NEWS RELEASE
BROCK UNIVERSITY
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Newcomers to Canada face many challenges, among them changes to diets, activity levels and social networks.
These changes play an important role in the health of immigrants as they are also risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, says Sujane Kandasamy.
“Health Canada acknowledges that immigration is a determinant of health,” says the Brock University postdoctoral fellow. “There needs to be culturally reflective and co-ordinated approaches to ensure newcomers to Canada are set on a path towards optimal health, particularly in the prevalence and prevention of Type 2 diabetes in newcomers.”
To that end, Kandasamy has taken on a research project — with funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) — expected to improve newcomers’ access to programs that screen for, and prevent, Type 2 diabetes.
Her research, which sees her working alongside newcomers, involves co-designing, piloting and evaluating a mobile Type 2 diabetes awareness program.
The project includes research in the areas of the social determinants of health, current Type 2 diabetes outreach programs that are culturally tailored, and interviews with community members, leaders and service providers to learn about current needs and barriers to existing service provision.
"These are multi-sectoral challenges, which is why meaningful partnerships with local community organizations and leaders are crucial,” she says.
The end result of her project is the roll-out of “The Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Van,” which will offer co-designed mobile services from which newcomers in Calgary, Alta., and Hamilton, Ont., can receive screening and prevention services.
“This is incredibly important work, as we have seen a large influx of newcomers to Canada in recent years, with many more coming over the next several years,” says Kandasamy’s primary supervisor, Brock Associate Professor of Child and Youth Studies Matthew Kwan.
“It is imperative that we find effective solutions to best support their physical, mental and social health during their transition to Canada and limit the burdens of our social system,” says Kwan, Canada Research Chair in Youth Mental Health and Performance.
Kandasamy is one of 43 researchers across Canada awarded CIHR’s Research Excellence, Diversity and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award being offered for the first time to researchers in underrepresented groups.
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