Veterans Affairs Committee on Jan. 29th, 2008

[Mark Speechley]

There was a study done in Calgary. It did not reduce falling in one group relative to the other. There have been many unsuccessful fall prevention studies, some in Canada and many from elsewhere. But there have been successful ones too, and those are the ones that.... We're trying to decide how much we have to do to prevent falls, and my major point is that assessment and recommendation is not enough.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Since I have some time left, I would like to make a final comment before turning the floor over to Jean-Yves.

There is a sentence in your brief that I find rather puzzling: “Canada's veterans report poorer self-rated health than the general population of older Canadians”.

I have a hard time believing and understanding that. It seems to me that our veterans are just as fit as the general population in the same age bracket.

[Mark Speechley]

Apparently not. We ask people--

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

That is what they are saying?

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

But is it the truth?

[Mark Speechley]

“Compared to other people your own age, would you say your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?” When we ask people that, veterans have poorer health than Canadians over 75.

[Clara Fitzgerald]

Their perceived health is poorer.

[Mark Speechley]

It's their perceived health.

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

I have a similar question. You say that: “Falling is more frequent in Canada's veterans (40%) than in other samples of older adults [...] ”.1,913 veterans took part in the survey. How many of these 1,913 veterans are men?

[Mark Speechley]

Of the 1,913 veterans, 96% were men.

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Very well. If, among the general population, you were to take 1,913 men, 90% of whom are 81 years of age, the number of falls would be the same. Among the general population, there are more women among the 81-year-old segment. And, at this time, the men are the ones who have the greater number of falls. Therefore, you cannot say that falling is more common among veterans than among men who are, on average, 81 years old.

That's the part of your study that I don't understand.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

The witness is allowed a response, but just to let our Bloc colleagues know, they are now over five minutes, so it will be the last of the questions until the next round.

Excuse me, the rounds are seven minutes. Keep going. It's fine.

[Mark Speechley]

Thank you for your question.

We can't compare exactly, because the veterans are 81, or mostly between 79 and 83, because they were 17 to 21 during the war. I can't make an exact comparison, but the numbers were quite a bit different compared to the national population health survey. It's on that basis that I made my statement, but I will check my numbers, and if you like, I will follow up with you.

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

You can't state that falling occurs more often among men whose average age is 81. The rates are about the same, because men tend to fall more often than women. I don't know why, but there are more 81-year-old women than men among the general population, since women outlive men. That is a fact. Therefore, you cannot say that falling is more common among veterans. That is what I am having a hard time understanding.

The same goes for your statement that there is a higher risk factor for older veterans than for older adults. If you take a group of men with an average age of 81 years, they will all have the same risk factors and will all be subject to the same proportion of falls.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

All right.

That exhausts seven minutes for the Bloc Québécois. I apologize, but there were seven minutes, 22 seconds devoted to that, so I apologize for cutting in.

Now we're over to Mr. Stoffer with the New Democratic Party.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I thank both of you for your presentations today.

Was the survey you mentioned a written or oral survey?

[Mark Speechley]

It was a written questionnaire and was mailed.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Would it be possible to get a copy of that survey in the future?

[Mark Speechley]

Absolutely.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Also, you mentioned 1,913 veterans and 1,398 spouses and caregivers. Did you get that list from DVA?

[Mark Speechley]

It was from client lists of Veterans Affairs Canada.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Those were their client lists. So you didn't survey any veterans who were not DVA clients?

[Mark Speechley]

I'm afraid not. We couldn't.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

That's most unfortunate, because your figure that 3.8% of the sample said they didn't have enough money to meet their ends refers to clients of DVA. The veterans who are not clients of DVA, I put it to you, are having much greater difficulty in terms of the financial aspects. It would have been nice to have a survey on how they do.

Secondly, did you survey any spouses of veterans who had passed away?

[Mark Speechley]

No, the veteran had to be alive.