TABLE 2.
Definition of adults with health problems
| Study definition | Commonwealth Fund definition>† | |
|---|---|---|
| Poor or fair self-rated health | Poor or fair self-rated health | |
| Had at least one chronic illness and contacted a healthcare provider* 10 times or more in the past 12 months | Had a serious or chronic illness, injury or disability requiring intensive medical care in the past two years | |
| Was an overnight hospital patient for four or more days in the past 12 months** | Had major surgery or was hospitalized for something other than a normal pregnancy in the past two years |
*
“Healthcare provider” includes family physician/general practitioner, eye specialist, dentist/orthodontist, chiropractor and/or other medical doctor. The 10 visits could be distributed among any of the providers listed.
**
The criterion for a heavy user of medical care (four or more overnight hospital days) was based on similar definitions used by investigators in the following study: Statistics Canada 1999. “Health Care Services – Recent Trends.” Health Reports 11(3): 91–112; catalogue no. 82-003-XPB.