Susitha Wanigaratne
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View article: Virtual Care Among Adults Facing Language Barriers
Virtual Care Among Adults Facing Language Barriers Open
Importance Patients with language barriers may experience difficulties accessing virtual care. Objectives To synthesize the literature on the association between language barriers and use of and satisfaction with virtual care among adult p…
View article: Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey
Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey Open
We examined the link between discrimination and self-rated mental health (SRMH) among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals, stratified according to an individual’s identification as racialized or white. Using data from Canada’s General…
View article: Examining Structural and Social Supports Offered to Resettled Refugees in 10 Host Countries – A Scoping Review Acknowledging Health in All Policies
Examining Structural and Social Supports Offered to Resettled Refugees in 10 Host Countries – A Scoping Review Acknowledging Health in All Policies Open
Purpose of Review Acknowledging health in all policies, this scoping review aims to describe and compare i) structural and social supports offered by countries participating in the United Nations refugee agency resettlement program and ii)…
View article: Morbidity among resettled refugees at arrival in Ontario, Canada (1994–2017): a controlled interrupted time series study examining the effect of the Immigration Refugee Protection Act, 2002
Morbidity among resettled refugees at arrival in Ontario, Canada (1994–2017): a controlled interrupted time series study examining the effect of the Immigration Refugee Protection Act, 2002 Open
Background Immigration inadmissibility on medical grounds is common among high-income countries. In Canada, the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) became law in 2002. With humanitarian protection as a priority, IRPA removed medica…
View article: The association of combinations of social factors and SARs-CoV-2 infection: A retrospective population-based cohort study in Ontario, 2020–2021
The association of combinations of social factors and SARs-CoV-2 infection: A retrospective population-based cohort study in Ontario, 2020–2021 Open
Our study found that SARS-CoV-2 positivity was greater among people with certain combinations of social factors, but in all cases the probability of testing positive was consistently greater for immigrants than for other Ontarians. Examini…
View article: Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey
Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey Open
We examined the link between discrimination and self-rated mental health (SRMH) among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals, stratified according to an individual’s identification as racialized or white. Using data from Canada’s General…
View article: Reported community engagement in health equity research published in high-impact medical journals: a scoping review
Reported community engagement in health equity research published in high-impact medical journals: a scoping review Open
Objective To assess reported community engagement in the design and conduct of health equity-focused articles published in high-impact journals. Design Scoping review follows guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reportin…
View article: COVID-19 hospitalization, mortality and premature mortality by a history of immigration in Ontario, Canada: a population-based cohort study
COVID-19 hospitalization, mortality and premature mortality by a history of immigration in Ontario, Canada: a population-based cohort study Open
Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Research Chairs Program.
View article: Asian-White disparities in obstetric anal sphincter injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Asian-White disparities in obstetric anal sphincter injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis Open
Obstetrical anal sphincter injury is more frequent among Asian versus white birthing individuals in multiple high-income, non-Asian countries. Qualitative and quantitative research to elucidate underlying causal mechanisms responsible for …
View article: COVID-19 vaccine equity: a retrospective population-based cohort study examining primary series and first booster coverage among persons with a history of immigration and other residents of Ontario, Canada
COVID-19 vaccine equity: a retrospective population-based cohort study examining primary series and first booster coverage among persons with a history of immigration and other residents of Ontario, Canada Open
Introduction Immigrants were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and experience unique vaccination barriers. In Canada (37 million people), 23% of the population is foreign-born. Immigrants constitute 60% of the country’s racialized (n…
View article: Asian-white disparities in obstetric anal sphincter injury: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Asian-white disparities in obstetric anal sphincter injury: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis Open
Background Obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) describes severe injury to the perineum and perineum and perianal muscles following birth and occurs in 4.4% to 6.0% of vaginal births in Canada. Studies from high-income countries have ide…
View article: Gender-based discrimination and son preference in Punjabi-Canadian families: a community-based participatory qualitative research study
Gender-based discrimination and son preference in Punjabi-Canadian families: a community-based participatory qualitative research study Open
Objectives To conduct a qualitative study, guided by the principles of community-based participatory research, with the following objectives: (1) to provide a conceptual framework describing the drivers of son preference; (2) to understand…
View article: COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada
COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada Open
Importance COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended for minors. Surveys indicate lower vaccine acceptance by some immigrant and refugee groups. Objective To identify characteristics in immigrant, refugee, and nonimmigrant minors associated wi…
View article: Primary health care utilization in the first year after arrival by refugee sponsorship model in Ontario, Canada: A population-based cohort study
Primary health care utilization in the first year after arrival by refugee sponsorship model in Ontario, Canada: A population-based cohort study Open
Background Canada’s approach to refugee resettlement includes government sponsorship, a pioneering private sponsorship model and a third blended approach. Refugees are selected and supported differently in each approach including healthcar…
View article: SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19–related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status: an analysis of population-based administrative data in British Columbia
SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19–related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status: an analysis of population-based administrative data in British Columbia Open
Objectives Having temporary immigration status affords limited rights, workplace protections, and access to services. There is not yet research data on impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with temporary immigration status in Canada…
View article: Health Care Use and System Costs Among Pediatric Refugees in Canada
Health Care Use and System Costs Among Pediatric Refugees in Canada Open
BACKGROUND Resettled refugees land in Canada through 3 sponsorship models with similar health insurance and financial supports but differences in how resettlement is facilitated. We examined whether health system utilization, costs, and ag…
View article: Engaging im/migrant communities in cross-sectoral health and immigration data linkage research.
Engaging im/migrant communities in cross-sectoral health and immigration data linkage research. Open
ObjectivesWe aim to respond to health care barriers experienced by immigrant and migrant (im/migrant) communities through community-engaged research using population-based multi-sectoral linked health and immigration data, alongside qualit…
View article: SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status in British Columbia: Cross-sectional analysis of population-based administrative data
SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status in British Columbia: Cross-sectional analysis of population-based administrative data Open
Background Having temporary immigration status affords limited rights, workplace protections, and access to services. There is not yet research data on impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for people with temporary immigration status in Canada…
View article: The social determinants of health as predictors of adherence to public health preventive measures among parents and young children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal cohort study
The social determinants of health as predictors of adherence to public health preventive measures among parents and young children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal cohort study Open
View article: Linking National Immigration Data to Provincial Repositories: The case of Canada
Linking National Immigration Data to Provincial Repositories: The case of Canada Open
BackgroundCanadian health data repositories link datasets at the provincial level, based on their residents’ registrations to provincial health insurance plans. Linking national datasets with provincial health care registries poses several…
View article: COVID-19 Economic Response and Recovery: A Rapid Scoping Review
COVID-19 Economic Response and Recovery: A Rapid Scoping Review Open
This rapid scoping review of existing evidence and research gaps addressed the following question: what research evidence exists and what are the research gaps at global, regional, and national levels on interventions to protect jobs, smal…
View article: Association Between Chronic Medical Conditions and Acute Perinatal Psychiatric Health-Care Encounters Among Migrants: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Association Between Chronic Medical Conditions and Acute Perinatal Psychiatric Health-Care Encounters Among Migrants: A Population-Based Cohort Study Open
Objectives: To examine the relationship between prepregnancy chronic medical conditions (CMCs) and the risk of acute perinatal psychiatric health-care encounters (i.e., psychiatric emergency department visits, hospitalizations) among refug…
View article: Induced abortion according to immigrants’ birthplace: a population-based cohort study
Induced abortion according to immigrants’ birthplace: a population-based cohort study Open
View article: Commentary in response to ‘characterising the risk of homicide in a population-based cohort’ (O’Neill <i>et al</i>, 2019)
Commentary in response to ‘characterising the risk of homicide in a population-based cohort’ (O’Neill <i>et al</i>, 2019) Open
We are social epidemiologists and community advocates focused on addressing social determinants of health inequities. While we appreciate O’Neill et al ’s effort to link multiple provincial-level administrative data sets to examine homicid…
View article: Health outcomes related to the provision of free, tangible goods: A systematic review
Health outcomes related to the provision of free, tangible goods: A systematic review Open
The results of this systematic review provide evidence that free goods can improve health outcomes in certain circumstances, although there were important gaps and limitations in the existing literature.
View article: Sex ratios at birth among second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population-based cohort study
Sex ratios at birth among second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population-based cohort study Open
Background Son-biased sex ratios at birth (M:F), an extreme manifestation of son preference, are predominately found in East and South Asia. Studies have examined sex ratios among first-generation migrants from these regions, but few have …
View article: Interventions to reduce adverse health outcomes resulting from manifestations of gender bias amongst immigrant populations: a scoping review
Interventions to reduce adverse health outcomes resulting from manifestations of gender bias amongst immigrant populations: a scoping review Open
Future research and practice to address gender bias among immigrants may benefit from expanding on ethnic diversity, designing and reporting evaluations, addressing the context of gender inequities, tailoring to local community needs, and …
View article: 2.4-O2Do son-biased sex ratios at birth persist among second generation South Asian women in Ontario, Canada?
2.4-O2Do son-biased sex ratios at birth persist among second generation South Asian women in Ontario, Canada? Open
View article: Refugee maternal and perinatal health in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population-based study
Refugee maternal and perinatal health in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population-based study Open
Objectives Immigrants are thought to be healthier than their native-born counterparts, but less is known about the health of refugees or forced migrants. Previous studies often equate refugee status with immigration status or country of bi…
View article: Postdiagnosis Isoflavone and Lignan Intake in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients: Cross-Sectional Survey Shows Considerable Intake from Previously Unassessed High-Lignan Foods
Postdiagnosis Isoflavone and Lignan Intake in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients: Cross-Sectional Survey Shows Considerable Intake from Previously Unassessed High-Lignan Foods Open
Postdiagnosis lignan intakes from 3 high-content foods may be considerable among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, yet they have been unassessed in previous prognostic studies. The inclusion of these foods in dietary assessment metho…