Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40611085›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Paying for home care: a cross-sectional study of participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Aaron Jones, James Lee, Connie Schumacher, Heebah Sultan, Alexandra Mayhew, Jennifer Watt, Caitlin McArthur, Margaret Tannahill-Wade, Paul Holyoke, Susan Bronskill and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Aaron JonesDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada. jonesa13@mcmaster.ca.
James LeeICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Connie SchumacherSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Heebah SultanOntario Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Alexandra MayhewDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.
Jennifer WattICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Caitlin McArthurSchool of Physiotherapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Margaret Tannahill-WadeSchool of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Paul HolyokeSE Research Centre, SE Health, Markham, ON, Canada.
Susan BronskillICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Andrew CostaDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada.

Funding

CIHR 185769
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHome care supports older adults living in the community by providing medical, rehabilitative, and personal care at home. Across Canada there is wide variability in public funding models for home care, which may also be paid for privately. Our objective was to compare individual characteristics across different home care payment groups and examine associations between sociodemographic factors, health status, and private payment for care.

methodsWe included formal home care users from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) between 2015 and 2021 and classified them into three groups based on how much of their home care was paid for out-of-pocket: none, part, or all. We used descriptive statistics to compare the individual and home care characteristics of the three groups. We used unadjusted and adjusted multinomial logistic regression models to examine associations with the home care payment groups.

resultsOf 44,817 participants in the CLSA, 3,580 were formal home care users. Using weighted proportions, 6.8% of the CLSA were home care users, and of these 46.2% reported paying nothing out-of-pocket, 12.7% paid partially, and 41.0% paid all costs. Individuals who paid all costs reported the best health, whereas those who paid partially reported the worst. Meal preparation/homemaking and housework/maintenance services were more commonly paid for privately, while medical care was more likely to be publicly funded. Higher-income individuals were more likely to pay entirely out-of-pocket and large provincial variations were noted across payment groups.

conclusionsPrivate home care is common in Canada, particularly for non-medical services. Income-related disparities may limit access for those unable to pay, contributing to inequities in aging. Policies ensuring equitable access to essential services will be critical as demand for home care grows.

Indexed as

Financing, PersonalHealth ExpendituresHome Care ServicesAgedAged, 80 and overCanadaCanadian Longitudinal Study on AgingCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHealth StatusHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleCLSACommunity careHealth equityHome careOut-of-pocket expenditures

Identifiers

PMID40611085
PMCPMC12224394

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.