Population-based analysis to inform policy and practice
To address immigrant health disparities, timely evidence-informed, equity-based, and community- engaged policy solutions are urgently needed.
Objective
This project builds on the team’s solid track records in using population-based analyses and mixed methods contextual analyses to explicate preventable health inequities experienced by immigrant communities in Canada. Consultations with migrant community partners, the national Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Youth Health Advisory, and other groups have identified two main priority areas: mental health (all ages) and sexual health (youth), along with food insecurity, discrimination, and other social determinants of health that can influence these priority health issues. Large-scale, regularly repeating health surveys in Canada create the opportunity to identify trends in health disparities among migrant populations.
Research question(s)
- What are 20-year trends in sexual and mental health outcomes among migrant youth in Western Canada?
- Is there evidence that BC Ministry of Education policy changes have improved the social safety net for homestay students?
- What social determinants of health may explain sexual health and mental health inequities for migrant youth populations, particularly for marginalized migrant youth populations?
- How common is food insecurity and unemployment among immigrants and refugees living with mental health issues and/or addiction disorders?
Methodology
Mixed-methods approach that involves analyses of existing population-based health surveys from both provincial in-depth repeating surveys such as the British Columbia Adolescent Health Surveys, similar national surveys such as the Health Behaviour of School-Age Children Survey and, for adults, the Canadian Community Health Survey; and the potential to repeat some of these analyses with international surveys in Europe (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children [HBSC] from other countries). The population survey analyses will be followed by qualitative research, in which we present the findings to members of the target populations in focus groups to explore the contexts and perspectives that can help explain the findings, and elicit recommendations for practice and policy changes based on these results. This is part of the research team's commitment to “nothing about us without us” participatory approaches.
Status
The project is ongoing. Phase 1: Population level data analysis, is currently in progress.
Expected completion date: March 2027
Key words
Health inequity; immigrant health; mental health; population-based analysis; sexual health
