Kevin Pottie|Edward Ng|Denise L. Spitzer|Alia Mohammed|Richard H. Glazier
Language Proficiency, Gender and Self-reported Health
Statistics Canada|University of Ottawa|University of Ottawa|Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences|St. Michael's Hospital|University of Toronto
immigrants canada come asia middle east caribbean africa cultures languages often differ significantly canadian context subgroups immigrants experience disparities health inability communicate official language canada may marker risk poor health due pre postmigration factors aimed study relationship language proficiency selfreported health conducted crosssectional analysis first two surveys longitudinal survey immigrants canada 2001 2003 populationbased cohort study new immigrants canada specifically used logistic regression analyses examine relationship selfreported health language proficiency sex controlling range health determinants 6 months wave 1 2 years wave 2 arrival controlling covariates age sex education region birth immigrant class job satisfaction access health care analysis wave 1 survey showed poor proficiency english french significantly related selfreported poor health or20 p001 relationship consistent wave 2 survey or19 p001 also found statistically significant association poor language proficiency selfreported health holds women wave 1 survey or26 p 001 wave 2 survey or22 p001 men association poor language proficiency poor selfreported health particularly significantly greater impact women implications language training health care social services health information