Abstract: This report presents findings from the Hamilton Immigrant Survey 2023, where close to 700 immigrants shared their experiences with housing, income, employment, sense of belonging, service usage and provided immigrant-led recommendations. In this survey, immigrant refers to anyone who was born outside Canada and lives, works, or studies in Hamilton. This includes economic class immigrants, family-sponsored immigrants, refugees, international students, refugee claimants, temporary foreign workers, and recent Ukrainian arrivals. Findings from this survey provide a snapshot of how immigrants are faring in various aspects of life, as perceived by immigrants themselves and — for some questions — shared in their own words. The survey also reveals how these differ according to markers such as immigration category and status, length of time in Canada, racialized status, and gender. This report aims to contribute to our understanding of the experiences, strengths, challenges and contributions of various groups of immigrants in Hamilton in order to guide future actions to improve the settlement experiences of newcomers and immigrants.

The Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) is working with students through CityLAB to further explore immigrant experiences with belonging. A summary report will be available in early Spring. HIPC is open to collaborations with community partners and encourages using the Immigrant Survey as a resource to inform collective action locally.

Learn more here and read the report here.

Abstract: This interdisciplinary study aims to engage marginalized communities in discourse surrounding loss, coping mechanisms, and help-seeking behaviors catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By delving into these discussions, the project seeks to inform the development of public health policies addressing the pandemic’s aftermath and contribute to the realization of transformative changes outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This endeavor aligns with McMaster University’s commitment to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The study objectives encompass shedding light on how South Asian and Black communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) perceive and experience loss in the context of race, ethnicity, gender, health, age, and religion/spirituality. Additionally, the research aims to explore coping strategies employed by these communities in response to the pandemic-induced losses and identify barriers hindering their access to essential health and mental health services. Utilizing diverse knowledge mobilization approaches, the study endeavors to provide platforms for these racialized communities to share their narratives and expertise, thereby fostering empowerment and advocacy for improved community-level resources and services rooted in an understanding of differential COVID impacts and equitable health promotion practices.

Find more here.

Abstract: The Community Research Platform (CRP) is a partnership between the Faculty of Social Sciences and five community organizations (i.e. Canadian Mental Health Association Hamilton, Centre [3] for Artistic and Social Practice, Hamilton Public Library, John Howard Society of Ontario and YWCA Hamilton).

As a McMaster Core Research Platform, we are dedicated to building shared infrastructure to foster collaborative research that advances societal health and well-being. We strive to:

• Increase the research capacity of all stakeholders
• Support the research needs and aspirations of partner organizations
• Advance interdisciplinary and intersectoral social impact research
• Provide Community-Engaged Research training and professional networking for students
• Increase capacity to secure academic, community and government grant funding

Learn more about the CRP here.

Affiliated Projects:

• The Dynamic Model of Evaluation for Means Safety Training (CMHA)
• The Public Library in the Life of the Community: Understanding Social Workers’ roles in Hamilton Public Library (HPL)
• Centre [4] Art & Research (Centre [3] for Artistic and Social Practice)
• Responding to Pregnancy, Infant Apprehension and Homelessness: Building Community Capacity for Adequate Housing and Support Through YWCA Hamilton (YWCA)

Abstract: The Adult Basic Education Association (ABEA) is the adult learning network in Hamilton, Ontario. They offer educational pathway planning to help adults reach their educational goals. As Research Shop associates, we worked with ABEA to understand what challenges and barriers apprentices face throughout their training journey. We conducted a focus group with key informants to identify potential challenges and barriers (which helped us develop our interview guide), and then we conducted in-depth interviews with current apprentices. We identified multiple challenges and barriers that exist at different points throughout apprenticeship training, including finances, transportation, social relationships, self-doubt, learning differences, navigating through training, and securing a sponsor. Our community partner (ABEA) was highly engaged in all stages of the research process, including co-facilitating interviews, recruiting participants, and preparing the technical report.

Learn more here.

Abstract: Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) are an essential part of Ontario’s education industry and play a crucial role in shaping our future workforce. The Government of Ontario estimates the province will face a shortage of 8,500 ECEs by 2026. Workforce Planning Hamilton (WPH) is working with McMaster Research Shop to understand issues with recruiting and retaining ECEs in Hamilton. This project is being conducted in 2 phases. Phase 1 consists of a literature review and key informant interviews to identify potential challenges of ECE recruitment and retention. Phase 2 involves conducting an online survey of ECEs in Hamilton to estimate the prevalence of these challenges. Preliminary data emerging from Phase 1 indicate that ECEs enjoy participating in the early development of children and celebrating their accomplishments; however, insufficient compensation, high workload, irregular work schedules, limited or undefined career progression, and lack of public and professional recognition pose significant challenges for ECEs in the area.

Learn more here.

Abstract:  Based on observations, Filipinos are an underrepresented demographic in post-secondary education. The McMaster Research Shop partnered with the Filipinas of HamOnt to better understand this issue.

We conducted a literature review to gather information on the rates/proportions of post-secondary attendance among people of Filipino descent in Canada and reasons that may explain these trends.

We found that Filipinos are underrepresented in universities and experience lower intergenerational educational mobility compared to other visible minorities. Gender and age at immigration were important factors. We present reasons for Filipinos’ lower post-secondary attainment in an adapted ecological systems model. Filipino youth are less engaged in school, experience pressures due to their parents’ de-professionalization, and lack confidence to pursue careers that would require post-secondary education. Barriers within the educational system include streaming practices, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, devaluation of prior academic credentials, and lack of cultural representation in curriculums. Broader immigration and labour policies, labour market structures, and lack of representation in societal roles were also barriers.

Our findings highlight the need for policies and programs to support Filipino youth. The Filipinas of HamOnt will use our findings to inform programming that helps Filipino youth achieve their post-secondary educational goals.

Learn more here.

Abstract: The McMaster Research Shop partnered with the Youth Alliance for Intersectional Justice (YAIJ) to explore services available for autistic adults during their cancer journeys. While developmentally appropriate services are often prioritized for children, there is a significant gap in understanding how the specific needs of autistic adults are addressed within oncology care.

Primary research question: What are the developmental oncology services available, if any, to autistic adults with and without intellectual disabilities?

Our sub-research questions focus on:

1. healthcare service challenges and needs unique to autistic adults and cancer patients,
2. existing policies/legislation/guidelines for cancer care and systems navigation for adults with developmental and/or intellectual challenges, and
3. cancer care and systems navigation services and supports available to autistic adults in the Hamilton/Burlington area.

We conducted a literature review and environmental scan to understand what is already known about the unique healthcare needs of autistic adults, as well as to identify existing policies and programs. We will interview local service providers to gain further insights.

We will present our findings in a plain language report to inform YAIJ’s advocacy work. Our research may also inform future research and program development on developmental oncology services.

Learn more here.

Abstract: Middle-aged men are more likely to die by suicide than any other demographic, prompting initiatives to improve their mental health. The Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton (SPCCH) collaborated with McMaster Research Shop to investigate effective men’s mental health programs. Phase 1 involved interviews with experts revealing a gender paradox: men are underdiagnosed yet have higher suicide rates. Man-to-man relationships were highlighted as crucial for improving mental health, particularly in activity-based settings. Phase 2 interviews with mental health initiatives revealed successful strategies: amplifying lived experiences, activity-based programs, intentional language, and advocacy efforts. Challenges included funding, measuring success, and participant retention. Several initiatives were assessed: Men’s Sheds, Buddy Up, Tough Enough To Talk About It, and Love Letter to Men. Each has strengths and limitations. Men’s Sheds offer activities but require financial resources. Buddy Up provides flexibility, Tough Enough To Talk About It targets industry workers, and Love Letter to Men encourages dialogue but does not directly foster social connection. SPCCH must tailor its initiative to Hamilton’s population, which includes identifying a target population and consideration of budget and funding constraints.

Learn more here.

Abstract: Children’s art can provide insight into developmental stages, emotional expression, cultural contexts, educational significance, and historical documentation. Unfortunately, children’s artwork has often been undervalued. The Children’s Design International Collection (CDIC) is interested in the collection and preservation of children’s artwork, seeking to understand the motivations and methods involved. They aim to collect any child-created pieces of significance, not just those perceived as high-quality. Currently, CDIC contributors typically have artistic backgrounds, but they seek to broaden their contributor base. CDIC has collaborated with the McMaster Research Shop to better understand the determinants of preserving or not preserving children’s art. In Phase 1, online interviews will be conducted with parents, grandparents, and guardians to understand the determinants, motivations, and barriers to the preservation of children’s art. The interviews will provide an in-depth understanding and uncover potential determinants that otherwise would have been missed. In Phase 2, an online survey will be completed by a larger population of parents, grandparents, and guardians. The findings from Phase 1 will inform the questions and response options in the Phase 2 survey. The findings of the interviews and survey will facilitate the development of strategies to increase submissions of children’s artwork to the CDIC’s collection.

Learn more here.

Learn more here.

Abstract: SRHR Hubs is a youth-led grassroots organization that advocates for and advances SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights). The SRHR grassroots sphere in Canada is often overlooked by government and other funding agencies. Grassroots organizations face a variety of challenges including difficulty securing funding sources that speak to their needs and political backlash due to stigma surrounding issues involving sexual health. The aim of this project is to elucidate barriers to SRHR work experienced by individuals and organizations and to better understand the nuances of their experiences. This study will include virtual semi-structured interviews with eligible participants and an optional demographics survey. The interviews will aim to develop an understanding of the SRHR grassroots experience, and the demographic data will be used to develop an understanding of how the SRHR grassroots experience may be related to specific identities and experiences. Participants will be recruited via snowball sampling and will include individuals aged 18 and older who are involved in the grassroots SRHR sphere. The findings of this study will be used to create a deliverable that will help to inform what can be changed or implemented to overcome existing social, political, and economic barriers to SRHR grassroots work.

Learn more here.

Abstract: The aging population in Canada has resulted in more than 5.6 million employees, or 35% of the workforce simultaneously managing adult/elder care responsibilities. Lack of workplace support can result in caregiver-employees leaving the workforce, taking early retirements, and/or missing workdays – all of which reduce productivity and cause avoidable costs to employers. Recognizing that the aging demographic will affect all workplaces, it is incumbent upon workplaces to implement gender sensitive caregiver-friendly workplace practices, such as the implementation of the newly unveiled CSA B701-17 Carer-inclusive and accommodating organizations Standard. In doing so, workplaces have the potential to enhance work-life balance, retention, autonomy and reduce health insurance costs. In partnership with academic researchers and organizational partners, the scaling up of the Standard, which is a gender-sensitive, accessible guide for employers, human resource professionals, and a wide variety of workplaces, will scale up the Standard and the many associated tools, while conducting intervention testing and economic evaluation research in specific workplaces. Simultaneously we disseminate knowledge through creating and mobilizing implementation tools for the Standard. In so doing, we will not only best capture variation across workplace sectors, but also provide the evidence-based research for scale-up of the CFWP across the country.

Learn more here.

Abstract: The McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA) supports interdisciplinary, impact focused research on aging. MIRA uses design thinking to engage with multiple perspectives: older adults, community organizations, the private sector and academics from different disciplines. Design thinking is an approach to research where we ask and answer questions from a lot of perspectives and people to generate solutions that meet the needs of the people we want to benefit from our solution. We encourage working with stakeholders to empathize with others’ perspectives, define problems, and ideate, prototype and test solutions. Join us at our poster to share your ideas about how this research approach works, and how we can make it work better for our community.

Learn more here.

Abstract: Too often prison health research is developed without partnership with or engagement of people with lived experience of incarceration, which is problematic for many reasons (including ethical, logistical, feasibility, and others). Our project, based at the McMaster University Department of Family Medicine, is working to change prison health research by establishing a Research Engagement Council of people with lived experience of incarceration. We ran recruitment and onboarding through fall 2023, ensuring to include representation of populations that are over-incarcerated in Canadian prisons due to racism, homophobia and colonization. We now have a Council of 14 lived experience experts who will meet once a month for at least a year. The Council themselves will be able to determine the direction of the council, and help drive the course of prison health research projects. In the first two meetings, we established a terms of reference, ran a “Research 101” seminar, and began discussing what the council would like to accomplish within our year. In the third meeting, the Council will further determine their direction, but in the meantime we are very happy to reach out to connect to any other prison-related projects happening in the McMaster University community or beyond.

Who We Are
The McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging is a coalition of researchers, trainees, older adults and caregivers working together to improve the health and well-being of older Canadians by advancing patient-oriented health research on aging.

What We Do
With a commitment to meaningfully engage older adults and caregivers and centre our work with the voices of those with lived experience, the Collaborative:

• Brings an aging perspective to health services and policy research
• Provides researchers and trainees with methods and tools needed to conduct patient-oriented research
• Facilitates partnerships and knowledge translation for patient-oriented research on aging

Connect With Us
Follow us on LinkedIn, X and YouTube or subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest news and resources available from the Collaborative.

The Collaborative is part of the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit (OSSU)’s network of 14 health research centres across the province that provides scientific knowledge and supports high-quality patient-partnered research with the goal of improving health and the health system.

Learn more here.

Abstract: The purpose of this research project is to support the growth and implementation of No Hate in the Hammer’s (NHH) Belonging Pledge. The Belonging Pledge is a digital pledge that allows individuals and organizations to commit to combating hate and working toward inclusivity in Hamilton. However, the pledge currently has low accountability as limited measures are being taken to engage with stakeholders who have signed the pledge. After investigating strategies employed by advocacy and community-based organizations to engage communities both online and in physical spaces, we have identified several recommendations. These include establishing a stakeholder discussion forum, requiring personalized public accountability statements from stakeholders, and enhancing engagement through email marketing and social media outreach to both stakeholders and the public. To support the implementation of the final point, we intend to develop an evergreen content bank with posts and template emails that are informed by our research and various aspects of the Pledge. As we continue our research, we aim to collaborate with our partners to refine these findings and finalize an engagement strategy that can feasibly guide future actions by the NHH.

Learn more here.