Exploring the Effects of Language as a Barrier on Access to Care Service Utilization and Well-being Outcomes for English-speaking Families in Quebec

The majority of English speakers in Quebec, and parents to a child aged 0-8 years old, reported feeling socially awkward, uncomfortable and experiencing symptoms associated to stress and anxiety when speaking in French. Parents also reported feeling socially inhibited, and confused when required to speak in French to healthcare professionals. The qualitative interview also validated the existence of challenges navigating the healthcare system due to language barriers. Reported language barriers included difficulty communicating with professionals in French affecting their ability to access timely healthcare, compromised quality of patient care, and experiencing discrimination when requesting the provision of English services. Patients with lived experience pleaded the case that health policymakers had to act in order to ensure more equitable access to care and implement measures to better support English speakers (i.e., using Al and other technologies for booking).