Abstract
BackgroundSocial support can help to deal with the consequences of neurological conditions and promote functional independence and quality of life. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of neurological conditions on the use of support and health-care services in a population-based sample of community-dwelling adults with neurological conditions.MethodsData were from the Survey of Living with Neurological Conditions in Canada, which was derived from a representative sample of household residents. Formal and informal support received and out-of-pocket payments were assessed by personal interviews. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between support service utilization and six common neurological conditions (Stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease/dementias, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis) with stroke as the reference category.ResultsThe sample contained 2,410 respondents and equate to an estimated 459,770 when sample weights were used. A larger proportion of people within each of the neurological conditions received informal support than formal support (at least twice as much). Samples with the non-stroke conditions were more likely to receive formal assistance for personal (odds ratios 2.7 to 5.6; P < 0.05) and medical (odds ratios 2.4 to 4.4; P < 0.05) care compared to the stroke group. Also, the non-stroke conditions were more likely to receive informal assistance (odds ratios 2.7 to 17.9; P < 0.05) and less likely to make out-of-pocket payments for rehabilitation therapy (odds ratios 0.2 to 0.3; P < 0.05) than the stroke group. The Alzheimer’s disease/dementia group had the highest proportion who received formal and informal support services.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that Canadians with neurological conditions receive more informal assistance than formal assistance. Furthermore, it appears that stroke survivors receive less support services, while those with Alzheimer’s disease/dementia receive the most compared to other adult neurological conditions. Such data can help inform the development of support services in the community.
Highlights
An estimated 3.6 million Canadians living in the community are affected by neurological conditions [1]
The research and analysis are based on data from Statistics Canada, the opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
Summary
An estimated 3.6 million Canadians living in the community are affected by neurological conditions [1]. Assistance and support services are necessities for participating in society for many people with disabilities [3]. It is widely recognized that health-care systems lack continuity across services and are often criticized for shortening hospital length-of-stay and offering limited community services [5]. These individuals may be faced with additional health-related financial challenges [6] (e.g. expenses for assistive technology and home care services) after returning home if they lack full independence. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of neurological conditions on the use of support and health-care services in a population-based sample of community-dwelling adults with neurological conditions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
