No consideration has been given to the implications of changing levels of need within populations
over time. Recently needs based resource planning models have been suggested
that incorporate changes in needs for care explicitly as a determinant of health care needs.
Methods: In this paper, population indicators of morbidity, mortality and self-assessed
health are analyzed to determine if health care needs have changed across birth cohorts
in Canada from 1994 to 2005 among older age groups.
Multivariate regression analysis was used to estimate the age pattern of health by birth year with interaction terms included to examine whether the association of age with health was conditional on the birth year.
Results: Results indicate that while the probability of mortality, mobility problems and pain
rises with age, the rate of change is greater for those born earlier. The probability of selfassessed poor health increases with age but the rate of change with age is constant across
birth years.