Presenter: Dr. Akm Alamgi, Manager, Quality and Accountability Systems; and the Scientist, Research and Evaluation Department of Access Alliance
Date: December 15, 2021
Description:
This webinar speaks the story of separated refugee youth that experience numerous challenges in their settlement impacting their mental health and well-being, and our evidence informed call for action strategies for systemic uptake of those findings into practices. Social determinants of health including language barriers, discrimination, settlement process delay, limited access to education, challenges finding affordable accommodation and employment are key factors impacting the youth. The separation from home, family and culture was a significant stressor. They experience MH problems like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Protective factors which support youth include a caring community, connection with peers, faith and support from community programs and services. Support from community programs includes both support with system navigation as well as social, recreational and skills development programming. Therapeutic interventions, including Cognitive Behavioural therapy with cultural modifications were found to be effective.
About the presenter:
Dr. Akm Alamgir, a mixed-method community-based researcher, is the Manager, Quality and Accountability Systems; and the Scientist, Research and Evaluation Department of Access Alliance, a community health center at Toronto. He earned a PhD in evaluation, a Master's degree in epidemiology, and a bachelor's in medicine. He practices a co-production approach for intersectional analysis in research and evaluation for understanding the social determinants of health for vulnerable communities.
Two of his current research projects are- (i) Impact of family loss and separation on refugee youth (CYRRC funded), and (ii) Parenting experience of Syrian refugee neo-parents (SSHRS funded). His manuscripts are published in peer-reviewed journals.
