Older Adult's Access to Care in Canada

Since the 1990s, health experts have warned Canadian federal and provincial governments that the growing older population would increase pressure on the healthcare system. This study examines the state of older adults (aged 65 and over) before the COVID-19 pandemic to determine whether they faced more significant challenges in accessing healthcare services than younger adults. Microdata from the 2017–2018 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) was analyzed using chi-square tests and crosstabulations for this research. The findings indicate that older adults report better health outcomes and greater access to healthcare services than their younger counterparts. However, it is crucial to note a significant limitation of the CCHS. It only collects data from individuals in community settings and excludes those in institutionalized settings. This exclusion is important because older adults in long-term care facilities typically experience poorer health and may face more substantial access barriers. As a result, a vital segment of the older population is missing from this analysis. The results might also reflect processes related to younger adults who need to find primary care physicians for the first time and/or the challenges that younger adults face as they move from one labour market to another. Further research is needed to thoroughly examine the health and accessibility challenges faced by all younger and older adult residents in Canada.