Health perceptions and experiences of Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women from mainland China living in Toronto

Few health studies have been conducted in a non-official language with participants. In addition, few studies have attempted to discover the social determinants of health to account for health inequalities for immigrant women through qualitative interviews (Hyman, 2007). This study endeavoured to understand the perceptions of health and the experiences of healthcare services in Toronto by Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women. The study was conducted in their own language. In addition to the Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women, community workers who work with Chinese immigrant clients were also interviewed. The social determinants of health were divided into post-migration challenges and systemic barriers, then analyzed with an intersectional theoretical framework. This study highlights the importance of an intersectional approach since many social determinants influenced the participants' health experiences. Furthermore, this study underlines the need to advocate for immigrant health to take prominence in national health policy in Canada.