Immigrant Status and Having a Regular Medical Doctor Among Canadian Adults

Overview

Journal Can J Public Health

Publisher Springer Nature

Specialty Public Health

Date 2016 Jun 28

PMID 27348114

Citations 6

Authors

Michelle L Degelman

Katya M Herman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: New immigrants generally arrive in Canada with a health advantage over their Canadian counterparts, but lose that advantage over time. Difficulties in acquiring a physician may contribute. Past studies relied on older data, and lacked control for many confounders and assessment of gender differences. We assessed the relationship between immigrant status and having a regular doctor among Canadian adults.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2011-2012 Canadian Community Health Survey were self-reported by 73,958 respondents aged 18-64, representing >20 million Canadian adults. The relationship between immigrant status and having a doctor was analyzed using χ2 and logistic regression analyses stratified by gender. Age, body mass index, race, education, province of residence, physical activity, chronic conditions, self-perceived health, and number of children in household were controlled.

Results: Approximately 77% of males and 87% of females reported having a doctor. About 7% of respondents reported being new immigrants in Canada (0-9 years), while 16% were established immigrants (≥10 years). For males (M) and females (F) respectively, 78% and 88% of non-immigrants, 55% and 68% of new immigrants, and 84% and 91% of established immigrants reported having a doctor (p < 0.001). Compared to non-immigrants, new immigrants were significantly less likely to have a doctor (OR (95% CI) M: 0.43 (0.38-0.47); F: 0.36 (0.32-0.41)), while established immigrants were significantly more likely to have a doctor (M: 1.13 (1.03-1.24); F: 1.16 (1.03-1.30)).

Conclusion: New Canadian immigrants are less likely to have a regular doctor compared to non-immigrants, and should be targeted by policies and programs facilitating finding a doctor.

Citing Articles

Factors associated with primary healthcare provider access among trans and non-binary immigrants, refugees, and newcomers in Canada.

Ghabrial M, Ferguson T, Scheim A, Adams N, Khatoon M, Bauer G J Migr Health. 2024; 10:100241.

PMID: 39040891 PMC: 11261874. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100241.

Disparities in Access to a Regular Primary Care Physician Among First-Generation Migrants with Early Psychosis in Ontario, Canada.

Valdez C, Rodrigues R, Reid J, Anderson K Community Ment Health J. 2024; 60(6):1237-1241.

PMID: 38592350 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01266-7.

Sex, Immigration, and Patterns of Access to Primary Care in Canada.

Ssendikaddiwa J, Goldenberg S, Berry N, Lavergne M J Immigr Minor Health. 2023; 25(3):548-559.

PMID: 36870007 PMC: 10213067. DOI: 10.1007/s10903-023-01459-4.

Utilization of healthcare by immigrants in Canada: a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

Ravichandiran N, Mathews M, Ryan B BMC Prim Care. 2022; 23(1):69.

PMID: 35387597 PMC: 8985249. DOI: 10.1186/s12875-022-01682-2.

Primary Care and Access to Mental Health Consultations among Immigrants and Nonimmigrants with Mood or Anxiety Disorders: Soins de première ligne et accès aux consultations en santé mentale chez les immigrants et les non-immigrants souffrant de....

Rivera J, Puyat J, Wiedmeyer M, Lavergne M Can J Psychiatry. 2020; 66(6):540-550.

PMID: 32878459 PMC: 8138741. DOI: 10.1177/0706743720952234.

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