Healthcare Inequities in Access to Regular Healthcare Providers Among Canadian Adults: Findings From the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey.

BACKGROUND

Healthcare inequities in access to primary care services remain a significant public health concern in Canada. Differences in having a regular healthcare provider may affect continuity of care, chronic disease management, and preventive health service utilization among Canadian adults.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate demographic, socioeconomic, geographic, and health-related factors associated with having a regular healthcare provider among Canadian adults using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2022.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey, which is representative of the non-institutionalized civilian Canadian adult population, excluding individuals living on indigenous reserves and settlements, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, institutionalized populations, and residents of certain remote regions. Adults aged 18 years and older were included in the analysis. Following complete-case analysis, the final analytic sample consisted of 52,518 respondents representing 26,959,637 non-institutionalized civilian Canadian adults.

RESULTS

Among Canadian adults, 23,148,755 reported having a regular healthcare provider, while 3,810,881 reported no regular healthcare provider. Female adults had higher odds of having a regular healthcare provider compared with males (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.90-2.34). Adults aged 65 years and older had greater odds of reporting a regular healthcare provider than adults aged 18-34 years (aOR 3.16, 95% CI 2.73-3.67). Higher income quintiles were also associated with higher odds of having a regular healthcare provider. Diabetes, hypertension, overweight or obesity, and fair or poor perceived health were likewise associated with higher odds of having a regular healthcare provider.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare inequities in having a regular healthcare provider persist among Canadian adults and vary according to demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related characteristics. These findings highlight important differences in regular healthcare provider status across population groups in Canada. Future research should examine structural and healthcare system factors influencing equitable access to regular healthcare providers.