Exploring Policy Perspectives on Healthy Active Living Practices Among Newcomer Children in Hamilton, Ontario

Abstract

Background: An increasing number of newcomer children in Canada are developing cardiometabolic diseases, despite arriving in Canada in better health compared to their Canadian peers. Healthy Active Living has been identified as an effective way to address these cardiometabolic diseases in this population.

This study explored the perspectives of municipal policy makers on how municipal policies and programs shape and influence newcomer children’s participation in Healthy Active Living.

Methodology: This qualitative study, embedded within the broader SCORE! project, a multicomponent intervention aimed at increasing newcomer children’s participation in healthy active living practices, recruited three policy makers who were members of the Policy Roundtable of the SCORE! project, using a purposive sampling method. Data was gathered using semi structured interviews and subsequently analyzed using the Six Area of Focus of ‘A common Vision’, Canada’s leading national physical activity policy guide.

Results: Participants identified various policy and program barriers that influence how newcomer children engage in physical activities and offered insights on approaches to addressing them. Participants highlighted continuing difficulty in connecting newcomer families to the services they need, with difficulty navigating available services being a major issue facing newcomers. They also remarked the need to encourage adoption of healthy active living-related micro-habits, to complement more structured and formalized physical activities. Challenges in designing and offering programs that newcomers are able to connect with were also raised. Other areas identified as presenting barriers were with parks design, which were described as not being supportive to equity-deserving groups. Other participants mentioned newcomer families concerns of their children getting exposed to culturally unfamiliar social contents involving gender including on areas bordering LGBTQ. The need for better partnerships across city departments was identified. There was also a lack of navigation support to help newcomer families find the resources and programs they need. Participants also highlighted weak program evaluation and feedback mechanisms on current programs.

Conclusion: Newcomer children fall behind in participation in healthy physical activities due to multisystemic interplay of policies and program barriers. The study findings recommends strengthening interdepartmental collaboration, working closer with community through navigators and other partners in program design and enhancing program evaluation and feedback mechanisms.