For most people, primary health care (PHC) services are generally the first and main point of contact with the health care system. Indigenous people have experienced long-standing health disparities compared to the non-Indigenous population (Loppie & Wien, 2022; Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018) including issues with access to health care that have likely worsened with severe shortages of primary health care physicians across Canada (Angus Reid Institute, 2022). The health care needs of Indigenous people are of particular concern because of poorer reported physical and mental health status, and a higher prevalence of chronic conditions (e.g., asthma and diabetes) as well as disabilities compared to non-Indigenous people (Hahmann & Kumar, 2022; Hahmann et al., 2019). In addition, the life expectancy of First Nations people, Métis and Inuit has been shown to be consistently and significantly lower than that of the non-Indigenous population (Tjepkema et al., 2019). Using annual data from the 2017 to 2020 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), this study examines the following indicators among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit: accessNote to a regular health care provider and reasons for not having one; wait times for appointments when needing immediate care for a minor health issue; access to a usual place of careNote and its type (e.g., walk-in clinic, hospital emergency room, etc.) as well as access to a PHC team, i.e., a team of health care professionals. The CCHS uses the term “regular health care provider” to refer to a primary health care provider, which is defined as a health professional that a person sees or talks to when they need care or advice about their health. This includes family doctors or general practitioners, medical specialists, nurse practitioners (or nurses in remote areas), pharmacists, physiotherapists and social workers.
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- Canada
