Grant: Operating Grant

Immigrant women may be regarded as vulnerable in part because they face challenges in accessing and receiving equitable health care which suits their ethnocultural backgrounds and spoken languages. Moreover, many of their maternal health and birth outcomes are influenced by their ethnic food choices. Research is needed to better understand ethnocultural food choices and practices and to develop and evaluate resources for improving cultural competency of maternity care. In this research study we will ask: How do health beliefs/ practices of immigrant women affect their food choices and practices during the perinatal period? How can current perinatal nutrition recommendations be tailored and delivered as pictorial educational resources to enhance culturally competent perinatal care? Immigrant women in each of three study locations (Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Ottawa), who are pregnant or who have recently delivered their babies, will be invited to participate. They will be asked and trained to take pictures of the foods they consume for a three day period and those that they see as being healthy for maternity. Next, they will be interviewed in relation to these choices and other factors effecting their food choices and practices. With the results from these interviews and subsequent consultations with health care professionals and immigrant support agency workers, we will develop resources which incorporate the women's perspectives into current Canadian nutrition recommendations. A sample of health care professionals and immigrant women will then use the resources and then participate in focus groups to discuss and evaluate them. Wide dissemination of our findings throughout the health professional, public health, and obstetrical communities using multiple formats and media will have great potential to positively affect immigrant maternal and childhood health and well-being.