Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic (SAHCPDP)

The purpose of the Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic is to better understand how health care service disruptions are affecting Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.


Collection period:

From March 8 to June 2, 2021

Collection methods:

Electronic questionnaire and telephone interview

Survey participation:

Voluntary

Confidentiality

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.

Data sharing agreements and record linkage

To enhance the data from this survey and reduce response burden, Statistics Canada may combine the information you provide with data from other surveys or administrative sources.

Topics covered in the survey

The survey asks questions about

  • general health
  • chronic conditions
  • disability status
  • COVID-19 diagnosis
  • regular health care provider
  • access to health care services
  • oral health
  • health care inequity and barriers
  • medication use.

Published data

Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats. To find all the documents related to this survey, follow the links below and type the name of the survey in the search engine located at the left of your screen to filter the results.

Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.

Analysis: You will have direct access to Stats in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.

Survey-specific questions

Who is conducting this survey?

The survey is being conducted by Statistics Canada, in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

What are the objectives of this survey?

The main objectives of the Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic are to better understand how various health care service disruptions impacted individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey also covers access to pharmaceuticals, impacts of delayed health care, barriers to receiving health care and general health status.

Why should I participate in this survey?

By participating in this survey, you will play an important role in understanding the health of Canadians and developing health services that affect all Canadians.

Another member of my household would like to participate in this survey. Can that person replace me?

Participants for this survey are selected randomly to avoid bias. Once you have been selected for a survey sample, Statistics Canada cannot replace you with anyone else because the sample would no longer be random.

How will you safeguard the confidentiality of my information?

As with all Statistics Canada surveys, any information provided will remain confidential pursuant to the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada takes the privacy of Canadians very seriously. Published data can never identify you or your household. To find out more about the measures in place to safeguard the confidentiality of your information, visit Statistics Canada's Trust Centre.

Do I have to take part in this survey?

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. However, as each person selected represents many other people, your participation will help to ensure that survey results are complete. Health is an important part of everyone’s life. It’s important that we have representation from all sorts of people, including those in good health, if the results of the survey are to be representative.

How long will it take to complete this survey?

The interview will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

Can I choose not to answer certain questions?

Yes. Even after having agreed to participate in the survey, you may choose not to answer specific questions you find sensitive or where you feel uncomfortable providing a response. Will you be contacting me again after I’ve completed the survey? There is a question at the end of the survey that asks if you would like to sign up for future surveys. If you say no, we will not contact you.

For more information about this survey

survey number 5346