Abstract:

Many of the sociodemographic, health status, and social support characteristics that predict the use of health services by elders vary by area of residence. Yet, little is known about how these factors affect the risk of institutionalisation in rural, small city, and urban areas. The purpose of this research was to: (a) determine the rate of institutionalisation over a two-year period for impaired community-dwelling elders in rural, small city, and urban areas; (b) test for residence differences in sociodemographic, health status, and social support characteristics likely to influence the risk of institutionalisation; and (c) examine their effect on the probability of being institutionalised in each area of residence. Although rural elders are less likely to be placed in a nursing home than their small city or urban counterparts, race and level of impairment affect the risk of institutionalisation more in rural than in urban areas.