This exploratory study uses Andersen's service utilization model to examine the relationship between the leisure activity patterns of older people and their knowledge and use of health and social services. Hierarchical stepwise multiple regression analyses of data from 418 people ages 65 and older in rural Qu/ebec revealed that leisure activity patterns may explain a greater amount of variation in service knowledge and use than conventional need characteristics such as physical and psychological health. Various activity patterns were significantly related to knowledge and use of services even after controlling for variables such as age and health status. Although some types of leisure activities appeared to augment knowledge and use of services, others seemed to deter it. Future explanatory models of service utilization among the elderly should be expanded to include leisure activity patterns.

This article examines the extent and the meaning of solitude among the aged. A comprehensive study of the foreign, Canadian and Quebec literature was undertaken to prepare this document, but priority was given to the somewhat lesser known investigations originating from Quebec. First, the concepts most often utilized in discussing the phenomena under scrutiny were defined: solitude, social isolation and the feeling of loneliness. Then, the relative importance of each phenomenon was assessed, based on the available data. In order to fully understand the meaning of the facts observed, their causes were also examined. Finally, avenues for future research were proposed. This study suggests that solitude among the elderly is a more complex problem than believed. Even if the isolated and (or) lonely aged are in the minority, this does not mean that all their socio-affective needs are being met. These people spend long periods of time alone and this affects their lives. The problem as such is largely caused by the position the elderly occupy in the society and, in turn, this position probably influences their behaviour. However, gerontologists have scarcely studied this hypothesis. This article then highlights certain aspects of the solitude phenomenon which have so far been overlooked by gerontologists.

La recherche** dont les resultats sont rapportes ici, a ete entreprise pour repondre a deux interrogations fondamentales sur les rapports entre le loisir et les autres types d'activites. Ces interrogations sont les suivantes: prenant pour acquis que les groupes et les individus structurent leur temps, 1) autour de queUes activites cette structuration se fait-elle? 2) a queUes variables economiques, politiques, sociales et cultureUes les amenagements de temps sont-ils le plus sensibles? Pour repondre aces questions, un cadre theorique a ete construit et les hypotheses qui en decoulent ont ete verifiees aupres d'un echantillon de personnes a gees.

Tous droits réservés © Recherches sociographiques, Université Laval, 1999 Ce document est protégé par la loi sur le droit d'auteur. L'utilisation des services d'Érudit (y compris la reproduction) est assujettie à sa politique d'utilisation que vous pouvez consulter en ligne. Résumé de l'article Au Québec, la majorité des personnes de 65 ans et plus demeurent hors des grands centres urbains. Pour mieux les connaître et pour savoir si la « régionalité » module la façon de vieillir, nous présentons une synthèse de recherches effectuées auprès des aînés qui résident dans sept régions du Québec. Il en ressort d'importantes différences entre les aînés des diverses régions, et qu'on ne vieillit pas de la même manière partout. D'où l'influence probable de la régionalité.

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