Grant: Summer Program in Aging

As the Canadian population ages, challenges emerge with the healthcare utilization of services for persons living with dementia (PWD). There is evidence that points to how sex/gender differences influence the healthcare utilization where older adult women may differ compared to older men when seeking and receiving treatment. There is a critical knowledge gap on the interplay between sex and healthcare service use as it relates to dementia care. The aim of this study is to describe the sex-based inequities on the healthcare utilization among PWD. We used a cross-sectional cohort design from 2000-2001 to 2016-2017. Health service use data was obtained from population-based Quebec administrative database (near-exhaustive repository of health surveillance information). Community-dwelling older adults age 65+ with new cases of dementia occurring between April 1st and March 31st for each year between were included. Healthcare use indicators were measured as age-standardized rates. To determine the differences between males and females, indicators were graphed by sex over 17 cohort-years and analyzed. A visual and graphical analysis allowed for clinically meaningful interpretation. A total of 237,259 persons with dementia was included in our study (62.7% women). Men had higher rate and number emergency department visits, rate of hospitalizations, rate of admission to long term care, rate of mortality. While women had higher prescription of cholinesterase inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants compared to men. There was no meaningful difference for antipsychotic prescriptions and ambulatory visits to cognition specialists. Addressing the gaps in the utilization of health services in men and women living with dementia in will inform decision-makers for the implementation of policies associated with health care provision to promote equity in dementia care and ultimately improve the health among men and women with dementia.