24. Difficulties Accessing Care

In 2001, Statistics Canada asked Canadians aged 15 and over who had sought first contact health services in the past year for themselves or a family member whether they had encountered difficulties in accessing care. Most said no, but 18% of those who accessed services said yes. The proportion who reported difficulties varied depending on what type of service they sought and when, as the chart below shows. It includes three time periods: regular office hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday), evenings (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) and weekends, and night