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Migrant Health and Newly Emerging Public Health Issues

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2024 | Viewed by 5320

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
Interests: immigrant/refugee/racialized health; primary care; eHealth; mental health; partner violence

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The significance of migration has gained international recognition in the last few years. For example, migration is acknowledged as an integral aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals established in 2015 by the United Nations. Migrants comprise a significant segment of the world’s population. In mid-2020, nearly 281 million people were migrants, according to the International Organization for Migration. To date, several of the “pull” and “push” factors have been documented for the contemporary global migration along with settlement challenges. However, the experiences of immigrant communities in relation to newly emerging public health issues need much more attention. Some examples of the emerging issues are the COVID-19 pandemic, natural catastrophes, mental stress, violence and trauma, aging, and food insecurity. We welcome your contributions for this Special Issue, especially for the identification of policy, practice, and community-based pathways for addressing inequities in health and access to care amongst immigrant communities for the newly emerging public health issues. Empirical studies (qualitative or quantitative) and methodologically rigorous literature reviews will be given high priority.

Dr. Farah Ahmad
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • migration
  • health equity
  • access to care
  • COVID-19
  • natural disasters
  • mental stress
  • violence and trauma
  • food insecurity
  • aging

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 338 KiB  
Article
Autism, Stigma, and South Asian Immigrant Families in Canada
by Fariha Shafi, Amirtha Karunakaran and Farah Ahmad
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(3), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030369 - 19 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1709
Abstract
Considerable empirical evidence suggests early recognition of autism and access to support result in long-term positive outcomes for children and youth on the spectrum and their families. However, children of racialized families are often diagnosed at later ages, are more likely to be [...] Read more.
Considerable empirical evidence suggests early recognition of autism and access to support result in long-term positive outcomes for children and youth on the spectrum and their families. However, children of racialized families are often diagnosed at later ages, are more likely to be misdiagnosed, and experience many barriers to service access. There is also a paucity of research exploring the experiences of parents from specific immigrant groups caring for their children on the spectrum in Canada, many of whom identify as members of racialized communities. As such, the main aim of the study was to examine how South Asian immigrant parents in Canada are experiencing available care programs and support. Another aim was to examine their perceptions of social stigma associated with autism. We conducted an inductive thematic analysis of qualitative data from nine interviews with South Asian parents living in Ontario, Canada. Findings confirmed barriers to an autism diagnosis and to service access. Additionally, parents reported pronounced autism stigma, which enacted impediments to timely diagnosis, service access, and health-promoting behaviors. Findings also revealed that parents experience considerable caregiver stress and psychological distress. The generated evidence is anticipated to inform equitable policy, programming, and practices that better support the needs of children on the spectrum and their immigrant families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Health and Newly Emerging Public Health Issues)
11 pages, 592 KiB  
Article
Critical Illness in Migrant Workers in the Windsor-Essex Region: A Descriptive Analysis
by Alex Zhou, Abdelhady Osman, Genesis Flores, Dhuvaraha Srikrishnaraj, Jayashree Mohanty, Retage Al Bader, Amy Llancari, Aya El-Hashemi, Manahel Elias, Kanza Mirza, Maureen Muldoon, Ryan Palazzolo, Farwa Zaib, Indryas Woldie and Caroline Hamm
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(16), 6587; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20166587 - 16 Aug 2023
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Abstract
Despite their essential role in Canadian agriculture, migrant workers face numerous healthcare barriers. There is a knowledge gap regarding the healthcare experiences of migrant workers with critical illness in the Windsor-Essex region. Our objective was to collect information on the experiences of migrant [...] Read more.
Despite their essential role in Canadian agriculture, migrant workers face numerous healthcare barriers. There is a knowledge gap regarding the healthcare experiences of migrant workers with critical illness in the Windsor-Essex region. Our objective was to collect information on the experiences of migrant workers experiencing a critical illness at Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) between 31 December 2011 and 31 December 2021. We conducted a retrospective chart review and interviews with migrant workers. We identified 14 migrant workers who presented to WRH with a critical illness over these 10 years. Despite occasional barriers regarding access to care, the migrant workers received an appropriate standard of care in Canada. Five of the fourteen patients identified were repatriated to their home countries. The migrant worker patients interviewed expressed satisfaction with the care they received in Canada but identified repatriation as a specific concern to receiving continuity of care. The health and financial burden imposed by critical illness on migrant workers and their employers makes critically ill workers vulnerable to medical repatriation as a unique social determinant of health. Considering the critical role of migrant workers in Canada’s food security, policy changes should be considered to ensure critically ill workers are able to remain until recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Health and Newly Emerging Public Health Issues)
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25 pages, 433 KiB  
Essay
Medical Interpreting Services for Refugees in Canada: Current State of Practice and Considerations in Promoting this Essential Human Right for All
by Akshaya Neil Arya, Ilene Hyman, Tim Holland, Carolyn Beukeboom, Catherine E. Tong, Rachel Talavlikar and Grace Eagan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050588 - 2 May 2024
Viewed by 656
Abstract
Language barriers, specifically among refugees, pose significant challenges to delivering quality healthcare in Canada. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the emergence and development of innovative alternatives such as telephone-based and video-conferencing medical interpreting services and AI tools, access remains uneven across Canada. This [...] Read more.
Language barriers, specifically among refugees, pose significant challenges to delivering quality healthcare in Canada. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the emergence and development of innovative alternatives such as telephone-based and video-conferencing medical interpreting services and AI tools, access remains uneven across Canada. This comprehensive analysis highlights the absence of a cohesive national strategy, reflected in diverse funding models employed across provinces and territories, with gaps and disparities in access to medical interpreting services. Advocating for medical interpreting, both as a moral imperative and a prudent investment, this article draws from human rights principles and ethical considerations, justified in national and international guidelines, charters, codes and regulations. Substantiated by a cost-benefit analysis, it emphasizes that medical interpreting enhances healthcare quality and preserves patient autonomy. Additionally, this article illuminates decision-making processes for utilizing interpreting services; recognizing the pivotal roles of clinicians, interpreters, patients and caregivers within the care circle; appreciating intersectional considerations such as gender, culture and age, underscoring the importance of a collaborative approach. Finally, it provides recommendations at provider, organizational and system levels to ensure equitable access to this right and to promote the health and well-being of refugees and other individuals facing language barriers within Canada’s healthcare system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Migrant Health and Newly Emerging Public Health Issues)

Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Housing Challenges of Affecting Well-being of Immigrant and Refugee Families in Saskatchewan, Canada: A Qualitative Study
Author: Dr Shela Hirani, PhD, MScN, BScN, RN, IBCLC
Affiliaiton: University of Regina, Canada

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