TORONTO, June 24 (UPI) -- Although Canadian women in Ontario live longer than men, a majority are more likely to suffer from disability and chronic conditions, researchers said.

Dr. Arlene Bierman of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto also found that low-income women have more chronic conditions, greater disability and a shorter life expectancy than women in high-income groups.

"Women with less education and low income were found to experience a greater burden of illness overall compared to men and women with higher incomes," Bierman said in a statement.

"While we already knew these inequities exist, we are quite startled by just how large the gap is among different groups of women."

The joint study at St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences found:
-- Thirty-nine percent of low income women have two or more chronic conditions compared to 28 percent of women in the highest income group and 21 percent of higher income men.
-- Among women ages 65 and older, 70 percent of low-income women have two or more chronic conditions compared to 57 percent of higher-income women and 50 percent of higher-income men.
-- Women are less physically active than men, but eat more fruits and vegetables and are less likely to be overweight or obese and smoke than men.
-- Low-income women and men are more likely to die prematurely.
-- Among women age 25-64, 26 percent of low income women and 10 percent of higher income women report their activities are limited by pain.

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