2025/06/21 by Thapa, Kalpana, Chowdhury, Mohammad, Bajgain, Bishnu +4
#Community Engagement #Ethnic Minority #Immigrant #Inclusive #Newcomer #Participatory #Power Informed #Racialized #Transdisciplinary #Visible Minority
paper · doi:10.11575/prism/49524
Background Extensive research concerning potential resolutions to immigrants' healthcare access in Canada is limited, and the viewpoint of immigrant communities regarding priorities and feasible solutions remains inadequately captured. The objective of this article is to portray a research endeavor in which grassroots community members assumed the role of priority-setters for research on primary care access concerns. Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to solicit input from Nepalese-Canadian immigrants in Calgary to rank ten predefined primary care access topics based on their perceived importance for research centered on solutions. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted where ranking options for the ten primary care access challenge themes were provided to the participants. The themes were identified based on comprehensive literature reviews conducted by the members of the program of research. The survey questionnaire was pilot-tested and refined by team members before administering it. Results: We received 401 responses; of the respondents, 50.37% were men. There were significant differences between males and females in age, educational attainment, yearly household income, and length of stay in Canada variables. Healthcare costs, lack of resources, workplace-related barriers, cultural differences/preferences/perceptions, and transportation barriers were among the top-ranked research priorities by the participants. Conclusion: There is a growing recognition that health solution priority-setting approaches should embrace interdisciplinarity and collaboration, with community participation as a pivotal factor. This involvement enhances the healthcare system and fosters the creation of interventions that more effectively cater to the community's needs.