Newly arrived Nigerians' experiences with accessing and receiving health care services in Canada

Abstract

This study explores the experiences of newly arrived Nigerians in the Canadian health care system. This is because Nigerian-born migrants are the largest African migrant group in 2015 (Citizenship and Immigrations Canada, 2016) and it is therefore of importance to gain an understanding of their views on accessing health care services in Canada. This study is guided by the Critical Race Theory and uses semi-structured interviews in data collection. The findings indicate mixed experiences that are both positive and negative in nature. Thus, Nigerian-born residents in Canada do face some barriers in accessing health care services, and their interpretation of such experiences is influenced by their pre-migration expectations, experiences and understanding of health. Some identified barriers include: long wait times, negative attitude of physicians, and discrimination. Some positive enabling factors identified includes: health insurance, availability of resources and infrastructure. Findings from this study offer insights for future research and programming.