Trends in hospital utilization, 1982-83 to 1992-93

In the early 1990s, Canadians were less likely to be hospitalized than they had been a decade before. And when they did enter hospital, their stays tended to be shorter. As well, hospitalization for surgical procedures was less frequent and required less time in hospital.

Nonetheless, a few patterns persisted throughout the decade. Females were more likely than males to be admitted to hospital - largely a reflection of obstetrical procedures - but females' average length of stay was slightly less than that of male patients. However, with advancing age, the likelihood of hospitalization and the duration of stays increased for both sexes.