Categories: Healthcare Access & Equity
Laying the Foundation – Individual, Community, and Systems-Level Impacts of the Community-Based Research Department
This report highlights the impacts of our Community-Based Research (CBR) Department’s activities on individuals, communities, and system-level policy changes. It provides a thorough examination of our commitment to our CBR framework, principles, and practices, including:
Research we have conducted in the last 10 years;
Research that catalyzed and used our CBR framework with academic partners;
Read moreThe Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Immigrants and Refugees with Chronic Illnesses
This community-based research project delved into the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrants and refugees living with cancer, and mental health and addiction disorders. The study, a collaboration including Access Alliance, sought to understand the challenges faced by individuals at the intersection of social and clinical disadvantage during a public health crisis.
Read moreUnderstanding the Experiences of Patients Accessing our Primary Care Services
Project Overview
Our Client Experience Survey provides a glimpse into patient experiences with Access Alliance’s primary care services. Each year we collect patient feedback to ensure service accountability, quality improvement, and evidence-informed practices. Patients are asked to rate their service experience in five areas:
Satisfaction
Accessibility (including virtual services)
Equity
Client safety
Read moreConceptualizing a Pyramid Model on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) for Non-Profits and Community Organizations
Project Overview
Organizations need to create inclusion strategies to achieve a sense of belonging among the clients and communities they serve. Understanding how Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) guides our work at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services (MCHS) is essential. This model provides an EDI framework specifically designed for non-profit organizations serving newcomers and marginalized communities.
Read moreBetter Understanding for Better Health – 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for Taylor-Massey Oakridge
Project Overview
Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services (Access Alliance) conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) in the immediate neighbourhood every five years to identify the community’s strengths, assets, concerns, and priority service needs. A CHNA serves as a foundational tool for community development. This helps us understand the programs and services needed.
Read moreScreening for Diabetes and Risks among Black African and Caribbean Residents in Toronto
Screening for Diabetes and Risks among Self-Identified Black African and Caribbean (ACB) Residents in Toronto Aged 18-39 years: A Collaborative CHC Study Supporting the CANRISK Tool
Project overview
Context
The prevalence of diabetes has increased significantly over the last years among younger adults in Canada, with Black individuals being disproportionately affected causing worse complications that include organ damage.
Read moreTackling TB Stigma
Taking a cross sectoral approach, Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, engaged representatives from primary care, settlement, public health, and community members from three populations to address the issue of stigma and its impact on tuberculosis (TB) care and support.
Our Project Goals and Activities
The overall aim of this initiative was to address the lack of awareness and high levels of stigma attached to TB and increase access to quality resources,
Read moreBuilding Capacity for Equity-Informed Planning and Evaluation
In partnership with the Alliance for Healthier Communities, this project seeks to build organizational capacity on health equity with champion community health centres (CHC) across Ontario.
Our Project Goals and Activities
The overall aim of this project is to build organizational level knowledge, commitment and capacity to routinely use a health equity framework and evidence geared at overcoming systemic inequities in healthcare access,
Addressing Cervical Cancer Screening Inequity among Newcomer Women via HPV Self-Sampling
This research project sought to build evidence on community-based and culturally sensitive care pathways for promoting HPV self-sampling-based screening for cervical cancer among under/never-screened women within immigrant communities.
Our Knowledge Mobilization Activities & Products
Read about the project’s key findings and identified promising practices in our Critical Discussion Report – English,
Read moreReducing Appointment No-Shows: Understanding Determinants and Solutions
The key goal of this study is to investigate social and health system level determinants of appointment no-shows at a community health centre (Access Alliance). The end goal of this project is to identify evidence-informed institutional solutions and best practices for reducing appointment no-shows.
Why are we conducting this study?
Appointment no-shows (i.e.,