For many years, researchers have recognized the ‘healthy immigrant effect’, describing the tendency of immigrants to be healthier than the general Canadian population when they enter the country. However, over the first few years in Canada this effect diminishes. Newcomer health is multifactorial, affected by both experiences outside Canada and health equity barriers within Canada. This snapshot presents some areas of newcomer health inequity, and points the reader towards policy and research directions for removing barriers to equitable care.
Health disparities between refugee and immigrant children and youth
Source: Ginny Lane et al., “Chronic Health Disparities among Refugee and Immigrant Children in Canada,” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 43, no. 10 (October 2018): 1043–58, https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0407
Overall, 29% of newcomer children in the current study had borderline or elevated blood pressure, which is substantially higher than the 7% of Canadian children and youth aged 12– 19 years who were observed to have borderline or elevated blood pressure during the 2012–2015 CHMS (Statistics Canada 2016).
Source: Ginny Lane et al., “Chronic Health Disparities among Refugee and Immigrant Children in Canada,” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 43, no. 10 (October 2018): 1043–58, https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0407.
Social determinants of population health that may influence the health of newcomer children and youth
Source: Ginny Lane et al., “Chronic Health Disparities among Refugee and Immigrant Children in Canada,” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 43, no. 10 (October 2018): 1043–58, https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2017-0407
Mental health
Source: World Health Organization, “Five Key Themes for Improved Mental Health Care for Refugees and Migrants,” accessed October 12, 2023, https://www.who.int/news/item/10-10-2023-five-key-themes-for-improved-mental-health-care-for-refugees-and-migrants
Mamata Pandey et al., “Identifying Barriers to Healthcare Access for New Immigrants: A Qualitative Study in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada,” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 24, no. 1 (2022): 188–98, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01262-z
Readers interested in learning more about overcoming these barriers and ensuring health equity for newcomers can view the N4 webinar by Alicia Tieder, Real Organizational Change to Advance Health Equity for Newcomers
Suggested Citation: National Newcomer Navigation Network, "Newcomer health equity: children and youth, vaccination, mental health", March 2024, https://www.newcomernavigation.ca/en/data/newcomer-health-equity-children-and-youth-vaccination-mental-health.aspx