Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grants - Institute/Initiative Community Support

Ontario's healthcare system serves an increasingly diverse population yet many newcomers face language and cultural barriers that compromise safety and access to care. In Hamilton, where immigrants represent over 25% of the population and speak more than 50 languages, these inequities are well documented. Nearly half report not receiving interpretation when needed, often relying on family members to translate- a practice linked with medical errors, misunderstanding of treatment plans and poorer outcomes. Reports from the 2023 Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) and 2024 Hamilton Public Health show limited interpretation support, discrimination and lack of culturally responsive communication deter many from seeking or continuing care. National data confirms that patients with language barriers face a 30% higher risk of hospital harm. To address these gaps, Mohawk College developed the Culture of Care Model in 2024, an intercultural communication framework co-created with patient partners and grounded in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). The model focuses on two components:(1) raising awareness of systemic risks when interpretation is absent or misused and (2) equipping providers with evidence-based strategies to engage patients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Early pilot workshops showed improvements in cultural awareness, empathy and patient engagement. The CIHR Dissemination Grant will enable collaboration with HIPC to share and refine the model through a regional symposium, virtual roundtables and multilingual knowledge products. These activities will mobilize community input, co-design an evaluation roadmap, and create accessible tools such as infographics, videos and communication checklists. By strengthening intercultural responsiveness among allied health professionals- the backbone of Canada's healthcare workforce- the initiative aims to reduce preventable harm, improve patient experience and advance health equity.