{"id":23325,"date":"2026-02-27T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/?post_type=news_release&p=23325"},"modified":"2026-05-07T15:21:01","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T19:21:01","slug":"newcomer-children-show-lower-rates-of-emergency-department-use-for-non-urgent-conditions-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"news_release","link":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/fr\/news-releases\/newcomer-children-show-lower-rates-of-emergency-department-use-for-non-urgent-conditions-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Newcomer children show lower rates of emergency department use for non\u2011urgent conditions, study finds\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto, ON, February 27, 2026<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Refugee and immigrant children are less likely to visit the emergency department (ED) for minor illnesses (e.g., respiratory infections) compared to children born in Ontario, according to a new study from\u00a0<\/span>ICES<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The study followed 458,597 children (113,098 refugee and immigrant children for the first four years after arrival to Canada and 345,499 Ontarian-born within the same period). The researchers found that refugee and immigrant children had more primary care visits for minor illnesses and fewer non-urgent ED visits for similar conditions than their Ontario-born peers. One\u00a0possible explanation\u00a0for fewer ED visits for minor illnesses among resettled refugee\u00a0families in particular, may\u00a0be related to the healthcare-navigation support that these families receive during early settlement. However, after two years of arrival, primary care visits for minor conditions decreased while non-urgent ED visits increased among all resettled refugee children, which the authors suggest may be related to reduced resettlement financial support and the challenge these families may face accessing primary care during regular work hours.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis study contributes to the growing research that disproves the belief that newcomers misuse healthcare services,\u201d says Dr. Susitha Wanigaratne, Senior Research Associate at the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children and SickKids, a fellow at ICES, and an adjunct lecturer at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. \u201cIn addition, some studies from comparable, high-income countries suggest that inclusive health care for migrants not only improves health outcomes but also reduces costs.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Key findings<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n