Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38664285›Full record

ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2025

'I thought we would be cherished and safe here': understanding the multi-faceted nature of mental health among Arab immigrants/refugees in Ontario, Canada- the CAN-HEAL study.

Sarah Elshahat, Tina Moffat, Basit Kareem Iqbal, K Bruce Newbold, Mahira Morshed, Haneen Alkhawaldeh, Olivia Gagnon, Mafaz Gehani, Keon Madani, Tony Zhu and 15 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
3.2field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Cultural psychiatry in Flanders, Belgium: an exploratory focus group study and position statement.European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Minoritized and Poorly Understood: A Scoping Review of Mental and Physical Health Among Arab Adolescents in Canada and the United States.American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

25 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Sarah ElshahatDepartment of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Chester New Hall, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L9, Canada. elshahas@mcmaster.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5450-8158
Tina MoffatDepartment of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Chester New Hall, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L9, Canada.
Basit Kareem IqbalDepartment of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Chester New Hall, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L9, Canada.
K Bruce NewboldSchool of Earth, Environment and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Mahira MorshedFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Haneen AlkhawaldehFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Olivia GagnonDepartment of Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Mafaz GehaniDepartment of Psychological and Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Scarborough, ON, Canada.
Keon MadaniIntegrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Faculty, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Tony ZhuDepartment of Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Lucy GarabedianDepartment of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Science, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Yumnah JafriDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Nour KanaaDepartment of Neuroscience, Faculty of Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Aya MohamedFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Naya NadeemFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Zena Shamli OghliFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Salima ZabianPhysiology and Pharmacology Department, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Amal ShahDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
Asil SamhatDepartment of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Sahiba KhairaThe Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Hussyin JelalDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jessica KalotiDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Sriyasri VaradarajanFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Youyou XuDepartment of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Megan LaingFaculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
McMaster University · CAUniversity of Toronto · CACarleton University · CAQueen's University · CAUniversity of Ottawa · CAWestern University · CAYork University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeMental health (MH) is a critical public health issue. Arab immigrants/refugees (AIR) may be at high risk for MH problems owing to various unique stressors, such as post-September/11 demonization. Despite the growing AIR population in Western countries, there is a lack of AIR-MH research in these nations. The CAN-HEAL study examined MH experiences and needs among AIR in Ontario, Canada.

methodsThis study employed a cooperative community-based participatory research and integrated knowledge translation approach. The study used photovoice, qualitative interviews and a questionnaire survey. Sixty socio-demographically diverse AIR adults partook in this study. The research was informed by the "social determinants of health" framework and the "years since immigration effect" (YSIE) theory.

resultsThe term "mental health" was deemed offensive for participants aged > 30 years. Participants proposed other culturally-appropriate words including "well-being" and "emotional state". The prevalence of poor mental well-being in the sample was alarming (55%). Of first-generation immigrant participants, 86.8% reported negative changes in MH since migration. The negative changes are not straightforward; they are complex and dynamic, and mainly related to micro/macro-aggression, cross-cultural pressures, dissatisfaction with the health and social care system, and poor living conditions. Intersections between different socio-demographic factors (e.g., gender, length of residency, income, parenthood, religion) amplified the negative changes in MH and exacerbated inequities.

conclusionsMH needs among AIR are distinct and intersectionality aggravated inequities. Culturally and structurally competent healthcare and structural/policy reformation are required to tackle MH inequities. This can be fulfilled through intersectoral cooperation and including AIR in decision-making.

Indexed as

ArabsEmigrants and ImmigrantsMental DisordersMental HealthRefugeesAdultCommunity-Based Participatory ResearchFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedOntarioQualitative ResearchSocial Determinants of HealthSurveys and QuestionnairesAnxietyCommunity-based participatory researchDistressImmigrantsInequitiesSocial determinants of health

Identifiers

PMID38664285
OpenAlexW4395467423

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.