Area of Study / Keywords

Immigrant Health; Black Peoples Health; African Immigrants; Temporary Foreign Workers; Immigrant Mental Health; Immigrant Child and Youth Health

About

Degrees

• PhD (Nursing), University of Toronto (2014)
• MN (Nursing Administration), University of Toronto (2008)
• BScN (Honors), University of Windsor (2004)

Selected Awards and Distinctions

• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Award 2020
• College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta Nursing Excellence Award 2019
• Rosalind Smith Professional Award: National Black Coalition of Canada (Edmonton Chapter)
• Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Emerging Nurse Researcher Award 2018
• 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women 2018
• Edmonton's Top 40 under 40 2016
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Award
• Sigma Theta Tau International Lambda-Pi-At-Large Award of Merit for an Outstanding PhD Thesis
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• Ontario Training Center in Health Service and Policy Research Fellowship – a CIHR Strategic Training Program

Biography

I am an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta. I joined the Faculty in January 2014 as an Assistant Professor. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Windsor, my Master of Nursing from the University of Toronto, and my PhD from the University of Toronto. My doctoral research was on the migration of Philippine educated nurses to Ontario through the Live-in Caregiver Program. I also completed the Ontario Training Centre in Health Service and Policy Research Collaborative Program, the International Nursing PhD Program, and the Critical Qualitative Health Research Certificate Program. Prior to my academic career, I was pediatric oncology nurse and subsequently an interprofessional educator at the New Immigrant Support Network of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

My research program focuses on policies and practices shaping migrants health. I have been involved in around 60 funded research projects. I am the lead on 20 of these projects with funding from national and international agencies. I have lead research projects on African immigrant child health, immigrant mental health, access to healthcare for immigrant children, Black youth mental health, international nurse migration, immigrant child mental health, experience of live-in caregivers and care recipients, experience of temporary foreign workers, internally displaced people, and parenting practices of African immigrants. I have around 70 published scholarly articles in peer reviewed journals (with another 15 under review), 2 book chapters, and 8 reports. I am on the editorial board of Nursing Inquiry and Qualitative Health Research Journal as well as guest editor for International Journal of Environmental and Public Health Research as well as Regional Climate Change Journal. I am currently in the process of writing a book on the links between migration and climate change.

My research has lead to several positive policy and program initiatives including the establishment of a Black mental health clinic by Africa Center. I have provided consultations to local, provincial and national policy makers to improve outcomes for immigrants and racialized communities. I founded and lead the African Child and Youth Migration Network of 30 scholars from 4 continent focused on improving the wellbeing of African children and youths globally. In 2020, I founded the Black Youth Mentorship and Leadership Program at the University of Alberta. The first University based interdisciplinary mentorship program for Black youths in Western Canada seeks to socially and economically empower Black youths to contribute meaningfully to the Canadian society. I am a community-engaged researcher. I am involved and have volunteered for several community organizations. I have delivered several engagement sessions to immigrant communities. In 2017, I organized the first research stakeholder engagement day for African immigrants in Alberta. In 2015/2016, I was a collaborating researcher at the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development and have presented to international policy makers (including representatives of United Nations, International Organization for Migration, World Health Organization) on migration and precarity. I have collaborated with individuals across diverse health and social science disciplines and been engaged in research with researchers from diverse countries.

I represent the University of Alberta on the steering committee of the Worldwide Universities Network Global Africa Group. I am involved in several community volunteer initiatives including serving as a public member on the Council of the Alberta College of Social Worker, the Public Health Agency of Canada Working Group on the Mental Health of Black Canadian, Board of the Black Physicians Association of Alberta, and Board of the Black Opportunities Fund. Previously, I was a Board Member for Africa Center, Edmonton Local Immigrant Partnership, National Association of Nigerian Nurses of North America, International Nursing Interest Group of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, Montage Support Services (for adults with developmental disabilities), and Project Esperance (an 88 unit apartment complex for abused women and children in Toronto). I have been a grant reviewer for several organizations including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Bell Lets Talk, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Edmonton Community Foundation, United Kingdom Medical Research Council, Canadian Institute for Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Alberta Health Services Strategic Clinical Network, Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and Alberta Innovates Health Solution.

I teach courses on immigrant health, health policy, community health, global health and program planning and evaluation. I have a solid track record of training students. I have trained over 40 students as graduate students and research assistants, many of whom have received awards, including the Canadian Vanier Award and the International Development Research Center Doctoral Award.

I have received several awards for research excellence and community engagement: 100 Accomplished Black Women in Canada; Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing Emerging Nurse Researcher of the Year Award; College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CARNA) Award for Nursing Excellence; and Alberta Avenue Edmonton Top 40 under 40. In 2020, I received the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, one of the highest international research award in nursing. 

Research

I am the principal investigator for the Health and Immigration Policies and Practices (HIPP) Research Program. My current program of research seeks to bridge the gaps between immigration policy and health policy and practices. Although I am largely a qualitative researcher, I employ diverse methodological approaches. I have conducted studies using case study methodology, critical ethnography, participatory action research, quantitative analysis of large data sets, metasynthesis, and scoping reviews. My research is largely situated within the critical social paradigm. In the past, I have used transnationalism, transnational feminist, intersectionality, and postcolonial feminist lens in my research projects. My current research is in the following areas:

1. Black people and African immigrant health
2. Health and well-being of temporary foreign workers
3. Immigrant child and youth health
4. The mental health of immigrants
5. International nurse migration

I am particularly interested in how the intersection of gender, race, class, nationality and immigration status influence the health of vulnerable migrant groups in Canada as well as the policy and practice implications. To effectively tackle the complex issues related to migration and health, I often work within interprofessional teams. In the past, I have collaborated with individuals with background in women's studies, education, political science, anthropology, sociology, social policy, pediatrics, epidemiology, public health, dentistry, demography, and statistics as well as immigrant health and social service agencies. I am currently leading a network of researchers from twelve countries focused on African child and youth well being in the context of migration and displacement. In addition, I have an interest in global health research, especially in West Africa.  

Current Funded Research Projects

• Merry, L., Salami, B., Kirova, A., Gervais, C., Kutz Landy, C. M., Papazian-Zohrabian, G., Archambault, I., Wahoush, O. E., & Caron, R. (2021 – 2025). Transnationalism and the psycho-social well-being of recently-arrived migrant mothers & fathers with young children (0 to 5 years old) in three Canadian cities. SSHRC Insight Grant. $337,430.

• Salami, B. (2021). Influence of Climate Change on the Health of African Migrants. Intersection of Research Development Grant. $5,000.

• Salma, J., Jones, C. A., & Salami, O. (2021 - 2022). Responding to the needs of vulnerable Muslim seniors during COVID-19: A community based participatory project using a mosque-based community liaison. SSHRC Partnership Engagement Grant. $24,635.

• Selman, J., Goble, E., Salami, B., Spitzer, D., Caine, V., Tate, S. (2021–2023). Black equity in Alberta rainforest (The B.E.A.R). Mitacs. $800,000.

• Wang, Y., Salami, B., et al. (2021). Exploring the changing social networks of low-income migrants in post-COVID cities: Implications on community-based health infrastructure. Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund. £10,000 (~$17,399).

• Salami, B., et al. (2021). Improving Black youths educational outcomes: A Black youth mentorship program. Edmonton Community Foundation Grant. $77,200.

• Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Richter, S., Salami, B. (2021–2024). On the path of social responsibility and global leadership. Queen Elizabeth Scholars Program, Universities Canada. $293,225.

• Meherali, S., Salami, B., et al. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund. £10,000 pounds. (~$17,399).

• Oriola, T., Salami, B., Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Ogbogu, U., Arshad-Ayaz, Adeyanju, C., Jean-Pierre, J., & Collins, T. (2020–2021). Race, gender, sexuality and student security: The School Resource Officer (SRO) Program in Edmonton. Killam Cornerstone Grant. $50,000.

• Wong, J., Fung, K., Hilario, C. T., Li, A. T., W. Narushima, M., Vahabi, M., dela Cruz, A., Chen, Y., Etowa, J., Liu, J., Meherali, S., Ning, X., Owino, M., Poon, M., Salami, B. O. & Sato, C. (2020 – 2024). Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment (ACE) Intervention: Reducing HIV Stigma and Promoting Community Resilience Through Capacity Building. Canadian Institute for Health Research Project Grant. $1,950,792

• Oriola, T., Salami, B., Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Ogbogu, U. (Sept 2020 to 2021). Race, Gender and Student Security: The School Resource officer (SRO) program in Edmonton. Kule Institute for Advanced Studies. $7,500

• Neef, A., Tschakert, P., Martin-McAuliffe, S., Kuschminder, K., Reichman, D., Zúñiga, V., Singleton, A., Nicholls, R., Codjoe, N. A, Salami, B. et al. (Jan 2020 to Dec 2020). Climate-Induced Migration: Global Scope, Regional Impacts and National Policy Frameworks. Worldwide Universities Network Research Development Fund. $36,000

• Hirani, S. & Salami, B. (2020 – 2023). Breastfeeding Practices of Immigrant Mothers in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Establishment Grant. $120,000

• Jarvis, K., Chubb, L. A., Richter, M. S., Salami, O., Tenkorang, E. (2020 – 2021). Creating synergy in women’s maternal and reproductive health: Building global research capacity to eradicate obstetric fistula. CIHR Planning and Dissemination Grant. $19,998.

• Salami, B., Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Adesida, A., Ogbogu, U., Oriola, T., Okome, O., Yohani, S., (Sept 2019 to March 2021). A Participatory Project to Improve Economic outcomes, Community Belonging and Leadership Skills of Black Youths in Alberta. Heritage Canada. $90,000

• Meherali, S., Salami, B., Vallianatos, H., Hilario, C., Jackson, M. (2020 to 2022). Sexual and reproductive health needs of immigrant adolescent. Women and Children Health Research Institute CRISP Grant. $20,000

• Salami, B., Ani-Amponsah, M., Kwankye, S., Richter, S., Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Vallianatos, H., Fouche, C., Mazzucato, V., Sibeko, L., Thompson, J., Fairbrother, H., Gommaa, H., Lavin, T., & Abimbola, S. (2019 to 2022). African child migration in circumstances of vulnerability: Developing a research partnership and network. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Development Grant. $200,000

• Salami, B. (PI), Foster, J. (Co-I), Vallianatos, H. (Co-I), Okeke-Ihejirika, P. (Co-I), Piper, N. (Collaborator), Luciano, M. (Collaborator), & Juen, J. (Collaborator). (2017 to 2021). Migration and precarity: From the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to permanent resident, student and undocumented migrant status. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Grant. $197,145. Matching fund from Kule Institute for Advanced Studies. An additional $3,000

• Okeke-Ihejirika, P. (PI), Salami, B., Yohani, S. (2017 to 2021). Transforming gender relations among African immigrants in Alberta - A participatory action study. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Grant. $201,981. Matching fund from Kule Institute for Advanced Studies. An additional $3,000

Teaching

In the past, I have taught the following courses: graduate course on "Migration and Health in the Canadian Context"; graduate course on "International and Intercultural Perspective on Health"' graduate course on "Public Policy and Nursing Leadership"; graduate course on "Program Planning"; undergraduate interprofessional course on "Interprofessional Team Development: Immigrant Health"; an undergraduate course on "Community Health Nursing".

I am currently recruiting mentors for the Black youth mentorship program. Please email bymp@ualberta.ca if you would like to be a mentor.