Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Primary Causes of Disability Among Canadian Seniors: An Analysis of the 1986 and 1991 Health and Activity Limitation Surveys

An aging Canadian population highlights the need to examine the prevalence and causes of disabilities in seniors in order to be able to meet their health care needs. This report represents a step in that direction by examining disabilities among Canadian seniors using the 1986 and 1991 Health and Activity Limitation Surveys (HALS), two nation-wide surveys assessing the prevalence and impact of disabilities in the Canadian population. From these two surveys, disabilities among noninstitutionalized seniors, 65 years of age and older, were examined. Findings revealed that over 40% of seniors had at least one disability that impacted on activities of daily living and that one-quarter of disabled seniors were severely disabled. Risk factors that were associated with having a disability included marital status, language spoken, total household income, tenure of dwelling, number of people living in the household, and region of the country. Mobility and agility disabilities were the most common types of disabilities among seniors, with approximately 80% of disabled seniors having at least one mobility or agility disability. Further, mobility and agility disabilities tended to coexist, with approximately 70% of all seniors who had a mobility disability also having an agility disability. Arthritis/rheumatism was the medical condition that most often caused mobility and agility disabilities, followed by cerebrovascular disease, other forms of heart disease, and fractures/bone breaks. Women were more likely than men to have mobility and agility disabilities, with other risk factors associated with having mobility and agility disabilities similar to those for having any disability. The findings of this report indicate that many Canadian seniors suffer from disabilities, particularly disabilities that affect their mobility and agility. Therefore, to have a substantial effect on reducing the impact of disabilities on Canadian seniors, efforts should be directed toward finding effective medical interventions that reduce or control the most common conditions which result in mobility and agility disabilities. Further, finding means to reduce the negative impact that mobility and agility type impairments have on everyday living would serve to help disabled seniors.disability; seniors; HALS

Sensory Impairments among Canadians 55 years and Older: An Analysis of 1986 and 1991 Health and Activity Limitation Survey

It has been well established that increasing age is associated with worsening health and decreasing functional ability among seniors, including conditions that lead to hearing and seeing impairments. The development of such sensory impairments can lead to a reduced quality of life by interfering with the ability to carry out activities of daily living and engaging in social activities. The review, which precedes the findings of this report, highlights the impact of sensory impairments on seniors (65 years and older) by first describing the prevalence of hearing and seeing impairments in this population and then examining the association between sensory impairment and physical, cognitive, and social functioning.HALS; aging

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Health Care Utilization for Injuries Among Canadian Seniors: An Analysis of 1994 National Population Health Survey

Despite the impact injuries have on hospitalization and mortality, relatively little research has been conducted examining injuries among seniors that do not require hospitalizations. Additionally, there is a paucity of research on the utilization of health care resources, other than hospitals, by injured older adults. The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics of injuries not captured by the hospitalization and mortality data, risk factors associated with such injuries, and health care utilization among Canadian seniors using Statistics Canada's National Population Health Survey (1994). Specifically, this report has the following objectives: 1.To examine the prevalence of injuries among 55-64 year olds and seniors (65+). 2.To identify the causes, types, and locations of injuries. 3.To identify risk factors of injuries. 4.To compare health care use between injured and noninjured people.injuries; seniors; NPHS

Disability Related Sources of Income and Expenses: An Examination Among the Elderly in Canada

The primary purpose of this paper is to examine disability-related sources of income and expenses among high and low income older Canadians. Specifically, the paper attempts to answer three questions: Do low and high income seniors experience disability equally? Do low and high income seniors incur equal disability- related non-reimbursed expenses? And, Do low and high income seniors receive equal disability-related pensions and tax credits? The analysis is based on the Health and Activity Limitation Surveys of 1986 and 1991. Both surveys were cross-sectional, designed to gather information on disabilities and their impact on daily living. Among the seniors (those 65 and over), between 10.3% (men in 1986) and 23.2% (women in 1991) were classified as low income and about 40% reporting having at least one disability, compared to one-quarter of women and men of all ages. The analysis indicates that low income seniors are disadvantaged in that they experience more disability, incur more non-reimbursed expenses, and receive less in terms of disability- related pensions and credits than do high income seniors. It thus appears that interventions should be policy based rather than individual based.elderly; disability; income

Concentration, Consolidation, and Control: How Big Business Dominates the Food System

First paragraphs: Foodopoly, a meticulously researched book by Wenonah Hauter, is primarily a case study focused on a single country that traces the historical and political changes that have transformed the food system. The book highlights how business and political elites have altered regulatory and business institutions to create the conditions whereby large food conglomerates can operate unfettered, and with the aid of a government seemingly interested in serving business over public interests. Inevitably, as has happened in so many other countries, and as detailed in Foodopoly, the result of this shift to a globalized food system has had many detrimental impacts. These now all-too-familiar negative consequences of globalization include farmers being driven off their land, exploitation of workers in factories with dismal working conditions, environmental degradation due to weakening laws and limited enforcement, and questionable food safety and animal welfare practices. However, what grabs one's attention in Foodopoly is that this case study is not based on a small, developing nation, but rather on the United States of America, the bastion of capitalism and champion of globalization. Foodopoly effectively points out that the United States is not immune to the negative impacts of globalization and sounds the alarm that the health and sustainability of the country's food system are under threat.  It is clear from the beginning of the book what Hauter's position is on the current food system. She believes that consolidation and concentration has undermined food policy, fostered an unsafe and unsustainable production and distribution system, and led to the demise of the family farm. The body of the book is a riveting account of how business and political forces combined to use their power to reshape the food system to favor a few corporate elites at the expense of both the social and physical environments. The final chapters suggest a way forward, but lack the intensity of the main narrative. For although Hauter correctly asserts that change needs to happen at the policy level, the reader is left wondering what role she or he can play to effect the required policy reforms...

Beliefs, Attitudes, and Propensity To Buy Locally Produced Food

In this study, conducted in Nova Scotia, Canada, we surveyed people at farmers' markets, agricultural fairs, and other agricultural events to investigate the views of people who would likely be trying to incorporate local food into their everyday shopping habits. Survey respondents (N = 2,316) indicated strong positive beliefs, attitudes, and propensity toward buying local food. At the same time, however, they reported difficulty identifying whether food was local as well as a lack of opportunities to buy local food. The findings build upon the growing body of research surrounding the "buy local" movement in North America by providing insight into why people want to buy local and potential barriers that prevent stronger markets for local food products