Patient-Reported Experiences in Accessing Primary Healthcare among Immigrant Population in Canada: A Rapid Literature Review

Bishnu Bahadur Bajgain, Kalpana Thapa Bajgain, Sujan Badal, Fariba Aghajafari, Jeanette Jackson and Maria-Jose Santana
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Bishnu Bahadur Bajgain: Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
Kalpana Thapa Bajgain: AabKa Research & Consultancy, Calgary, AB T1Y 5J2, Canada
Sujan Badal: School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Fariba Aghajafari: Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
Jeanette Jackson: Health Quality Council of Alberta, Calgary, AB T2N 2A4, Canada
Maria-Jose Santana: Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: (1) Background: Immigrants represent around 21.9% of the total population in Canada and encounter multifaceted obstacles in accessing and receiving primary healthcare. This literature review explores patient experiences in primary care from the perspective of immigrants and identifies areas for further research and improvement. (2) Methods: A comprehensive search was performed on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, SCOPUS, and Google scholar to identify studies published from 2010 to July 2020. Relevant articles were peer-reviewed, in English language, and reported patient experiences in primary healthcare in Canada. (3) Results: Of the 1566 searched articles, 19 articles were included in this review. Overall, the finding from articles were summarized into four major themes: cultural and linguistic differences; socioeconomic challenges; health system factors; patient–provider relationship. (4) Conclusion: Understanding the gaps to accessing and receiving appropriate healthcare is important to shape policies, enhance the quality of services, and deliver more equitable healthcare services. It is therefore pertinent that primary healthcare providers play an active role in bridging these gaps with strong support from policymakers. Understanding and respecting diversity in culture, language, experiences, and systems is crucial in reducing health inequalities and improving access to quality care in a respectful and responsive manner.

Keywords: access barriers; access facilitators; immigrant; patient experiences; primary healthcare; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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