Immigrant Healthcare Experiences and Impacts During COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Alberta, Canada.

ABSTRACT

Primary Health Care is a gateway of healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic has modified the process of delivering care. We aimed to assess Albertan's healthcare experiences during the pandemic and compared experiences between Albertans that were born in and outside Canada. A cross-sectional online survey (experiences and impacts of COVID-19) was conducted in October 2020, 16 years, and older Albertans. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed using STATA. Of 10 175 study participants, 10% were born outside Canada. Demographics were significantly different between the 2 groups (P < .05). Results revealed that Canadian-born were more likely to report worse mental and physical health status (AOR = 1.36; 95% CI 1.17-1.56), and higher stress, anxiety, and depression during the pandemic (AOR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.16-1.60) than those born outside Canada. However, Canadian-born reported a trend toward better virtual care experiences (AOR = 1.16; 95% CI 0.94-1.44). Albertans reported negative health impacts due to delay in care during the pandemic and vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19, which was not significantly difference among the cohorts (P > .05). The study findings can inform primary healthcare providers and policymakers that could be used to develop quality improvement strategies.