Population-Based Analysis to Inform Policy and Practice

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.

1. What are 20-year trends in sexual and mental health outcomes among migrant youth in Western Canada?
2. Is there evidence that BC Ministry of Education policy changes have improved the social safety net for homestay students?
3. What social determinants of health may explain sexual health and mental health inequities for migrant youth populations, particularly for marginalized migrant youth populations?
4. How common is food insecurity and unemployment among immigrants and refugees living with mental health issues and/or addiction disorders?

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.

• Community gardening for cultural food security and mental wellbeing: A mixed methods research with newcomer youth and seniors in Canada

The project is ongoing. Analyses using both the BC Adolescent Health Survey and the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) are underway. Advisory group meetings with interested populations have been held. Preliminary findings and publications are in progress.

Publications:

Ji, D., Rana, M., Coronel-Villalobos, M., Hammami, N., & Saewyc, E. (2025). Sexual health behavior trends in a nationally representative sample of Canadian migrant adolescents from 2014 to 2022 (external link) . BMC public health, 25(1), 3006. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23966-9

Past events and conferences: 

• “Sexual behaviours among sexual minority migrant adolescents in Western Canada over 20 years,” presented by Marie Louise Umwangange, Health Promotion Annual Conference, Galway, Ireland, 26 June, 2025
• Poster on the sexual health behavious of migrant youth, presented at the Public Health 2025 conference, Winnipeg, Canada, 29 April - 1 May, 2025

Health inequity; immigrant health; mental health; population-based analysis; sexual health