Unmet healthcare needs in aging Canadians: Characterizing trajectories to address gaps in access and equity

Project Summary

Many older Canadians have complex health needs and require healthcare services to stay independent and maintain a good quality of life. However, many are unable to access healthcare services when needed, representing “”unmet healthcare needs””. If left unresolved, unmet needs can lead to worsening of functioning and quality of life, further complicating the needs for healthcare over time. A key problem is that we lack understanding of how older Canadians experience unmet healthcare needs over time, and what upstream factors influence these patterns of unmet needs.

Our interdisciplinary team will work alongside people with lived experience to comprehensively investigate long-term patterns of unmet healthcare needs among older Canadians. We will analyze national data to identify these patterns, and upstream factors that drive these patterns of unmet needs in these communities. This will guide healthcare planning and delivery for older adults in Canada.