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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Dialogues in Health

“Meeting people where they are”: Could mobile health clinics be a solution to primary care access challenges faced by newcomers to Canada?

  • Sujane Kandasamy1,2
  • Yusra Naqvi1
  • Kashmira Parikh2
  • Russell J. de Souza1,3,4
  • Matthew Y.W. Kwan2,5
  • Brian McKenna5
  • Diana Sherifali3,4,6
  • Lathusha Sritharan1
  • Gita Wahi1,7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
  2. 2Department of Child & Youth Studies, Brock University, St. Catherine's, Ontario, Canada
  3. 3Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
  4. 4Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  5. 5Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  6. 6School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  7. 7Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract

Purpose: Mobile health clinics (MHCs) are an emerging approach to improving healthcare access for underserved populations by delivering care directly within communities. This study reports preliminary findings from the "Reach" component of the SCORE! Family Health Van, a community-based intervention designed to evaluate the feasibility of providing culturally responsive type 2 diabetes (T2D) education and risk screening to newcomers in Hamilton, Ontario.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using data collected during 31 Family Health Van outreach visits. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling at community-based pop-up events. Community ambassadors provided culturally responsive diabetes education, age-appropriate T2D risk screening, and co-designed educational toolkits. Guided by the RE-AIM framework, this preliminary analysis focused on the "Reach" and early Implementation domains using descriptive statistics.

Results: 31 outreach visits resulted in engagement across 34 community location encounters and the recruitment of 72 participants (68 adults, 4 youth). All participants completed diabetes risk screening. Among adults, 45 (66.2%) were classified as low risk, 15 (22.1%) as moderate risk, and 8 (11.8%) as high risk for T2D. High-risk participants (n = 8) were provided information regarding follow-up care. Beyond formal recruitment, over 170 additional community members engaged in informal diabetes education and health promotion activities.

Conclusion: Preliminary findings demonstrate the feasibility of using a community-based mobile health approach to engage newcomer populations in culturally responsive diabetes education and screening. These early findings support continued co-development and evaluation of the SCORE! Family Health Van and may inform future mobile health clinic models aimed at improving equitable access to preventive care.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{kandasamy2026meeting,
  title = {{“Meeting people where they are”: Could mobile health clinics be a solution to primary care access challenges faced by newcomers to Canada?}},
  author = {Sujane Kandasamy and Yusra Naqvi and Kashmira Parikh and Russell J. de Souza and Matthew Y.W. Kwan and Brian McKenna and Diana Sherifali and Lathusha Sritharan and Gita Wahi},
  journal = {Dialogues in Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.dialog.2026.100366},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dialog.2026.100366},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - “Meeting people where they are”: Could mobile health clinics be a solution to primary care access challenges faced by newcomers to Canada?
AU  - Sujane Kandasamy
AU  - Yusra Naqvi
AU  - Kashmira Parikh
AU  - Russell J. de Souza
AU  - Matthew Y.W. Kwan
AU  - Brian McKenna
AU  - Diana Sherifali
AU  - Lathusha Sritharan
AU  - Gita Wahi
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/19
JO  - Dialogues in Health
DO  - 10.1016/j.dialog.2026.100366
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dialog.2026.100366
AB  - Purpose: Mobile health clinics (MHCs) are an emerging approach to improving healthcare access for underserved populations by delivering care directly within communities. This study reports preliminary findings from the "Reach" component of the SCORE! Family Health Van, a community-based intervention designed to evaluate the feasibility of providing culturally responsive type 2 diabetes (T2D) education and risk screening to newcomers in Hamilton, Ontario.  Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using data collected during 31 Family Health Van outreach visits. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling at community-based pop-up events. Community ambassadors provided culturally responsive diabetes education, age-appropriate T2D risk screening, and co-designed educational toolkits. Guided by the RE-AIM framework, this preliminary analysis focused on the "Reach" and early Implementation domains using descriptive statistics.  Results: 31 outreach visits resulted in engagement across 34 community location encounters and the recruitment of 72 participants (68 adults, 4 youth). All participants completed diabetes risk screening. Among adults, 45 (66.2%) were classified as low risk, 15 (22.1%) as moderate risk, and 8 (11.8%) as high risk for T2D. High-risk participants (n = 8) were provided information regarding follow-up care. Beyond formal recruitment, over 170 additional community members engaged in informal diabetes education and health promotion activities.  Conclusion: Preliminary findings demonstrate the feasibility of using a community-based mobile health approach to engage newcomer populations in culturally responsive diabetes education and screening. These early findings support continued co-development and evaluation of the SCORE! Family Health Van and may inform future mobile health clinic models aimed at improving equitable access to preventive care.
SN  - 2772-6533
ER  -