Scoping review maps research on Black people’s health in Canada

Researchers used Joanna Briggs Institute methods and the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework to map peer-reviewed studies conducted in Canada. Searches of eight databases and reference lists, with no publication-date or language restrictions, identified 13,610 records; 522 studies met the inclusion criteria. The review covered quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research and was reported using PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Research output increased substantially after 2000, with more than half of the included studies published from 2020 through 2025. The literature spanned 15 health-related domains, most often mental health, communicable diseases, healthcare access, racial discrimination and immigrant-related stress. Across these areas, studies documented disproportionate disease burdens, barriers to culturally safe care, and the influence of racism and socioeconomic inequities.

The authors highlight limited race-disaggregated data, non-representative samples, aggregation of diverse Black populations, and a shortage of longitudinal and intervention-focused research. As a scoping review, the study maps the literature rather than estimating pooled effects or testing interventions. Its findings point to evidence and data gaps but do not evaluate specific clinical strategies.