Objectives: This article examines national and provincial trends in hysterectomies from 1981/82 to 1996/97 among women aged 35 or older.
Data sources: Data for 1981/82 to 1994/95 were obtained from the Hospital Morbidity File maintained by Statistics Canada; for 1995/96 and 1996/97, from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Supplementary data are from the 1998/99 National Population Health Survey.
Analytical techniques: Descriptive analyses present hospitalization rates for hysterectomy, the percentage performed vaginally, and average length of stay. A hierarchy of indications was used to establish the main reason for hysterectomy. Confidence intervals were calculated to determine significant changes over time and between provinces and the national level.
Main results: From 1981/82 to 1996/97, the hysterectomy rate declined; the proportion performed vaginally increased; and average length of stay for a hysterectomy decreased. These trends generally characterized each province, although there were substantial provincial differences in rates, procedures, and average length of stay.