Abstract
Although canadian seniors enjoy economic security and good health and have made substantial gains in recent decades, this well-being is not equally shared among socioeconomic groups and between men and women. As for younger age groups, income predicts health status in later life, but less powerfully. Potential alternative explanations include an overriding influence of the aging process, the subjective effects of income loss at retirement and the attenuation of the poverty gap owing to public retirement income. Older women are more likely to age in poverty than men, to live alone and to depend on inadequately resourced chronic health care and social services. These differences will hold as well for the next cohort of seniors in Canada. Addressing these disparities in health requires a comprehensive, multisectoral approach to health that is embodied in Canada's population health model. Application of this model to reduce these disparities is described, drawing upon the key strategies of the population health approach, recent federal government initiatives and actions recommended to the government by federal commissions.
Highlights
Resumo No Canadá, os idosos gozam de segurança econômica e de boa saúde e têm experimentado ganhos substanciais nas últimas décadas; no entanto, esse bem-estar não é compartilhado de maneira eqüitativa entre grupos sócio-econômicos de idosos, nem entre homens e mulheres
As diversas explicações incluem a preponderância do próprio envelhecimento biológico e os efeitos subjetivos da perda de renda associada à aposentadoria, além da atenuação das diferenças sócio-econômicas em função da aposentadoria mínima garantida pelo estado
This paper will review the trends in health among seniors, looking at socioeconomic status and gender as important determinants of health, and will describe current policy approaches and initiatives designed to reduce these disparities
Summary
Canadian seniors are living longer lives in better health than in the past. In 1996, life expectancy at age 65 was 18.4 years, five years longer than in 1941 (Statistics Canada, 1999a). The prevalence of some important chronic conditions among seniors, notably heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and long-term activity limitations has declined slightly since the 1970s. Seniors increasingly view their health in positive terms, despite the health problems they have. A positive perception of one’s health is an indication of a sense of overall well-being that takes into account one’s problems, but more important, one’s capacity to cope with problems: 85% of seniors with a long-term limitation in activity report that they are coping well (National Advisory Council on Aging, 2001)
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