Work

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

Year: 2026

Type: article

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: = 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.

Source: Dialogues in Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.dialog.2026.100366