Christiane Gafrey, MBChB, Maria Cino, MD, Alexa Sasson, MD, Girish Bajaj, MD, Thurarshen Jeyalingam, MD, Parul Tandon, DO, PhD0 University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada Introduction: Immigrant persons are at a heightened risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) following relocation and their interactions with the healthcare system differ from non-immigrants. This study aimed to explore the challenges and perspectives of immigrants living with IBD regarding their healthcare. Methods: We recruited persons aged 18 or over with IBD to anonymously complete an online survey on the REDCap platform. We included persons with and without an immigration history. Descriptive statistics were reported as frequencies and cross-group comparison was completed using the chi-square test. Results: We included 75 immigrant and 150 non-immigrant persons with IBD. The baseline demographics were similar between the two groups: many participated from Canada (73 (95%) vs. 114 (100%)), most were female (40 (53.3%) vs 99 (66%)) and had a full-time job (48 (64% vs. 84 (56%)). The distribution of IBD was also non-significant with immigrant persons slightly more likely to have a diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis compared to non-immigrant persons (41 (54.7%) vs. 60 (40%), p =0.16). Concerning access to care, immigrant persons reported lower access to a dedicated IBD nurse (48 (64%) vs. 63 (42%), p = 0.004). Immigrant persons were more likely to report no access to formal translational services during their appointment (14 (36%) vs. 2 (1.8%), p< 0.001) despite 1 in 3 not speaking the same language as their GI doctor (31 (41.3%) vs. 3 (2%), p< 0.001). With respect to financial considerations, compared to non-immigrant persons, they were more likely to be unable to miss work for their healthcare appointments (24 (32%) vs. 17 (11.3%), p< 0.001). Despite the majority of immigrant persons being diagnosed after immigrating (58 (77.3%) p >0.001), more than 1/3 of immigrant persons with IBD had contacted physicians in their home countries (29 (38.7%) and bought medicine from their home countries (8 (10.7%)). Finally, most immigrant persons had concerns that “Western” foods in their current country contributed to their IBD flares (44 (58.7%)) compared to only 11 (14.7%) worried about their home countries food. Discussion: This data reveals that immigrants encounter significant barriers to care, including poor communication, financial constraints regarding the logistics of appointments, in addition to cultural preferences, including diet. Future research should expand on these themes by conducting focus groups and studying larger cohorts to explore differences in communication, finances and culture.
Disclosures: Christiane Gafrey indicated no relevant financial relationships. Maria Cino indicated no relevant financial relationships. Alexa Sasson indicated no relevant financial relationships. Girish Bajaj indicated no relevant financial relationships. Thurarshen Jeyalingam indicated no relevant financial relationships. Parul Tandon indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Christiane Gafrey, MBChB, Maria Cino, MD, Alexa Sasson, MD, Girish Bajaj, MD, Thurarshen Jeyalingam, MD, Parul Tandon, DO, PhD0. P1200 - Perception of Care in Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Persons With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Survey-Based Study, ACG 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Phoenix, AZ: American College of Gastroenterology.
