Leisure activities and service knowledge and use among the rural elderly

This exploratory study uses Andersen's service utilization model to examine the relationship between the leisure activity patterns of older people and their knowledge and use of health and social services. Hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analyses of data from 418 people ages 65 and older in rural Qu/ebec revealed that leisure activity patterns may explain a greater amount of variation in service knowledge and use than conventional need characteristics such as physical and psychological health. Various activity patterns were significantly related to knowledge and use of services even after controlling for variables such as age and health status. Although some types of leisure activities appeared to augment knowledge and use of services, others seemed to deter it. Future explanatory models of service utilization among the elderly should be expanded to include leisure activity patterns.