Assessing the Experiences of Immigrants Receiving Primary Care during COVID-19: A mixed-methods study

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dc.contributor.advisorSantana, Maria J.
dc.contributor.authorBajgain, Bishnu
dc.contributor.committeememberAghajafari, Fariba
dc.contributor.committeememberJackson, Jeanette
dc.date2022-02
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-18T16:47:04Z
dc.date.available2022-01-18T16:47:04Z
dc.date.issued2022-01
dc.description.abstractBackground: The entire healthcare system, including primary healthcare (PHC) services, has been disrupted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the crisis threatens all citizens significantly, further barriers to accessing care exist for those who are most vulnerable, experience marginalization, and have pre-existing challenges. We aimed to explore immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC services during the pandemic. Methods: A multiphase mixed-methods study using a sequential explanatory design was employed. The first study includes a systematic review that synthesizes the evidence on the experiences that immigrant patients have receiving PHC. Study two provides insights from a recently employed “COVID-19 Experiences and Impacts Survey” data and compares the experiences of Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed, using STATA. The third study is a qualitative inquiry that aims to gain a deeper understanding of the newcomers’ (living in Canada ≤5 years) and providers’ experiences in PHC during the pandemic. A thematic analysis was applied, using NVivo software. Results: 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; and 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: overall experiences (doctor-patient relationship, care coordination, expectation on care), virtual care experience (accessibility, communication), challenges in accessing and receiving healthcare (language/cultural difference, care accessibility, health system literacy, competing priorities). Conclusion: This thesis presents a comprehensive exploration and description of immigrants’ lived experiences in accessing and receiving PHC during the pandemic. Immigrants reported many challenges in accessing and receiving PHC, and these challenges have been increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this thesis yielded six recommendations that can inform PHC quality improvement initiatives and PHC policy.en_US
dc.identifier.citationBajgain, B. (2022). Assessing the experiences of immigrants receiving primary care during COVID-19: a mixed-methods study (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39522
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/114307
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultyCumming School of Medicineen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectPrimary Healthcareen_US
dc.subjectCOVID-19en_US
dc.subjectPandemicen_US
dc.subjectVirtual Careen_US
dc.subjectNewcomersen_US
dc.subjectHealthcare Providersen_US
dc.subjectPatient Experiencesen_US
dc.subjectAccess to Healthcareen_US
dc.subjectAccess Barriersen_US
dc.subjectCanadaen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Healthen_US
dc.subject.classificationHealth Sciencesen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Operations Researchen_US
dc.titleAssessing the Experiences of Immigrants Receiving Primary Care during COVID-19: A mixed-methods studyen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineMedicine – Community Health Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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