Language Discordance and Cancer Outcomes
Research team
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Co-PIP. Tanuseputro (OHRI-ICES), T-F Wang (OHRI/ ICES)
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Co-IA Awan (OHRI), C Backman (U Ottawa), R Batista (OHRI), D Bossé (Hôpital d’Ottawa), M Carrier (Hôpital d’Ottawa), A Cheung (Hôpital d’Ottawa), K Cole (Hôpital d’Ottawa), S Fisher (OHRI), E Forgues (ICRML), S Johnston (ISM), K Kehoe MacLeod Institut de recherche Bruyère, W Li (OHRI) A Moledina (Hôpital d’Ottawa, D Myran (OHRI), M Ong (Hôpital d’Ottawa), K Patel (OHRI), M Reaume (U Ottawa), C Webber (OHRI), Y Xu (Hôpital d’Ottawa)
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Collab.J Johnston (CHSSN), Hanna Zaida (MOHLTC), A Desilets (SSF)
Funding agency
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CIHR ($100,000)Period: 2024-2025
Summary
Individuals living with cancer face complex care trajectories that require effective communication with healthcare providers. However, language barriers experienced by linguistic and ethnocultural minority groups may compromise the quality and safety of care, particularly among frail older adults residing in long-term care homes or receiving home care services.
Our previous work has shown that Francophone and allophone patients who receive linguistically concordant care in hospital have a significantly lower risk of adverse events and in-hospital mortality, as well as shorter lengths of stay. However, no Canadian study has yet examined the influence of language on health outcomes and quality of care among older adults living with cancer.
This research aims to address this knowledge gap by generating evidence on the inequities experienced by linguistic and ethnocultural minority groups. It will provide a better understanding of the impact of language concordance on health outcomes and quality of care among individuals with breast or prostate cancer.