A Canadian study involving 50,000 people over a 15-year period shows that patients who receive health care in their mother tongue have a better chance of long-term survival. Dr. Michael Reaume, a nephrologist at Seven Oaks General Hospital in Winnipeg and the study’s lead researcher, notes that francophones living outside Quebec who received services in French had an 11% lower risk of death than those who received care in English.
These findings highlight the importance of the work done by Santé en français and its partners to identify people who wish to receive health services in French and facilitate their access to care in their language. The study shows that effective communication between patients and health care professionals can have a tangible impact on quality of care and health outcomes.
Listen to the Radio-Canada report here:
