Report on the Seniors Health Survey

Transcription

1 Report on the Seniors Health Survey Moose Jaw- Thunder reek Public Health Service Area Includes: Moose Jaw-Thunder reek Health District South ountry District Health Prepared by: Tracy Bertram, B. omm Research Officer, Moose Jaw-Thunder reek Health District Fall 1999

2 EXEUTIVE SUMMARY In August and September of 1999, 485 residents of the Moose Jaw - Thunder reek Health District public health service area (includes Moose Jaw - Thunder reek Health District and South ountry District Health) completed a random digit dialled telephone health survey. The survey instrument was based on pre-existing surveys from Health anada and other national sources, and was pretested on 25 community residents prior to initiation. The survey targeted residents over the age of 65. Fifty six percent of the sample are from the Moose Jaw Thunder reek Health District, with the remaining 44% from South ountry District Health. Most findings from the survey are comparable to national rates. However, the survey findings indicated support for Environmental Tobacco Smoke legislation, a somewhat high rate of inactive seniors, slightly high rates of overweight seniors, high rates of injuries due to falls, lower self-rated health status, higher rates of hypertension, and slightly low rates of ever having a pap test for the 75+ female population. As can be expected, the 75+ age group were more likely to have higher rates of morbidity. This document also contains information on demographics, smoking, alcohol use, gambling, nutrition, pesticide use, firearm safety, sexual behaviours, dental health, and other lifestyle behaviour predictors, as well as health care utilization factors and social health indicators.

3 TABLE OF ONTENTS Pages METHODOLOGY 1-2 DEMOGRAPHIS 3-6 Health District 3 ommunity 3 Gender & Age 3 Marital Status 4 Education 4 Immigration 5 Language 5 Ethnicity 5 Household 6 LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS 7-16 Smoking 7 Alcohol 8 Gambling 9 Physical Activity 10 Restriction of Activities 11 Body Mass Index 11 Nutrition 12 Accidents 13 Pesticides 15 Firearms 15 Sexual Health 15 Vision 15 Hearing 16 Memory 16 Dental Health 16 HEALTH ARE UTILIZATION Self Rated Health Status 19 Medical onditions 19 Medications 21 Visits to Health Professionals 22 Hospital/Nursing Home Utilization 23 Screening Behaviours 24 Blood Pressure 24 holesterol 25 Pap Test 26 Mammogram 27 Flu Shot 27 SOIAL HEALTH Social Life 29 Suicide 30

4 METHODOLOGY The Survey A survey instrument was developed using topic areas highlighted as requiring deeper study from pre-existing mortality data. Pre-existing survey questions were obtained from Health anada, Statistics anada, and other existing surveys. The instrument was pre-tested on a population of 25 with questions further refined and abbreviated from this information. Four telephone surveyors were trained to do the anonymous surveying. Protocols were in place to handle any ethical dilemmas, such as respondents threatening suicide, arising during the course of the survey. The survey was administered in August and September of 1999 to 485 residents in the Moose Jaw Thunder reek Public Health service area, which incudes South ountry District Health and the Moose Jaw Thunder reek Health District. Respondents targeted were age 65 and above. The sample size was calculated using falls as the critical variable. The size was calculated using sample size tables consistent with a 10% precision width on the selected variable and with the standard 95% confidence intervals. Sample size calculations were used to guide sampling strategies for the city, rural MJTHD and SDH. Response Rate The overall response rate leaves open the possibility of non-response bias, ranging at between 35-40% of contacted households agreeing to participate. The response rate was highest in the ity of Moose Jaw and lowest in South ountry. It is possible the non responding majority may have significantly different health behaviours than the sample, but this is the best and only information available at this time on our health district service area. Other omments The denominators for the responses to individual questions vary as not every person answered every single question; this accounts for slight variations in the denominators for some of the results presented. There may also be slight inconsistencies associated with rounding/truncating decimal numbers. Median values are better measures of central tendency compared to arithmetic means when there are outlier values in the information. In some cases the median is presented as a measure of central tendency, and the mean is also given to show the effect of outlier data. Many of the comparison figures for anada and the province were taken from the 1999 release of the Health anada Report on the Health of anadians, which itself is based largely on the 1996 cycle of the National Population Health Survey. Senior Survey Results, Page 1

5 Limitations of the Study Every study has limitations, and all results must be interpreted in terms of limitations. The study could not cover every topic area - there needed to be a trade off between the length of the survey, the results of the community pretesting, the ethics board s recommendations for question selection, and the utility of the questions selected. The non response rate was higher than one would like to see to be assured of a representative sample, and there is no way to know if the non responders were significantly different on risk factors than the responders. In terms of general knowledge of survey findings, non responders tend to have worse health and worse risk factor profiles than responders - so the results presented may represent conservative estimates of the factors studied. Many of the variables rely on self report, which may introduce bias into some of the variables. Some sensitive variables, such as the number of sexual partners, may be over or under reported due to this effect. Senior Survey Results, Page 2

6 DEMOGRAPHIS HEALTH DISTRIT Health District % n Moose Jaw - Thunder reek Health District 56% 271 South ountry District Health 44% 214 The majority of the sample (56%) were from the Moose Jaw - Thunder reek Health District (MJTHD). The remaining 44% were from South ountry District Health (SDH). OMMUNITY ommunity Service Area MJTHD SDH ity of Moose Jaw 47% 84% -- Rural MJTHD 9% 16% -- Assiniboia 16% -- 37% Gravelbourg 11% -- 25% Other SDH 17% -- 38% Of those seniors living in the ity of Moose Jaw, 43% live in the North West, 34% live in the North East, 22% live in the South West, and 1% live in the South East. The East side of the ity is considered to have communities with markers for lower socioeconomic groups. GENDER & AGE Service Area MJTHD SDH Age Gender (48%) 133 (50%) 97 (46%) (52%) 133 (50%) 113 (54%) Male 24% 21% 27% Female 76% 79% 73% Female respondents represent 76% of the sample. Previous surveys validate the tendency of women to respond to surveys more frequently than males, leading to an over-sampling of females. Senior Survey Results, Page 3

7 MARITAL STATUS Married seniors represent 46% of the sample in the service area. More women (49%) than men (22%) are widowed. onversely, 57% of the men in the sample are married, while 43% of women are. Seniors age 75+ are more likely to be widowed (53%) than their younger counterparts (32%). EDUATION Less than high school High School completed Some postsecondary ollege completed * University completed MALE Service Area MJTHD SDH anada 61% 71% 51% 59% 20% 15% 25% 8% 5% 4% 7% 5% 7% 5% 9% 17% 7% 5% 9% 11% FEMALE Service Area MJTHD SDH anada 48% 47% 49% 63% 25% 24% 26% 12% 6% 8% 4% 6% 16% 16% 17% 13% 5% 5% 4% 6% TOTAL Service Area anada 51% 62% 24% 10% 6% 6% * Includes trades certificate or diploma, other non-university education, and other. 14% 15% 5% 8% Fifty-one percent of seniors in the service area have less than high school education; 14% of all seniors have less than grade 8 education. Males appear to have less education than females (with the exception of university completed ). Overall, seniors in the service area are on par or slightly more educated than their national counterparts (with the exception of college and university completed). Senior Survey Results, Page 4

8 IMMIGRATION anada Asia Western Europe Eastern Europe USA Service Area 94.1% 0.7% 3.7% 0.4% 1.1% MJTHD 94.6% 0.8% 3.5% 0.4% 0.8% SDH 93.6% 0.5% 3.9% 0.5% 1.5% The majority (94%) of respondents were born in anada. None of the respondents born outside anada were recent immigrants (within the last 5 years). LANGUAGE English French Other Service Area 93% 6% 1% MJTHD 98% 2% 1% SDH 87% 12% 1% English is the most common language spoken at home in the service area. More seniors in SDH (12%) speak French at home than do residents of MJTHD (2%). ETHNIITY Top 5 Ethnic Origins Service MJTHD SDH anadian (24%) anadian (28%) anadian (19%) English (22%) English (24%) French (18%) Nordic (12%) Nordic (13%) English (18%) French (10%) German (9%) Nordic (11%) German (10%) Scottish (6%) & Irish (6%) German (11%) *Nordic includes ethnicities such as Finnish, Scandinavian, Dutch, Norway and Swedish Twenty four percent of respondents listed their first ethnic origin as anadian. Senior Survey Results, Page 5

9 HOUSEHOLD Home owners make up 76% of the sample. Of the 24% of seniors renting, 35% have their rent subsidized by the government. Need Repairs % MAJOR Repairs % MINOR Repairs Service Area 56 (12%) 17 (32%) 36 (68%) MJTHD 30 (12%) 8 (28%) 21 (72%) SDH 26 (13%) 9 (38%) 15 (63%) Twelve percent of homes (both owned and rented) are in need of repairs (not including desirable remodelling, additions or regular maintenance). Of dwellings in need of repairs, 32% are in need of major repairs (eg: sagging floors, bulging walls, damaged wiring, etc.), and 68% are in need of minor repairs (eg: broken windows, leaking sinks, etc.). Number of people in Household (including self) Avg # of people in household Service Area 50% 46% 4% 1.6 MJTHD 48% 47% 6% 1.6 SDH 53% 45% 3% 1.5 Half of the respondents live alone, while 46% live with one other person. Of women over the age of 75, 67% live alone. DEMOGRAPHI SUMMARY Education rates for seniors in the service area are comparable to national rates, however 51% of the sample does not have a high school diploma. As women tend to live longer than men, the majority of women in the sample are widowed while the bulk of senior men are married. Most seniors were born in anada, with self-reported ethnic origins indicating a very high representation of aucasian respondents. English is the most common language spoken at home, with SDH having a higher percentage of residents speaking French due to their Francophone culture. Most seniors (76%) own their homes, and 12% of homes are in need of repairs. Half the seniors in the service area live alone. Senior Survey Results, Page 6

10 LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS SMOKING urrent Smokers Total urrent Smokers % Male Smokers % Female Smokers Service Area 10.4% 13.6% 9.4% MJTHD 12% 14.3% 11.3% SDH 8.4% 12.9% 6.7% ity of Moose Jaw 13% 15% 13% anada 15% 17% 13% Our senior smoking rates are below national rates, however, the ity of Moose Jaw has the highest rate of senior smokers of all communities from the sample. Smokers started smoking anywhere from 8 to 40 years of age, with the most common response being 18 years (n=7) and 20 years of age (n=7). Eighty four percent of smokers have tried to quit smoking. Seventeen percent of seniors in the service area and 20% of seniors in the ity of Moose Jaw live in a household where someone smokes in the home. Males (20% service area, 28% ity of Moose Jaw) tend to live in a household with a smoker more often than females (16% Service area, 18% ity of Moose Jaw). Environmental Tobacco Smoke Forty one percent of seniors in the service area (43% MJTHD and 37% SDH) avoid certain public places due to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). The most commonly avoided venues are restaurants (n=105), bingo halls (n=37) and other places (n=56). If made Smoke-Free, go to the following MORE OFTEN + SAME Bar Restaurant Arena Bingo Halls Mall 99.1% 98.1% 99.1% 99.8% 99.8% If made smoke-free, attendance at public places by seniors would not decrease Senior Survey Results, Page 7

11 Eighty six percent of seniors in the service area support or are indifferent to increased ETS legislation; only 14% are opposed. When asked to state the health effects of second hand smoke, 35% of respondents stated that they don t know, 22% stated other responses, 20% replied eye/nose/throat irritation, coughing, 19% stated asthma, and 19% replied lung cancer. However, 6% of seniors in the service area did not believe that there are any health effects from second hand smoke; this is on par with the national average for seniors 65+. ALOHOL Forty-nine percent of seniors (46% MJTHD, 53% SDH) had drunk alcohol in the twelve months prior to the survey, compared to 54% current drinkers nationally. Less often than once/month One or more times/month At least once/week Daily Age Male Service Area anada Female Service Area anada 43% 25% 63% 41% 17% N/A 15% N/A 31% N/A 20% N/A 10% 23% 2% 10% Age 75+ Male Service Area anada Female Service Area anada 25% 35% 54% 48% 31% N/A 13% N/A 16% N/A 20% N/A 28% 16% 14% 13% Daily drinking for male seniors 75+ in the service area is higher than the national rate. Sixteen people had consumed alcohol in the week prior to the survey, ranging from 1 to 14 drinks during that time period; of these seniors, 9 had consumed between one and five drinks the previous day. Senior Survey Results, Page 8

12 Problem Drinking Mean binges/year and median binges/year Mean drinks past week and median drinks past week Mean times drove drunk last year Service Area 2.53, 0.0 6, MJTHD 4.48, 0.0 6, SDH 0.78, 0.0 6, * A binge is 5 or more drinks on one occasion. There were 11 binge drinkers in the MJTHD, drinking a mean of 4.48 binges per year. This is higher than the service area mean of 2.53 binges/year. Two respondents were identified as testing positive on the AGE screening tool for signs of alcohol dependence and/or abuse. The data overall show that most seniors in the service area drink responsibly. Drunk Driving Eight seniors (7 male, 1 female) had driven drunk in the last year. Three seniors (1 male, 2 female) had been a passenger with a drunk driver in the last 12 months. GAMBLING Thirty seven percent (39% MJTHD and 34% SDH) of seniors have gambled in the last 12 months; 39% of males from the sample and 37% of females. The following is a breakdown of gambling for those who have gambled in the last 12 months: Service Area MJTHD SDH Total % % male % female Total % % male % female Total % % male % female VLT Slot machine Lottery tickets asinos Bingos Raffles & Pull tix Senior Survey Results, Page 9

13 Service Area MJTHD SDH Horse Racing The most popular types of gambling for service area gamblers are: lottery tickets (83%), casinos (46%), raffles and pull tickets (38%) and slot machines (36%). Seven percent of gamblers have spent more time or money gambling than intended, and 1% have borrowed from household money to finance gambling. PHYSIAL ATIVITY Physical activity benefits the body by reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis by producing benefits such as weight control and stress reduction. Forty eight percent of seniors (50% MJTHD and 46% SDH) met the activity criteria of participating in at least 90 minutes of physical activity per week, compared to 47% physically active nationally. Eight percent of respondents participated in some activity the week prior, but did not meet the activity criteria (this compares to 14% nationally). Those that met the activity criteria were evenly split between the two age groups of and 75+. However, 164 seniors participated in NO physical activity in the week prior to the survey. The most common activities are: walking (n=237), yard work (n=55), other (n=22), and biking (n=21). Service Area MJTHD SDH Walking Golf Biking Aerobics Swimming Yard Work Other Treadmill Volleyball Dancing No Activity Met Activity riteria 233 (48%) 135 (50%) 98 (46%) Most seniors (76%) describe their daily activities as moderately active (stand or walk quite a lot, lift/carry light loads, etc), while 23% describe their daily activities as inactive (sit during the day, don t walk around very much). Senior Survey Results, Page 10

14 RESTRITION OF ATIVITIES Four percent (n=20) of respondents (5% in MJTHD, and 3% in SDH) need help with ADLs (Activities of Daily Living - eg: eating, bathing, dressing, etc.) because of an impairment or health problem. Nineteen percent (n=88) of respondents (17% in MJTHD, and 21% in SDH) need help with IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living - eg: household chores, going shopping, looking after personal affairs, etc.) because of an impairment or health problem. Service Area % of seniors age % of seniors age 75+ Total MJTHD Total SDH Not able to walk at all 5% 4% 5% 4% 5% Require help of another person to be able to walk at all Not able to walk around neighbourhood without difficulty/without mechanical support Usually confined to bed or chair for most of the day Require wheelchair to get around 6% 2% 11% 8% 4% 24% 14% 34% 29% 18% 4% 3% 6% 4% 4% 4% 3% 5% 4% 4% There is some indication of need for home care and home support, occupational therapy and other allied health services based on the activity restrictions of seniors. The age 75+ group has a higher rate of activity restrictions, as shown in the above table. BODY MASS INDEX The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a ratio between height and weight, and is considered a better predictor than weight alone of disease risk associated with body size. A high BMI is associated with an increased risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. BMI rates were calculated from self-reported weight and height, and may therefore be underestimates. A BMI of under 20 indicates underweight, indicates normal/ideal body weight, indicates some excess weight (higher risks of complications), and over 27 is designated as overweight. Senior Survey Results, Page 11

15 ommunity Underweight (%) Normal weight (%) Excess weight (%) Overweight (%) Service Area MJTHD SDH ity of Moose Jaw Rural MJTHD Assiniboia Gravelbourg Other SDH Sex Male Female Age The mean BMI for seniors in the service area is We have a high rate (37%) of overweight seniors in the service area, although it is on par with the anadian rate of 36% (for age 55+). However, rates for overweight service area males (44%) are higher than national (37% for age 55+). It appears rural residents have a higher tendency to be overweight, with 41% of rural MJTHD and 43% rural SDH residents having a BMI over 27. This is significant as being overweight greatly increases the risk of disease. Males and those age tend to have higher rates of weight problems. In terms of education in relation to BMI, 60% of overweight seniors do not have a high school diploma. NUTRITION Service Area (%) MJTHD (%) SDH (%) Times a day eat DAIRY < once 1-2 times 3-4 times >4 times Senior Survey Results, Page 12

16 Service Area (%) MJTHD (%) SDH (%) Times a day eat FRUITS & VEGETABLES < once 1-2 times 3-4 times >4 times Times a day eat HIGH FIBRE foods < once 1-2 times 3-4 times >4 times Seniors in the service area eat the following 1-2 times a day: dairy (62%), fruits and vegetables (55%), and high fibre foods (68%). Ninety eight percent (97% MJTHD, 99% SDH) of seniors always have enough food to eat in their household while 2% sometimes do not have enough food to eat. AIDENTS Nine respondents (7 in MJTHD, 2 in SDH) reported one motor vehicle accident in the last 12 months. Of these accidents, 1 driver was male (75+), while the remaining 8 were female (6 of these female drivers were over the age of 75). Overall, 7 of the nine accidents were by seniors over the age of 75, and 7 of the nine accidents were by drivers who drove less than 5,000 kilometres a year. Drivers of motor vehicles accounted for 75% (69% MJTHD and 81% SDH) of the sample; the majority of drivers (76%) drove less than 5,000 kilometres in 1998, and 11% drove between 10,001-20,000 kilometres. Injuries Three seniors (1 female, 2 males) had one farm related injury in One respondent had an injury while playing games or participating in sports, 2 respondents suffered injuries from burns and/or smoke inhalation, 3 respondents had suffered poisoning, 9 respondents had cut themselves seriously, and 11 seniors had suffered other injuries in Senior Survey Results, Page 13

17 Falls Falls are strongly predictive of future needs for health care or institutionalization for seniors. Ten percent of seniors (n=47) had experienced a fall resulting in an injury in 1998; 40 respondents had one fall, while 7 had experienced two falls. Respondents over the age of 75 accounted for 72% of the falls. Experienced a fall in 1998 (n) % male % female % all falls age % all falls age 75+ Service Area 47 15% 85% 28% 72% MJTHD 26 23% 77% 31% 69% SDH 21 5% 95% 25% 75% Of the sample, 13.4% of all seniors age 75+ and 5.7% of seniors age experienced falls resulting in injury. Fall-related Injuries (percent) Age Age 75+ Age 75+ Female Age 75+ Male Service Area MJTHD SDH anada* *Please note this comparison figure is likely a conservative estimate as it is based on a fall that caused most serious injury, whereas the Service Area survey data were based on falls causing injury. The fall-related injury rates are quite high, although the national comparison data is based on a slightly different definition. However, average age-sex standardized fall-related hospitalization rates for MJTHD and SDH are higher than provincial (25.7 per 1000 in MJTHD and 23.2 per 1000 in SDH compared to 20.5 per 1000 provincially) for the period Falls and Prescription Medication # of Prescription Medications # of respondents who have fallen Of those who have fallen, 82% (n=37) were on one or more prescription medications; 20% were on 4 or more prescription medications. Antidepressants, sleeping pills, tranquillizers, narcotics or neurological drugs were present in 5 of the falls; of these 5, three seniors were taking two drugs from this combination at the same time. Senior Survey Results, Page 14

18 PESTIIDES Only 12% (n=58) of respondents farm (10% MJTHD and 16% SDH). Of these respondents, 44% use pesticides. Nineteen pesticide users report wearing protective equipment when using these chemicals: 13 wear gloves, 12 wear a mask, 3 wear goggles, and 8 use other methods of protection. FIREARMS Twenty five percent (n=116) (20% MJTHD and 31% SDH) of seniors live in a home where they or someone else own a firearm. Of these households, 96 (43 in MJTHD and 53 in SDH) take precautions for storage: Service Area (n) MJTHD (n) SDH (n) lock in special cabinet store ammunition separately from the firearm store the firearm unloaded other precautions SEXUAL HEALTH Twenty nine percent (n=129) of respondents had a sexual partner in the last year. % Having sexual partner % Male % Female Of those with sexual partner, % age Of those with sexual partner, % age 75+ Service 29% 39% 26% 75% 25% MJTHD 29% 51% 23% 81% 19% SDH 29% 27% 30% 67% 33% Of those having a sexual partner in the last year, 93% were married. VISION With their best corrected vision (eg: glasses if necessary), 94% (n=441) of respondents can recognize a friend across the street, and 95% (n=448) can read a newspaper. These rates are on par with national averages. Senior Survey Results, Page 15

19 % age % age 75+ Able to recognize friend across the street 96% 91% Able to read a newspaper 98% 92% HEARING Fourteen percent (12% MJTHD and 17% SDH) of respondents wear a hearing aid. The majority (68%) of hearing aid wearers are over 75 years of age. Twenty six percent (23% MJTHD and 30% SDH) of seniors have trouble following a group conversation of 3 or more people due to their hearing. Of those who have trouble following a group conversation, 60% are over the age of 75, and 33% wear a hearing aid. MEMORY % %75+ Service Area MJTHD SDH Able to remember most things % 56% 58% Somewhat forgetful % 42% 37% Very forgetful 4 3 3% 2% 5% Unable to remember anything at all 0 0 0% 0% 0% DENTAL HEALTH urrent Dental Health Own teeth, no dentures Own teeth, one or more dentures/bridges No teeth, full upper & lower dentures No teeth, no dentures Service Area 20% 36% 42% 1% MJTHD 18% 38% 44% 0% SDH 23% 34% 40% 3% Forty-two percent of seniors no longer have their own teeth, but have full upper and lower dentures. Of seniors over the age of 75, 54% have no teeth with dentures, or no teeth, no dentures. The majority (84%) of seniors are able to chew a piece of fresh carrot. Senior Survey Results, Page 16

20 Last Dental Visit Service Area MJTHD SDH < 6 months 25% 24% 27% 6 months - 1 year 21% 22% 19% 1-2 years 14% 15% 12% 3-5 years 14% 13% 16% 5+ years 25% 25% 26% don t know 1% 1% 1% Reason haven t seen a dental professional in the last year too expensive 7% 9% 5% afraid/dislike dentists 2% 2% 3% too busy 5% 5% 5% nothing wrong 84% 83% 85% don t know a dentist 1% 1% 1% office too far away 0.4% 1% -- medical problems prevent from going 0.4% 1% -- other reasons 5% 4% 7% Twenty five percent of respondents have seen a dental professional within the last 6 months, and 25% haven t seen a dental professional for more than 5 years. Those who have seen a dental professional in the last year represent 46% of seniors in the service area; slightly higher than the anadian rate of 43% of seniors age 65+. Dental visits appear to become less frequent with age; 57% of those who hadn t seen a dental professional for more than 5 years are over the age of 75. The most common reasons for not seeing a dental professional in the last year are nothing wrong (84%), too expensive (7%), and too busy (5%). Senior Survey Results, Page 17

21 LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOURS SUMMARY Smoking rates for seniors in the service area are below national averages, however the ity of Moose Jaw has higher rates than other communities in the service area. Forty one percent of seniors avoid public places due to ETS, and 86% of seniors are indifferent or supportive of increased ETS legislation. Seniors appear to drink responsibly in the service area, with rates comparable to national averages. Thirty seven percent of seniors have gambled in the last year. Only 48% of respondents met the physical activity criteria, and 164 seniors reported no physical activity in the week prior to the survey. Those over the age of 75 are more likely to have activity restrictions due to their health. The rate of overweight seniors in the service area is 37%, with rural residents having higher rates of weight problems. Falls present a concern for seniors in the service area. Of those who have fallen, 82% were on prescription medications. Eighty three percent of homes with a firearm are taking precautions for storage. Twenty nine percent of the sample had a sexual partner in the last year. Twenty six percent of seniors have trouble following a conversation due to their hearing. Dental health for seniors was similar to national averages, however older seniors don t visit dental professionals as often as younger seniors. Senior Survey Results, Page 18

22 SELF RATED HEALTH STATUS HEALTH ARE UTILIZATION Service Area (%) anada (%) Total Age Total % Age Age 75+ MJTHD SDH Excellent % 7% Very Good % 22% Good % 40% Fair % 26% Poor % 6% Self rated health status for the service area is lower than anadian rates, with 26% and 7% of service area respondents rating fair or poor respectively, compared to 17% fair and 6% poor for national rates. As seniors get older, self-rated health status appears to decline. MEDIAL ONDITIONS Eighty percent of seniors (n=387) in the service area (80% in MJTHD, 80% in SDH) report having a medical condition for which they must see a doctor or take medications regularly. This rate matches the national average. Service Area Age Age 75+ Total % Male % Female Total % Male % Female Total % % Male % Female 80% 73% 82% 77% 68% 79% 85% 80% 86% As seniors age, they tend to present more often with a medical condition; 77% of seniors age and 85% age 75+ have a medical condition. Medical ondition Service Area (%) MJTHD (%) SDH (%) National (%) ardiac/heart N/A Hypertension Diabetes Mellitus Senior Survey Results, Page 19

23 Medical ondition Service Area (%) MJTHD (%) SDH (%) National (%) High holesterol N/A Asthma Musculoskeletal N/A Vision/eye N/A Allergies N/A Gastrointestinal N/A ancer N/A Thyroid N/A Prostate ** N/A Respiratory N/A Depression/Mental Problems N/A Stroke N/A Migraines Kidney N/A Other N/A Skin onditions N/A Auto Immune N/A *Please note that these conditions are self-reported and may therefore not be reflective of actual incidences **denominator based on number of men in the sample Hypertension is the most common medical condition in the service area. ardiac/heart problems, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke account for 60% of medical conditions presented. Nationally, cardiovascular diseases (including ischemic heart disease, acute myocardial infarction and stroke) are a significant contributor to mortality. This service area has a higher level of hypertension (35%) than the national rate (32%). Of the 171 seniors with hypertension in the service area, 80 (47%) have a BMI greater than or equal to 27, putting them in the overweight category. Twenty-one of the 171 seniors with hypertension are current smokers. Twenty eight percent of seniors in the service area suffer from musculoskeletal problems (eg: osteoporosis, arthritis, lupus, back pain, etc.). Thirteen percent of seniors have thyroid problems (11% in MJTHD and 15% in SDH). Senior Survey Results, Page 20

24 MEDIATIONS Seniors age 65+ account for a large percentage of drug prescriptions and costs in Saskatchewan. Ninety-two percent (n=444) of the sample had taken medications (including things like Aspirin, vitamins and alternative therapies) in the week prior to the survey. Medications taken in last week % of all medications Vitamins/Minerals 30% Blood Pressure 16% ardiac (heart and cholesterol pills, diuretics, blood thinner) 16% ASA/NSAID 10% Thyroid medications 4% Neurotropic (Narcotic, sleeping pill, tranquillizer and neurological) 3% Anti-depressants 1% Diabetes medications (including insulin) 3% Gastrointestinal medications (incl: laxative/bulking agent & stomach/heartburn) 3% Steroids 1% Tylenol 4% Hormones 2% Osteoporosis medications 1% Other medications 6% The most common medications for the: Service Area: vitamins/minerals (n=415), blood pressure medications (n=221), ASA/NSAID (n=144), heart pill (n=100), and thyroid (n=62) MJTHD: vitamins/minerals (n=239), blood pressure medications (n=127), ASA/NSAID (n=84), heart pill (n=53) SDH: vitamins/minerals (n=176), blood pressure medications (n=94), ASA/NSAID (n=60), heart pill (n=47) In terms of mind-altering drugs, 3% of the sample in the service area reported taking antidepressants, and 2% reported taking narcotics. This compares to national rates of 4% and 3%, respectively. Senior Survey Results, Page 21

25 Eighteen percent of seniors did not take any prescription medications in the week prior to the survey. The mean number of prescription drugs in the last week was 2.3. However, 35% of the sample took 3 or more prescription medications in the week prior to the survey. Of those reporting 3 or more prescription drugs per week, 59% were age 75+. Of those taking 3 or more prescription drugs in the past week, 58% rated their health as fair or poor. Drug Interactions In terms of dangerous combinations of drugs, 4 seniors were found to be taking blood thinners and ASA/NSAIDs (ie: Ibuprofen, Aspirin) putting them at high risk for bleeding disorders, and nine seniors were found to be taking a mixture of central nervous system drugs (sleeping pills, anti-depressants, benzodiazepines and neurological drugs). VISITS TO HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Health Professional Number Visits Avg # Visits Health Professional Number Visits Avg # Visits GP Audiologist Optometrist Speech Language Pathologist 0 0 Psychologist/ounsellor 0 0 hiropractor Social Worker Dentist/Dental Hygienist Naturopath Other Health Professional Occupational/Physical Therapist Senior Survey Results, Page 22

26 Health Professional Number Visits Avg # Visits Health Professional Number Visits Avg # Visits SPEIALISTS Rheumatologist Internist Gynaecologist Eye Specialist Ear/Nose Throat Specialist Orthopaedic Haematologist/Oncologist ardiologist Urologist Neurologist General/Type Not Specified Dermatologist Other Psychiatrist Oral Surgeon Most seniors (n=441) had seen a General Practitioner in the last year; 91% of males and 91% of females. The average person visited a GP 5.3 times in the last 12 months. Visits to General Practitioners are the highest among the 75+ age group; this age group represents 52% of visits to GP s while the age group represents 48%. The proportion of seniors seeing a GP at least once increases with age Making 1 visit 62% 38% 2+ visits 47% 53% HOSPITAL/NURSING HOME UTILIZATION Sixteen percent of respondents (14% MJTHD, 19% SDH) had been hospitalized (i.e. stayed overnight) in the last 12 months. Most seniors stayed in the hospital for 3 nights (n=13). The range of nights of hospitalization ranged from 1 night to 67 nights, with the average equalling 8.6 nights. Seniors over the age of 75 represented 60% of those hospitalized. Reason for Hospitalization Service Area (%) MJTHD (%) SDH (%) Surgery 27% 34% 20% Heart 17% 20% 15% Other 20% 14% 25% Pneumonia 11% 11% 10% olon/gi 5% 9% 3% ancer 5% 6% 5% Stroke 4% 3% 5% Injury 5% 0 10% Asthma 1% 0 3% Infection 4% 3% 5% Senior Survey Results, Page 23

27 Most hospitalizations were due to surgery (27%), other (20%), heart (17%), or pneumonia (11%). Eighteen percent of seniors (n=53 MJTHD, n=32 SDH) had gone to an emergency room at a hospital in the last 12 months because of their health. Seventy eight percent had visited the ER once, 11% had visited twice, and the remaining 11% had visited anywhere from 3 to 24 times in the last 12 months. Number of Visits to Emergency Room in last 12 months Once Twice 3+ Service Area 78% 11% 11% MJTHD 74% 12% 14% SDH 84% 10% 7% Nine respondents in the service area had been a patient in a nursing or convalescent home during the past 12 months. SREENING BEHAVIOURS BLOOD PRESSURE Ninety two percent (n=433) of seniors have had their blood pressure checked within the last year - this is higher than the national average for 65+. Of the 47% of seniors who have been told they have high blood pressure, 90% (n=197) are doing Senior Survey Results, Page 24

28 something to control it. The most common methods of controlling blood pressure are: < medication/pills (92%) < exercise (22%) < diet change (16%) HOLESTEROL Eighty three percent (n=390) of seniors have had their blood checked for cholesterol. Of these seniors, 33% (36% in MJTHD, 28% SDH) have been told they have high cholesterol; 83% of those who have high cholesterol are doing something to control it. The most common ways of controlling their cholesterol are: Service Area MJTHD SDH take prescribed medication/pills 43% 50% 32% reduce cholesterol in diet 39% 41% 35% eat less fatty foods 41% 47% 33% other changes in diet 34% 30% 40% Senior Survey Results, Page 25

29 PAP TEST An impressive 89% of women 65+ in the service area have had a pap smear in their lifetime, compared to the national average of 77%. The rates for women 65+ are below those of younger women in the service area. Ever Had Pap Test Service Area MJTHD SDH anada Women % 98% 92% 84% Women % 86% 77% 67% Women over 75 from SDH have a lower rate of ever having a pap test, putting them at a potential risk for non-detected cervical cancer. Fifty two percent of women in the service area (49% MJTHD, 56% SDH) had their last pap test over 5 years ago. Actual pap tests should be done at least every 2 years. Of those age in the service area, 37% had their last pap test more than 5 years ago, compared to 67% of women age 75+. Senior Survey Results, Page 26

30 MAMMOGRAM Eighty one percent of women in the service are have had a mammogram in their lifetime. FLU SHOT Senior citizens are at a high risk for contracting influenza. Seventy two percent of seniors in the service area have had a flu shot, with those age 75+ more likely to have had one in their lifetime. All rates are above national figures. Time of Last Flu Shot Service Area MJTHD SDH anada < 1 year 81% 85% 76% 80% 1 year - <2 years 6% 4% 7% 7% 2+ years 14% 10% 17% 12% Senior Survey Results, Page 27

31 HEALTH ARE UTILIZATION SUMMARY Self rated health status in the service area is lower than anadian rates. Eighty percent of seniors report having a medical condition for which they must see a doctor or take medications regularly. The most common medical conditions are cardiac/heart (including high blood pressure and stroke) (60%), and musculoskeletal problems (28%). Rates for hypertension in the service area are slightly higher than the anadian rates for age 65+. Ninety two percent of the sample had taken medications in the week prior to the survey. The most common medications were vitamins/minerals, blood pressure and cardiac medications. Thirty five percent of the sample had taken 3 or more prescription medications in the week prior to the survey. Most seniors had seen a General Practitioner in the last year. Sixteen percent of respondents had been hospitalized in the last year, with the most common reason for hospitalization being surgery (27%), and the mean stay being 8.6 nights. Ninety two percent of seniors have had their blood pressure checked in their lifetime, and 90% of those who have high blood pressure are doing something to control it. Eighty three percent of seniors have had their blood checked for cholesterol; 83% of those with high cholesterol are doing something to control it. An impressive 89% of women in the service area have had a pap test in their lifetime, and 81% have had a mammogram. However, women over age 75 in SDH have a lower rate of ever having had a pap test, and 52% of women in the service area haven t had a pap test for more than 5 years (the recommended time period is every 2 years). Seventy two percent of seniors have been immunized for the flu once in their lifetime; 81% of these seniors had their last shot less than 1 year ago. Senior Survey Results, Page 28

32 SOIAL HEALTH Past 4 weeks: How often been a very nervous person? All of the time Most of the time A good bit of the time Some of the time A little of the time None of the time Service Area 1% 2% 4% 15% 31% 48% MJTHD 1% 3% 4% 14% 27% 52% SDH 0% 2% 3% 16% 37% 42% Past 4 weeks: How often been down in the dumps? Service Area 0.2% 2% 2% 8% 26% 62% MJTHD 0.4% 2% 2% 6% 27% 63% SDH 0% 1% 2% 10% 25% 62% Past 4 weeks: How often been calm and peaceful? Service Area 17% 55% 13% 11% 4% 0.4% MJTHD 17% 55% 14% 10% 4% 1% SDH 16% 54% 13% 12% 4% 0% Past 4 weeks: How often been downhearted & blue? Service Area 0 2% 4% 11% 40% 45% MJTHD 0 3% 4% 12% 39% 43% SDH 0 0.5% 2% 9% 41% 47% Some respondents may have signs of depression, with seniors responding most, a good bit, or all of the time when asked if they d been nervous (7%), down in the dumps (4%) and downhearted and blue (6%) in the last 4 weeks prior to the survey. Eighty six percent (n=395) of seniors have someone they can confide in or talk to about their private feelings or concerns, and 95% (n=434) have someone they can really count on to help them out in a crisis situation. Service Area MJTHD SDH Service Area %65-74 Service Area % 75+ Member of a social group (ie: church, school group, civic, etc.) 52% 50% 53% 55% 48% Regularly attend meetings 78% 76% 81% 80% 77% Senior Survey Results, Page 29

33 Most seniors (47%) are somewhat satisfied with their social life; only 2% are very unsatisfied. Of those very unsatisfied with their social life, 91% were over the age of 75. SUIIDE Five percent (n=23) of seniors have seriously thought about committing suicide. Of these seniors, 12 were age and 11 were age 75+. Four of these seniors have tried to commit suicide; 3 of these four seniors are presently age 75+. Senior Survey Results, Page 30

34 SOIAL HEALTH SUMMARY A small number of the sample may show signs of depression. Most respondents have someone they can talk to about their problems and someone they can count on in a crisis. Most seniors are somewhat satisfied with their social life. Five percent of the sample had seriously thought about committing suicide. Senior Survey Results, Page 31