Dataset Information

Immigrants' and refugees' experiences of access to health and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that immigrants were the most vulnerable to contracting COVID, due to a confluence of personal and structural barriers. This study explored how immigrants and refugees experienced access to health and social services during the first wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada.

Methods

This study analyzed secondary data from a qualitative study that was conducted between May and September 2020 in Toronto that involved semi-structured interviews with 72 immigrants and refugees from 21 different countries. The secondary data analysis was informed by critical realism.

Results

The vast majority of participants experienced fear and anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak but through a combination of self-reliance and community support came to terms with the realities of the pandemic. Some even found the lifestyle changes engendered by the pandemic a positive experience.

Conclusions

Self-reliance may hinder help-seeking and augment the threat of COVID-19. This is particularly a concern for the most vulnerable immigrants, who experience multiple disruptions in their health care, have limited material resources and social supports, and perhaps are still dealing with the challenges of settling in the new country.

SUBMITTER: Leung D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9382571 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Immigrants' and refugees' experiences of access to health and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Canada.

Leung Doris D Lee Charlotte C Wang Angel He AH Guruge Sepali S

Journal of health services research & policy 20220815 1

<h4>Objective</h4>In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that immigrants were the most vulnerable to contracting COVID, due to a confluence of personal and structural barriers. This study explored how immigrants and refugees experienced access to health and social services during the first wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada.<h4>Methods</h4>This study analyzed secondary data from a qualitative study that was conducted between May and September 2020 in Toronto that involved semi-structur ...[more]

PMID: 35971256

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:There has been significant progress in eliminating malaria in Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate the structure of inter-organizational collaboration networks in the field of unauthorized immigrants and refugees access to services in order to eliminate malaria. METHODS:This study employed social network analysis, in which nodes represented stakeholders associated with providing access of immigrants and refugees to services in the field of malaria elimination, and ties indicated the level of collaboration. This study adopted socio-centric analysis and the whole network was studied. In this regard, 12 districts of the malaria-endemic area in Iran were selected. Participants included 360 individuals (30 representatives of the organization/group in each district). The data were gathered by interview, using the levels of collaboration scale. UCINET 6 was used for data analysis. The indices of density, centralization, reciprocity, and clustering were investigated for each twelve network and at each level of collaboration. RESULTS:The average density of the networks was 0.22 (SD: 0.04). In districts with a high incidence of imported malaria, the values of network density and centralization were high and the networks comprised of a larger connected component (less isolated clusters). There were significant correlations between density of network (r?=?0.66, P?=?0.02), degree centralization (r?=?0.65, P?=?0.02), betweenness centralization (r?=?0.76, P?=?0.004), and imported malaria cases. In general, the degree centrality and betweenness centrality of the organizations of health, district governor, and foreign immigrants' affairs were higher. In all networks, 60% of the relationships were bilateral. At a higher level of collaboration, the centralization declined and reciprocity increased. The average of betweenness centralization index was 22.76 (SD?=?3.88). CONCLUSIONS:Higher values of network indices in border districts and districts with more cases of imported malaria, in terms of density and centralization measures, can propose the hypothesis that higher preparedness against the issue and centralization of power can enable a better top-down outbreak management, which needs further investigations. Higher centrality of governmental organizations indicates the need for involving private, non-governmental organizations and representatives of immigrant and refugee groups. Recognition of the existing network structure can help the authorities increase access to malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services among immigrants and refugees.

Dataset Information

Immigrants' and refugees' experiences of access to health and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Canada.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Immigrants' and refugees' experiences of access to health and social services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Canada.

Similar Datasets

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