Respectful community engagement in health research with diverse im/migrant communities.

INTRODUCTION: Global migration and immigration are increasing, and migrants and immigrants (im/migrants) have specific health needs and healthcare experiences. Yet, im/migrant involvement in immigration and health research in Canada is inconsistent. Heretofore, involvement has primarily been in research planning, data collection and analysis, with little community involvement during knowledge exchange or through training and colearning opportunities. Community engagement has been especially uncommon in mixed-method and quantitative research in Canada. OBJECTIVE: This article describes lessons learnt from the Evaluating Inequities in Refugee & Immigrants' Health Access (IRIS) project from 2018 to 2023, an ongoing mixed-method, community-based research project in British Columbia, Canada. Specifically, we share our core community engagement project structures, Commitments to Community and our Community Engagement Backbone, both collaboratively developed with im/migrant community memebers. PARTICIPANTS: People with varied experiences of im/migration and connections to multiple, specific im/migrant communities participate in the project as participants, community researchers, community advisory board members, faculty members and students. Core research activities are supported in English, Farsi, Spanish and Tigrinya. We engage community members throughout the research process, from identifying research topics to knowledge exchange. CONCLUSION: We found that these structures offer an accessible visual representation of the project's commitments to community engagement, and the ways these commitments are demonstrated through values and action. Our training opportunities, colearning activities and knowledge exchange efforts also confirmed the accuracy of interpretation, prompted additional analysis to clarify or add depth to findings, and helped us identify additional research topics. We hope these learnings can be used to expand engagement with diverse im/migrant communities in health and immigration research.

SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19-related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status: an analysis of population-based administrative data in British Columbia.

OBJECTIVES: Having temporary immigration status affords limited rights, workplace protections, and access to services. There is not yet research data on impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with temporary immigration status in Canada. METHODS: We use linked administrative data to describe SARS-CoV-2 testing, positive tests, and COVID-19 primary care service use in British Columbia from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, stratified by immigration status (citizen, permanent resident, temporary resident). We plot the rates of people tested and confirmed positive for COVID-19 by week from April 19, 2020 to July 31, 2021 across immigration groups. We use logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, access to testing, and primary care among people with temporary status or permanent residency, compared with people who hold citizenship. RESULTS: A total of 4,146,593 people with citizenship, 914,089 people with permanent residency, and 212,215 people with temporary status were included. Among people with temporary status, 52.1% had "male" administrative sex and 74.4% were ages 20-39, compared with 50.1% and 24.4% respectively among those with citizenship. Of people with temporary status, 4.9% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over this period, compared with 4.0% among people with permanent residency and 2.1% among people with citizenship. Adjusted odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test among people with temporary status were almost 50% higher (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.39, 1.45), despite having half the odds of access to testing (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.53, 0.54) and primary care (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.49, 0.52). CONCLUSION: Interwoven immigration, health, and occupational policies place people with temporary status in circumstances of precarity and higher health risk. Reducing precarity accompanying temporary status, including regularization pathways, and decoupling access to health care from immigration status can address health inequities.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Le statut d'immigration temporaire confère des droits, des mesures de protection au travail et un accès aux services limités. Il n'y a pas encore de données de recherche sur les impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19 chez les personnes ayant un statut d'immigration temporaire au Canada. MéTHODE: Nous utilisons des données administratives maillées pour décrire le dépistage du SRAS-CoV-2, les tests positifs et l'utilisation des services de soins de première ligne liés à la COVID-19 en Colombie-Britannique entre le 1er janvier 2020 et le 31 juillet 2021, stratifiées selon le statut d'immigration (citoyenneté, résidence permanente, résidence temporaire). Nous reportons sur des graphiques les taux hebdomadaires de personnes testées et confirmées positives pour la COVID-19 entre le 19 avril 2020 et le 31 juillet 2021 dans les groupes d'immigration. Nous utilisons la régression logistique pour estimer les rapports de cotes ajustés d'un test positif pour le SRAS-CoV-2, de l'accès au dépistage et de l'accès aux soins primaires chez les personnes ayant le statut de résidents temporaires ou permanents comparativement aux personnes ayant la citoyenneté canadienne. RéSULTATS: En tout, 4 146 593 citoyens, 914 089 résidents permanents et 212 215 résidents temporaires ont été inclus. Chez les personnes ayant le statut de résidents temporaires, 52,1 % étaient de sexe administratif « masculin ¼ et 74,4 % avaient entre 20 et 39 ans, contre 50,1 % et 24,4 % respectivement chez les personnes ayant la citoyenneté. Chez les résidents temporaires, 4,9 % avaient obtenu un test positif pour le SRAS-CoV-2 au cours de la période de l'étude, contre 4 % chez les résidents permanents et 2,1 % chez les citoyens. La probabilité ajustée d'un test positif pour le SRAS-CoV-2 chez les personnes ayant le statut de résidents temporaires était près de 50 % plus élevée (RCa 1,42, IC de 95 % 1,39, 1,45), même si leurs probabilités d'accès au dépistage (RCa 0,53, IC de 95 % 0,53, 0,54) et aux soins primaires (RCa 0,50, IC de 95 % 0,49, 0,52) étaient moitié moindres. CONCLUSION: La conjugaison des politiques d'immigration, de santé et de main-d'œuvre met les personnes ayant le statut de résidents temporaires en situation de précarité et de risques accrus pour la santé. La réduction de la précarité qui accompagne le statut temporaire, dont les voies de régularisation, et le découplage entre l'accès aux soins de santé et le statut d'immigration pourraient répondre aux iniquités en santé.

'We don't have the right to get sick': A qualitative study of gaps in public health insurance among Im/migrant women in British Columbia, Canada.

Globally, the exclusion of im/migrants from public health care systems remains a significant health and human rights issue, calling into question claims of 'universality' of public health systems where eligibility for coverage is determined by immigration status. We aimed to describe lived experiences of health insurance coverage and the health and social impacts of gaps in health insurance amongst im/migrant women in British Columbia (BC), Canada. This analysis draws on qualitative in-depth interviews (n = 78) with im/migrant women and im/migrant-focused service providers (n = 10) conducted between July 2018-March 2021 in Metro Vancouver, BC, as part of a larger community-based, mixed-methods study of im/migrants' health access (IRIS). In contrast to common perceptions of Canada's health system as 'universal', participants faced multifaceted barriers to health insurance and necessary healthcare for themselves and their families following arrival in BC. Narratives highlighted the ways in which ineligibility for public health insurance coverage resulted in unmet needs for essential sexual and reproductive health and preventive care among im/migrant women, children, and families. Participants also described ineligibility for public health insurance as resulting in a high economic burden, and that exclusion from public health insurance perpetuated experiences of discrimination, invisibility, and exclusion from systems of care amongst im/migrant participants. Despite these structural challenges, participant narratives highlighted the crucial role of community-based supports for minimizing harm and navigating oppressive immigration and health systems. Changes to immigration and health policies are required to remove barriers to public health care for im/migrant women and ensure that Canada's health system is accessible to all. Expanding health insurance options to cover all residents and decoupling health insurance eligibility from immigration status are recommended, alongside implementation of 'Sanctuary' policies at the local level.

"It's not just about being here, but what brought you here": A qualitative study of the role of migration experiences in shaping im/migrant women's access to healthcare.

This qualitative study aimed to understand how migration experiences shape im/migrant women's needs, desire for, and expectations of healthcare in the British Columbia (BC), Canada context. Interviews with 33 im/migrant women (December 2018-January 2020) highlighted that traumatic experiences across migration increased healthcare needs; insufficient prior health system information contributed to poor experiences; and comparative healthcare experiences across places shaped future healthcare expectations. We use the BC setting to demonstrate the need to abide by global commitments to protect people during migration, train providers in trauma-informed care, develop health assessments that center migration journeys, and appropriately fund im/migrant-serving community organizations.

Determinants and Inequities in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Care Access Among Im/Migrant Women in Canada: Findings of a Comprehensive Review (2008-2018).

Given growing concerns of im/migrant women's access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, we aimed to (1) describe inequities and determinants of their engagement with SRH services in Canada; and (2) understand their lived experiences of barriers and facilitators to healthcare. Using a comprehensive review methodology, we searched the quantitative and qualitative peer-reviewed literature of im/migrant women's access to SRH care in Canada from 2008 to 2018. Of 782 studies, 38 met inclusion criteria. Ontario (n = 18), British Columbia (n = 6), and Alberta (n = 6) were primary settings represented. Studies focused primarily on maternity care (n = 20) and sexual health screenings (n = 12). Determinants included health system navigation and service information; experiences with health personnel; culturally safe and language-specific care; social isolation and support; immigration-specific factors; discrimination and racialization; and gender and power relations. There is a need for research that compares experiences across diverse groups of racialized im/migrants and a broader range of SRH services to inform responsive, equity-focused programs and policies.

Sharpening our public health lens: advancing im/migrant health equity during COVID-19 and beyond.

BACKGROUND: Differential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought deeply rooted inequities to the forefront, where increasing evidence has shown that racialized immigrant and migrant (im/migrant) populations face a disproportionate burden of COVID-19. Im/migrant communities may be worst affected by lockdowns and restrictive measures, face less opportunity to physically distance or stay home sick within 'essential' jobs, and experience severe barriers to healthcare. Insufficient attention to experiences of racialized im/migrants in current pandemic responses globally highlights an urgent need to more fulsomely address unmet health needs through an anti-racist, equity-oriented lens. This commentary aims to highlight the need for public health and clinical training, research, and policy to thoughtfully prioritize im/migrant health equity during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. MAIN TEXT: Global pandemic responses have neglected im/migrants by continuing to ignore or insufficiently address inequities, exacerbating COVID transmission, xenophobia, and occupational injustice. Deaths, illness, stress, and other negative outcomes of the overlapping epidemics of COVID-19 and structural racism disproportionately borne by racialized im/migrants suggest the urgent need for action. As evidence mounts about how im/migrants have been left behind in times of crises, we need enhanced focus on health equity within COVID-19 research and interventions, including research that examines and pursues structural interventions necessary to mitigate these impacts, and that identifies patterns and harms of xenophobic policy, structural racism, and white supremacy in shaping im/migrant health outcomes. We must also strengthen anti-racist and equity-oriented curriculum within health education, and ensure sufficient attention to the needs of im/migrant communities within public health, clinical, and research training. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated and rendered more visible the deeply rooted health and social inequities faced by racialized im/migrants across diverse settings. We argue for a greater emphasis on equity-focused and anti-racist im/migrant health research, interventions, and training. Policymakers and practitioners must ensure that healthcare policies and practices do not exacerbate inequities, and instead meaningfully address unmet needs of communities, including racialized im/migrants. Ethical and respectful community engagement, commitment and collaboration with global, national, and local communities, policymakers, academics, and educators, as well as accountability across sectors, is critical.

Letter to the Editor - The professionalization of health promotion in Canada: a student perspective. / Lettre à la rédaction ­ La professionnalisation de la promotion de la santé au Canada : le point de vue d'une étudiante.

This letter is in response to the following Letter to the Editor: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/hpcdp-pspmc/37-1/ar-04-eng.php.

RÉSUMÉ: Cette lettre est en réponse à la Lettre à la rédaction suivante : http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/hpcdp-pspmc/37-1/ar-04-fra.php.