immigrant women, family violence and housing insecurity: research challenges prairie centre of...
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Immigrant Women, Family Violence and Housing Insecurity:Research Challenges
Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and IntegrationAnnual Planning Meeting
February 10-11, 2006
Lesley Carruthers, MADept. of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
Wilfreda Thurston, PhDProfessor, Dept. of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
Director, University of Calgary Institute for Gender Research
Program of Research
• Health as viewed by mid-life immigrant women
• Gender, socioeconomics and health of immigrant women
• Immigrant women’s participation in the domestic violence health policy community
• Annual Report of the Brenda Strafford Centre
• Women and Fair Income
Research TeamPrincipal Investigator:Wilfreda E. Thurston, Professor; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary
Co-investigators:David Este, Associate Dean, Research and Partnership, Associate Professor, Department of Social
Work, University of CalgaryLiza McCoy, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of CalgaryTess Gordey, Executive Director, Brenda Strafford Centre for the Prevention of Family Violence,
CalgaryJana Smith, Coordinator, Calgary Coalition on Family Violence, CalgaryMargaret Haworth-Brockman, Executive Director, Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence,
WinnipegBarbara N. Clow, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie UniversityChristine Saulnier, Senior Research Officer, Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health,
Halifax
Community Partners: RESOLVE Alberta, Osborne House (Winnipeg), NEEDS Centre for War-Affected Families (Winnipeg),
Immigrant Women’s Counselling Services (Winnipeg); Bryony and Adsum Houses (Halifax)
Funding provided by Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration and the National Secretariat on Homelessness
Research Questions• What are the key structural/systemic and individual causes of
persistent and repetitive homelessness of immigrant women experiencing family violence?
• What are the key indicators of an increased risk of homelessness?
• What are the key indicators for decreased risk?
• What are the pathways into and out of homelessness? What are the specific conjunctures where critical interventions are most effective?
• What existing services are most effective in assisting people exit homelessness, and how can homeless people or those at risk of homelessness access them?
Research Design
• Qualitative interviews with immigrant women
• Qualitative interviews with service providers
• Inventory of employment and education services
• Quantitative data from second-stage shelter
• Consultations with key policy makers
General Research Challenges
• Constraints and timelines of research, especially contract research
• National research
• Methodological
Key Research Challenges
• Ethics– Conflicting interpretations of the Tri-Council Policy
• Recruitment– Successful in some areas, not in others
• Community context – Formation of Halifax Advisory Committee
Halifax Advisory Committee Members
• Community partners
• Other community stakeholders
• Government representatives
• Researchers
Role of Halifax Advisory Committee
• Recruitment of a site coordinator
• Recruitment of research participants
• Revisions to the interview guide throughout the research process
• Preliminary analysis of research findings
• Dissemination of research findings
• Future research directions
Opportunities
• Enhanced data collection
• National comparative data analysis
• Facilitate knowledge transfer
• Coalition-building
• Opportunities for advocacy
