Overview

Abstract (English)

Objectives: Data on the health status of elderly persons in the general population provides a standard against which the burden of morbidity in many patient populations can be evaluated. The objective of this analysis is to describe health-related quality of life of persons aged 65 years or older in the general population in terms of age, sex, and type of residence. Data Source: Cross-sectional results were based on the household and institution components of the 1996/1997 National Population Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. Data for those persons aged 65 years or older were included in the analysis. Analytical Techniques: Descriptive statistics were used to describe the health-related quality of life of this sample. Point estimates and variances were derived using normalized weights to summarize the health-related quality of life as defined by the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) in terms of age, sex, and place of residence. Main Results: HUI3 overall scores were higher for younger age groups in both the community and long term care facilities. For those persons residing in long-term care facilities, HUI3 overall scores were lower than for those living in the community. Although no differences were seen between sexes within the community, males residing in long-term care facilities had higher scores than females.

Abstract (French)

Please note that abstracts only appear in the language of the publication and might not have a translation.