Health differentials among elderly women: A rural - urban analysis

This thesis examines the influence and interrelations of socio-economic, regional and social factors on elderly women's health from a life course perspective, integrating the concept of "social capital." A sample of 8,684 women aged 65+ is drawn from the master files of the 2001 Canadian Community Health Survey. Using logistic regression, analyses indicate elderly rural women are more likely to report having any chronic condition, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, compared to elderly urban women, after controlling for socio-economic status, social capital and lifestyle. However, while community integration (a form of social capital associated with better health) is often stronger in rural communities, no rural advantage for subjective health is observed. Separate analyses of rural and urban sub-samples of elderly women also reveal a number of striking differences in the factors associated with subjective and objective health outcomes. Findings are discussed with regard to implications for policy and future research.