Determinants of health are a range of factors that influence the health status of individuals or populations. At every stage of life, health is determined by complex interactions between social and economic factors, the physical environment and individual behaviour. They do not exist in isolation from each other.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified 12 determinants of health as follows:
- Income and social status
- Social support networks
- Education and literacy
- Employment/working conditions
- Social environments
- Physical environments
- Personal health practices and coping skills
- Healthy child development
- Biology and genetic endowment
- Health services
- Gender
- Culture
In this section of our website, you will find the most recently released socio-economic and cultural data for Simcoe Muskoka that will continue to be updated as new data becomes available.
Highlights include:
- According to 2016 Census data, 15,860 children under the age of 18 (15%) and 35,985 adults between the ages of 18 and 64 (11%) in Simcoe Muskoka were living with low income (after tax) in 2015.
- Among lone-parent families, the prevalence of low income was 28% representing 6,480 lone-parent families low income (after tax) in 2015.
- The Market Basket Measure (MBM) is a measure of low income based on the cost of a specific basket of goods and services representing a modest, basic standard of living. According to the 2016 Census, just over 53,300 people (10%) lived below the MBM in Simcoe Muskoka.
- Unfortunately, year after year, Nutritious Food Basket survey results indicate that many Simcoe Muskoka residents living on low incomes do not have the money to provide a basic healthy diet for themselves and their families.
- According to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), in 2007-2014, 19%(14.1%, 22.9%) of Simcoe Muskoka lone-parent families reported experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity at least once in the past 12 months.
- The number of female-led single parent families increased by 10% from 18,055 in 2011 to 19,770 in 2016. Male-led one-parent families increased by 12%, from 5,210 in 2011 to 5,845 in 2016.
- In 2016, 11,615 Simcoe Muskoka commuters (4.7%) used active transportation (walking or cycling) to get to work. The percentage of commuters who used public transit was 2.7%.
- In Simcoe Muskoka, a higher percentage of people who identified themselves as being Aboriginal reported having no certificate, diploma or degree (20% or 2,010) as compared to the overall Simcoe Muskoka population (12% or 33,445) in 2016.
- In 2016, Simcoe County reported having 2,979 eligible households on their waitlist for social housing. In the District of Muskoka, there were 690 eligible applicants for social housing in 2015.