Navigating primary care in Ontario: A qualitative study investigating the perceptions of Chinese newcomers to Canada

Newcomers to Canada often encounter challenges navigating a novel healthcare system. Some of these challenges may be related to differences between the healthcare system in their home country and the Canadian system. Few studies have addressed how Chinese newcomers to Canada understand the role of primary care; this study addresses this gap. The primary objective was to explore how Chinese newcomers perceive the role of primary care in Ontario. Secondary objectives explored how they learned about primary care, their understanding of continuity of care, and their perceptions of preventive healthcare. This qualitative study used individual interviews conducted with residents of Ontario who immigrated from mainland China in the last 5 years. Transcripts from 10 interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis and demographic data were analyzed descriptively. Main themes included: barriers to accessing care, differences between healthcare systems, the importance of continuity of care, understanding the family doctors role, the significance of preventive healthcare, and healthcare system information needs. Given the substantial differences in how healthcare is provided in China compared to Canada, there is a need to improve newcomer education and orientation regarding the role of primary care in Ontario. Improved understanding of the Canadian healthcare system would help newcomers address barriers and assist with system navigation. Study findings also have broader implications for understanding the experiences and perceptions of newcomers from other countries as they navigate primary care in a new setting.