Accessibility of the old-old to the family physician : Sidney, British Columbia : a case study
Date
1992
Authors
McDougall, Bruce Campbell
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Abstract
As the elderly population of Canada increases, planning for their special needs gains importance to assure that they retain their quality of life. A major issue of concern to gerontologists is the availability of adequate health care, and specifically accessibility of doctors for the non-institutionalized elderly. In Sidney, British Columbia there is an elderly population which contains a relatively large proportion of independently living old-old, those seventy-five and over. This study focuses on this segment of the population of seniors who have been identified as a group with significantly greater needs and fewer resources than those below seventy-five years of age. The major goal was to determine whether or not this group experienced difficulties in gaining access to general practitioners in Sidney. A literature survey revealed that very little research on such questions of accessibility had been carried out in Canada.
The results of seventy-four personal interviews were presented and analyzed, in addition, participant observation experiences with six members of the sample group were reported on. Field investigations provided additional information. The respondents represented a cross section of the old-old population of Sidney who obtained medical treatment from general practitioners.
The findings indicated, with a few exceptions, that the respondents experienced little difficulty in gaining access to their doctors. Problems occurred in cases where changes in health or simply the aging process further limited mobility, requiring alternative transportation arrangements. In such cases, the knowledge of available transportation options was found to be inadequate and some recommendations were made to improve the dissemination of relevant information.
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UN SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being