Social Determinants

Pregnancy and Before

Social Determinants of Health for Women of Reproductive Age

A woman’s life circumstances play a major role in determining the health of her baby. Known as "social determinants of health" these circumstances include factors such as income and education level, social supports, physical environment and working conditions. For example, pregnant women with low income and education and few social supports may have poorer birth outcomes than pregnant women with higher incomes, education levels and strong social supports. These data are from the 2006 Census and Population Estimates.

Education:

Women who are better educated are more likely to engage in healthful behaviours such as supplementing prenatally with folic acid, seeking early prenatal care, attending prenatal education and exclusively breastfeeding for six months. As well, the rates of preterm birth, small for gestational age, stillbirth, infant mortality, smoking, exposure to second-hand smoke and alcohol consumption during pregnancy all decrease as the level of the mother’s education increases. Figure 1 below shows that education levels for women ages 20-44 are lower in Simcoe Muskoka than Ontario.

Figure 1:

Income and Employment:

Women are more likely than men in Simcoe Muskoka to be unemployed, earn less money and raise their children without the support of a partner. For instance, after-tax income in Simcoe Muskoka is 25% lower for lone-parent families headed by women than those headed by men. While unemployment fluctuates with the economic climate, Simcoe Muskoka consistently has a lower unemployment rate than Ontario. Nevertheless, both locally and provincially, women have a higher unemployment rate than men. People with higher incomes generally live longer, healthier lives than people with lower incomes.

Social Support

Whether planning to become a parent or expecting a new baby, a strong social network is essential for all mothers to be, especially if they are on their own. A network of friends and family members can provide both emotional and material support. According to the 2006 Census, there are 19,595 lone-parent families in Simcoe Muskoka. This represents 23% of all families with children. In Ontario, 25% of all families with children are lone-parent. In both Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario, approximately 80% of all lone-parent families are headed by women and 20% by men.