be separated from their families. These experiences, along with others (such as torture, violence, forced labour, targeted persecution, and forced migration) have been suggested as determinants of physical and mental health among refugees. In contrast, immigrant youth are more likely to arrive with their families, who have often had the chance to consider and plan their journey to the new country. Regardless of whether they come as immigrants or refugees, newcomers face common post-migration challenges that may affect their both their mental and physical health. Post-migration determinants of health and illness for these population have been identified at various levels: individual (e.g., age, gender, language fluency, ethnicity, knowledge of the health care system); familial (e.g., family (in)stability, socio-economic status, intergenerational conflict); institutional (e.g., availability (or lack) of access to appropriate care and services, (non)acceptance of foreign credentials); and societal (e.g., discrimination, racism, poverty).
Emerging Voices: How Syrian Newcomers and other key stakeholders perceive Canada’s three sponsorship programs for refugee (re)settlement
This project allowed for improved access to informational and social support to Syrian refugee women in Ontario. We will work with stakeholders to disseminate results widely within the Syrian community in Ontario and the health, social, and settlement sectors in the province.
Online informational and social supports for promoting health of Syrian refugee women in Ontario
This project will developed an online website that provides essential health information for Syrian refugee women in Ontario. The website allowed Syrian refugee women to connect with one another as well as pose any health-related question on the website, anonymously. We arranged to have healthcare professionals to response to these questions...
Challenges & strategies of Afghan, Karen, Sudanese refugee youth’s family & community roles within 5 yrs of migration to Canada
The project used a community-based participatory research and is a collaborative between the Access Alliance Multicultural Health Centre, Ryerson University, York University, and stakeholders...
Please look below for resources from these projects:
Aspirations for Higher Education among Newcomer Refugee Youth in Toronto: Expectations, Challenges, and Strategies
Abstract
A large percentage of refugees have low levels of education and official language fluency upon arrival in Canada. This paper discusses educational goals of newcomer refugee youth from three communities in Toronto (Afghan, Karen, and Sudanese), and explores how these are linked to premigration and post-migration determinants. Guided by community-based research principles, we collaborated with eight refugee youth peer researchers and conducted ten focus groups and thirteen...
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Healthcare needs and health service utilization by Syrian refugee women in Toronto
Abstract
Objective Access to healthcare is an important part of the (re)settlement process for Syrian refugees in Canada. There is growing concern about the healthcare needs of the 54,560 Syrian refugees who were admitted to Canada by May 2018, 80% of whom are women and children. We explored the healthcare needs of newcomer Syrian women, their experiences in accessing and using health services, and the factors and conditions that shape whether and how they access and utilize health services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)....
A scoping review of mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada: Looking back, moving forward
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Youth comprise a significant portion of the total immigrant population in Canada. Immigrant and refugee youth often have different migration trajectories and experiences, which can result in different mental health outcomes. Research is emerging in this area, but study findings have not yet been consolidated. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is known from the existing literature about mental health issues and concerns among immigrant and refugee youth in Canada? METHOD: We searched...
Immigrant Men's Health
Chronic disease threatens men’s sense of masculinity and self-image, as well as their perceived ability to fulfill expected social roles. Social images of men’s bodies influence how men express their emotions, attributes, and attitudes, or acknowledge the need for and seek social affirmation. Self-management has been documented in Canadian qualitative literature as a complex phenomenon influenced by the social environment, personal capacities, feelings, perceptions, and potentials. International scholars believe men’s health and wellness to be affected by various psychological, physiological, social, cultural and environmental factors, and the remedy to require implementation of targeted gender-specific actions. Addressing the factors that undermine men’s health is a gender equity issue that demands cultural awareness and respect for diversity in gender health policies, strategies, and plans of action.
Canadian Men’s Self-Management of Chronic Diseases: A Literature Analysis of Strategies for Dealing With Risks and Promoting Wellness
Abstract
This article reviews the qualitative research on men’s self-management of mental and physical chronic diseases, with emphasis on strategies for dealing with risks and promoting wellness. Using Bardin’s method of document analysis, it was focused on the findings of Canadian qualitative studies published in French or English from 2005 to 2011. Boltanski’s theory on social uses of the body inspired the analysis...
Older Immigrants' Health
Canada is recognized internationally for it's growing diversity. One commonality among people of all ethnocultural backgrounds is the inevitability of aging. Thus, Canada's older adult population is growing every year and it is no surprise that Immigrants represent more than 1 in 4 of the Canadian population over 65, and older immigrants--most older immigrants are women--now comprise the majority of the aging population in Canada's large metropolitan cities. In fact, when looking at the population of older adults living in Toronto and Vancouver, 63% and 51% were immigrants, respectively. Among the older immigrants who arrived in Canada in, or after, 1991, 75.6% belonged to a racialized community. Furthermore, women represent a greater proportion of older immigrants than men. Despite this demographic trend, however, little is known about important issues faced by older immigrant women: a key concern is violence against women. Many studies have focused on violence against women and abuse of older adults, but few Canadian studies have considered older immigrant women experiencing abuse and neglect.
Social distancing challenges faced by immigrants and refugees living in apartment buildings: Focusing on effective strategies
The goals of this study are to understand the challenges faced by immigrants and refugees living in apartments in Toronto in light of the social-distancing practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aims to generate strategies to help support these groups of immigrants and refugees to maintain social-distancing and mitigate the acquisition of the virus.
Highlighting the role of resilience, leadership, and capacity-building among immigrant seniors in addressing elder abuse in immigrant communities
In this project, we hosted a series of planned knowledge mobilization activities focusing on leadership development, capacity-building, and resilience among older immigrants in an effort to address elder abuse.
Ontario Multicultural Health Applied Research Network – Focus on aging and the elderly
Ontario Multicultural Health Applied Research Network (OMHARN) brings together Ontario-based researchers, health, social and settlement service providers, and policymakers in the field of multicultural health to explore opportunities for high quality multicultural health...
Moving forward: Prevention of abuse among older immigrant women
Immigrants represent 28% of the Canadian population over 65, and older immigrants – more of them are women – now comprise the majority of the aging population in Canada’s large metropolitan cities. Despite ample research about abuse of older adults in general, few Canadian studies...
Moving forward: Development of a program of research on prevention of abuse and neglect, and health promotion among older immigrant women
The project aimed to 1) establish collaborative research networks and partnerships; 2) convene a symposium for knowledge sharing/exchange, identify gaps, and build consensus on the priority research directions; 3) disseminate the knowledge gained from the symposium; 4) develop a shared program of research; and 5) refine priority research questions and prepare grant applications....
Please look below for resources from these projects:
COVID-19 restrictions: experiences of immigrant parents in Toronto
Abstract
Parenting is a demanding undertaking, requiring continuous vigilance to ensure children's emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. It has become even more challenging in the context of COVID-19 restrictions that have led to drastic changes in family life. Based on the results of a qualitative interpretive descriptive study that aimed to understand the experiences of immigrants living in apartment buildings in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada, this paper...
Mental Health and Service Issues Faced by Older Immigrants in Canada: A Scoping Review
Abstract
An aging population and immigration-based population growth necessitate research, practice, and policy focusing on the mental health of older immigrants in Canada, especially, because their mental health appears to deteriorate over time. This review focuses on: What is known about the social determinants of mental health for older immigrants in Canada and what are the barriers they face in accessing mental health services? Findings reveal that: (1) the key social determinants of mental health are culture, health services and gender; (2) older immigrants use fewer mental health services...
Prevention of abuse of older women in the post-migration context in Canada
Abstract
Immigrants represent 28% of the Canadian population over 65, and older immigrants--more of them are women--now comprise the majority of the aging population in Canada's large metropolitan cities. Despite ample research about abuse of older adults in general, few Canadian studies have focused on abuse of older immigrant women. This paper reports policy-relevant findings from a project that aimed to develop a shared program of research to prevent abuse of older immigrant women....
Exploring the Experience of Loneliness Among Older Sinhalese Immigrant Women in Canada
Abstract
Although people can become lonely at any age, it is likely that older persons, especially those who migrate to a different country, will experience this phenomenon more often. Older women immigrants are particularly susceptible to loneliness owing to their greater longevity, which predisposes them to outlive their male partners. The purpose of this study was to uncover the experiences of loneliness among older Sinhalese immigrant women living in Toronto, Canada. A narrative research framework was used to explore two older...
Older Women Speak About Abuse & Neglect in the Post-migration Context
Abstract
Elder abuse and neglect occur in every community and society. While considerable research is emerging on elder abuse, limited health science research exists to-date on older women experiencing abuse and neglect in the post-migration context in Canada. Building on our community partners’ interest in further understanding the topic of elder abuse and our previous work on violence against women throughout the migration process, this qualitative study...
Older women’s perceptions of and responses to abuse and neglect in the post-migration context
Abstract
The purpose of our study was to explore the experiences of and responses to abuse/violence and neglect among a group of older immigrant women. This project builds upon our previous work but the primary impetus for the study came from our community partners. This qualitative study involved in-depth individual interviews (n=18) and focus group discussions (n=25) with a group of older women from the Sri Lankan Tamil community in the Greater Toronto Area...
Older Brazilian women’s experience of psychological domestic violence: a social phenomenological study
Abstract
A qualitative study was conducted using a social phenomenological approach proposed by Alfred Schütz. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 older Brazilian women from three different agencies, two in Campina Grande and one in São Bernardo do Campo. Data collection took place between November 2012 and February 2013. We performed data analysis using the key concepts (such as the world of everyday life, natural attitude...