Mandana Vahabi
Biographic Data
| ID | 3838229 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mandana Vahabi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Mandana |
| FAMILY NAME | Vahabi |
| SIGNATURE | VAHABI M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Toronto Metropolitan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7950-7335 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 8 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 25 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Does Cultural Conceptualisation of Empowerment Matter in Mental Health Promotion? Insights From the Linking Hearts Project
Empowerment has been applied as conceptual guidance for mental health promotion since the 1970s. Evidence from decades of cross‐cultural research has established that empowerment is a socially and culturally constituted construct whose mechanisms vary across different social, political and institutional contexts. However, how these variations shape implementation in practice, particularly in non‐Western settings with distinctive socio‐political c…
Pathways to breaking the cycle of HIV stigma
15) took part in two gender-based, online focus groups. Based on thematic analysis, we identified five overarching themes: (1) daily challenges with HIV stigma; (2) mental and behavioral repercussions of HIV stigma; (3) turning points and positive coping strategies; (4) systemic and intersecting barriers; and (5) changes through education and peer support. Participants described stigma as a chronic and multifaceted experience that detrimentally a…
Experiences with HPV self-sampling in India
Cervical cancer is the second common cancer among Indian women, with incidence of 17.7 per 100,000 women and a national screening coverage of less than 2%. HPV-Self Sampling (SS) offers a promising opportunity to expand screening coverage. However, understanding the feasibility of this method within the local context is crucial before implementing it as a large-scale intervention. To assess the feasibility of HPV self-sampling (HPV-SS) by explori…
HIV testing among heterosexual Black men in Toronto
Story Sharing for Sexual Health
Story Sharing for Sexual Health
Objective: There is a scarcity of research on sexual health education among women in South Asian diasporic communities in Canada, resulting in a need for designing culturally relevant approaches to teach about sexual health and HIV prevention, seen as taboo topics. This community-based research study was designed to determine the effectiveness of using culturally relevant stories as a model for sexual health education for South Asian immigrant wo…
The Mediating Effect of Stress between Extracurricular Activities and Suicidal Ideation in Chinese College Students
Extracurricular activities indirectly predict college students' suicidal ideation through stress. A variety of extracurricular activities can decrease the stress and suicidal ideation of college students and benefit their mental health
Effectiveness of family-centred sexual health education and HPV self-sampling in promoting cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach indian women in rural and tribal areas
The implementation of HPV-SS coupled with family-centered arts-based and culturally appropriate SHE is highly promising in promoting cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach women. Evidence from our study can be used to advance public health policies and inform the scale-up of similar initiatives in other villages and states across rural India and other LMICs
Understanding the Acceptability and Uptake of HPV Self-Sampling Amongst Women Under- or Never-Screened for Cervical Cancer in Toronto (Ontario, Canada)
Cervical cancer remains a global public health concern, even though scientific advancements have made the disease almost entirely preventable. With the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, and the subsequent improvement in screening technology, there is potential to improve access and coverage of cervical screening with the introduction of HPV self-sampling. In Ontario, Canada, a province with a cytology-based screening pr…
Association between Mental Health Knowledge Level and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese College Students
This study aimed to explore the association between mental health knowledge level and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and a total of 600 college students were recruited to self-complete a series of questionnaires. The Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ) was used to investigate the level of mental health know…
Transnational contexts and local embeddedness of HIV/STI vulnerabilities among Thai and Filipino agricultural temporary foreign workers in Canada
Each year Canada approves about 70,000 agricultural temporary foreign worker positions. However, few studies have examined temporary foreign workers' sexual health. In this mixed-methods study, we used surveys and focus groups to explore the knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI), sexual behaviours and the perspectives of sexual health of 100 Thai and Filipino temporary foreign workers in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The find…
Migrant Live-in Caregivers Mental Health in Canada
Caught between a rock and a hard place
A multi-faceted approach is required to improve the working and living conditions of this vulnerable group and ultimately their health outcomes. We recommend the following: government inspection to ensure employer compliance with the labour standards and provision of safe working and living conditions; change immigration policy to allow migrant caregivers to apply for permanent residence upon arrival; the TFWs Program to establish fair wages and …
Cancer Screening Among Patients Who Self-Identify as Muslim
Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada
To enhance Muslim immigrant women screening uptake, efforts should made to increase 1) their knowledge of the Canadian health care system and preventive services at the time of entry to Canada, and 2) access to culturally sensitive education programs, female health professionals, and alternative modes of screening like HPV self-sampling. Health professionals need to take an active role in offering screening during health encounters, be educated a…
The validity of self-reported cancer screening history and the role of social disadvantage in Ontario, Canada
We have found that in Ontario, as in other jurisdictions, there is a pervasive tendency for people to over-report their cancer screening histories. Sociodemographic status also appears to influence over-reporting. Public health practitioners and policymakers need to be aware of the limitations of self-report and adjust their methods and interpretations accordingly
Breast cancer screening disparities among urban immigrants
To enhance immigrant women screening rates efforts should made to increase their access to primary care patient enrolment models and preferably female health professionals. Support should be provided to interventions that address screening barriers like language, acculturation limitations and knowledge deficit. Health professionals need to be educated and take an active role in offering screening guidelines during health encounters
Challenges in recruiting hard-to-reach populations focusing on Latin American recent immigrants
Purpose – Recruiting immigrant populations, particularly recent arrivals, is challenging due to lack of sampling frames and other factors. The purpose of this paper is to report the feasibility of using a quasi-random sampling strategy for recruiting recent Latin American (LA) immigrants. Design/methodology/approach – The initial recruitment strategy included random selection of two census tracts (CTs) with high concentrations and numbers of rece…
A Feasibility Study of a Culturally and Gender-specific Dance to Promote Physical Activity for South Asian Immigrant Women in the Greater Toronto Area
Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto
The main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food progra…
South Asian Women's Beliefs About Physical Activity and Dancing as a Form of Exercise
South Asian (SA) immigrant women in Canada are at greater risk of contracting and dying from heart disease than their white Canadian counterparts. Low levels of physical activity (PA), a modifiable risk factor for heart disease, have been reported in the SA community. This study investigated the acceptability of culturally specific dance in enhancing SA women's engagement in PA. Two focus group sessions were held, involving a total of 16 SA women…
Breast cancer and screening information needs and preferred communication medium among Iranian immigrant women in Toronto
Few studies have investigated what information women from minority immigrant groups need about breast cancer and screening. Nor has much research been conducted about how such women would prefer to receive this information. Mere translation of breast cancer and screening information from generic materials, without considering and respecting women's unique historical, political, and cultural experiences, is insufficient. This study explored breast…
Food Insecurity Among Latin American Recent Immigrants in Toronto
Iranian Women's Perception and Beliefs About Breast Cancer
Financial support for this study was provided in part by the Ryerson University New Faculty SRC Development Fund and Ryerson Faculty of Community Services SRC Grant. The funding agreement ensured the author's independence in designing the study, interpreting the data, writing, and publishing the report. I thank the following people who were instrumental in the completion of this study: all the women who found time in their busy schedules to parti…
Defining Needs-based Urban Health Planning Areas is Feasible and Desirable
Defining Needs-based Urban Health Planning Areas is Feasible and Desirable
Food Insecurity Among Latin American Recent Immigrants in Toronto
Iranian Women's Perception and Beliefs About Breast Cancer
Financial support for this study was provided in part by the Ryerson University New Faculty SRC Development Fund and Ryerson Faculty of Community Services SRC Grant. The funding agreement ensured the author's independence in designing the study, interpreting the data, writing, and publishing the report. I thank the following people who were instrumental in the completion of this study: all the women who found time in their busy schedules to parti…
Breast cancer and screening information needs and preferred communication medium among Iranian immigrant women in Toronto
Few studies have investigated what information women from minority immigrant groups need about breast cancer and screening. Nor has much research been conducted about how such women would prefer to receive this information. Mere translation of breast cancer and screening information from generic materials, without considering and respecting women's unique historical, political, and cultural experiences, is insufficient. This study explored breast…
South Asian Women's Beliefs About Physical Activity and Dancing as a Form of Exercise
South Asian (SA) immigrant women in Canada are at greater risk of contracting and dying from heart disease than their white Canadian counterparts. Low levels of physical activity (PA), a modifiable risk factor for heart disease, have been reported in the SA community. This study investigated the acceptability of culturally specific dance in enhancing SA women's engagement in PA. Two focus group sessions were held, involving a total of 16 SA women…
Perceived barriers in accessing food among recent Latin American immigrants in Toronto
The main barrier to food security among our sample of LA newcomers to Toronto is limited financial resources, highlighting the need for policies and strategies that could improve their financial power to purchase sufficient, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food. Linguistic barriers and limited information among newcomers suggest the need to provide linguistically- and culturally-appropriate information related to community-based food progra…
A Feasibility Study of a Culturally and Gender-specific Dance to Promote Physical Activity for South Asian Immigrant Women in the Greater Toronto Area
The validity of self-reported cancer screening history and the role of social disadvantage in Ontario, Canada
We have found that in Ontario, as in other jurisdictions, there is a pervasive tendency for people to over-report their cancer screening histories. Sociodemographic status also appears to influence over-reporting. Public health practitioners and policymakers need to be aware of the limitations of self-report and adjust their methods and interpretations accordingly
Breast cancer screening disparities among urban immigrants
To enhance immigrant women screening rates efforts should made to increase their access to primary care patient enrolment models and preferably female health professionals. Support should be provided to interventions that address screening barriers like language, acculturation limitations and knowledge deficit. Health professionals need to be educated and take an active role in offering screening guidelines during health encounters
Challenges in recruiting hard-to-reach populations focusing on Latin American recent immigrants
Purpose – Recruiting immigrant populations, particularly recent arrivals, is challenging due to lack of sampling frames and other factors. The purpose of this paper is to report the feasibility of using a quasi-random sampling strategy for recruiting recent Latin American (LA) immigrants. Design/methodology/approach – The initial recruitment strategy included random selection of two census tracts (CTs) with high concentrations and numbers of rece…
Cancer Screening Among Patients Who Self-Identify as Muslim
Muslim immigrant women’s views on cervical cancer screening and HPV self-sampling in Ontario, Canada
To enhance Muslim immigrant women screening uptake, efforts should made to increase 1) their knowledge of the Canadian health care system and preventive services at the time of entry to Canada, and 2) access to culturally sensitive education programs, female health professionals, and alternative modes of screening like HPV self-sampling. Health professionals need to take an active role in offering screening during health encounters, be educated a…
Caught between a rock and a hard place
A multi-faceted approach is required to improve the working and living conditions of this vulnerable group and ultimately their health outcomes. We recommend the following: government inspection to ensure employer compliance with the labour standards and provision of safe working and living conditions; change immigration policy to allow migrant caregivers to apply for permanent residence upon arrival; the TFWs Program to establish fair wages and …
Migrant Live-in Caregivers Mental Health in Canada
Understanding the Acceptability and Uptake of HPV Self-Sampling Amongst Women Under- or Never-Screened for Cervical Cancer in Toronto (Ontario, Canada)
Cervical cancer remains a global public health concern, even though scientific advancements have made the disease almost entirely preventable. With the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, and the subsequent improvement in screening technology, there is potential to improve access and coverage of cervical screening with the introduction of HPV self-sampling. In Ontario, Canada, a province with a cytology-based screening pr…
Association between Mental Health Knowledge Level and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese College Students
This study aimed to explore the association between mental health knowledge level and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and a total of 600 college students were recruited to self-complete a series of questionnaires. The Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ) was used to investigate the level of mental health know…
Transnational contexts and local embeddedness of HIV/STI vulnerabilities among Thai and Filipino agricultural temporary foreign workers in Canada
Each year Canada approves about 70,000 agricultural temporary foreign worker positions. However, few studies have examined temporary foreign workers' sexual health. In this mixed-methods study, we used surveys and focus groups to explore the knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI), sexual behaviours and the perspectives of sexual health of 100 Thai and Filipino temporary foreign workers in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The find…
The Mediating Effect of Stress between Extracurricular Activities and Suicidal Ideation in Chinese College Students
Extracurricular activities indirectly predict college students' suicidal ideation through stress. A variety of extracurricular activities can decrease the stress and suicidal ideation of college students and benefit their mental health
Effectiveness of family-centred sexual health education and HPV self-sampling in promoting cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach indian women in rural and tribal areas
The implementation of HPV-SS coupled with family-centered arts-based and culturally appropriate SHE is highly promising in promoting cervical cancer screening among hard-to-reach women. Evidence from our study can be used to advance public health policies and inform the scale-up of similar initiatives in other villages and states across rural India and other LMICs
Story Sharing for Sexual Health
Story Sharing for Sexual Health
Objective: There is a scarcity of research on sexual health education among women in South Asian diasporic communities in Canada, resulting in a need for designing culturally relevant approaches to teach about sexual health and HIV prevention, seen as taboo topics. This community-based research study was designed to determine the effectiveness of using culturally relevant stories as a model for sexual health education for South Asian immigrant wo…
HIV testing among heterosexual Black men in Toronto
Does Cultural Conceptualisation of Empowerment Matter in Mental Health Promotion? Insights From the Linking Hearts Project
Empowerment has been applied as conceptual guidance for mental health promotion since the 1970s. Evidence from decades of cross‐cultural research has established that empowerment is a socially and culturally constituted construct whose mechanisms vary across different social, political and institutional contexts. However, how these variations shape implementation in practice, particularly in non‐Western settings with distinctive socio‐political c…
Pathways to breaking the cycle of HIV stigma
15) took part in two gender-based, online focus groups. Based on thematic analysis, we identified five overarching themes: (1) daily challenges with HIV stigma; (2) mental and behavioral repercussions of HIV stigma; (3) turning points and positive coping strategies; (4) systemic and intersecting barriers; and (5) changes through education and peer support. Participants described stigma as a chronic and multifaceted experience that detrimentally a…
Experiences with HPV self-sampling in India
Cervical cancer is the second common cancer among Indian women, with incidence of 17.7 per 100,000 women and a national screening coverage of less than 2%. HPV-Self Sampling (SS) offers a promising opportunity to expand screening coverage. However, understanding the feasibility of this method within the local context is crucial before implementing it as a large-scale intervention. To assess the feasibility of HPV self-sampling (HPV-SS) by explori…
Medicine (21 works) · Environmental health (13 works) · Immigration (11 works) · Population (11 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · Public health (9 works) · Gerontology (8 works)