Navigating mental health and community challenges: the Uyghur diaspora’s experience in Canada in the Xi Jinping era

Purpose This paper aims to explore the mental health and community challenges of Uyghur immigrants in Canada under the current systemic oppression in the Uyghur homeland. Design methodology approach It is based on a survey of 113 adult immigrants and qualitative interviews of 10 men and 10 women participants. Findings The findings show that the Uyghurs in Canada experience a significant sense of trauma, mental health issues and community challenges due to the ongoing oppression in their homeland. Originality Value This study expands and updates the above discussions, exploring the ongoing, profound and multidimensional mental health challenges that members of the Canadian Uyghur diaspora face due to China’s continued oppression of the Uyghurs in East Turkistan (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) post-2017. Meanwhile, the qualitative narrative data from in-depth interviews provide detailed insight into the community and social aspects of Uyghur collective trauma, representing a significant contribution. This research further underscores the pressing need for culturally sensitive interventions to address the complex psychological and social needs of this community.