In a world where healthcare access can be a formidable barrier for immigrants, the research article titled "Development and pilot testing of a health education program to improve immigrants’ access to Canadian health services" by Ghahari et al. (2020) provides invaluable insights. This study, which introduced the Accessing Canadian Healthcare for Immigrants: Empowerment, Voice & Enablement (ACHIEVE) program, can serve as a cornerstone for practitioners looking to enhance their skills and improve outcomes for immigrant children through online therapy services.
Understanding the ACHIEVE Program
The ACHIEVE program was designed to address the barriers immigrants face in accessing healthcare services in Canada. These barriers include:
- Language and communication difficulties
- Lack of cultural competency among healthcare providers
- Limited knowledge of the healthcare system
The program aimed to improve immigrants' confidence in navigating the healthcare system, thereby enhancing their overall health outcomes.
Implementing ACHIEVE Outcomes in Online Therapy
As a speech-language pathologist providing online therapy services to schools, integrating the principles of the ACHIEVE program can significantly benefit immigrant children. Here’s how you can implement the outcomes of this research:
1. Enhance Communication Skills
One of the primary barriers identified in the study is language and communication. To address this:
- Incorporate language proficiency assessments at the start of therapy sessions.
- Use visual aids and interactive tools to make communication more effective.
- Provide bilingual resources or translation services when necessary.
2. Culturally Competent Care
Cultural differences can impede healthcare access. To mitigate this:
- Undergo training in cultural competency to understand the diverse backgrounds of your clients.
- Incorporate culturally relevant examples and scenarios in your therapy sessions.
- Engage with the community to understand specific cultural needs and preferences.
3. Educate on Healthcare Navigation
Educating families about the healthcare system is crucial. You can:
- Provide informational sessions on how to navigate the healthcare system, including how to find a family doctor and what services are available.
- Create easy-to-understand guides and resources tailored to the needs of immigrant families.
- Encourage families to ask questions and be proactive in seeking healthcare services.
Encouraging Further Research
While the ACHIEVE program has shown promising results, further research is necessary to understand its long-term impact and scalability. Practitioners can contribute to this body of knowledge by:
- Conducting follow-up studies to assess the long-term outcomes of integrating ACHIEVE principles in therapy sessions.
- Collaborating with researchers to pilot new interventions based on the ACHIEVE framework.
- Sharing insights and data from their practice to contribute to larger studies.
Conclusion
The ACHIEVE program offers a data-driven approach to improving healthcare access for immigrants. By integrating its outcomes into online therapy services, practitioners can enhance the communication skills, cultural competency, and healthcare navigation abilities of immigrant children and their families. This not only improves therapy outcomes but also contributes to the overall well-being of these communities.To read the original research paper, please follow this link:
Development and pilot testing of a health education program to improve immigrants’ access to Canadian health services.
