Exploring the Dynamicity of Racialized/ Immigrant Community Health Literacy Needs (webinar recording)

This November 2024 Community-Based Research Canada presentation explored research that examines the multifaceted health literacy challenges faced by racialized and immigrant communities.

Background

Racialized and immigrant communities often encounter significant barriers to accessing, understanding, and utilizing health information due to range of personal, societal, and systemic factors. This work employs a community-based research approach, by actively involving community members to co-understand and co-create solutions that address these challenges.  

This research exemplifies community-based research by using participatory methods (and emancipatory approaches) to address the pressing societal issue of health disparities among racialized and immigrant populations. The project highlights the importance of engaging with different levels of community actors at every phase of the research process. By prioritizing the voices of those most affected by health literacy challenges, the research not only seeks to improve individual health outcomes but also aims to foster greater equity within healthcare systems. This presentation will showcase how these collaborative efforts have led to actionable insights and strategies that can be implemented in real-world settings to promote health equity and social justice.

Presenters

Dr. Turin Tanvir Chowdhury is the Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Department of Community Health Sciences in the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. His current research work includes equitable access to healthcare and reducing the unmet health needs faced by the newcomer communities in Canada. He leads his program of research through the approach of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) where Meaningful Community Engagement is at the core. This approach not only enhances the relevance and impact of his work but also embodies principles of social justice by actively involving marginalized communities in the research process. Incorporating elements of social accountability, Dr. Turin's work strives to elevate the perspectives of racialized and immigrant communities by ensuring their voices are integral to health research and policy development.  

Dr. Francis Boakye is the Executive Director of Action Dignity Society in Calgary. Prior to assuming this position, Francis was the Vice President for Strategy and Outreach at the Centre for Newcomers for 11 years and has nearly 20 years of experience in the settlement/service sector. In addition to his work in the sector, Francis is also a passionate instructor and has been engaged in teaching and teaching assignments at the Social Work Faculty since 2008. He was the Calgary research coordinator for the national research project on Racism, Violence and Health of Black men from 2005-2008. Francis has volunteered and continues to serve as a volunteer in many volunteer positions including serving as the co-chair of both the Calgary Anti-Racism Action Committee and co-chair of CLIP’s anti-racism action team. Other volunteer positions have included serving on several boards and committees locally and nationally. He is currently a Board member of the National Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC).