Sense of place and mental wellness of visible minority immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario: Revelations from key informants

Abstract

This paper explores key informants’ revelations on immigrants’ sense of place and mental wellness in Hamilton, Ontario, directed toward processes and programs that challenge belongingness and integration. Grounded in key informant interviews, our analysis underscores the importance of understanding immigrants’ sense of community, belonging embedded in socioeconomic conditions, and implications on mental wellness. It is proposed that settlement service providers and other stakeholders adopt a broad and multifaceted approach that recognizes the importance of addressing immigrants’ conditions in a holistic manner. This could be achieved by focusing on policies that affect all determinants of health (including mental health) through the integration of public policies into a comprehensive package of health improvement and promotion strategies, and should be incorporated into policies of health and health-related institutions for implementation.