Maina Geoffrey, Mousavian Ghazal, Sherstobitoff Jordan, Kamrul Rejina, Twum-Antwi Barbara, Lewis Kennedy, Malonga Francia, Herzog Thea, Maroof Razawa, Okinyo-Owiti Denis
College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus, SK, Canada.
InterDisciplinary Studies, University of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert, SK, Canada.
Subst Abuse. 2023 Jan 23;17:11782218221150109. doi: 10.1177/11782218221150109. eCollection 2023.
Canada is a significant destination for immigrants who are drawn from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds some of whom have a hidden risk for substance use disorders due to acculturation stress and are not screened for risks of substance use or addiction when considering medical admissibility. Not surprisingly, healthcare providers in Regina are reporting a noticeable increase in substance use among immigrants. These immigrants experience barriers in seeking substance use prevention and treatment services due to diverse challenges: stigma, shame, and lack of knowledge of existing services. Considering the discussed challenges and risks of substance use disorders in immigrant communities, creating a safe space for discussing these topics is urgent. To understand and address these challenges, a connection grant from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) to mobilize immigrant communities in Regina to explore substance use issues and their impact on the community was sought and received. Subsequently, a knowledge-sharing event brought settlement agency stakeholders together to deliberate issues on substance use and addiction faced by immigrants in Regina, Saskatchewan. The session included presentations on immigrants and substance use from the clinical, community, and lived experience perspectives of immigrants. Because of the challenges and risks, this community consultation process revealed that acculturation stress and the ease of obtaining socially acceptable substances fuel substance use and addiction among immigrants in Regina; this is further exacerbated by the lack of programming available to prevent and reduce the risks of substance use in this population. A team of knowledge keepers with lived experiences, service providers, and researchers was assembled to explore substance use and addiction among immigrants. This manuscript reports the process of community engagement to identify solutions to this budding issue. The strengths, challenges, and lessons learned are identified.
加拿大是一个吸引着来自不同种族和文化背景移民的重要目的地，其中一些人由于文化适应压力而存在物质使用障碍的潜在风险，并且在考虑医疗可接纳性时未接受物质使用或成瘾风险筛查。不出所料，里贾纳的医疗服务提供者报告称移民中的物质使用情况明显增加。这些移民由于各种挑战，在寻求物质使用预防和治疗服务时面临障碍：耻辱感、羞耻感以及对现有服务缺乏了解。考虑到移民社区中所讨论的物质使用障碍的挑战和风险，创建一个讨论这些话题的安全空间迫在眉睫。为了理解和应对这些挑战，向萨斯喀彻温省健康研究基金会（SHRF）申请并获得了一笔联系赠款，以动员里贾纳的移民社区探索物质使用问题及其对社区的影响。随后，一场知识共享活动将安置机构的利益相关者聚集在一起，商讨萨斯喀彻温省里贾纳的移民所面临的物质使用和成瘾问题。该会议包括从临床、社区以及移民的亲身经历角度对移民与物质使用的介绍。由于这些挑战和风险，这个社区咨询过程表明，文化适应压力以及获取社会可接受物质的便利性助长了里贾纳移民中的物质使用和成瘾现象；而针对该人群预防和降低物质使用风险的项目匮乏，这进一步加剧了这种情况。一个由有亲身经历的知识传承者、服务提供者和研究人员组成的团队被召集起来，以探索移民中的物质使用和成瘾问题。本手稿报告了社区参与过程，以确定解决这个新出现问题的方案。同时还确定了优势、挑战以及经验教训。
