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| Program enhancement recommendations | Public health actions |
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| Content revisions are as follows. |
Provide more advanced information with guest speakers:
(i) invite doctors, specialist, or other health professionals
(with interpreter to enable discussion). | Invited speakers to women’s health session: public health nutritionist and registered dietician, physical activity specialist, tobacco cessation specialist, and settlement organization. |
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More topics related to women’s health are as follows:
(i) the effects of cholesterol;
(ii) colon cancer;
(iii) osteoporosis;
(iv) social and psychological stress. | New topics covered include:
(i) tobacco cessation;
(ii) physical activity;
(iii) colorectal cancer screening.
Healthy eating series for newcomer immigrant women were established to learn about healthy food choices and integrate skill building through healthy snacks, label reading, and recipe sharing. |
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Use personal stories or narratives and videos:
(i) to deliver content;
(ii) to share stories of breast cancer screening experience or survivorship;
(iii) to view videos on breast cancer screening in own home. | A series of videos using a story-telling format was developed within public health unit for each cultural group to share personal experiences of breast screening.
Online search for culturally specific videos on different women’s health topics was completed and catalogue of videos compiled to recommend to immigrant women. |
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| Process modifications are as follows. |
Women’s health sessions are not offered frequently enough and needs more regularity. Women recommended monthly prebooked sessions:
(i) to reinforce messages using multiple efforts;
(ii) to provide advanced notice in order to make plans for childcare or other caregiver responsibilities. | South Asian, Arabic, and Chinese: sessions were booked more regularly with advanced notification.
Partnered with community organizations to provide monthly sessions in each community, and advertised early to allow women to make arrangements to attend.
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| Dissemination strategies are as follows. |
Expand outreach to include newcomers in other areas of the city by:
(i) enlisting more volunteers;
(ii) using other networks and collaborations for outreach;
(iii) advertising in key areas, such as municipal housing.
Use flyers to reach more newcomers including maps to session locations, such as:
(i) grocery stores, mosques;
(ii) apartment buildings;
(iii) schools and churches. | The Arabic peer health educator engaged in outreach efforts specifically to newcomer women.
Outreach for all groups has been expanded to include newcomers accessed through settlement and integration and primary health care contacts.
Production of more small media in key languages to disseminate in new sites to reach more newcomers including the upgrade of online resources.
Advertisement and word of mouth dissemination through settlement and integration centers. |
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Wider dissemination of the program in:
(i) ethnic local newspapers;
(ii) collaboration with primary health clinics, hospitals, or other prevention programs;
(iii) online via website. | Media advertising in cultural newspapers has continued.
Partnership with cancer center was established with South Asian peer health educator:
(i) to expand promotion of the breast cancer screening in South Asian immigrant community;
(ii) to develop new culturally appropriate small and mass media;
(iii) to deliver education on South Asian culture to health professionals through lunch-time lectures at cancer clinic, screening clinics, and community agencies;
(iv) to develop video for breast screening for South Asian women.
Public health website provides up-to-date information on the program. |
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