The Aboriginal population in Canada, much younger than the general population, has experienced a trend towards aging over the past decade. Using data from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) and the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), this article examines differences in health status and the determinants of health and health care use between the 55-and-older Aboriginal population and non-Aboriginal population. The results show that the older Aboriginal population is unhealthier than the non-Aboriginal population across all age groups; differences in health status, however, appear to converge as age increases. Among those aged 55 to 64, 7 per cent of the Aboriginal population report three or more chronic conditions compared with 2 per cent of the non-Aboriginal population. Yet, among those aged 75 and older, 51 per cent of the Aboriginal population report three or more chronic conditions in comparison with 23 per cent of the non-Aboriginal population.

Purpose: This study estimates the prevalence of problems with transportation in a sample of community-dwelling seniors residing in an urban setting and investigates the role that gender plays in the ability of seniors to remain mobile in their communities.

Design and Methods: Data collected as part of a study assessing the prevalence and consequences of unmet needs for community-based services in a random sample of 839 elderly aged 75 years and older were employed in bivariate and multivariable analyses.

Results: The prevalence of problems with transportation was 23 per cent, with 33 per cent of females and 10 per cent of males categorized as having problems with transportation. Of those subjects categorized as having problems with transportation, 88 per cent were women. In addition to being predominantly women, those who reported problems with transportation were older, in poorer health, and had lower income and income satisfaction.

Implications: Problems with transportation are an important issue facing seniors; women, in particular. These results highlight the differences in aging as experienced by women and men with respect to social effects, needs, and the significance attached to the experience.