Sense of place and mental wellness amongst African immigrants in Canada

This study examines the effects of self-perceived mental wellness and other socio-economic variables on sense of place amongst Ghanaian and Somali immigrants living in Hamilton, Ontario. Research results are based on the analysis of survey questionnaires (n = 236) of Ghanaian and Somali immigrant adults, with recent (0–5 years), mid-term (6–10 years), and long-term (more than 10 years) residency in Canada. Our findings revealed several significant factors of sense of place, including self-perceived mental wellness, income, age, employment, citizenship status, marital status, dwelling type, and length of residency in Canada. The findings highlight the need for research to incorporate sense of place into studies on visible minority immigrants and to focus on those factors contributing to place attachment amongst recent immigrants.