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;

The 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.

Understanding 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 

Conceptualizing 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.

Better 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.

Screening 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.

Tackling 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,

Building 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,

Reducing 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.,