This research is based on data from the 1971 and 1976 Aging in Manitoba Needs Assessment surveys for a total of 6,100 randomly selected elderly Manitobans and the complete health service utilization data for these same individuals. Of 100 persons surveyed in 1971, 72 percent were alive, noninstitutionalized, and appeared in active status on the…

Reports that the elderly appear most influenced in health attitudes and behaviors by various factors within the setting so those who identify a major source of care tend to be higher utilizers, do less "shopping-around," and exhibit less negative behaviors such as needing care without seeking it. Discussion of the article follows. (Author)

Older persons are more likely to get physical checkups and overutilize the health care system for minor complaints, but are little different from the younger in underutilization for conditions which should receive a doctor's attention. There is a need to help the elderly sort out symptoms requiring attention. (Author)

Consumer choice of health provider plan and preference for a personal physician were studied for 1,438 elderly adults using a joint logit model (JL) and a nested logit model. Choice criteria used by senior citizens, and reasons the nested choice model explains choice behavior better than the JL are examined. (SLD)

Describes the Manitoba Longitudinal Study on Aging 1970-77 and discusses its relative potential in investigating the health and health care use behaviors of older persons. Data indicate that a person's utilization behaviors appear to remain consistent over time. (Author/RC)

The association of life events and mental health impairment in a community population of older adults (N=986) was investigated. Data, collected in 1972 and analyzed during 1979, examined the relationship between the two variables while controlling for age, sex, race, social resources (a measure of social support), economlc resources, and physical…

In a study of 630 elderly Hispanic women it was found that four cultural factors associated with assimilation were not strong predictors of preventive health behavior. These findings agree with those of other studies. Stronger predictors for Hispanics are sociodemographic factors and access and availability of health services. (VM)

Social and health service utilization have been the subject of numerous studies, but most have examined service utilization from the perspective of the type of service delivered to older adults. To determine the factors that predict overall utilization of services, data that had been collected in 1975 for the General Accounting Offices' survey of…