these figures are relatively stable across demographics and age, although black, indigenous and people of colour, at 71 per cent, were the most likely to have seen their doctor less or not at all; men, at 69 per cent, were slightly more likely to have not seen their doctor or seen them less, than women, where the percentage is 64 per cent.
of the 85 per cent of canadians who said they have a family physician, just 26 per cent were “very satisfied” with their experience of seeing or talking to them during the pandemic; the rate is lowest in b.c., at 18 per cent, and highest in atlantic canada, at 35 per cent.
the rates of those who say they are “very unsatisfied” is highest in quebec, at 15 per cent, followed by alberta at 14 per cent, british columbia and atlantic canada at 12 per cent, ontario at 10 per cent and saskatchewan and manitoba at eight per cent.
older canadians were more likely to be very satisfied with their visit, at 33 per cent, compared to 20 per cent of those between 18 and 24, and 21 per cent between 25 and 34.
“our population has become much more demanding and savvy about health care in general, and want choices, want the ability to be treated like a consumer,” said berk. “it’s a slightly different shift in the mindset that might be where we take this in future.”