health systems navigation for refugees (2026 - 2028)
Connecting in Canada uses community-based participatory action research and co-design to implement a 'health systems navigator' for refugees in two primary care clinics in Kingston, Ontario, which provide refugee healthcare. This project is led by a team that includes academic researchers, newcomers (who arrived as Government Assisted Refugees), and is guided by a Community Advisory Board (CAB) that includes both settlement workers, existing systems navigators and refugees with lived experience of navigating Canada's healthcare system.
Co-design for this project involves two steps:
Phase 1 involves the co-design phase of the project with the CAB. Using a combination of a scoping review to better understand existing refugee patient navigation roles, and key informant interviews and focus groups to understand refugee expeirences, the research team will work with the CAB to refine and define a refugee health systems navigator role.
Phase 2 involves the implementation and evaluation of the health systems navigator role. The research team will conduct a mixed methods evaluation to assess the implementation and impact of the health systems navigator role. The three domains of evaluation will be: (1) quality of implementation - using process evaluation; (2) acceptability of the role - using qualitative methods; (3) internal pilot of impact on health system utilization - assessed using cohort design with a historical control group to determine the feasibility.
Following Phases 1 and 2, the research team will work with the CAB to host community meetings at newcomer partner agencies in Kingston, Ontario to disseminate the results.
