Silent Risks: Water Safety and Heart Health Among Young Punjabi Immigrants in Canada

Mobile clinics and culturally familiar care are a first step toward closing the health gap for Punjabi immigrant communities (Sahibjit Singh).

Punjabi Immigrants in recent times, especially in Canada, have been facing unique public health issues, regarding safety around bodies of water and health, with the rise in heart attacks in younger demographics. With the recent wave of immigrants comes the risks of younger people dabbling into unknown territories without prior awareness of environments, living habits, and everyday risks of being in a new city, and country at all. There have been many public health phenomena in the community, but specifically water safety and health have been the ones making headlines. Building off of public health phenomena, there is news about a group of young Punjabi men who drowned while boating near a body of water. Often it is seen on social media that yet another new immigrant has succumbed to an unexplained heart attack. Why? 

One area that demands urgent attention is  safety around water, as newcomers often lack swimming skills and awareness of the risks that come with boating or other water-based activities. In recent years, there have been countless incidents on social media where Punjabis - specifically young, newly immigrated ones - have participated in water activities, not knowing how to swim, or how to save themselves from risky situations. Reports suggest that new Canadians are four times more likely to be unable to swim than native-born citizens, and many tragic deaths have been reported among Indian and Punjabi students, highlighting the need for targeted education and outreach in these communities. Unlike California and much of the United States who used to require swim tests in high school, Punjab has no such exposure to swimming. Many people are self taught which is a risk on its own and their lack of awareness of water safety transcends into something bigger when they immigrate into countries where water sports and parks are common, not a foreign consent like it is back home. 

Another major risk factor for the young, newly immigrated Punjabi demographic is their heart health and the rise in frequent heart attacks. Heat attacks are common and are a threat to all to some extent, but are more frequent in people with predisposed issues or those of older age. What is especially alarming is that these health crises are increasingly affecting younger men, some in their 30s, who may not always present typical risk factors. The transition to an urban lifestyle abroad, along with new stressors and dietary habits, further contributes to this elevated risk. Further research done listed on ScienceDirect on south asians and cardiovascular health  has identified modifiable risk factors such as stress, poor diet, and lack of physical activity as causes of young sudden deaths (ScienceDirect) . These are often intensified for immigrants adapting to life in a new country and balancing work, school, and managing their health and diet for themselves all of a sudden. 

For Punjabi Immigrants, public awareness companies, along with the education resources promoted through social needs, are urgently needed. This demographic should be offered swimming lessons for those willing to seek training, along with other water safety protocols. The first base should explain to them how risky the body of water can be. Additionally, there needs to be education about stress, diet, and health checkups to prevent more health issues from going unnoticed. Most importantly, these resources must ensure access to translated materials, and culturally relevant programming is critical for both preventing avoidable tragedies and supporting the well-being of Punjabi youth and families throughout their journey in North America.