Women 65 and older less likely than men to visit medical specialists, data shows – National [Video]

Older Canadian women face challenges accessing medical specialists and non-emergency tests compared to older men, according to a recent Statistics Canada report.

The report released Wednesday, called ‘Access to specialized health-care services among older Canadians’ looked at the challenges faced by Canadians aged 65 and older in accessing health-care services, considering factors such as gender and immigration.

Women appear to encounter the greatest difficulty in accessing care.

“It’s a problem because we know that there’s a care gap here,” Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Sinai Health and the University Health Network in Toronto, told Global News.

“Women in particular, they’re having trouble more so than men in terms of accessing this care. This could mean delayed diagnosis. It could mean delayed treatment and also more disability. And that’s perhaps why we see higher incidences of things like dementia in older women.”

As Canada’s aging population continues to grow, the demand …