Decolonising Mental Health Communication among African Immigrants in Alberta, Canada: A Culturally-Responsive Behaviour Change Perspective - An Integrative Critical Review (2020–2025)

Abstract

African  immigrants  in Alberta,  Canada,  experience  significant  mental  health  disparities influenced by systemic inequities, cultural misunderstandings, and colonial legacies embedded within healthcare systems. An integrative review methodology was employed to synthesise peer-reviewed articles, Grey literature, community reports, and lived community experiences from 2020 to 2025, to inform the development of decolonised, culturally responsive mental health communication strategies grounded in social behaviour change models. The study adopted decolonial theory and intersectionality. Two conceptual frameworks were developed, and a community-anchored SBCC model was proposed. Thematic analysis identified cultural relevance, systemic barriers, community-led approaches, and adaptation of the Culturally- Responsive Social Behaviour Change Communication (C-SBCC) model. Study results imply that the proposed Community-Anchored C-SBCC model emphasised community leadership, culturally responsive language, structural framing of racism, and iterative evaluation. Lived experiences reinforce the need for participatory, indigenous epistemology-driven strategies. Case studies and sample campaign materials (workplace flyer, faith-group brief) illustrate actionable ways to retool messaging. Discussion revealed that decolonising health communication requires integrating community knowledge, fostering cultural humility, and deploying models like C-SBCC that respect indigenous health paradigms. Policy and practice should prioritise participatory and culturally grounded initiatives. Pilot testing in Alberta is recommended to assess feasibility and impact within community and institutional settings.