Understanding the mental health experiences of west African Canadian immigrants

The mental health of immigrants is a growing concern globally, with limited research focusing on West African immigrants in Canada. The present study aimed to examine mental health experiences among West African immigrants in Canada. The study employed a quantitative approach recruiting 54 West African immigrants completing an online survey and 7 participants engaging in semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis were utilized to analyze the data. The study found that 92.6% of participants rated their mental health as healthy before migrating to Canada. However, after migration, the proportion of participants reporting positive mental health decreased to 59.3%, with 31.5% at risk and 9.3% unhealthy. Career change, acculturation stress, migration stress, cultural differences, and unavailability of mental health services were reported as factors that affected mental health. The study revealed a decline in mental health status among West African immigrants in Canada after migration, with a need for culturally appropriate mental health services. Mental health service providers need to be aware of the diverse attitudes towards mental health services to improve utilization among West African immigrants. The study shows that the mental health of West African Canadian immigrants declines upon immigrating to Canada and there is a need for culturally appropriate mental health services for the population.