The Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health (JCUSH)

Catherine Simile, PhD, U. S. Project OfficerDivision of Health Interview StatisticsNational Center for Health Statistics

Background

Collaborative project undertaken by Statistics Canada (STC) and NCHS

Additional funders include The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research

One-time telephone survey

Sample of 3505 Canadians and 5,183 U. S. residents

Background, cont’d

Data collected from November 2002-March 2003

One adult 18 years of age and older living in private dwellings

Stratified for age and sex

Survey Purpose

To develop, implement, and document a collaboration between national statistical offices

To enhance comparability between the two countries’ ongoing national surveys

To produce highly comparable data on the Canadian and American populations

Survey Content

Health statusLimitation of activitiesAsthma, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes,

and depressionContact with mental health professionalsSmokingHeight and weight

Survey Content, cont’d

Health care utilizationUse of prescription medicationsPap smear test and mammographyDental visitsInsurance, including single service plansPatient satisfactionPhysical activities

Data Files

Microdata files released June 2, 2004 on both websites

Microdata files accompanied by – Analytic highlights report – User’s Guide– Questionnaires in English, French, and

Spanish

Possible Analytic Uses

Questions taken from ongoing surveys: NHIS and CCHS

Comparisons between JCUSH and NHIS

Comparisons between JCUSH and CCHS

Direct comparisons between US and Canada using JCUSH

YANK

GIRLS ARE

FATTER!!!!

Findings

Overall, most Canadians (88%) and U.S. residents (85%) reported they were in good or better health

US slightly higher rate of unmet needs (13% v. 11%)

Reasons different: waiting time most often reported in Canada, cost in U.S.

Data source: The Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health 2002-2003 Preliminary Data

Findings, cont’d

Rate of obesity higher in US (21% v. 15%)

Primarily because of differences between U.S and Canadian women (21% v. 13%); no significant differences between men

Canada had a slightly higher percentage of current daily smokers compared with U. S. (19% v. 17%).

Data source: The Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health 2002-2003 Preliminary Data

Percent with regular medical doctor, Canada and United States, 2002/03

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Canada U.S.-All U.S. Insured U. S. Uninsured

Data source: The Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health 2002-2003 Preliminary Data

Percent Obese by Income Quintile, Canada and United States, 2002/03

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Income QuintilesCanada United States

Data source: The Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health 2002-2003 Preliminary Data

Access to Data and Reports

NCHS website at www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm

Statistics Canada website at www.statcan.ca