title: Understanding What Matters Most to Immigrant Youth Living with Mental Health Concerns: A Community Priority Setting Activity in Alberta
Creators: name: Naqvi, Syeda Farwa
Publisher: name: Graduate Studies
Year: 2024
Subjects: subject: youth
subject: mental health
subject: immigration
subject: refugees
subject: Mental Health

description: Introduction/Background: Mental health concerns affect about one in five Canadian youth. Youth make up 19.2% of the Canadian population and according to Statistics Canada (2016), 37.5% of these Canadian youth belong to immigrant families. With an immigrant identity, the experience of displacement, trauma, stigma, and racism can be rampant within this community. Yet not many studies have been done about immigrant youth mental health and their needs. Methods: This study is a multi-step qualitative patient-oriented research project that identifies priorities of immigrant youth living with mental health concerns in Alberta, Canada. Young immigrants aged 15 to 25 years old living in the province of Alberta, were asked to complete an electronic survey with questions related to their mental health. Responses to the questions were thematically combined and then posed via focus groups to young immigrants to prioritize the top ten priorities using a modified James Lind Alliance approach. EDI and SGBA+ integration: To encompass the voices of as many immigrants’ youth in Alberta as possible, we reached out to urban and rural communities across the province. Due to the focus groups being virtual, we gave all participants an equitable platform which was not impeded by cost, travel, or time conflicts. The youth self-identified as immigrants, regardless of whether they were 2nd or 3rd generation immigrants. We included the immigrant youths’ opinions and experiences and provided them a platform to feel included and have them feel valued and heard. We had a diversity in age group, racial/ ethnic background, language, and mental health experiences. A few youth participants self-identified with a queer identity and we ensured that their distinct experiences were included and discussed. This entire study was conducted based on the notion to be inclusive to immigrant youth voices, garner mental health experiences with diverse participants, and have an equitable platform to reach out to this underserved cohort. Results and Analysis: Thirteen focus groups with urban and rural Albertans as well as after conducting a Nominal Group Technique, the most chosen questions ranked by the youth included: how MH can be improved, how MH affects education and job opportunities, stigma and how to deal with worsening MH challenges were prioritized. Conclusions and implications for policy, practice, or additional research: The outcome of this study will be beneficial for policy makers and health decision makers to understand what the mental health needs of immigrant youth are. By addressing the uncertainties, the Albertan healthcare system can create suitable resources and strategies to approach this underserved population. The results of this study can also foster more education on cultural competency and create specified mental health supports for immigrant youth.