Research on the physical health of immigrants in Canada demonstrates that immigrants tend to be healthier than non-immigrants upon arrival in Canada. However, across every immigration category, the longer they live in Canada the more their health deteriorates (Newbold, 2006). The experience of arriving with a health advantage and losing it over time has been called the “healthy immigrant effect” (Newbold, 2006).

In partnership with the KW Ontario Health Team, our lab started the Newcomer App Project in May 2023 to design and develop an app to address the newcomer transition problem. The app is designed based using a “Capability Sensitive Design” approach, which focuses on helping newcomers consider and take actions to address a range of capabilities (such as capability to play, to have social connections, to express feelings, to have control over material and political environments, to have good physical health) that are important for their well-being.