Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Social Work

Faculty/School

Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work

First Advisor

Dr. Lea Caragata and Dr. Anh Ngo

Advisor Role

Advisors

Second Advisor

Dr. Peter Dunn

Advisor Role

Committee Member

Abstract

Precarious employment, which is characterized by low wages, insecurity, few entitlements, and a higher risk of ill health, is on the rise in Canada; however, precarious forms of employment are not equally distributed across society, but are borne disproportionately by some groups, including racialized immigrant women. To better understand the impact of precarious employment on the health of racialized immigrant women, I conducted a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews (n=21) and two follow-up focus groups (n=11) with women in Southwestern Ontario. The women were recruited through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling and were compensated for their time as well as childcare and transportation costs. With this doctoral study, I explored the pathways between precarious employment and women’s health, as well as the associated consequences. My study was guided by feminist and constructivist grounded theory methodologies and informed by both intersectional feminist and social determinants of health perspectives. With this critical lens, particular attention was paid to the intersection of gender, race, class, and immigrant status in relation to precarious employment and health. Further, data were collected and analyzed using an iterative and reflexive approach and guided by feminist research ethics. Within this dissertation, I present the findings from this study including direct and indirect pathways between precarious employment and health, non-employment related health and safety risk factors, and strategies employed to resist precarious employment. In addition, I discuss the findings in relation to relevant literature, as well as several policy considerations and areas for future research.

Convocation Year

2023

Convocation Season

Fall

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Available for download on Tuesday, October 06, 2026

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