An excellent report on multicultural youth and wellbeing in urban settings has been published by the Toronto-based Wellesly Institute.
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Report-20110922-Voices-of-Multicultural-Youth.pdf
This report connects numerous overlapping and interacting factors that affect the health and well-being of multi-cultural youth in urban areas. below is an excellent quote that demonstrates the quality of the report: (from Page 3 of the report).
Geographic location has been distinguished as one of the leading factors associated with health disparities inCanada (Health Disparities TaskGroup, 2004). The neighbourhood in which we live can have a profound effect on our health outcomes. Neighbourhood-level factors influencing health such as the built environment, housing conditions, socioeconomic status, and neighbourhood safety and cohesion have all been identified to play a role in our health and well-being (Baum, Ziersch, Zhang, & Osborne, 2009; Haque & Eng, 2011; Heslop, Miller, & Hill, 2009) and are receiving increasing attentionfrom researchers and policymakers.The Canadian Institute for Health Information’s (2006) detailed report on health in urban neighbourhoods contends that more research on the nature of neighbourhood-resident interactions is imperative. A systematic review has found that built environments are a foundation of health and wellness for individuals and communities. Linking built environment to health issues such as physical activity, obesity, social capital and mental health, the review asserts that paying attention to the way neighbourhoods are constructed can have a strong impact on physical and mental wellbeing (Renalds, Smith, & Hale, 2010). Neighbourhood walkability is associated withmorephysical activity and lower weight and obesity; areas that support physical activity tend to report better social capital, lower rates of depression and less alcohol abuse; and general attractiveness and perceptions of safety are associated with greater overall physical health. The built environment varies across neighbourhoods, resulting in an inequitable distribution of resources and conditions; therefore built environment is a health equity issue.