Healthcare Policy

Healthcare Policy 20(4) August 2025 : 48-56.doi:10.12927/hcpol.2025.27664
Data Matters

Healthcare Access Gaps Persist for French-Preferring Citizens in Canada’s Only Officially Bilingual Province: Analysis of New Brunswick Patient Care Experience Survey Data

François Gallant, Lise Babin and James Ted McDonald

Abstract

Language differences between patients and care providers are a major barrier to delivering quality healthcare. We describe citizen-reported access to healthcare in their preferred official language in New Brunswick by examining survey data from the New Brunswick Health Council (2021 and 2023). Nearly all New Brunswickers report access to a primary care provider in their preferred official language, but other sectors of primary care (e.g., pharmacy, specialists, telehealth) represent significant challenges for French-preferring citizens. Given New Brunswick's unique context as Canada's only officially bilingual province, we highlight research opportunities that could inform strategies to improve language-concordant healthcare nationally.

 

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