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Pulse CMAJ 2000;162:687
Data from Statistics Canada's National Population Health Surveys (1994/95 and 1996/97) reveal that the likelihood of women practising certain health behaviours varies over the life cycle. Younger women are less likely than older women to try to reduce the amount of fat in their diet, with 64% of women aged 2024 and 65% of those aged 2534 reporting having taken action, compared with 77% and 80% in the 4554 and 5564 age groups. Older women are also somewhat more concerned about increasing the levels of starch and fibre in their diet: 37% of those aged 4554 and 44% of those aged 5564 have taken action in this regard, compared with 28% of those in the 2024 age group and 30% of those in the 2534 age group. These differences are perhaps not unexpected, given that the likelihood of being overweight increases with age. Only 19% and 31% of women in the 2024 and 2535 age groups are overweight, compared with 46% and 53% of those aged 4554 and 5564.
Age is also a factor in the likelihood of women ever having had a Pap test,and having had a Pap test according to the recommended schedule (every 3 years). Women aged 75+ and 2024 are the least likely to ever have had a Pap test (67% and 74%), while 90% or more of those aged 2534 through 5564 have had the test at some point in their life. However, among women who have had the test, younger women were more likely to have had it within the past 3 years (98% of those aged 2024 and 94% of those aged 2534, compared with only 74% of those aged 5564). Shelley Martin, Physician Survey Analyst, CMA Readers may send potential research topics to Patrick Sullivan (sullip@cma.ca; 613 731-8610 or 800 663-7336 x2126; fax 613 565-2382).
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