Voluntary race and ethnicity question to be added to P.E.I. health card application

Islanders applying for or renewing their Prince Edward Island health card after April 1 will see a new optional question about their race or ethnicity.

Officials with P.E.I.'s Department of Health and Wellness said adding the question will help them track whether there are racial differences when it comes to health outcomes and experiences in the province. 

"In order to make the best decisions, evidence is vital," said Dr. Karen Phillips, the province's epidemiologist.

"It helps to build on experiences of people that live here in P.E.I. as well as experiences from people outside of the province, and that information can be used in their planning and decision-making to improve the access, quality, experience and outcomes of health care."

Phillips said the province is currently unaware of whether racial or ethnic gaps exist in P.E.I.'s health-care system because there has yet to be any tracking of outcomes, other than by age and gender. 

Being aware of the potential differences is becoming more important as P.E.I.'s population grows and becomes more diverse, she said, adding that other provinces have implemented similar initiatives — and have found discrepancies. 

The province can use the information for things like cancer research to identify patterns in the care and outcomes for specific races. 

"I hope that we can build trust with our equity-deserving communities that we are listening to their concerns," Phillips said. 

Jen Du, a member of the Chinese Society of P.E.I., said she believes those racial gaps exist in the Island's health-care system — and in other areas like education and housing.

"We do need some data [and] that will be very important," she said. "The thing is how to make it work. That is the key.… I want to see the results."

Du said diverse groups on the Island are in need of more accessible health care and would benefit from having more information available to them about how to get it. 

Sarah Muthee, the province's development lead for health card project, said being able to track racial differences will support the goal of equality in Island health care. 

"It is very important for government to fulfil its commitment of providing a fair, accessible and inclusive health-care system. And at the moment, it's challenging to do so without having this data," Muthee said. 

"It's complementary to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as well as the … anti-racism action plan. And so government and Health P.E.I. are committed to ensuring that every resident of P.E.I. has access to a health-care system that is able to meet the diverse needs of our population."