Ramadan exposure during early pregnancy and risk of stillbirth in Arab women living in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Data on fasting during Ramadan and the risk of preterm birth and child mortality are conflicting, but the association with stillbirth is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We studied the relationship between Ramadan and the risk of stillbirth for Arab women in Quebec, Canada. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using birth certificates for Arab women in Quebec, Canada, between 1981 and 2017. The exposure was Ramadan in the first and second trimester (1-27 weeks of gestation), and the outcome was early (<28 weeks) or late (≥28 weeks) stillbirth. We used log-binomial regression models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between Ramadan and risk of stillbirth. We adjusted models for maternal characteristics and assessed associations by cause of death. RESULTS: The study included 78,349 live births and 274 stillbirths. There were 3.5 stillbirths per 1,000 pregnancies for women exposed to Ramadan between weeks 1-27 of gestation (95% CI 3.0, 4.0), and 3.4 per 1,000 for unexposed women (95% CI 2.8, 4.1). Compared with no exposure, Ramadan between weeks 1-27 was not associated with the risk of early (RR 1.32, 95% CI 0.76, 2.28) or late stillbirth (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.70, 1.23) in adjusted models. RRs for early stillbirth were 1.40 for Ramadan between weeks 15-21 (95% CI 0.70, 2.80) and 1.38 for Ramadan between weeks 22-27 (95% CI 0.67, 2.84). Relative to no exposure, Ramadan between weeks 15-21 was associated with early stillbirth due to congenital anomaly (RR 3.96; 95% CI 1.35, 11.57) in unadjusted models. There was no association with other causes of stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that Ramadan is associated with the risk of early or late stillbirth overall. Further research is needed to confirm an association with stillbirth due to congenital anomalies.

Cerebral palsy in Canada, 2011-2031: results of a microsimulation modelling study of epidemiological and cost impacts. / La paralysie cérébrale au Canada, 2011-2031 : résultats d'une étude de modélisation par microsimulation des répercussions épidémiologiques et économiques.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of our study was to present model-based estimates and projections on current and future health and economic impacts of cerebral palsy in Canada over a 20-year time horizon (2011-2031). METHODS: We used Statistics Canada's Population Health Model (POHEM)-Neurological to simulate individuals' disease states, risk factors and health determinants and to describe and project health outcomes, including disease incidence, prevalence, life expectancy, health-adjusted life expectancy, health-related quality of life and health care costs over the life cycle of Canadians. Cerebral palsy cases were identified from British Columbia's health administrative data sources. A population-based cohort was then used to generate the incidence and mortality rates, enabling the projection of future incidence and mortality rates. A utility-based measure (Health Utilities Index Mark 3) was also included in the model to reflect various states of functional health to allow projections of health-related quality of life. Finally, we estimated caregiving parameters and health care costs from Canadian national surveys and health administrative data and included them as model parameters to assess the health and economic impact of cerebral palsy. RESULTS: Although the overall crude incidence rate of cerebral palsy is projected to remain stable, newly diagnosed cases of cerebral palsy will rise from approximately 1800 in 2011 to nearly 2200 in 2031. In addition, the number of people with the condition is expected to increase from more than 75 000 in 2011 to more than 94 000 in 2031. Direct health care costs in constant 2010 Canadian dollars were about $11 700 for children with cerebral palsy aged 1-4 years versus about $600 for those without the condition. In addition, people with cerebral palsy tend to have longer periods in poorer health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: Individuals with cerebral palsy will continue to face challenges related to an ongoing need for specialized medical care and a rising need for supportive services. Our study offers important insights into future costs and impacts associated with cerebral palsy and provides valuable information that could be used to develop targeted health programs and strategies for Canadians living with this condition.

Measuring health related quality of life (HRQoL) in community and facility-based care settings with the interRAI assessment instruments: development of a crosswalk to HUI3.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures are of interest because they can be used to describe health of populations and represent a broader health outcome for population health analyses than mortality rates or life expectancy. The most widely used measure of HRQoL for deriving estimates of health-adjusted life expectancy is the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3). The HUI3 is available in most national surveys administered by Statistics Canada, and has been used as part of a microsimulation model to examine the impact of neurological conditions over the life course. Persons receiving home care and nursing home services are often not well-represented in these surveys; however, interRAI assessment instruments are now used as part of normal clinical practice in these settings for nine Canadian provinces/territories. Building on previous research that developed a HUI2 crosswalk for the interRAI assessments, the present study examined a new interRAI HRQoL index crosswalked to the HUI3. METHODS: interRAI and survey data were used to examine the distributional properties of global and domain-specific interRAI HRQoL and HUI3 index scores, respectively. Three populations were considered: well-elderly persons not receiving home care, home care clients and nursing home residents. RESULTS: The mean HUI3 and interRAI HRQoL index global scores declined from independent healthy older persons to home care clients, followed by nursing home residents. For the home care and nursing home populations, the interRAI HRQoL global estimates tended to be lower than HUI3 global scores obtained from survey respondents. While there were some statistically significant age, sex and diagnostic group differences in global scores and within attributes, the most notable differences were between populations from different care settings. DISCUSSION: The present study provides strong evidence for the validity of the interRAI HRQoL based on comparisons of distributional properties with those obtained with survey data based on the HUI3. The results demonstrate the importance of admission criteria for home care and nursing home settings, where function plays a more important role than demographic or diagnostic criteria. The interRAI HRQoL has a distinct advantage because it is gathered as part of normal clinical practice in care settings where interRAI instruments are mandatory and are used to assess all eligible persons in those sectors. In particular, those with severe cognitive and functional impairments (who tend to be under-represented in survey data) will be evaluated using the interRAI tools. Future research should build on this work by providing direct, person-level comparisons of interRAI HRQoL index and HUI3 scores, as well as longitudinal analyses to examine responsiveness to change.

Multiple sclerosis in Canada 2011 to 2031: results of a microsimulation modelling study of epidemiological and economic impacts. / La sclérose en plaques au Canada, 2011-2031 : résultats d'une étude de modélisation par microsimulation des répercussions épidémiologiques et économiques.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of our study was to present model-based estimates and projections on current and future health and economic impacts of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada over a 20-year time horizon (2011-2031). METHODS: Using Statistics Canada's Population Health Microsimulation Model (POHEM) framework, specifically the population-based longitudinal, microsimulation model named POHEM-Neurological, we identified people with MS from health administrative data sources and derived incidence and mortality rate parameters from a British Columbia population-based cohort for future MS incidence and mortality projections. We also included a utility-based measure (Health Utilities Index Mark 3) reflecting states of functional health to allow projections of health-related quality of life. Finally, we estimated caregiving parameters and health care costs from Canadian national surveys and health administrative data and included them as model parameters to assess the health and economic impact of the neurological conditions. RESULTS: The number of incident MS cases is expected to rise slightly from 4051 cases in 2011 to 4794 cases per 100 000 population in 2031, and the number of Canadians affected by MS will increase from 98 385 in 2011 to 133 635 in 2031. The total per capita health care cost (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) for adults aged 20 and older in 2011 was about $16 800 for individuals with MS, and approximately $2500 for individuals without a neurological condition. Thus, after accounting for additional expenditures due to MS (excluding out-of-pocket expenses), total annual health sector costs for MS are expected to reach $2.0 billion by 2031. As well, the average out-of-pocket expenditure for people with MS was around $1300 annually throughout the projection period. CONCLUSION: MS is associated with a significant economic burden on society, since it usually affects young adults during prime career- and family-building years. Canada has a particularly high prevalence of MS, so research such as the present study is essential to provide a better understanding of the current and future negative impacts of MS on the Canadian population, so that health care system policymakers can best plan how to meet the needs of patients who are affected by MS. These findings also suggest that identifying strategies to prevent MS and more effectively treat the disease are needed to mitigate these future impacts.

INTRODUCTION: L'objectif de notre étude est de présenter des estimations et des projections des répercussions épidémiologiques et économiques de la sclérose en plaques (SP) au Canada sur 20 ans (2011-2031). MÉTHODOLOGIE: Nous avons utilisé un modèle de microsimulation de la santé de la population (POHEM) de Statistique Canada, plus précisément le modèle longitudinal de microsimulation démographique appelé POHEM - Maladies neurologiques. Nous avons sélectionné les personnes atteintes de SP à partir de sources de données administratives sur la santé et dérivé les paramètres liés à l'incidence de la maladie et au taux de décès d'une étude de cohorte de la Colombie-Britannique afin de prévoir quels seront l'incidence de la SP et son taux de décès. Nous avons également inclus une mesure reposant sur l'utilité (Health Utilities Index Mark 3) qui rend compte des états de santé fonctionnelle afin de réaliser des projections sur la qualité de vie liée à la santé. Enfin, nous avons estimé les paramètres de prestation de soins et de coûts des soins de santé à partir de sondages nationaux du Canada et de données administratives sur la santé et nous les avons inclus comme paramètres dans le modèle visant à évaluer les répercussions économiques et sur la santé des maladies neurologiques. RÉSULTATS: On anticipe une légère augmentation du nombre de cas incidents de SP, passant de 4 051 cas pour 100 000 personnes en 2011 à 4 974 en 2031. Le nombre de Canadiens touchés par la SP passera ainsi de 98 385 en 2001 à 133 635 en 2031. Le coût total des soins de santé par personne (à l'exception des dépenses directes) pour les adultes de 20 ans et plus atteints de SP en 2011 était d'environ 16 800 $, contre un peu moins de 2500 $ pour ceux ne souffrant d'aucune affection neurologique. Si on comptabilise les dépenses supplémentaires liées à la SP (à l'exception des dépenses directes), les coûts totaux annuels de la SP pour le secteur de la santé devraient donc atteindre deux milliards de dollars d'ici 2031. Par ailleurs, les dépenses directes moyennes des personnes atteintes de SP seront d'environ 1300 $ par année tout au long de la période de projection. CONCLUSION: La SP est associée à un important fardeau économique pour la société car elle touche surtout de jeunes adultes à un moment fondateur pour leur vie professionnelle et leur vie familiale. Sa prévalence étant particulièrement élevée au Canada, des recherches comme la nôtre sont essentielles afin de mieux comprendre les répercussions actuelles et futures de la SP sur la population canadienne, afin que les décideurs du réseau de la santé puissent mieux planifier les besoins en soins de santé pour les malades qui en sont atteints. Selon ces résultats, des stratégies pour prévenir la SP et la traiter plus efficacement sont essentielles pour en atténuer les futures répercussions.

Alzheimer's and other dementias in Canada, 2011 to 2031: a microsimulation Population Health Modeling (POHEM) study of projected prevalence, health burden, health services, and caregiving use.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, there is concern that increases in the prevalence of dementia will result in large demands for caregivers and supportive services that will be challenging to address. Previous dementia projections have either been simple extrapolations of prevalence or macrosimulations based on dementia incidence. METHODS: A population-based microsimulation model of Alzheimer's and related dementias (POHEM:Neurological) was created using Canadian demographic data, estimates of dementia incidence, health status (health-related quality of life and mortality risk), health care costs and informal caregiving use. Dementia prevalence and 12 other measures were projected to 2031. RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2031, there was a projected two-fold increase in the number of people living with dementia in Canada (1.6-fold increase in prevalence rate). By 2031, the projected informal (unpaid) caregiving for dementia in Canada was two billion hours per year, or 100 h per year per Canadian of working age. CONCLUSIONS: The projected increase in dementia prevalence was largely related to the expected increase in older Canadians, with projections sensitive to changes in the age of dementia onset.

Development and implementation of microsimulation models of neurological conditions.

BACKGROUND: As part of a program of the first National Population Health Study of Neurological Conditions launched in 2009, a series of microsimulation models of neurological conditions (called POHEM-Neurological meta-model) was developed to project health and economic impacts of seven neurological conditions (NCs)-Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, and traumatic spinal cord injury-over a 20-year horizon. DATA AND METHODS: The common framework of the seven models allows for dynamic, continuous-time, discrete-event simulation of synthetic large populations in which persons are subject to the risk of developing the NC under study and are assigned a value of functional health and a probability of receiving a caregiver and of entering long-term care. Calculations for transitions are done every year over the life course, and costs are accumulated throughout the life of the synthetic person. The need to reconcile empirical estimates of incidence and mortality with prevalence required implementation of "cure" parameters for two of the NCs. RESULTS: The POHEM-Neurological meta-model integrates the latest Canadian microdata on neurological conditions and satisfies most criteria for validation of microsimulation models, including conceptualization, computer implementation, assessment of output plausibility, and comparison with external data. Limitations include an absence of risk factors and the lack of uncertainty measures. INTERPRETATION: The POHEM-Neurological meta-model has been useful for projections of health and economic impacts of NCs on persons affected and their caregivers, and allows for comparison of specific scenarios to the base case.

The association between alcohol use and long-term care placement among older Canadians: a 14-year population-based study.

Studies have shown that moderate alcohol use confers protection against some of the dominant predictors of long-term care placement, including diminished cognitive functioning, physical disability, and injury. But little is known about the association between alcohol use and the likelihood of placement in long-term care facilities. A nationally representative sample of 5404 community-dwelling Canadians ages 50 years and older at baseline (1994/95) was obtained from the longitudinal National Population Health Survey. Alcohol use categories were developed based on the quantity and frequency of use in the 12 months before the interview. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association between alcohol use at baseline and subsequent placement in long-term care facilities after adjusting for covariates measured at baseline. During the 14-year follow-up period, 14% of lifetime abstainers, 10% of former drinkers, 7% of infrequent drinkers, 4% of moderate drinkers, and 3% of heavy drinkers were placed in long-term care facilities. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis revealed that abstainers, former drinkers, and infrequent drinkers were more than twice as likely to be placed in long-term care as moderate drinkers. Moderate drinking was protective against placement in long-term care facilities even after adjusting for an array of well-known confounders. The strong protective effect of moderate alcohol use on long-term care entry is likely due to a complex mix of physical, cognitive and psychosocial health factors.

Physical activity matters: associations among body mass index, physical activity, and health-related quality of life trajectories over 10 years.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the associations among body mass index (BMI), leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) trajectories among adults. METHODS: Self-reported data were drawn from the Canadian National Population Health Survey, with respondents being interviewed every 2 years between 1996-97 and 2006-07. Using growth curve modeling, HRQL trajectories for individuals aged 18 and over were associated with measures of BMI and LTPA. Growth models were constructed separately for males and females. RESULTS: Findings suggested that, for males, BMI categories had little impact on baseline HRQL, and no impact on the rate of change in HRQL. Among women, higher BMI categories were associated with significantly lower baseline HRQL. However, BMI had no impact on the rate of change of HRQL. Conversely, for both men and women and regardless of BMI category, LTPA had significant impacts on baseline HRQL, as well as the rate of change in HRQL. Individuals who were inactive or sedentary had much steeper declines in HRQL as they aged, as compared with individuals who were active in their leisure time. CONCLUSIONS: The results underscore the importance of LTPA in shaping trajectories of HRQL.

Modelling risk factor information for linked census data: The case of smoking.

BACKGROUND: Statistics Canada has initiated a series of data linkages of Census of Population long form and health outcome data. These linked data lack risk factor information. This study assesses the feasibility of using statistical modelling techniques to assign smoking status to census respondents. DATA AND METHODS: The 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) was used to develop age-/sex-specific predictive models to model smoking status based on variables available on the 1991 Census. The 2002/2003 CCHS was used to validate the modelled variable. Data from the 2002/2003 CCHS linked to data from the Hospital Morbidity Database (2001/2002 to 2004/2005) were used to evaluate the use of modelled versus self-reported smoking status on smoking-related hospitalizations. RESULTS: For the current daily smoker models, income, education, marital status, dwelling ownership and region of birth were significant predictors. For the never smoker models, marital status, dwelling ownership, Aboriginal identity and region of birth were significant predictors. Modelled current daily smoker status was associated with increased odds of smoking-related hospitalization, compared with being a never smoker, even when adjusting for covariates. INTERPRETATION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using statistical modelling techniques to assign smoking status to census data, provided socio-economic and identity information is available.

Validation of an index to estimate the prevalence of frailty among community-dwelling seniors.

BACKGROUND: This study validates cut-points for a frailty index (FI) to identify seniors at risk of a hospital-related event and estimates the number of frail seniors living in the community. The FI developed by Rockwood and Mitnitski defines levels of frailty based on scores of 0 to 1.0. DATA AND METHODS: The cut-point validation was conducted using Stratum-Specific Likelihood Ratios applied to combined 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) data, linked to hospital records from the Discharge Abstract Database (2002 to 2007). Based on the validated cut-points, frailty prevalence was estimated using 2009/2010 CCHS data. RESULTS: Seniors scoring more than 0.21 on the FI were considered to be at elevated risk of hospital-related events. Four additional frailty levels were identified: non-frail (0 to ≤0.1), pre-frail (>0.1 to ≤0.21), more frail (>0.30 to ≤0.35) (women only), and most frail (frail-group subset) (0.45 or more). The number of community-dwelling seniors considered to be frail was estimated at about 1 million (24%) in 2009/2010; another 1.4 million (32%) could be considered pre-frail. Frailty prevalence rose with age; was higher among women than among men; and varied by geographic location. INTERPRETATION: A cut-point of more than 0.21 can be used to identify frail seniors living in the community.

Longitudinal trajectories of sleep duration in the general population.

BACKGROUND: Sleep duration has been associated with overall health status, health behaviours, and mortality. Little is known about habitual longitudinal patterns of sleep in the general population. Furthermore, evidence about whether sleep duration has declined in recent years is contradictory. DATA AND METHODS: The study was based on 8,673 adults aged 18 or older in 2002/2003 (cycle 5 of the National Population Health Survey) and used five self-reported biennial measurements of sleep duration spanning eight years. Multiple distinct trajectories of sleep duration were estimated using latent class growth modeling. RESULTS: Four modelled trajectories of sleep duration were identified: short (11.1% of the population); low-normal (49.4%); high-normal (37.0%); and long (2.4%). The short, low-normal and high-normal sleep trajectories each exhibited a slight linear decline in hours of sleep over the eight years of follow-up. Poor sleep quality was predictive of trajectory group membership and associated with a decrease in sleep duration for three of the four groups. Age and sex were also significant predictors of trajectory group membership. INTERPRETATION: Trajectory analysis is a useful descriptive tool in the investigation of sleep duration over time.

Adopting leisure-time physical activity after diagnosis of a vascular condition.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of factors associated with adopting leisure-time physical activity among people with chronic vascular conditions can help policy-makers and health care professionals develop strategies to promote secondary prevention among older Canadians. DATA AND METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the 1994/1995 National Population Health Survey (NPHS), household component, and the 2007/2008 Canadian Community Health Survey were used to estimate the prevalence of inactivity. Longitudinal data from eight cycles (1994/1995 through 2008/2009) of the NPHS, household component, were used to examine the adoption of leisure-time physical activity, intentions to change health risk behaviours, and barriers to change. RESULTS: Over half (54%) of the population aged 40 or older were inactive during their leisure time in 2007/2008. A new vascular diagnosis was not associated with initiating leisure-time physical activity. Among the newly diagnosed, those with no disability or a mild disability had higher odds of undertaking leisure-time physical activity. INTERPRETATION: The majority of Canadians in mid- to late life are inactive. They tend to remain so when diagnosed with a vascular condition.

Alcohol use patterns and trajectories of health-related quality of life in middle-aged and older adults: a 14-year population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: A 14-year multiwave panel design was used to examine relationships between longitudinal alcohol-consumption patterns, especially persistent moderate use, and change in health-related quality of life among middle-aged and older adults. METHOD: A nationally representative sample of 5,404 community-dwelling Canadians ages 50 and older at baseline (1994/1995) was obtained from the longitudinal National Population Health Survey. Alcohol-consumption patterns were developed based on the quantity and frequency of use in the 12 months before the interview. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3). Latent growth curve modeling was used to estimate the change in HUI3 for each alcohol pattern after adjusting for covariates measured at baseline. RESULTS: Most participants showed stable alcohol-consumption patterns over 6 years. Persistent non-users, persistent former users, those decreasing their consumption levels, and those with unstable patterns (i.e., U shaped and inverted U shaped) had lower HUI3 scores at baseline compared with persistent moderate drinkers. A more rapid decline in HUI3 scores than that observed for persistent moderate users was seen only in those with decreasing consumption (p < .001). In a subgroup identified as consistently healthy before follow-up, longitudinal drinking patterns were associated with initial HUI3 scores but not rates of change. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent moderate drinkers had higher initial levels of health-related quality of life than persistent nonusers, persistent former users, decreasing users, U-shaped users, and inverted U-shaped users. However, rates of decline over time were similar for all groups except those decreasing their consumption, who had a greater decline in their level of health-related quality of life than persistent moderate users.

Health behavior change following chronic illness in middle and later life.

OBJECTIVES: Understanding lifestyle improvements among individuals with chronic illness is vital for targeting interventions that can increase longevity and improve quality of life. METHODS: Data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study were used to examine changes in smoking, alcohol use, and exercise 2-14 years after a diagnosis of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, or lung disease. RESULTS: Patterns of behavior change following diagnosis indicated that the vast majority of individuals diagnosed with a new chronic condition did not adopt healthier behaviors. Smoking cessation among those with heart disease was the largest observed change, but only 40% of smokers quit. There were no significant increases in exercise for any health condition. Changes in alcohol consumption were small, with significant declines in excessive drinking and increases in abstention for a few health conditions. Over the long term, individuals who made changes appeared to maintain those changes. Latent growth curve analyses up to 14 years after diagnosis showed no average long-term improvement in health behaviors. DISCUSSION: Results provide important new information on health behavior changes among those with chronic disease and suggest that intensive efforts are required to help initiate and maintain lifestyle improvements among this population.

Bodyweight, gender, and quality of life: a population-based longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: The objective of the paper is to describe trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQL) associated with categories of body mass index (BMI): underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese class I, and obese classes II and III. METHODS: Data come from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey. Analyses are based on data for 3,864 men and 4,745 women who were 40+ in 1998/1999 and followed through 2006/2007. HRQL was measured with the Health Utilities Index Mark 3. Multi-level growth modeling was used. RESULTS: HRQL declined with age. For men, there was a large HRQL decrement for being underweight; trajectories for all other BMI categories were very similar. For women being underweight was associated with higher HRQL at younger ages but lower at older ages. Otherwise, for women, HRQL was ordered from highest to lowest: normal, overweight, obese class I, and obese classes II and III. CONCLUSIONS: Given that excess weight is a risk factor for mortality and the development of chronic conditions, the HRQL results for men are surprising. The HRQL results for women may reflect both the importance of body image on mental health and the health effects of excess weight.

Health behaviour changes after diagnosis of chronic illness among Canadians aged 50 or older.

Changes in health behaviours (smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption) after diagnosis of chronic health conditions (heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease, and diabetes) were examined among Canadians aged 50 or older. Results from 12 years of longitudinal data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey indicated relatively modest changes in behaviour. Although significant decreases in smoking were observed among all groups except those with respiratory disease, at least 75% of smokers did not quit. No significant changes emerged in the percentage meeting physical activity recommendations, except those with diabetes, or in excessive alcohol consumption, except those with diabetes and respiratory disease. The percentage reporting the recommended minimum fruit and vegetable intake did not increase significantly among any group.

Trajectories of health-related quality of life by socio-economic status in a nationally representative Canadian cohort.

BACKGROUND: Mortality and morbidity have been shown to follow a 'social gradient' in Canada and many other countries around the world. Comparatively little, however, is known about whether ageing amplifies, diminishes or sustains socio-economic inequalities in health. METHODS: Growth curve analysis of seven cycles of the Canadian National Population Health Survey (n=13,682) for adults aged 20 and older at baseline (1994/95). The outcome of interest is the Health Utilities Index Mark 3, a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Models include the deceased so as not to present overly optimistic HRQL values. Socio-economic position is measured separately by household-size-adjusted income and highest level of education attained. RESULTS: HRQL is consistently highest for the most affluent and the most highly educated men and women, and is lower, in turn, for middle and lower income and education groups. HRQL declines with age for both men and women. The rate of the decline in HRQL, however, was related neither to income nor to education for men, suggesting stability in the social gradient in HRQL over time for men. There was a sharper decline in HRQL for upper-middle and highest-income groups for women than for the poorest women. CONCLUSION: HRQL is graded by both income and education in Canadian men and women. The grading of HRQL by social position appears to be 'set' in early adulthood and is stable through mid- and later life.

The challenges faced by caregivers of children with impairments of psychological functions: a population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the challenges faced by caregivers of children with impairments of psychological functions (IPFs). METHOD: Data came from the 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, a post-census national survey of people with disabilities residing in the 10 Canadian provinces. Interviews of caregivers of children aged 5 to 14 years with a disability (n = 3908) were conducted between September 2001 and January 2002. RESULTS: Caregivers of children with IPFs who are severely limited in their everyday activities were more likely to: need respite care; be refused a child care program or service; not receive health services for their children when needed; and not take a job, quit work, and work fewer hours to care for their children. CONCLUSIONS: This highlights the importance of both removing barriers and obstacles to the full participation of children with IPFs in everyday activities and improving their caregivers' access to health and child care services. It also argues in favour of family-centred care that explicitly considers caregivers' concerns, identifies their needs and problems, and supports families in their caregiving roles.

Strategies for handling normality assumptions in multi-level modeling: a case study estimating trajectories of Health Utilities Index Mark 3 scores.

BACKGROUND: With longitudinal data, lifetime health statuso dynamics can be estimated by modeling trajectories. Health status trajectories measured by the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) modeled as a function of age alone and also of age and socio-economic covariates revealed non-normal residuals and variance estimation problems. The possibility of transforming the HUI3 distribution to obtain residuals that approximate a normal distribution was investigated. DATA AND METHODS: The analysis is based on longitudinal data from the first six cycles of the National Population Health Survey (NPHS). The data pertain to 7,784 individuals, who, in 1994/1995, were aged 40 to 99, were living in private households, and had complete information on HUI3. A multilevel growth model was used to examine the hierarchical structure of NPHS data (repeated measurements nesting within respondents). The transformation of arcsine [2 x (HUI + 0.36) / (1 + 0.36)-1] was used to improve the distribution of the residuals at both levels and limit the conditional mean to the -0.36 to 1.00 interval. A model was estimated using socio-economic determinants. Analyses were performed with SAS and MLwiN. RESULTS: After the transformation of HUI3, the model was satisfactory and allowed for inclusion of new socio-demographic and health variables in order to estimate their impact on the health-related quality of life of aging populations. Because of the complex transformation of the arcsine model, the regression coefficients were not interpreted. Instead, the estimation results were summarized graphically.

Thirty-day in-hospital revascularization and mortality rates after acute myocardial infarction in seven Canadian provinces.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trials have demonstrated benefit with early revascularization following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Trends in and the association between early revascularization after (ie, 30 days or fewer) AMI and early death were determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Statistics Canada Health Person-Oriented Information Database, consisting of hospital discharge records for seven provinces from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Hospital Morbidity Database, was used. If there was no AMI in the preceding year, the first AMI visit within a fiscal year for a patient 20 years of age or older was included. Times to death in hospital and to revascularization procedures were counted from the admission date of the first AMI visit. Mixed model regression analyses with random slopes were used to assess the relationship between early revascularization and mortality. The overall rate of revascularization within 30 days of AMI increased significantly from 12.5% in 1995 to 37.4% in 2003, while the 30-day mortality rate decreased significantly from 13.5% to 10.6%. There was a linearly decreasing relationship - higher regional use of revascularization was associated with lower mortality in both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: These population-based utilization and outcome findings are consistent with clinical trial evidence of improved 30-day in-hospital mortality with increased early revascularization after AMI.

HISTORIQUE: De récents essais cliniques ont démontré l'avantage d'une revascularisation précoce après l'infarctus aigu du myocarde (IAM). Les tendances quant à la revascularisation précoce (c.-à-d., après 30 jours ou moins) dans l'IAM et son lien avec la mortalité précoce ont été déterminés. RÉSULTATS: Les auteurs ont utilisé la Base de données sur la santé orientée vers la personne de Statistique Canada, composée des dossiers de congés hospitaliers pour sept provinces de la Base de données sur la morbidité de l'Institut canadien d'information sur la santé. En l'absence d'IAM au cours de l'année précédente, les premières visites pour IAM à l'intérieur d'une année fiscale pour les patients de 20 ans ou plus ont été compilées. Le temps avant décès à l'hôpital ou avant revascularisation a été calculé à partir de la date de l'admission lors d'une première visite pour IAM. Les auteurs ont procédé à des analyses de régression selon un modèle mixte avec courbes aléatoires afin d'évaluer le lien entre la revascularisation précoce et la mortalité. Le taux global de revascularisation dans les 30 jours suivant l'IAM a significativement augmenté, de 12,5 % en 1995 à 37,4 % en 2003, tandis que le taux de mortalité à 30 jours a significativement diminué de 13,5 % à 10,6 %. On a noté un lien linéairement décroissant ­ l'utilisation régionale plus élevée de la revascularisation a été associée à une mortalité moindre chez les hommes et chez les femmes. CONCLUSIONS: Ces résultats basés dans la population sur l'utilisation et l'issue de l'intervention concordent avec les conclusions des essais cliniques quant à l'amélioration de la mortalité perhospitalière dans les 30 jours associée à un taux plus élevé de revascularisation précoce après l'IAM.