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Ontario is experiencing huge demographic shifts, particularly in the larger urban centres.
It is estimated that by 2017, one in five people in Canada will belong to a community
of colour. By 2017, more than half of Toronto’s population will be people of colour1. This
growing number of Ontarians belong to what are called ‘racialized communities’, a term that is
replacing ‘visible minorities’ or ‘ethnocultural communities’. In Ontario, members of racialized
communities include newcomers to Canada as well as established immigrant and Canadianborn
communities. The percentage of Francophones in racialized groups has also increased
in every region.
Health equity is about those differences in population health that can be traced to unequal
economic and social conditions and are systemic and avoidable – and thus inherently unjust
and unfair. While Ontario does not collect data about racialized communities in a consistent
manner, there is growing indication that racialized communities have poorer access to the
determinants of health – income, education, employment, housing, etc. – and poorer health
outcomes. When the issue of racism and discrimination are added to this, racialized groups
become even more vulnerable and inequities in health are compounded. The project literature
review discusses this in detail.
Building Capacity for Equity in Health Promotion
The Building Capacity for Equity in Health Promotion project2, funded through the Healthy
Communities Fund of the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, focussed on
addressing inequities in health experienced by racialized communities especially low income
communities. It did this by working with those who promote health in these communities,
people in public health, community health centres and in community organizations, to build
capacity to reduce health inequities for racialized groups. Specifically, the project focussed on
physical activity, mental health promotion, and healthy eating, re-defined by the project as
healthy eating/food security.
How and why racialized communities face marginalization and exclusion in relation to access
to the determinants of health, and positive health outcomes must be understood if we are to
reduce health inequities. Policies and practices can systemically disadvantage racialized
communities, including racialized francophone communities. This can happen even if it is not
intended. Health equity research shows that taking a whole of population approach to health
promotion and health education runs the risk of actually widening inequities, because
advantaged groups are in a better position to access and take advantage of information,
incentives and programs. Because of this, equity needs to be considered at all levels – policy
and strategy, designing actions and programs, and implementation and evaluation.
| Health Equity and
Racialized Groups:
A Literature Review |
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The Literature Review presents a framework for understanding and action on racialized health disparities that will be welcomed by those who are working to reduce health inequities. It provides an overview of the topic, a synthesis of our knowledge to date on it, a brief history of how it has been addressed in Ontario, and examples of what is meant by taking an anti-racist approach to health promotion. It points the way to how and in what direction our health promotion practice needs to move if we are to make significant reduction in health disparities that racialized communities face.
Available in PDF. |
| Resource Guide |
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This Guide is a tool to support the capacity and effectiveness of those who are engaged in
health promotion to reduce racialized health inequities. It brings together resources and
initiatives identified through the process of developing and delivering the project. The focus on
physical activity, mental health promotion, healthy eating/food security are examples of entry
points to address racialized health inequities, and direct attention to the broader, underlying
causes that need to be addressed.
Available in PDF. |
For more information: equity@healthnexus.ca
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