Half a million seniors have had difficulty receiving specialized care, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.
StatCan estimates that in 2019 and 2020, more than 4.5 million people aged 65 and older saw a specialist, underwent non-emergency testing or underwent non-emergency surgery.
More than 15 percent of seniors said they had difficulty accessing these services.
The most common barriers included difficulty obtaining a referral, difficulty getting an appointment, long wait times, and unavailability of services when needed.
According to the report, older women were less likely to see a specialist and be examined than older men.
It also said seniors with lower levels of education would be less likely to seek specialized health services.
The report said seniors with persistent physical illnesses or mental health problems were more likely to seek specialized health services than older Canadians who were relatively healthy.
According to StatCan, the study highlights the importance of considering gender, general physical and mental health, and psychosocial factors when assessing the use of specialized health services.
The agency used a representative sample of 39,047 Canadians aged 65 and older to identify patterns associated with health care use.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024.
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