Refugee And Immigrant Children Less Likely To Use Emergency Departments For Minor Illnesses

Refugee and migrant children are little apt to sojourn nan emergency section (ED) for insignificant illnesses (e.g., respiratory infections) compared to children calved successful Ontario, according to a caller study from ICES and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). 

The study followed 458,597 children (113,098 exile and migrant children for nan first 4 years aft presence to Canada and 345,499 Ontarian-born wrong nan aforesaid period). The researchers recovered that exile and migrant children had much superior attraction visits for insignificant illnesses and less non-urgent ED visits for akin conditions than their Ontario-born peers. One possible explanation for less ED visits for insignificant illnesses among resettled refugee families successful particular, may be related to nan healthcare-navigation support that these families person during early settlement. However, aft 2 years of arrival, superior attraction visits for insignificant conditions decreased while non-urgent ED visits accrued among each resettled exile children, which nan authors propose whitethorn beryllium related to reduced resettlement financial support and nan situation these families whitethorn look accessing superior attraction during regular activity hours. 

"This study contributes to nan increasing investigation that disproves nan belief that newcomers misuse healthcare services," says Dr. Susitha Wanigaratne, Senior Research Associate astatine nan Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children and SickKids, a chap astatine ICES, and an adjunct teacher astatine nan Dalla Lana School of Public Health. "In addition, immoderate studies from comparable, high-income countries propose that inclusive wellness attraction for migrants not only improves wellness outcomes but besides reduces costs." 

Key findings 

• Refugee and migrant children who had astatine slightest 1 insignificant unwellness sojourn were less apt to sojourn nan ED for non-urgent wellness problems successful nan first 2 years of arrival and more apt to person superior attraction visits for akin problems than children calved successful Ontario. 

• While resettled refugees were much apt to beryllium affiliated pinch a organization wellness centre than different migrant groups, this did not thief explicate their more appropriate use of nan healthcare system. 

• Ontario-born children who would typically beryllium much acquainted pinch nan healthcare strategy were the astir apt to sojourn nan ED for non-urgent wellness problems and nan slightest apt to person superior attraction visits for akin problems. 

"In Canada, government‑assisted and privately sponsored refugees person entree to colony workers and sponsors during their first twelvemonth successful nan country," says Dr. Astrid Guttmann, Co-Director of nan Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children, and a elder intelligence astatine ICES and SickKids. "While each exile children had little numbers of ED visits for insignificant problems, nan effect was stronger successful resettled exile children, suggesting colony services person a affirmative effect connected healthcare navigation." 

One limitation of nan study is that it did not relationship for factors, including parental employment and acquisition level, that whitethorn power a caregiver's determination to usage nan ED for non‑urgent conditions.