1. Using a Social Determinants of Health framework to examine the health of canadian immigrants
Karen M. Kobayashi, PhD
Sociology/Institute on Aging
and Lifelong Health

2. Learning Objectives
To develop an understanding of the health status of immigrants in Canada
To identify the salient barriers that challenge the uptake of health promotion practices among immigrants
To identify and critically analyse “promising practices” for health promotion among immigrants in Canada

3. The Health Status of Immigrants
The “healthy immigrant effect”
Health risks, i.e., chronic disease
Social determinants of health approach

4. Barriers to the Uptake of Health Promotion Practices among Immigrants
Migration
Socio-economic Status or Class
Language Proficiency and Health Literacy
Visible Minority Status
Gender
Cultural Perceptions around Health and Disease Prevention
Age

5. Health Promotion Practices
Healthy Families BC
Promising Practice #1: the South Asian Exercise Trial (SAET)
Promising Practice #2: Mental Health Promotion within Immigrant Communities

6. Creating Healthy Public Policies: Recommendations
Address issues of inequity as well as inequality
Revise social marketing principles to target population sub-groups
Adopt a cultural safety and cultural competency perspective
Consider language and modes of communication
Construct Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
Accelerate re-credentialization processes for immigrant health care professionals
Conduct evaluation studies that track the efficacy of health promotion initiatives
Develop initiatives that acknowledge and reflect the social, economic, cultural, and historical determinants of health

7. CONTACT
Karen Kobayashi, PhD Mushira Khan, PhD candidate

8. Workshop Activity: Health Promotion Practices (25-30 minutes)
PART 1 – Healthy Families BC
What are some of the challenges to implementing this program specifically with regard to ethnocultural minority groups?
What are some practical solutions to address these challenges?
Discuss why is it important to “target” and “tailor” health promotion initiatives.
PART 2 – Video clip: Managing Your South Asian Diet
Are the messages in the video “targeted” as well as “tailored” to meet the needs of the South Asian community? Discuss.
PART 3 – Promising Practices: #1 (the South Asian Exercise Trial (SAET)) and #2 (Mental Health Promotion within Immigrant Communities).
Discuss the merits of and challenges to launching such initiatives.