Collaborative Research Priority Setting for Enhancing Primary Health Care Access Among the Nepalese Community in...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Community Health
• Immigrant Health

Background:

• Limited research exists on immigrant healthcare access solutions in Canada.
• Immigrant community perspectives on healthcare priorities are often underrepresented.
• This study engaged community members as priority-setters for primary care access research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify research priorities for primary care access among Nepalese Canadian immigrants.
• To rank predefined primary care access issues based on perceived importance within the community.

Main Methods:

• Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach utilized.
• Snowball sampling recruited participants from Nepalese community networks.
• A 5-point Likert scale survey assessed rankings of ten primary care access themes.

Main Results:

• 401 Nepalese immigrants completed the survey.
• Health care costs and lack of resources were top research priorities.
• Women prioritized transportation and cultural barriers more than men.

Conclusions:

• Transdisciplinary collaboration and community participation are crucial for health research.
• Prioritizing community needs ensures health interventions are relevant and effective for immigrant populations.