Improving the Healthcare Experiences of Racialized Newcomer Families of Children with Medical Complexity: A Qualitative Longitudinal Study

Racialized (e.g., Chinese, South Asian) newcomer (e.g., arrived in Canada within 5 years) families experience greater challenges accessing healthcare services for their children with medical complexity (MC). This contributes to unmet healthcare needs and higher rates of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and readmissions. Yet despite this, there is very little research on the healthcare experiences of racialized newcomer families. In order to learn about these experiences, we will look at organizational- and provincial-level policies to see if they address the needs of these families. We will interview caregivers and have them complete diary entries about their experiences over time. Using what we learn from this research, we will co-develop recommendations with families that address their unique needs. We will share the results with policy-makers, clinicians, and other knowledge users to help improve healthcare services for racialized newcomer children with MC and their families.