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Access to Equitable French-Language Health Services in FMCs

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Learning objective

Understand the barriers to accessing equitable health services in Francophone minority communities.

Introduction

Equitable health services are services that are appropriate, safe and effective. Care must be sufficient, delivered in a timely and coordinated manner, and responsive to the individual needs and preferences of patients. Such care reduces the risk of harm to patients and prevents the waste of resources.

There has been a noticeable increase in equitable French-language health services. However, these services do not reach all members of the French-speaking population across Canada, particularly in rural areas and regions with low Francophone density. Furthermore, even in regions where services are available, multiple barriers continue to limit access. Indigenous Peoples, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, racialized groups and persons living with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and at higher risk of not receiving care that is linguistically and culturally appropriate.

 

  • Rendez-vous médical virtuel

    Virtual health care has the potential to improve access to French-language health services. However, French-speaking individuals living in minority settings who wish to access virtual health care may encounter several challenges.

    Access to technologies that are designed and developed in French remains a persistent issue:

    • Online health service portals rarely provide an active offer of French services.
    • Even when some pages are available in French, this does not guarantee that services can be provided in that language.
    • Documents (forms, resources, etc.) are not always accessible in French.

  • Language is central to effective communication between health care providers and patients. The impacts of language barriers on the quality of health care and on patient safety and outcomes are well documented. In the Canadian context, two official languages coexist, with one in a minority position. This has led to disparities in access to safe, high-quality health services, with French-language services generally being much less accessible.

    A 2024 study at the University of Ottawa highlights the importance of delivering care in the patient’s preferred language. “The findings of this study add to the growing body of evidence supporting the notion that linguistic discordance is a social determinant of health contributing to adverse events and poor patient outcomes,” says lead author Dr. Lise Bjerre. (Paul Logothetis, Our University, November 15, 2024)

    Consult the full report

    The impact of patient-facility language discordance on potentially inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotics in long-term care home in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective population health cohort study 

    https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-024-05446-8

    https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05446-8

     

    Patient-centred approach

    For health professionals, taking into account the social determinants that may impact health aligns with a person-centred approach and requires particular communication skills. It is important to ask the appropriate questions, beyond signs and symptoms, in order to obtain relevant information from clients about their preferences, needs, values and health condition. Grasping the underlying factors related to a client’s health condition is an essential step toward safer and more effective interventions, but also a decrease in health-related inequities.

  • Quiz

    Feedback :

    The correct answer is:

    d) All of the above

    Equitable health care services are services that are appropriate, safe and effective. Care must be sufficient, delivered in a timely and coordinated manner, and responsive to the individual needs and preferences of patients. Such care reduces the risk of harm to patients and prevents the waste of resources.

    Feedback :

    The correct answer is:

    c) There is very little active offer on virtual health care portals.

    Virtual health care services are available to the entire population. However, French-speaking individuals living in minority settings who wish to access virtual health care may encounter several challenges, as online health service portals rarely provide an active offer of French services.

  • Go to Next Objective

    Active Offer and Cultural Competencies in Health Services