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South Asian-Tamil Older Adults Accessing Diabetes-Related Health Care Services in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada: An Interpretive Descriptive Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2025

Thanusha Kathiravel Open the ORCID record for Thanusha Kathiravel [Opens in a new window] ,
Setareh Ghahari ,
Batoul Awada ,
Enza Gucciardi  and
Dorothy Kessler
Thanusha Kathiravel*
Affiliation:
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University , Kingston, ON, Canada
Setareh Ghahari
Affiliation:
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University , Kingston, ON, Canada
Batoul Awada
Affiliation:
Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON, Canada
Enza Gucciardi
Affiliation:
School of Nutrition, Toronto Metropolitan University , Toronto, ON, Canada
Dorothy Kessler
Affiliation:
School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen’s University , Kingston, ON, Canada
*
Corresponding author: Thanusha Kathiravel; Email: 20tk8@queensu.ca
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Abstract

Tamil immigrants in Canada face high rates of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and significant barriers in accessing T2DM-related services. These barriers are often amplified for older adults, whose age-related needs intersect with cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors. This study explored the lived experiences of Tamil older adults accessing T2DM-related health care services in the Greater Toronto Area. A qualitative interpretive description approach was used, involving in-depth semi-structured interviews with nine Tamil older adults. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was applied, with findings organized using Levesque et al.’s framework (2013). Five key themes were identified: (1) timely and informed diabetes management, (2) reliance on trusted health service providers, (3) reliance on others for transportation, (4) financial factors, and (5) navigating health care through cultural and communication factors. Identified themes can inform potential solutions to improve access including centralized resource hubs, culturally tailored education programs, affordable transportation options, and an integrated health care approach.

Résumé

Résumé

Les immigrants Tamil au Canada affichent des taux élevés de diabète de type 2 (DT2) et font face à d’importants obstacles à l’accès aux services liés au DT2. Ces obstacles sont souvent amplifiés pour les personnes âgées, dont les besoins liés à l’âge recoupent des facteurs culturels, linguistiques et socio-économiques. Cette étude a examiné les expériences vécues par des personnes âgées Tamil dans leur accès aux soins de santé liés au DT2 dans la région du Grand Toronto. Une démarche de description interprétative qualitative, constituée d’entretiens approfondis semi-structurés, a été utilisée auprès de neuf personnes âgées d’origine Tamil. Les participants ont été recrutés par échantillonnage raisonné et boule de neige. Une analyse thématique a été appliquée, et les conclusions ont été formulées suivant le cadre de Lévesque et al. (2013). L’étude a permis de dégager cinq thèmes clés: (1) gestion du diabète éclairée et en temps opportun; (2) recours à des prestataires de services de santé de confiance; (3) recours à d’autres personnes pour le transport; (4) facteurs financiers et (5) orientation dans le système de santé par-delà les facteurs culturels et communicationnels. Les thèmes recensés peuvent guider la mise en place de solutions potentielles pour améliorer l’accès aux soins, notamment des centres de ressources, des programmes éducatifs culturellement adaptés, des options de transport abordables et une approche de soins de santé intégrée.

Keywords

access to health carediabetesSouth AsianTamil older adultsimmigrantsCanadaaccès aux soins de santédiabètesud-asiatiquepersonnes âgées TamilimmigrantsCanada

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Type
Article
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , First View , pp. 1 - 13
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© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Canadian Association on Gerontology

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