Bukola Salami

• RN, MN, PhD
• Professor (Assistant) at University of Alberta

Background Cancer inequities such as late access to cancer screening and diagnosis affect people of African and Latin American descent in Canada. These inequities in addition to experiences of racism and discrimination and unequal living and working conditions are detrimental to their wellness. We aim to delineate together with people of African an...

The use of digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic advanced service delivery from in-person to virtual. This qualitative study, conducted with 20 service providers in settlement and social service agencies supporting immigrant communities in Edmonton, Alberta, uncovered significant findings. The study revealed that technology disparities ma...

Black Canadians frequently experience significant challenges when attempting to access mental health care, resulting in discrepancies in mental health outcomes. This article describes a scoping review that aimed to understand the range and nature of research conducted on the mental health of black Canadians and to identify the gaps in this literatu...

Although race is socially constructed, racism and racialization are social determinants of health. Over four centuries of colonial genocide and structural violence against Indigenous and Black peoples in Canada have resulted in intergeneration traumas and health disparities among Indigenous and Black people, sustained by ongoing social, political,...

Background The evolving impact of climate change on adolescents' health is a pressing global concern. Climate change's effects on their physical, mental, and social well‐being worsen unique developmental challenges for adolescents. This study aims to map existing evidence, identify gaps, and highlight research and intervention needs. Methods Follo...

Alberta is home to one of Canada’s fastest growing populations of Black people, driven by an influx of African immigrants to major metropolitan areas such as Edmonton and Calgary. As the Black population in Alberta continues to grow, it is crucial to the well-being of these communities that we understand their health service needs. Black women are...

Immigrant adolescents in Canada face challenges accessing accurate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. Many challenges stem from taboos associated with SRH, cultural and religious restrictions, and social beliefs regarding the unnecessity of SRH education for adolescents. We explored the SRH experiences of immigrant adole...

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an age-long issue plaguing societies all over the globe. Over the years, GBV perpetrated against women has been justified and legitimized by patriarchal and hegemonic masculine structures. This study explored the role of hegemonic masculinities and transnational cultural conflicts in creating a suitable environment fo...

Background Black people are disproportionately affected by structural and social determinants of health, resulting in greater risks of exposure to and deaths from COVID-19. Structural and social determinants of health feed vaccine hesitancy and worsen health disparities. Objective This scoping review explored interventions that have been employed...

Introduction The transition from pediatric to adult healthcare is challenging for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with pediatric-onset chronic health conditions. Although barriers faced by AYA during transition are well-documented, previous studies have not considered how migration and settlement impact patient and family experiences. Objective...

Background Despite improved survival of extreme preterm infants (<29 weeks’ gestation), neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) remains high. Certain sociodemographic characteristics (SDC) and limited family resources are known to adversely affect children health and development, particularly those born preterm. There is a dearth of recent data from la...

Canada’s Black population has more than doubled over the last two decades, with the fastest growth occurring in the Prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Despite a growing interest in Black health research in Canada, there is still limited knowledge on culturally responsive approaches to collecting, analyzing, and reporting heal...

Background Resilience has gained considerable attention in the mental health field as a protective factor that enables individuals to overcome mental health issues and achieve positive outcomes. A better understanding of resilience among Black youth is important for supporting the strengths and capacities within this population. This study seeks to...

Climate change poses unique challenges to maternal well-being and increases complications during pregnancy and childbirth globally. This evidence gap map (EGM) aims to identify gaps in existing knowledge and areas where further research related to climate change and its impact on maternal health is required. The following databases were searched in...

The return of a migrant partner can negatively impact the sexual health of women who stayed in their communities. Understanding their sexual health needs is crucial for developing targeted interventions and support systems. Our study used a critical ethnographic approach in Agua Dulce, a rural community in Mexico, involving 50 key informants: women...

This article presents the development of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Accessibility (EDIA) Cross-Cutting Theme Project within the Team Primary Care (TPC) initiative, aimed at addressing systemic inequities through innovative educational strategies. Grounded in the social accountability of health professions framework, this project aims t...

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an age-long issue plaguing societies all over the globe. Over the years, GBV perpetrated against women has been justified and legitimized by patriarchal and hegemonic masculine structures. This study explored the role of hegemonic masculinities and transnational cultural conflicts in creating a suitable environment fo...

Child health inequities persist in Canada, particularly among sovereignty-deserving First Nations, Métis and Inuit groups and equity-deserving communities. We argue for a fundamental shift in research to remedy these inequities, via an intersectional lens that highlights how social identities and systems of power contribute to disparities. Specific...

COVID-19 policies like stay-at-home orders impacted intimate partner violence (IPV) service provision in Alberta. Using intersectionality and qualitative semi-structured interviews, this article situates IPV and access to services and supports within multiple overlapping factors such as race, gender, class, and ethnic minority status. Two main them...

Background: The intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with systemic anti-Black racism in the form of police violence and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement has created an especially critical juncture to examine the mental health of Black youth. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the intersecting impacts of anti-Black ra...

Objective A conceptual model was designed and tested to predict immigrant children's oral health in Canada by examining parental acculturation and perceived social support (PSS) using structural equation modelling. Methods A convenience sample of first‐generation immigrant parents and their children aged 2–12 years were recruited by multilingual c...

Non-profit work plays a vital role in connecting policy and community, as well as providing essential services in Canada. However, evidence suggests that despite being often engaged in equity seeking work, many non-profit organizations remain sites of inequity and marginalization among service provider staff. In this qualitative study, researchers...

Background: Children’s nutrition in Africa, especially among those displaced by conflicts, is a critical global health concern. Adequate nutrition is pivotal for children’s well-being and development, yet those affected by displacement confront distinctive challenges. This scoping review seeks to enhance our current knowledge, filling gaps in under...

Introduction La pandémie de COVID-19 a exacerbé les iniquités partout dans le monde. Selon les travaux de recherche menés au Canada, les populations noires ont été démesurément exposées à la COVID-19 et ont donc risqué davantage que les autres groupes ethnoraciaux d’être infectées et hospitalisées. L’examen de la portée dont fait état cet article v...

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated health inequities worldwide. Research conducted in Canada shows that Black populations were disproportionately exposed to COVID-19 and more likely than other ethnoracial groups to be infected and hospitalized. This scoping review sought to map out the nature and extent of current research on COVID-19 a...

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020 and became a global health crisis with devastating impacts. This scoping review maps the key findings of research about the pandemic that has operationalized intersectional research methods around the world. It also tracks how these studies have engaged with methodological tenets of oppression, comp...

The use of digital technology during the COVID-19 pandemic advanced service delivery from in-person to virtual. This qualitative study, conducted with 20 service providers in settlement and social service agencies supporting immigrant communities in Edmonton, Alberta, uncovered significant findings.

Objectives: COVID-19 vaccine mandates increased vaccination rates globally. Implemented as a one-size-fits-all policy, these mandates have unintended harmful consequences for many, including Black Canadians. This article reports findings on the interconnectedness of vaccine mandates and vaccine hesitancy by describing a range of responses to mandat...

In this study, we applied an intersectional framework to explore service providers’ perspectives on the mental health needs of newcomer young men. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 26 service providers in Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver, Canada. Findings show that service providers made sense of young men’s mental health needs and serv...

This article examines the reunification experiences and gender dynamics of reunited Mexican couples post-migration, and the intersections that shape those experiences. In 2021, we conducted a critical ethnographic study guided by intersectionality theory in Veracruz, Mexico. We interviewed women who stayed behind (n = 20), return migrants (n = 12),...

Purpose: To identify factors affecting emergency department (ED) use by immigrant and refugee children under the age of 18 years in North America and Europe, where similar primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare structures exist. Methods: A narrative review methodology was used to complete a search of three databases including CINAHL, MEDLINE,...

Services and resources for migrants returning to Mexico are necessary to ease their transition and “re-integration” into home communities. Policies that do not have a holistic approach can result in serious implications for the social, political, cultural, and health of returnees, receiving families, and communities. This research critically analys...

Background: Black Canadians experience poor health care, poor health outcomes, and a greater burden of health inequalities, much of which is rooted in the unequal distribution of social determinants of health. Despite Canada's emphasis on social inclusion, Canada's Black population faces substantial social inequities that affect their health and w...

Background: Black Canadians are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the literature suggests that online disinformation and misinformation contribute to higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccine hesitancy in Black communities in Canada. Through stakeholder interviews, we sought to describe the nature of COVID-19 online...

Migrants' access and effective utilisation of settlement services depend on their level of settlement service literacy (SSL). However, SSL is multi-dimensional in nature and has many facets that are influenced by demographic and migration-related factors. Identifying factors that drive various components of SSL, and thus allowing for more focused d...

Black youths experience poor mental health especially due to anti-Black racism. Research related to Black youths have been conducted on Black youths with little or no participation or engagement rather than with Black youths. This paper presents information from a dialogue on decolonizing nursing research. I draw on interviews and conversation cafe...

Natural disasters affect the health and well-being of mothers with young children. During natural disasters, this population is at risk of discontinuation of their breastfeeding practices. Pakistan is a middle-income country that is susceptible to natural disasters. This study intended to examine sociocultural factors that shape the breastfeeding e...

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in differential impacts on the Black communities in Canada and has unmasked existing race-related health inequities. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black people in Canada. Historically, social inequalities have determined the impacts of pandemics on the populati...

BACKGROUND Canada is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse countries with over seven million individuals out of a population of 38 million being foreign-born. Immigrant adolescents (aged 10-19) make up a substantial proportion of newcomers to Canada. Religious and cultural practices can influence adolescents’ sexual attitudes and behaviours, a...

Background: Canada is one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries, with over 7 million individuals out of a population of 38 million being born in a foreign country. Immigrant adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) make up a substantial proportion of newcomers to Canada. Religious and cultural practices can influence adolescents' sexual attitu...

Introduction: Climate change exacerbates existing sociopolitical and economic vulnerabilities, undermining livelihoods, inflating the risk of conflict, and making it difficult for people to remain stable. In 2019, around 25 million new displacements occurred due to natural disasters. This review aims to summarize the existing evidence regarding th...

In this article, we explore temporary foreign workers’ (TFWs) access to and experiences with formal and informal supports in Canada. Our study utilized a participatory action research design and four overlapping phases of data collection: individual interviews with current and former TFWs, focus groups, individual interviews with settlement service...

Background: Black people are a growing population in Canada, but limited data are available on the factors that contribute to the mental health of Black youth in Canada. We sought to explore the factors that contribute to the mental health of Black youth in Alberta, Canada. Methods: Using a youth-led participatory action research approach and an...

Given the growing body of evidence on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black populations, the aim of this systematic review was to identify the interventions and strategies used to improve COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake among Black populations globally. To identify relevant studies, we conducted a systematic review of the literature based o...

BACKGROUND Black Canadians experience poor healthcare, poor health outcomes, and a greater burden of health inequalities, much of which is rooted in unequal distribution of the social determinants of health. Despite Canada's emphasis on social inclusion, Canada's Black population faces significant social inequities that affect their health and well...

Background Sickle cell disease is an inherited chronic hematological disorder with an average lifespan of fifty years. The human cost of sickle cell disease includes missed school days, occupational opportunities, social isolation, stigmatization, and psychological sequelae. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only curative therapy avai...

Background: Mis/disinformation has reached an epidemic level with the COVID-19 virus and can be largely attributed to the growing digitalization of information and its rapid transmission via social media. Approximately 96% of Canadians and 80% of Americans report encountering COVID-19 dis/misinformation on at least one social media site/app. COVID...

African immigrants are increasingly migrating to high-income countries, including Canada, in search of a better life. These immigrants often face several challenges, such as keeping healthy ties with their extended families back home and in a new socio-cultural context. We present findings from a participatory action research (PAR) study of Sub-Sah...

This study examined the associations between immigrant parents' perceived social support (PSS) and their children's oral health behaviors (OHB) and caries experience. We recruited immigrant parents and children aged 2-12 years. Data were collected on the sociodemographic and OHB information of the children. The parents' total PSS score and its dime...

Background Literature suggests that immigrant adolescents receive limited sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and rarely utilize SRH services in Canada. This study sought to explore the SRH information needs of immigrant adolescents in the province of Alberta.MethodsA qualitative descriptive methodology was undertaken to conduct 21 indiv...

Available evidence in Canada suggests mental health disparities between immigrant and non-immigrant children, with children born to immigrants facing a greater risk of poor mental health outcomes. However, these comparisons often mask important ethno-racial differences in mental health risks and outcomes among immigrant populations. Recent evidence...

Introduction Understanding the health of immigrant children from birth to 18 years of age is important given the significance of the early childhood years and complexity of factors that may influence the health status of immigrant populations. Thus, the purpose of this review was to understand the extent and nature of the literature on the health o...

In this qualitative study, researchers conducted interviews with 11 participants who had entered Canada through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and who had since loss status. To understand the lived experiences of participants, this article deploys a theoretical framework of transnationalism centring the concept of precarious status. Findings...

African immigrant children experience some of the poorest mental health outcomes in Canada, yet limited research has systematically mental health determinants among this growing demographic. Our participatory action research project (PAR) explored, from the perspectives of parents, the factors influencing the mental health of African immigrant chil...

The past several decades have been marked by an increasing occurrence of climate events worldwide, and consequentially, there has been growing study of the health impacts in exposed populations. While a plethora of studies have investigated the impact of climate change on health or migration, there is a smaller body of literature where these three...

Problem Africa is the largest source continent of refugee children. However, we found no published synthesis of the literature on the health of African refugee children outside Africa. Conducting a review of the literature on this particular population will help illuminate the particular contextual health issues faced by African child refugees who...

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the associations between parental acculturation level and strategies and children's caries experience and oral health (OH) behaviors. Methods: Participants were immigrant parents of children aged 2-12 years. Data were collected by validated questionnaires gathering information on socio-demo...

Introduction Cette étude vise à examiner les obstacles qui limite l’accès et le recours des jeunes Noirs aux services en santé mentale en Alberta. Méthodologie Pour comprendre l’accès aux soins de santé des jeunes Noirs en Alberta, tant ceux qui sont nés au Canada que ceux qui y ont immigré, nous avons utilisé une méthodologie de recherche action...

Introduction The objective of this study was to examine the barriers that influence access to and use of mental health services by Black youths in Alberta. Methods We used a youth-led participatory action research (PAR) methodology within a youth empowerment model situated within intersectionality theory to understand access to health care for bot...

Newcomers to Canada experience resettlement challenges that affect their mental well-being. Guided by an intersectionality theoretical framework, we sought the perspectives of immigrant service agencies on factors influencing immigrants’ mental health in Alberta, Canada. Data were collected by means of qualitative interviews and focus groups with i...

Data on immigrant access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Canada typically focus on adult populations generally but not adolescents specifically. To fill this gap, this study explored South Asian immigrant adolescents’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators for SRH care and services in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In this qualita...

The health of migrant children is a pressing issue. While most African migration takes place within Africa, a significant number of African migrants travel to outside of the continent. This article reports findings from a scoping review on the health of African immigrant children from sub-Saharan Africa now living outside of Africa. A systematic se...

Despite the large number of immigrant adolescents in Canada, research on their knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and information needs is nearly nonexistent. A scoping review was undertaken following the PRISMA-ScR statement to identify and assess the existing literature regarding SRHR needs of immigrant adolescents in C...

Purpose Studies on immigrant populations' access to healthcare in Canada tend to focus on adults and usually concentrate on specific ethnic groups, particularly South Asians and Chinese. This study sought to present the experiences of immigrant parents when they access health services for their children focusing specifically on the various sources...

Plain language summary Child migration is increasingly becoming a common feature of many African countries as children migrate within and away from their countries of origin in search of better livelihoods due to widespread poverty, instability and rapid urbanisation. Many of the migrating children have little or no education and limited employable...

Abstract: Migration is a growing phenomenon around the world, including within the African continent. Many migrants, especially African children, face challenges related to health and social inclusion and can face increased health risks. A systematic scoping review of available literature on the health of African migrant children across the globe w...

Approach: Meleis' Transitions Theory can help us to understand the transition experiences of women left behind while their partners migrate across international borders. Development: This article develops a theoretical foundation for research examining the transition experiences of left-behind women in the context of migration. An analysis and eval...

Domestic violence (DV) experienced by immigrant women is a public health concern. In collaboration with a community agency, researchers undertook a retrospective review of 1,763 client files from 2006–2014. The three aims were to document the incidence of DV, service needs associated with DV, and identification of risk factors associated with DV in...

This paper provides insights into the little‐explored gendered perspective of the parenting practices of Somali immigrant mothers in a Canadian province (Alberta). We use a critical ethnographic methodology and a transnational feminist framework. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with ten Somali mothers aged 18 to 50. Mothers were interview...

Despite the recent increase in Sub-Saharan African newcomers to Canada, little is known about their experiences, specifically the challenges they face rebuilding their lives and the strategies they adopt to tackle these challenges. This scoping review of 48 articles provides a critical basis for further research on Sub-Saharan African international...

Background: During disasters and displacement, affected families often receive humanitarian aid from governmental and nongovernmental organizations and donor agencies. Little information is available on the effects of humanitarian aid on the breastfeeding practices of mothers affected by disaster and displacement. Aims: The aim of this study was t...

Health and health service access for women displaced by terrorism from Northeast Nigeria is a serious problem. Existing government and humanitarian initiatives in Northeast Nigeria focus on food, security, housing, water and sanitation to the neglect of health access needs, especially access to reproductive health. With no policy in place and very...

Background Internally displaced children are those who have been forced to flee their homes due to severe unfavourable conditions (war, violence or disasters) but have not crossed international borders. Emerging research shows these children face multiple health challenges. However, we found no review focused solely on the health of such internally...

In this paper, we utilised a critical discourse analysis methodology to highlight the discursive representation of African immigrant parenting in Canadian newspapers. We explored unquestioned ideologies and assumptions about African immigrant families and their parenting practices. We analysed 37 newspaper articles, after screening 635 records retr...

This paper draws on fieldwork at three camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Northeast Nigeria. It interrogates the pre-displacement experiences of participants, their transition to and experiences of internal displacement, vignettes of life at IDP camps, their relationship with host communities, the non-universality of experiences of se...

Introduction: Despite the research on left-behind children, less is known about left-behind women across transnational spaces. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the extent, range, and nature of the existing body of literature on left-behind women whose partners have migrated across borders. Method: This scoping review was guided by t...

Introduction: Despite the research on left-behind children, less is known about left-behind women across transnational spaces. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the extent, range, and nature of the existing body of literature on left-behind women whose partners have migrated across borders. Method: This scoping review was guided by t...

Objective To examine the factors that influence parent–child relationships in African immigrant families in Alberta, Canada. Background African immigrants are increasingly migrating to high‐income countries, including Canada, in search of a better life. These immigrants often face several challenges, including parenting their children in new socio...

Physical activity is essential for healthy aging; however, there has been little exploration of physical activity in Muslim older immigrants in Canada. Over one million Canadians identify as Muslim, the majority is first-generation immigrants, with increasing cohorts entering older age. A community-based participatory research project on healthy ag...

Immigrants experience poorer health outcomes than nonimmigrants in Canada for several reasons. A central contributing factor to poor health outcomes for immigrants is access to healthcare. Previous research on access to healthcare for immigrants has largely focused on the experience of immigrant adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate...

The provision of adequate health care services to immigrants continues to be an issue in many countries. The objective of this scoping review is to examine the extent, range, nature, and characteristics of the literature for the nurse practitioner (NP) role in immigrant health. A search of 5 databases was completed, yielding 440 studies. After revi...

Background: The migration of Caribbean nurses, particularly to developed countries such as Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, remains a matter of concern for most countries of the region. With nursing vacancy rates averaging 40%, individual countries and the region collectively are challenged to address this issue through the devel...

Migrant precariousness is a growing global trend that calls for effective policies to attend to the rights and well-being of migrant workers in destination countries. The experience of migrant workers is highly structured by the policies and systems in destination countries. In Canada, policy changes have affected the experiences of migrants. We so...

Armed conflict and internal displacement of persons create new health challenges for women in Africa. To outline the research literature on this population, we conducted a review of studies exploring the health of internally displaced persons (IDP) women in Africa. In collaboration with a health research librarian and a review team, a search strate...

Introduction: Data on immigrant and refugees’ access to services in Canada typically focus on adult populations generally but not children specifically. To fill this gap, this study explored immigrant and refugee mothers’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators for mental health care for their children in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Method: In this...

Background and objectives: This study explores the aging experiences and needs of immigrant Muslim communities in an urban center in Alberta, Canada. Over one million Muslims live in Canada, with the majority being immigrants and visible minorities. Aging-focused policies and services have yet to address the needs of this population as larger coho...

African immigrant children and youth have some of the poorest social and mental health outcomes in Canada. Although parenting challenges have been widely documented as a key driver of these outcomes, limited systematic research has investigated this phenomenon. In this paper, we report the results of a study examining parenting challenges among a s...

Calls to enhance the health of migrant population sub-groups are strengthening, with increasing evidence documenting the relationship between migration and health outcomes. Despite the importance of migration to global health promotion, little research has focused on the health experiences of young migrants. As part of a Worldwide University Networ...

The increase in global migration means more immigrants are ageing in host countries with unique experiences and needs. Muslim immigrants in Canada are from diverse ethnocultural communities and experience unmet health and social needs in older age. A community‐based participatory research project was conducted in Alberta, Canada, in 2017–2018 to un...

Objective Adaptation to social life changes after migration may be beneficial or detrimental to migrants’ oral health outcomes and related behaviors. This systematic review aims to synthesize the scientific literature on the impact of social support on immigrants’ and ethnic minorities’ oral health status and/or behaviors. Methods A comprehensive...