Emergency Department Visits for Minor Illnesses Among Recent Refugee and Immigrant Children.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Health care resource constraints across North America are leading to decreased access to primary care, particularly for newcomers. In Canada, several pathways to permanent residency shape early navigation to the publicly funded health care system.

Objective

To explore access to primary care by analyzing the percentage of all minor illness visits seen in an emergency department (ED) in recently arrived refugee and immigrant children compared with their Ontario-born peers.

Design, setting, and participants

This population-based cohort study took place in Ontario, Canada, and included immigrant children who arrived between 2008 and 2017 and Ontario-born children. Participants were aged 0 to 14 years and followed up for 4 years after index date (ie, 1 year afte

SUBMITTER: Wanigaratne S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12949439 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature