Susitha Wanigaratne
Biographic Data
| ID | 163988 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Susitha Wanigaratne |
| GIVEN NAMES | Susitha |
| FAMILY NAME | Wanigaratne |
| SIGNATURE | WANIGARATNE S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Toronto |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0840-9006 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 9 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 14 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Morbidity among resettled refugees at arrival in Ontario, Canada (1994–2017)
BACKGROUND: Immigration inadmissibility on medical grounds is common among high-income countries. In Canada, the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) became law in 2002. With humanitarian protection as a priority, IRPA removed medical inadmissibility based on exceeding a cost threshold for the projected use of health and social services for resettled refugees. Our objective was to determine whether resettled refugees arriving in Ontario af…
Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey
We examined the link between discrimination and self-rated mental health (SRMH) among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals, stratified according to an individual's identification as racialized or white. Using data from Canada's General Social Survey (2014) (weighted N = 27,575,000) with a novel oversample of immigrants, we estimated the association of perceived discrimination with SRMH separately among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals…
Covid-19 vaccine equity
Introduction: Immigrants were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and experience unique vaccination barriers. In Canada (37 million people), 23% of the population is foreign-born. Immigrants constitute 60% of the country's racialized (non-white) population and over half of immigrants reside in Ontario, the country's most populous province. Ontario had several strategies aimed at improving vaccine equity including geographic targeting of vacci…
Sars-CoV-2 testing and Covid-19–related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status
Interwoven immigration, health, and occupational policies place people with temporary status in circumstances of precarity and higher health risk. Reducing precarity accompanying temporary status, including regularization pathways, and decoupling access to health care from immigration status can address health inequities
The social determinants of health as predictors of adherence to public health preventive measures among parents and young children during the Covid-19 pandemic
Refugee mothers, migration pathways and HIV
Forced migration and extended time spent migrating may lead to prolonged marginalization and increased risk of HIV. We conducted a population-based cohort study to examine whether secondary migration status, where secondary migrants resided in a transition country prior to arrival in Ontario, Canada and primary migrants arrived directly from their country of birth, modified the relationship between refugee status and HIV. Unadjusted and adjusted …
Commentary in response to ‘characterising the risk of homicide in a population-based cohort’ (O’Neill et al , 2019)
We are social epidemiologists and community advocates focused on addressing social determinants of health inequities. While we appreciate O’Neill et al ’s effort to link multiple provincial-level administrative data sets to examine homicide victimisation by immigration status in Ontario, Canada, we have concerns about the framing and interpretation of findings and their potential impact on immigrants and refugees.1 While O’Neill et al ’s data and…
Sex ratios at birth among second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada
BACKGROUND: Son-biased sex ratios at birth (M:F), an extreme manifestation of son preference, are predominately found in East and South Asia. Studies have examined sex ratios among first-generation migrants from these regions, but few have examined second-generation descendants. Our objective was to determine whether son-biased sex ratios persist among second-generation mothers with South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada. METHODOLOGY: A surname…
Severe Neonatal Morbidity Among Births to Refugee Women
The influence of refugee status and secondary migration on preterm birth
BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is elevated for forced (refugee) international migrants and whether prolonged displacement amplifies risk. While voluntary migrants who arrive from a country other than their country of birth (ie, secondary migrants) have favourable birth outcomes compared with those who migrated directly from their country of birth (ie, primary migrants), secondary migration may be detrimental for…
Contribution of HIV to Maternal Morbidity Among Refugee Women in Canada
Objectives. We compared severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and SMM subtypes, including HIV, of refugee women with those of nonrefugee immigrant and nonimmigrant women. Methods. We linked 1 154 421 Ontario hospital deliveries (2002–2011) to immigration records (1985–2010) to determine the incidence of an SMM composite indicator and its subtypes. We determined SMM incidence according to immigration periods, which were characterized by lifting restrict…
Health promotion outcomes associated with a community-based program to reduce pesticide-related risks among small farm households
A range of determinants at multiple socio-ecological levels operate in small farm households' use and handling of hazardous pesticides, suggesting the need for integrated health and agriculture promotion approaches. The aim is to assess changes in health promotion outcomes relevant to highly hazardous pesticide use associated with a multi-component community program. A longitudinal evaluation design using mixed methods was employed in 18 agricult…
An agriculture and health inter-sectorial research process to reduce hazardous pesticide health impacts among smallholder farmers in the Andes
BACKGROUND: The use of highly hazardous pesticides by smallholder farmers constitutes a classic trans-sectoral 'wicked problem'. We share our program of research in potato and vegetable farming communities in the Andean highlands, working with partners from multiple sectors to confront this problem over several projects. METHODS: We engaged in iterative cycles of mixed methods research around particular questions, actions relevant to stakeholders…
Community and household socioeconomic factors associated with pesticide-using, small farm household members' health
The important roles of life endowments and/or persistent neurotoxicity were exemplified by limited change in the health outcome. Gradients by household assets and community deprivation were indicative of ongoing, structural inequities within this LMIC
The influence of refugee status and secondary migration on preterm birth
BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is elevated for forced (refugee) international migrants and whether prolonged displacement amplifies risk. While voluntary migrants who arrive from a country other than their country of birth (ie, secondary migrants) have favourable birth outcomes compared with those who migrated directly from their country of birth (ie, primary migrants), secondary migration may be detrimental for…
Sex ratios at birth among second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada
BACKGROUND: Son-biased sex ratios at birth (M:F), an extreme manifestation of son preference, are predominately found in East and South Asia. Studies have examined sex ratios among first-generation migrants from these regions, but few have examined second-generation descendants. Our objective was to determine whether son-biased sex ratios persist among second-generation mothers with South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada. METHODOLOGY: A surname…
Sars-CoV-2 testing and Covid-19–related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status
Interwoven immigration, health, and occupational policies place people with temporary status in circumstances of precarity and higher health risk. Reducing precarity accompanying temporary status, including regularization pathways, and decoupling access to health care from immigration status can address health inequities
Contribution of HIV to Maternal Morbidity Among Refugee Women in Canada
Objectives. We compared severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and SMM subtypes, including HIV, of refugee women with those of nonrefugee immigrant and nonimmigrant women. Methods. We linked 1 154 421 Ontario hospital deliveries (2002–2011) to immigration records (1985–2010) to determine the incidence of an SMM composite indicator and its subtypes. We determined SMM incidence according to immigration periods, which were characterized by lifting restrict…
Health promotion outcomes associated with a community-based program to reduce pesticide-related risks among small farm households
A range of determinants at multiple socio-ecological levels operate in small farm households' use and handling of hazardous pesticides, suggesting the need for integrated health and agriculture promotion approaches. The aim is to assess changes in health promotion outcomes relevant to highly hazardous pesticide use associated with a multi-component community program. A longitudinal evaluation design using mixed methods was employed in 18 agricult…
An agriculture and health inter-sectorial research process to reduce hazardous pesticide health impacts among smallholder farmers in the Andes
BACKGROUND: The use of highly hazardous pesticides by smallholder farmers constitutes a classic trans-sectoral 'wicked problem'. We share our program of research in potato and vegetable farming communities in the Andean highlands, working with partners from multiple sectors to confront this problem over several projects. METHODS: We engaged in iterative cycles of mixed methods research around particular questions, actions relevant to stakeholders…
Community and household socioeconomic factors associated with pesticide-using, small farm household members' health
The important roles of life endowments and/or persistent neurotoxicity were exemplified by limited change in the health outcome. Gradients by household assets and community deprivation were indicative of ongoing, structural inequities within this LMIC
Contribution of HIV to Maternal Morbidity Among Refugee Women in Canada
Objectives. We compared severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and SMM subtypes, including HIV, of refugee women with those of nonrefugee immigrant and nonimmigrant women. Methods. We linked 1 154 421 Ontario hospital deliveries (2002–2011) to immigration records (1985–2010) to determine the incidence of an SMM composite indicator and its subtypes. We determined SMM incidence according to immigration periods, which were characterized by lifting restrict…
Severe Neonatal Morbidity Among Births to Refugee Women
The influence of refugee status and secondary migration on preterm birth
BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the risk of preterm birth (PTB) is elevated for forced (refugee) international migrants and whether prolonged displacement amplifies risk. While voluntary migrants who arrive from a country other than their country of birth (ie, secondary migrants) have favourable birth outcomes compared with those who migrated directly from their country of birth (ie, primary migrants), secondary migration may be detrimental for…
Sex ratios at birth among second-generation mothers of South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada
BACKGROUND: Son-biased sex ratios at birth (M:F), an extreme manifestation of son preference, are predominately found in East and South Asia. Studies have examined sex ratios among first-generation migrants from these regions, but few have examined second-generation descendants. Our objective was to determine whether son-biased sex ratios persist among second-generation mothers with South Asian ethnicity in Ontario, Canada. METHODOLOGY: A surname…
Refugee mothers, migration pathways and HIV
Forced migration and extended time spent migrating may lead to prolonged marginalization and increased risk of HIV. We conducted a population-based cohort study to examine whether secondary migration status, where secondary migrants resided in a transition country prior to arrival in Ontario, Canada and primary migrants arrived directly from their country of birth, modified the relationship between refugee status and HIV. Unadjusted and adjusted …
Commentary in response to ‘characterising the risk of homicide in a population-based cohort’ (O’Neill et al , 2019)
We are social epidemiologists and community advocates focused on addressing social determinants of health inequities. While we appreciate O’Neill et al ’s effort to link multiple provincial-level administrative data sets to examine homicide victimisation by immigration status in Ontario, Canada, we have concerns about the framing and interpretation of findings and their potential impact on immigrants and refugees.1 While O’Neill et al ’s data and…
The social determinants of health as predictors of adherence to public health preventive measures among parents and young children during the Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 vaccine equity
Introduction: Immigrants were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and experience unique vaccination barriers. In Canada (37 million people), 23% of the population is foreign-born. Immigrants constitute 60% of the country's racialized (non-white) population and over half of immigrants reside in Ontario, the country's most populous province. Ontario had several strategies aimed at improving vaccine equity including geographic targeting of vacci…
Sars-CoV-2 testing and Covid-19–related primary care use among people with citizenship, permanent residency, and temporary immigration status
Interwoven immigration, health, and occupational policies place people with temporary status in circumstances of precarity and higher health risk. Reducing precarity accompanying temporary status, including regularization pathways, and decoupling access to health care from immigration status can address health inequities
Discrimination and Racial Inequities in Self-reported Mental Health Among Immigrants and Canadian-Born Individuals in a Large, Nationally Representative Canadian Survey
We examined the link between discrimination and self-rated mental health (SRMH) among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals, stratified according to an individual's identification as racialized or white. Using data from Canada's General Social Survey (2014) (weighted N = 27,575,000) with a novel oversample of immigrants, we estimated the association of perceived discrimination with SRMH separately among immigrants and Canadian-born individuals…
Morbidity among resettled refugees at arrival in Ontario, Canada (1994–2017)
BACKGROUND: Immigration inadmissibility on medical grounds is common among high-income countries. In Canada, the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) became law in 2002. With humanitarian protection as a priority, IRPA removed medical inadmissibility based on exceeding a cost threshold for the projected use of health and social services for resettled refugees. Our objective was to determine whether resettled refugees arriving in Ontario af…
Medicine (14 works) · Geography (12 works) · Demography (9 works) · Immigration (9 works) · Migration, Health and Trauma (9 works) · Environmental health (7 works) · Population (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Political science (5 works) · Public health (5 works)