Existing research on the health care utilization patterns of older Canadians suggests that income does not usually restrict an individual’s access to care. However, the role that income plays in influencing access to health services by older adults living in rural areas is relatively unknown. This article examines the relationship between income and health service utilization among older adults in rural and urban areas of British Columbia. Data were drawn from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 3.1. Multivariate regression techniques were employed to examine the influence of relative income on accessibility for 3,424 persons aged 65 and over. Results suggest that (1) relative income does not influence access to health care services; and (2) this is true for both urban and rural older adults. The most important and consistent predictors of access in all cases were those that measured health care need.
