Older PopulationOlder Population

Disadvantaged Disadvantaged

Predominantly advantaged Predominantly advantaged

Feminization of povertyFeminization of poverty

PoliticsPolitics

Determinants of Health Determinants of Health

GenderGender– Biological distinctionBiological distinction– Socioeconomic rolesSocioeconomic roles– ExperienceExperience– Care giverCare giver– Barriers to health careBarriers to health care– Live longerLive longer– Health care Health care

Gender VariationsGender Variations

MENMEN

Life expectancyLife expectancy Health behaviors Health behaviors Alzheimer’s deathsAlzheimer’s deaths Heart diseaseHeart disease SuicideSuicide Fatal illnessFatal illness

WOMENWOMEN Outnumber menOutnumber men Life expectancy Life expectancy Chronic conditionsChronic conditions Live aloneLive alone Lower median Lower median

incomeincome Caretaking roleCaretaking role DependentDependent Mental illnessMental illness

Women and Health Care Women and Health Care

PaternalismPaternalism Provider focusProvider focus Women’s concernsWomen’s concerns Shared featuresShared features Mismatched focusMismatched focus

Inappropriate Health CareInappropriate Health Care

PatronizedPatronized DiscountedDiscounted OvermedicatedOvermedicated Information withheldInformation withheld Treated unnecessarilyTreated unnecessarily Focus on reproductionFocus on reproduction Excluded from research Excluded from research

Health Care IndustryHealth Care Industry

Reactive to proactiveReactive to proactive

Organ-centric to gender-basedOrgan-centric to gender-based

early access to lifelong continuumearly access to lifelong continuum

Women Centered CareWomen Centered Care

Gender differencesGender differences Reduce inequalitiesReduce inequalities Defining problemsDefining problems DiversityDiversity EmpowermentEmpowerment Women’s valuesWomen’s values Holistic Holistic Operationalize policiesOperationalize policies

Ethnicity and AgingEthnicity and Aging

Immigration (1900’s)Immigration (1900’s) 4% of seniors can’t speak English/French4% of seniors can’t speak English/French 12% speak another language (home) 12% speak another language (home) 3% aboriginal identity- aged 65+3% aboriginal identity- aged 65+ over 1 in 4 seniors is an immigrantover 1 in 4 seniors is an immigrant 11% immigrant seniors live with family11% immigrant seniors live with family 6% of seniors – part of visible minority 6% of seniors – part of visible minority by 2025 minority elders- 25% of aged by 2025 minority elders- 25% of aged

pop. pop.

Immigrant populationImmigrant population

EthnicityEthnicity

Social differentiation based on cultural Social differentiation based on cultural criteria (concepts, habits, institutions)criteria (concepts, habits, institutions)– Geographical originsGeographical origins– LanguageLanguage– ReligionReligion– TraditionsTraditions– ValuesValues– FoodsFoods– Perceptions of distinctivenessPerceptions of distinctiveness– Internal heterogeneityInternal heterogeneity

Leading Health ProblemsLeading Health Problems High blood pressureHigh blood pressure Coronary Heart DiseaseCoronary Heart Disease CancerCancer DiabetesDiabetes Cardiovascular DiseaseCardiovascular Disease Stroke Stroke Cirrhosis Cirrhosis TraumaTrauma InfectionInfection EtiologyEtiology

EthnicityEthnicity

AssimilationAssimilation

AcculturationAcculturation

Relocation in late lifeRelocation in late life

Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism

Barriers to Health CareBarriers to Health Care

Communication (verbal/nonverbal)Communication (verbal/nonverbal) Access Access FearFear Health beliefsHealth beliefs ValuesValues Socioeconomic statusSocioeconomic status

Health BeliefsHealth Beliefs

BiomedicalBiomedical

Magico/religiousMagico/religious

Naturalistic/holisticNaturalistic/holistic