Notes
Community organizations: N/A
Future research / gaps identified:
Future research should enhance these findings by specifically focusing on:
1) Mental healthcare barriers and facilitators for immigrant patients
2) Why immigrant patients delay seeking care
3) Exploring various subgroups within the immigrant population (e.g. temporary foreign workers, international students)
Key recommendations:
1) Focus on building trustworthy relationships between doctors and patients
2) Improve the effectiveness of care coordination
3) Work to overcome language and cultural differences that impact quality of care
4) Address systemic barriers in the healthcare system
5) Enhance health system literacy by focusing on socioeconomic challenges
6) Refine virtual care experiences
Integration timeline: 5 years or less in Canada
Key findings:
The literature review revealed four major concerns affecting healthcare experiences of immigrant patients:
1) Cultural and linguistic difference
2) Socioeconomic challenges
3) Health system factors
4) Patient-provider relationship.
The quantitative analysis of survey data (N=10,175) showed Canadian-born respondents were more likely to report worsening mental health during the pandemic, as well as higher levels of perceived stress, anxiety, or depression compared to non-Canadian-born survey respondents. In addition, Canadian-born respondents were more likely to prefer virtual healthcare compared to those respondents born outside Canada.
Both cohorts reported that delayed care during the pandemic negatively impacted their health, and similar percentages in each cohort reported hesitancy getting the COVID-19 Vaccine.
The qualitative inquiry included 23 interviews (15 newcomers, 8 providers) and revealed three aspects driving newcomers’ and healthcare providers’ experiences:
1) Overall experiences (doctor-patient relationship, care coordination, expectation on care)
2) Virtual care experience (accessibility, communication)
3) Challenges in accessing and receiving healthcare (language/cultural difference, care accessibility, health system literacy, competing priorities).
Key populations: Immigrant patients accessing primary healthcare services during COVID-19
