Insights on Canadian Society
Navigating health care: Regular health care provider access among recent immigrants, established immigrants and non-immigrants
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Overview of the study
This study uses data from the 2024 Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Primary and Specialist Care to analyze the prevalence of having a regular health care provider (RHCP) among immigrants and non-immigrants aged 18 and over in Canada’s 10 provinces. It examines differences in access between recent immigrants (admitted as permanent residents 10 years earlier or less), established immigrants (admitted as permanent residents more than 10 years ago) and non-immigrants (individuals who are Canadian citizens by birth), and how these patterns vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors. Topics such as the type of provider, waiting times for non-urgent primary care or advice, years without a provider, and usual place for non-urgent primary health care or advice among those without an RHCP are also explored.
- In 2024, the percentage of immigrants who reported having an RHCP increased with years since immigration in Canada: 69% of recent immigrants compared with 85% of established immigrants. For non-immigrants, 82% reported access to an RHCP.
- Regional differences were notable in access to an RHCP, with fewer than half of recent immigrants in Quebec (44%) and the Atlantic provinces (41%) reporting access to an RHCP, compared with three-quarters in Ontario (75%).
- Nearly one in four recent immigrants (23%) have never had an RHCP in Canada, while 36% used walk-in clinics and 45% reported that they had no usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice.
Introduction
Canada experienced steady growth in its newcomer population over the past years. According to the 2021 Census of Population, 8.4 million immigrants resided in Canada, including 2.5 million recent immigrants who arrived between 2011 and 2021.Note In 2022, Canada welcomed over 437,000 permanent residents, the largest influx in its history.Note Recent immigrantsNote represent a rapidly growing segment of the population, whose health care needs and experiences may differ from those of long-term residents. While immigrants may face challenges accessing health care, these barriers are likely more pronounced for recent immigrants, who often struggle to navigate the health care system. For instance, recent immigrants may experience barriers such as language differences, a lack of familiarity with the health care system, and broader patterns of social exclusion and structural inequality.Note , Note These barriers may contribute to delayed care, reduced use of preventive services and poorer health outcomes.Note
From 2022 to 2024, recent immigrants continued to report lower rates of having a regular health care provider (RHCP) compared with established immigrants and non-immigrants.Note , Note However, there is limited comparative analysis on the prevalence of having an RHCP among recent immigrants, established immigrants and non-immigrants. Using data from the 2024 cross-sectional Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Primary and Specialist Care, this article examines how RHCP access differs among recent immigrants, established immigrants and non-immigrants, and how these patterns can vary by certain socioeconomic characteristics, such as province of residence, gender, age, employment status and family income. This study also examines type of provider, waiting times for non-urgent primary care or advice, years without a provider, and usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice for those without an RHCP.
By identifying population groups that are less likely to report having an RHCP, this study highlights segments of the population that may be more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, supporting efforts to address these gaps.
A companion study, “Racialized groups who have a regular health care provider: An overview,” examines the prevalence of having an RHCP among adults in Canada’s seven largest racialized groups and how these patterns vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors.
Established immigrants report greatest access to a regular health care provider
In 2024, the prevalence of having an RHCP varied by time since immigration among those aged 18 years and over living in Canada’s 10 provinces. Established immigrants (85%) were more likely than recent immigrants (69%) to report having an RHCP. Meanwhile, non-immigrants were slightly less likely than established immigrants to report having an RHCP, at 82%. However, many of these differences were partly related to variation in access to RHCPs by region.
Across regions,Note significant disparities in having an RHCP were observed between immigrant groups and non-immigrants. The lowest proportions were observed among recent immigrants in Quebec (44%) and the Atlantic provinces (41%), where established immigrants also had lower rates of reporting an RHCP (68% in Quebec and 75% in the Atlantic provinces) compared with non-immigrants (75% in Quebec and 80% in the Atlantic provinces). In contrast, immigrants in the Prairies reported comparatively higher levels of access, with 88% of established immigrants reporting an RHCP, exceeding the proportion among non-immigrants (83%). Ontario reported the highest overall proportions, with 75% of recent immigrants, 89% of established immigrants and 88% of non-immigrants reporting having an RHCP. These regional differences underscore the variability in health care access across Canada (Chart 1).
Other Canadian studies using national data have found similar patterns consistent with established immigrants having similar access to an RHCP as non-immigrants, or slightly better.Note ,Note This can be partly explained by the fact that, over time, immigrants adapt to the Canadian health care system and social norms while simultaneously experiencing a deterioration in their initial health advantage, whereby immigrants arrive in Canada with better overall health due to self-selection and immigration screening; however, this advantage diminishes over time as immigrants encounter new social, economic, and environmental conditions, which increases their need to seek care. In addition, there is evidence that established immigrants report poorer self-rated health than Canadian-born individuals. This may further motivate greater engagement with a primary care provider and slightly higher rates of having an RHCP.Note ,Note
However, this pattern is not uniform across the country, and a regional breakdown shows that higher access among established immigrants is observed primarily in the Prairies and British Columbia. This suggests that additional factors, such as differences within the non-immigrant population, urban-rural variation or regional health-system characteristics, may also influence these patterns.
Data table for Chart 1
| Region | Non-immigrants (ref.) | Established immigrants | Recent immigrants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percent | 95% confidence interval | percent | 95% confidence interval | percent | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| lower limit | upper limit | lower limit | upper limit | lower limit | upper limit | ||||
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences - Primary and Specialist Care, 2024. |
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| Atlantic | 79.9 Data table for chart 1 Note † | 78.9 | 80.9 | 74.5 Data table for chart 1 Note *Data table for chart 1 Note † | 69.8 | 79.2 | 41.0 Data table for chart 1 Note *Data table for chart 1 Note † | 34.2 | 47.9 |
| Quebec | 75.0 Data table for chart 1 Note † | 73.2 | 76.9 | 67.8 Data table for chart 1 Note *Data table for chart 1 Note † | 62.3 | 73.3 | 44.2 Data table for chart 1 Note *Data table for chart 1 Note † | 33.5 | 54.9 |
| Ontario (ref.) | 88.0 | 86.4 | 89.7 | 89.3 | 86.9 | 91.8 | 75.2 Data table for chart 1 Note * | 67.9 | 82.5 |
| Prairies | 83.1 Data table for chart 1 Note † | 81.9 | 84.3 | 87.5 Data table for chart 1 Note * | 85.4 | 89.5 | 78.7 | 74.3 | 83.1 |
| British Columbia | 81.1 Data table for chart 1 Note † | 78.9 | 83.2 | 83.5 Data table for chart 1 Note † | 80.5 | 86.5 | 74.4 | 67.1 | 81.6 |
One-third of recent immigrant men did not have access to a regular health care provider
Gender differences in access to an RHCP were evident across immigrant groups, with women reporting higher rates of access to an RHCP than their male counterparts (Table 1). The proportion of recent immigrants with an RHCP remained lowest among recent immigrant women (72%) and recent immigrant men (66%). In contrast, 87% of established immigrant women and 83% of established immigrant men reported having an RHCP, while proportions were slightly lower among non-immigrants (86% of women and 78% of men).
Older individuals were also more likely to have an RHCP, regardless of immigrant status. For example, among established immigrants, 80% of those aged 18 to 44, 85% of those aged 45 to 64, and 91% of those aged 65 and older reported having an RHCP. Similar trends were observed for non-immigrants (Table 1). This pattern is consistent with the greater health care needs of older adults, who are more likely to experience chronic conditions and require ongoing management, thereby facilitating a more established connection with an RHCP.
| Selected characteristics | Non-immigrants (ref.) | Established immigrants | Recent immigrants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | ||||
| percent | |||||||||
Survey-weighted regression models were used to examine differences in the proportion of adults aged 18 and over reporting having a regular health care provider by immigrant status within demographic subgroups. Least-squares means were used to estimate subgroup proportions, and pairwise differences were tested using designated reference categories: non-immigrants for immigrant status, men+ for gender, 65 years and over for age group, employed for employment status, and quintile 5 (highest income) for family income quintile. Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable was necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses. The men+ category includes men, as well as some non-binary people, while the women+ category includes women, as well as some non-binary people. Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences - Primary and Specialist Care, 2024. |
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| Population distribution | 71.1 | 70.2 | 72.0 | 21.5 | 20.7 | 22.3 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Gender | |||||||||
| Men+ (ref.) | 78.2 | 76.8 | 79.6 | 83.2 Table 1 Note * | 80.8 | 85.6 | 66.2 Table 1 Note * | 60.0 | 72.3 |
| Women+ | 86.2 Table 1 Note † | 85.2 | 87.2 | 86.7 Table 1 Note † | 84.7 | 88.7 | 72.2 Table 1 Note * | 66.6 | 77.9 |
| Age group | |||||||||
| 18 to 44 years | 77.4 Table 1 Note † | 75.8 | 78.9 | 79.8 Table 1 Note † | 76.3 | 83.3 | 66.8 Table 1 Note * Table 1 Note † | 62.1 | 71.5 |
| 45 to 64 years | 84.9 Table 1 Note † | 83.6 | 86.1 | 84.6 Table 1 Note † | 82.3 | 87.0 | 77.8 | 69.4 | 86.3 |
| 65 years and over (ref.) | 88.3 | 87.2 | 89.5 | 91.4 Table 1 Note * | 89.2 | 93.6 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| Employment status | |||||||||
| Employed (ref.) | 79.7 | 78.4 | 80.9 | 82.4 Table 1 Note * | 80.2 | 84.7 | 68.9 Table 1 Note * | 64.0 | 73.8 |
| Not employed | 84.8 Table 1 Note † | 83.5 | 86.1 | 86.8 Table 1 Note † | 84.0 | 89.5 | 68.4 Table 1 Note * | 61.0 | 75.9 |
| Family income quintile | |||||||||
| Quintile 1 (lowest income) | 77.4 Table 1 Note † | 75.2 | 79.6 | 84.4 Table 1 Note * | 80.6 | 88.2 | 71.4 | 63.9 | 78.9 |
| Quintile 2 | 81.4 Table 1 Note † | 79.4 | 83.5 | 82.3 | 78.5 | 86.1 | 61.7 Table 1 Note * | 52.7 | 70.7 |
| Quintile 3 | 82.9 | 80.9 | 84.8 | 84.2 | 80.4 | 87.9 | 66.6 Table 1 Note * | 56.5 | 76.7 |
| Quintile 4 | 83.8 | 82.1 | 85.6 | 85.6 | 82.4 | 88.7 | 78.8 E use with caution | 70.5 | 87.1 |
| Quintile 5 (highest income) (ref.) | 84.7 | 83.0 | 86.4 | 89.0 Table 1 Note * | 86.2 | 91.8 | 71.5 E use with caution Table 1 Note * | 59.6 | 83.3 |
Recent immigrants report lower regular health care provider access across equivalent employment groups and income quintiles
Among established immigrants and non-immigrants, a lower proportion of employed individuals reported having an RHCP compared with those who were not employed.Note ,Note Among employed adults, 69% of recent immigrants reported having an RHCP compared with 80% of non-immigrants and 82% of established immigrants. Among those who were not employed, 68% of recent immigrants reported having an RHCP compared with 85% of non-immigrants and 87% of established immigrants (Table 1).
The inverse association between employment status and having an RHCP among established immigrants and non-immigrants may reflect differences in age distribution and health care needs. A larger proportion of the individuals in these groups who were not employed may be older adults or retirees, who are more likely to require ongoing medical care and, accordingly, have established relationships with providers.Note Employed individuals tend to be younger and healthier, with lower health care utilization and fewer established connections to regular providers. While employment may increase access to health insurance or benefits, greater RHCP access among people who are not employed likely reflects the role of age, retirement and accumulated time-in-Canada in shaping an established relationship with an RHCP.Note
Differences in access to an RHCP also varied across immigrant groups when examined by income quintile. Recent immigrants in the second (62%), third (67%) and highest (72%) income quintiles were less likely than non-immigrants in the same quintiles (81%, 83% and 85%, respectively) to report having an RHCP. Among those in the lowest income quintile, established immigrants (84%) were more likely than non-immigrants (77%) to report having an RHCP (Table 1). Low-income established immigrants may be older, and this may be associated with greater health care needs and more established provider relationships. These findings suggest that income is not a consistent determinant of having an RHCP among immigrant groups.Note In contrast, for non-immigrants, higher income was associated with higher rates of reporting having an RHCP.
Among adults without a regular health care provider, approximately one in five recent and established immigrants reported never having had a regular health care provider
Among those with an RHCP, recent immigrants (95%) and established immigrants (94%) were more likely than non-immigrants (91%) to report that their provider was a family doctor or general practitioner (Table 2). When considering timely access to care, established immigrants also reported slightly better access than non-immigrants. Specifically, one in five established immigrants (20%) reported a same- or next-day wait time for non-urgent primary health care or advice, compared with 18% of non-immigrants (Table 2).
| Selected characteristics | Non-immigrants (ref.) | Established immigrants | Recent immigrants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | ||||
| percent | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Population distribution | 71.1 | 70.2 | 72.0 | 21.5 | 20.7 | 22.3 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Regular health care provider | |||||||||
| Has a regular health care provider | 82.3 | 81.4 | 83.1 | 84.9 Table 2 Note * | 83.3 | 86.6 | 69.0 Table 2 Note * | 64.9 | 73.1 |
| Type of regular health care provider | |||||||||
| Family doctor or general practitioner | 91.0 | 90.3 | 91.7 | 93.6 Table 2 Note * | 92.4 | 94.8 | 94.5 Table 2 Note * | 92.4 | 96.6 |
| Medical specialist | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 5.2 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 5.6 |
| Nurse practitioner | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 0.9 Table 2 Note * | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 Table 2 Note * | 0.3 | 1.9 |
| Other health professional | 1.7 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.6 Table 2 Note * | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Waiting time for non-urgent primary health care or advice | |||||||||
| Same or next day | 17.5 | 16.5 | 18.5 | 20.4 Table 2 Note * | 18.4 | 22.5 | 20.2 | 15.1 | 25.3 |
For those without an RHCP, 23% of recent immigrants and 20% of established immigrants reported never having had an RHCP in Canada. For recent immigrants, this pattern may reflect limited time in the Canadian health care system and fewer opportunities to establish ongoing provider relationships. Meanwhile, recent immigrants (26%) were less likely than non-immigrants (38%) to report being without a provider for five years or more (Chart 2).
Data table for Chart 2
| Number of years without a regular health care provider | Non-immigrants (ref.) | Established immigrants | Recent immigrants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| percent | 95% confidence interval | percent | 95% confidence interval | percent | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| lower limit | upper limit | lower limit | upper limit | lower limit | upper limit | ||||
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences - Primary and Specialist Care, 2024. |
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| Less than one year | 12.6 | 10.9 | 14.3 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 14.5 | 7.0 Data table for chart 2 Note * | 3.9 | 10.2 |
| One year to less than five years | 40.4 | 37.7 | 43.1 | 35.4 | 29.9 | 40.9 | 43.7 | 35.9 | 51.4 |
| Five years or more | 37.8 | 35.0 | 40.6 | 33.2 | 27.8 | 38.5 | 25.9 Data table for chart 2 Note * | 19.0 | 32.9 |
| Never had a regular health care provider |
9.2 | 7.7 | 10.7 | 20.2 Data table for chart 2 Note * | 15.8 | 24.7 | 23.4 Data table for chart 2 Note * | 16.6 | 30.1 |
Among adults in the provinces without an RHCP, the most commonly reported reasons were being on a waitlist (35%), no provider accepting new patients (30%) and having had a provider who left, retired, or changed practice (29%). Compared with non-immigrants (37%), established immigrants less often reported being on a waitlist (27%) and having had a provider who left, retired, or changed practice (27%), but more often reported not needing a provider (24% compared with 15%) (Table 3). These differences may reflect information barriers that delay navigation of the health care system, communication barriers arising from language difficulties and cultural differences, and previous negative experiences that discourage further use of services, factors that may influence immigrants’ health-seeking behaviour and their engagement with RHCPs.Note , Note
| Selected characteristics | Non-immigrants (ref.) | Established immigrants | Recent immigrants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | Proportion | 95% confidence interval | ||||
| Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | Lower limit | Upper limit | ||||
| percent | |||||||||
|
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| Population distribution | 71.1 | 70.2 | 72.0 | 21.5 | 20.7 | 22.3 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Regular health care provider | |||||||||
| Does not have a regular health care provider | 17.7 | 16.8 | 18.6 | 15.1 Table 3 Note * | 13.5 | 16.6 | 31.0 Table 3 Note * | 26.8 | 35.1 |
| Reasons for not having a regular health care provider | |||||||||
| Currently on a waitlist | 36.6 | 34.1 | 39.2 | 27.4 Table 3 Note * | 22.5 | 32.3 | 42.0 E use with caution | 34.5 | 49.5 |
| Do not need one in particular | 14.9 | 13.0 | 16.9 | 24.2 Table 3 Note * | 19.6 | 28.8 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| No one in the area is taking new patients | 30.8 | 28.3 | 33.3 | 30.5 | 25.1 | 36.0 | 34.3 | 26.6 | 42.0 |
| There are no health care providers in the area | 6.0 | 4.8 | 7.2 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| You have not tried to find one | 11.3 | 9.4 | 13.2 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| Had one who left, retired, or changed their practice | 36.6 | 34.0 | 39.1 | 26.8 E use with caution Table 3 Note * | 21.7 | 31.9 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| You moved to a new area | 10.9 | 9.1 | 12.7 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| Transitioned from pediatric to adult care | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| Other | 3.8 | 2.7 | 5.0 | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published | F too unreliable to be published |
| Usual type of place for non-urgent primary health care or advice | |||||||||
| Walk-in clinic | 38.1 | 35.4 | 40.7 | 47.2 Table 3 Note * | 41.6 | 52.9 | 36.4 | 29.1 | 43.7 |
| Community health centre | 2.9 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 1.3 Table 3 Note * | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Hospital outpatient clinic | 2.2 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 6.5 |
| Hospital emergency room | 7.6 | 6.2 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 8.4 |
| Telephone health line | 3.8 | 2.9 | 4.8 | 1.0 Table 3 Note * | 0.1 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 7.6 |
| Pharmacy | 3.3 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 6.1 |
| Other | 4.1 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 1.5 Table 3 Note * | 0.0 | 2.9 |
| None | 38.1 | 35.5 | 40.7 | 38.0 | 32.5 | 43.5 | 45.1 | 37.2 | 53.0 |
Walk-in clinics were a common place for non-urgent primary care or advice among those without a regular health care provider
Walk-in clinics were a common source of non-urgent primary care or advice for adults without an RHCP, among both the immigrant and non-immigrant groups (Table 3). However, some differences were observed in the types of places used. Among those without an RHCP, 47% of established immigrants, 36% of recent immigrants and 38% of non-immigrants reported a walk-in clinic as their usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice. A smaller proportion of recent immigrants (1%) reported using a community health centre or a centre local de services communautaires compared with non-immigrants (3%). Additionally, recent immigrants (2%) were less likely than non-immigrants (4%) to report other locations as their usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice. A relatively large proportion of individuals without an RHCP had no usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice, including 45% of recent immigrants, 38% of established immigrants and 38% of non-immigrants.
Conclusion
This study highlighted systematic differences in access to an RHCP by time since immigration among individuals aged 18 and over living in Canada’s 10 provinces. Recent immigrants reported the lowest rates of access to an RHCP and a greater reliance on episodic care, as well as a higher proportion did not identify a usual place for non-urgent primary care or advice.
The improved access to an RHCP among established immigrants compared with recent immigrants can be understood through several mechanisms. For example, over time, as immigrants integrate into Canadian society, they may become more familiar with navigating the Canadian health care system, gain language proficiency, develop social networks and obtain health insurance coverage or benefits that can help them transition to consistent primary care with a regular provider. These mechanismsNote highlight the multifaceted role of time in overcoming initial access barriers.Note , Note , Note
Structural and interpersonal factors, such as cultural practices affecting health-seeking behaviours, provider bias and discrimination, have been identified in qualitative research as barriers to regular health care; however, they were beyond the scope of this study. Future research incorporating these dimensions could advance the understanding of whether barriers diminish, persist or evolve as immigrants spend more years in Canada, and how these dynamics relate to having an RHCP.
Mahrukh Shah is an analyst with the Centre for Population Health Data at Statistics Canada. Shikha Gupta is a senior analyst with the Centre for Population Health Data at Statistics Canada.
Data sources, methods, definitions and limitations
Data sources
Data for this analysis come from Statistics Canada’s Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Primary and Specialist Care, collected from January 3 to November 3, 2024. The survey is a voluntary, cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 and over living in the 10 provinces. A stratified two-stage sampling design selected approximately 75,000 private dwellings, from which one eligible adult was randomly chosen. Responses were collected through an electronic questionnaire or telephone interview. With the respondent’s consent, income information was linked to their personal income tax records. The final analytical sample included 33,535 respondents, weighted to represent 32,421,720 individuals. Non-permanent residents and responses coded as valid skip or not stated were excluded.
For more information on survey questions and methods, please refer to Statistics Canada’s survey information page: Survey on Health Care Access and Experiences – Primary and Specialist Care.
Methods
Survey-weighted regression models, along with bootstrap weights, were used to estimate proportions and confidence intervals. Least-squares means were calculated for all subgroups, and pairwise differences were evaluated using designated reference categories. Statistically significant differences are reported at a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05).
In this analysis, when two estimates are described as different, the difference is statistically significant at a 95% confidence level.
Definitions
A regular health care provider (RHCP) is a health professional that a person regularly consults when they need care or advice about their health. This can include a family doctor or general practitioner, medical specialist, nurse practitioner, or other health professional.
A recent immigrant refers to a person who obtained Canadian permanent residency up to 10 years ago. An established immigrant refers to a person who obtained their Canadian permanent residency more than 10 years ago. A non-immigrant refers to a person who is a Canadian citizen by birth.
Non-urgent primary care needs were defined as routine care, such as check-ups or prescription refills, and issues requiring immediate care (but not emergencies), such as an infection, a fever, a headache, a sprained ankle, vomiting or a rash.
The categorization of waiting times for non-urgent primary care or advice (“same or next day”) follows the Shared Health Priorities indicator framework.
Limitations
Definitions of recent and established immigrants vary across data sources, and this may affect comparability with other studies. The RHCP indicator is currently under review at Statistics Canada, and changes to its definition and survey answer categories may impact the usability and consistency of this variable in future studies.
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