Information Sheets

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10315/43449

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Access status: Open Access ,
Information Sheet 17: Arts-based methodologies: Exploring Asian-Canadian youth identities and experiences
(York University, 2021-05) Khanlou, Nazilla; Nunes, Fernando; Davidson, Deborah; Seto Nielsen, Lisa; Alamdar, Negar; Vazquez, Luz Maria
Youth from Asian backgrounds in Canada represent a heterogenous group of young people. May is recognized as the Asian Heritage Month (Government of Canada, 2021). According to Statistics Canada (2016) between 2006 and 2011, of all newcomers to Canada, 13.1% were born in the Philippines, 10.5% were Chinese-born, and 10.4% were Indian-born. Today, Canada is one of the world’s most ethno-culturally diverse countries with ethnic minorities representing 19.1% of the total population. The South Asian population is the largest ethnic group in the country, accounting for 25% of the visible minority population and 4.8% of the total population. Asian-Canadian youth have resiliencies and at the same time encounter barriers to their inclusion in Canadian society (Khanlou et al, 2018). The challenges they face may include language barriers; balancing different and gendered family, cultural and religious expectations; and experiences of discrimination and racism. Innovative methods are needed to better understand youth’s lived experiences, such as in relation to their identities and integration to Canadian society. Arts-based research encompasses approaches that use artistic forms and expressions to understand personal experiences. Arts-based approaches are considered relevant to explore and communicate youth’s experiences with, for example, racism and marginalization (Clover, 2011; Halverson, 2010).
Access status: Open Access ,
Information Sheet 18: Health inequities experienced by people with developmental disabilities
(York University, 2022-12) Khanlou, Nazilla; Khan, Attia; Vazquez, Luz Maria; Nunes, Fernando; Felice, Sandra; Gateri, Helen; Srivastava, Rani; McMillan, Shirley; Francis Xavier, Josephine M
Developmental disabilities (DDs) are chronic conditions that begin in childhood and are likely to be life-long impacting the ability to live independently as an adult (CDC, 2017). DDs may include Autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and cerebral palsy, among others. Young persons with DDs experience increased difficulties in accessing quality health care as they transition from pediatric to adult healthcare services. Young persons with DDs have complex health care needs. As they grow older, they are more likely than their peers without disabilities to develop chronic health conditions (Thomas et al., 2011). During emerging adulthood (period from adolescence to young adulthood) these individuals are at increasing risk of developing health problems. During this period, they and their families face increased economic, social, health and mental health related challenges. Studies from various countries, including Canada, found that people with DDs are poorly supported by healthcare systems and services (Fisher, 2004; Krahn et al., 2006; Scheepers et al., 2005; Sullivan et al., 2011). Although nurses are strategically positioned to provide care to individuals with DDs, they are not fully equipped with the skills, awareness, supports, and education for this active care role. The major challenges nurses face in providing good care to this population include time constraints, communication challenges and insufficient education and training (Khanlou et al., 2019)
Access status: Open Access ,
Info Sheet 23: Challenges faced by Black mothers of children with developmental disabilities
(2025-07) Khanlou, Nazilla; Niel, Ullanda; Vazquez, Luz Maria; Khan, Attia; Filler, Tali; Gateri, Hellen; Dastjerdi, Fay Mahdieh; Jones, Gail
Caring for children with developmental disabilities (DDs) can be challenging for a number of reasons, including social stigma, financial burdens, insufficient funding and programming, social isolation and limited social support from families and from communities as a whole. However, the challenges of raising children with DDs are even greater and complex if the families are from a racialized background. Racialized mothers experience even greater stress. The stress of caring for a child with DDs is amplified as a result of racism, prejudice, stigma, and discrimination experienced by racialized families. We learned from our studies that racialized youth with DDs face barriers in key aspects of their lives, including health, mental health, education, work, and challenges of integration and community participation (Khan et al., 2025; Khanlou et al., 2024). Racialized families’ distress is rooted in historic inequities they experience in healthcare, income, housing, education and social challenges, racism, and discrimination. For example, in Canada, Black families report experiencing higher rates of unemployment and income inequality, compared with the national average (Graham, 2025). They experience discrimination in employment, housing, education, and food insecurity (Graham, 2025).
Access status: Open Access ,
Info Sheet 21: Asian-Canadian Youths’ Pandemic Experiences Through Visual Arts
(2024-10) Khanlou, Nazilla; Vazquez, Luz Maria; Nunes, Fernando; Seto Nielsen, Lisa; Hasan, Nasteho Husen; Francis Xavier, Josephine
The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and the associated disruptions such as school closures, isolation, cancelled events, and missed milestones had an emotional toll on Canadian youth, making them highly vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic (Ferguson et al., 2021). The pandemic intensified existing health and socioeconomic disparities that immigrants face in diverse settings (Khanlou et al., 2020), differentially and disproportionality impacting racialized communities (Gopal & Adesara, 2020). In the earlier stages those identifying as Asian-Canadian were especially affected (Cheng et al, 2021; Choi et al., 2021). Identity is a distinguishing character of an individual. A recent study found university students in Canada and in Spain were increasingly reporting higher rates of mental health problems relating to identity concerns (Gfellner et al., 2024). The 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth found a decline in mental health and optimism about school from the pre-pandemic period amounts all young persons (Statistics Canada, 2024). Our ongoing study explores the impacts of the pandemic on the identities, sense of belonging, and agency of Asian-Canadian youth. In this Information Sheet we report on some of the educational and mental health challenges that youth experienced as a result of the pandemic.
Access status: Open Access ,
Info Sheet 20: Racialized Youth with Developmental Disabilities: Barriers to Inclusion in Services and Education
(2024-05) Khanlou, Nazilla; Vazquez, Luz Maria; Khan, Attia; Hart, Megan; Ohiku, Titilayo; Hutchison, Nerissa
Racialized youth with Developmental Disabilities (DDs) face barriers in key aspects of their lives including work, education, health, and community participation. Racialized youth refers to youth who are non-White. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted services and support to health and mental health for this population (Khanlou et al., 2023), increasing day-to-day challenges for them and their families and support networks. Families of racialized youth with DDs may have limited: 1) access to support to help them manage challenging situations; 2) resources to cope with stressors; and 3) opportunities to voice their concerns. Racialized youth with DDs face “double stigma” in relation to their racial/ ethnic identity (e.g. Black) and their developmental disability (Ali et al., 2016). Our previous studies found that Black mothers with children with DDs were “triply” marginalized due to the intersections of gender (woman), racialization (Black), and caregiving (mother). Racism and discrimination affected mothers’ access and utilization of social services (Khanlou et al., 2028). It is important to know the barriers that racialized families face to access services and support for their youth with DDs, and the facilitators that promote equity and support the health, mental health and wellbeing of this vulnerable population.
Access status: Open Access ,
Info Sheet 19: Social support for racialized families of children and youth with developmental disabilities: COVID-19 pandemic inequities
(York University, 2023-06-19) Khanlou, Nazilla; Gateri, Hellen; Ohiku, Titilayo; Alawiye, Rasheedat
People with disabilities face increased risk for exposure, complications, and death from the recent COVID-19 public health emergency (Shapiro, 2020; Turk et al, 2020). The pandemic lockdown, with disruption of services and support (Chung, 2020) and accessibility barriers to prevention and response measures (Eshraghi et al., 2020), increased the challenges associated for people with developmental disabilities (DDs) (Ameis et al., 2020). Racialized people with disabilities (including DDs), further face systemic disadvantages across their social determinants of health (John et al., 2016); the interlocking barriers to care position them at a high risk of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research findings suggest that social support mitigates the effects of stressors for families to promote the wellbeing of children / youth with DDs leading to positive outcomes (Khanlou et al., 2022; Khanlou et al., 2015). Lack of data on the effects of the recent pandemic on people with DDs results in the inability of health surveillance systems to accurately determine the impact of the pandemic on marginalized populations and support needed (Turks et al., 2020). Increasing calls from racialized communities and disability advocates, scholars, and practitioners urge for the need to generate more data on the pandemic experiences of racialized people with DDs.
Access status: Open Access ,
Info Sheet 1: Voices of Immigrant Mothers of Children with Disabilities: Availability and Use of Social Support
(Office of Women's Health Research Chair in Mental Health, 2013-04) Khanlou, Nazilla; Haque, Nasim

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