PurposeTo compare chronic health status, utilization of healthcare services and life satisfaction among immigrant women and their Canadian counterparts.Design/methodology/approachA secondary analysis of national data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), 2015–2016 was conducted. The survey data included 109,659 cases. Given the research question, only female cases were selected, which resulted in a final sample of 52,560 cases. Data analysis was conducted using multiple methods, including logistic regression and linear regression.FindingsRecent and established immigrant women were healthier than native-born Canadian women. While the Healthy Immigrant Effect (HIE) was evident among immigrant women, some characteristics related to ethnic origin and/or unhealthy dietary habits may deteriorate immigrant women's health in the long term. Immigrant women and non-immigrant women with chronic illnesses were both more likely to increase their use of the healthcare system. Notably, the present study did not find evidence that immigrant women under-utilized Canada's healthcare system. However, the findings showed that chronic health issues were more likely to decrease women's life satisfaction.Originality/valueThis analysis contributes to the understanding of immigrant women's acculturation by comparing types of chronic illnesses, healthcare visits, and life satisfaction between immigrant women and their Canadian counterparts.
Canadian veterans with PTSD are increasingly accessing psychiatric service dogs as a complementary treatment for their symptoms. Due to the short life span of dogs, however, it is inevitable that these veterans will experience the loss of their PSD either through death, retirement, or relinquishment. This exploratory qualitative study shares the findings from interviews with four veterans who had experienced grief at the loss of a PSD. The themes that emerged suggest that participants experienced a grief cycle: building of a bond with their PSD, a grief response after the loss of their PSD, healing and coping, and a transitional stage when introducing a new PSD into their lives. Recommendations are made for health care professionals working with veterans with psychiatric service dogs and for service dog providers and organizations to better prepare and support their clients leading up to and after the loss of their service dog.
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