Health reports
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This study describes the prevalence of chronic pain among seniors living in private households and in long-term health care institutions. Associations between an increase in chronic pain and unhappiness and negative self-perceived health are examined. ⋯ Chronic pain is a major health issue for seniors, particularly those in health care institutions. The reduction of pain symptoms, independent of the presence of chronic conditions, would have a positive impact on the well-being of seniors.
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This article reports trends in smoking prevalence and smoking restrictions in Canada since 2000, and examines associations between home and workplace restrictions and smoking cessation. ⋯ Since 2000, Canadians smokers have faced a growing number of restrictions on where they can smoke. Bans at home and at work were associated with a reduced likelihood of being in the initial "stages of change," and an increased likelihood of being in the latter stages. Smokers who reported newly smoke-free homes or workplaces were more likely to quit over the next two years, compared with those who did not encounter such restrictions at home or at work.
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This article examines changes in household spending on health care between 1978 and 1998. It also provides a detailed look at household spending on health care in 1998. ⋯ Almost every Canadian household (98.2%) reported health care expenditures in 1998, spending an average of close to $1,200, up from around $900 in 1978. In 1998, households dedicated a larger share of their average after-tax spending (2.9%) to health care than they did 20 years earlier (2.3%). Health insurance premiums claimed the largest share (29.8%) of average health care expenditures, followed by dental care, then prescription medications and pharmaceutical products.