Seniors' health care use.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the use of health care by Canada's senior population: consultations with selected health care providers, medication use, hospitalization and home care.


METHODS
Data are from the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2002/03 Hospital Morbidity Database.


METHODS
Cross-tabulations were used to estimate the proportion of seniors who consulted health care professionals, took medications, were hospitalized, and used home care. Linear and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine associations between health and the number of physician consultations in the past year, the number of medications taken in the past month, and hospitalization and home care use in the past year.


RESULTS
In 2003, nearly 90% of seniors reported that they had consulted a general practitioner or family doctor in the past year, 92% reported taking at least one type of medication in the past month, 14% had been hospitalized in the past year and 15% had received home care in the past year. Chronic conditions, poor health and severe injury were strongly associated with health care use. In multivariate analysis, socio-economic status was generally not related to seniors' use of health care services.
Rotermann
Michelle
M
Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa. Michelle.Rotermann@statcan.ca
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male