Study: Community belonging and self-perceived health

Nearly two-thirds of Canadians aged 12 and over have a strong sense of belonging to their local community, according to a new report that examines the link between this sense of belonging and an individual's self-perceived physical and mental health.

This proportion varied dramatically by region across Canada. Residents of Atlantic Canada reported stronger feelings of community belonging, with Newfoundland and Labrador reporting the highest rates in the country.

On the other hand, people in Quebec were least likely to feel connected. Only 54% felt a strong sense of belonging.

The report used data from the first six months of data collected by the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) to compare rates of community belonging at the level of both health regions and provinces. This study covered 119 health regions.

Health regions in major urban centres tended to have the lowest rates of community belonging, while predominantly rural health regions had higher rates of belonging. This difference was found in most provinces.

In Ontario, the lowest rates occurred among residents of the health regions of York and the City of Toronto. In Manitoba, the lowest rate was for Winnipeg; for Saskatchewan, Saskatoon; and for Alberta, Calgary and the Capital health region (Edmonton). In British Columbia, the lowest rates occurred in Vancouver.

In Quebec, the health region of Laval showed the lowest rate of community belonging in the province and across Canada. On the other hand, the health region of Montréal reported a rate in line with the provincial average.

The study also showed that Canadians who have a strong sense of belonging to the community in which they live also have more positive feelings about the state of their physical and mental health.

Nearly two-thirds of those who felt a very strong or somewhat strong sense of community belonging reported excellent or very good general health. In contrast, only half of those with a very weak sense of belonging view their general health as favourable as those with a strong sense of community belonging.

Significant associations between community belonging and self-perceived general health emerged in all provinces, except Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Associations were particularly strong in British Columbia and Ontario.

In British Columbia, 64% of residents with a strong sense of belonging reported excellent or very good general health, compared with 51% among those with a weak sense. In Ontario, the proportions were 64% compared with 55%.

These findings are particularly relevant in view of evidence that self-perceived general health is predictive of chronic disease incidence, use of medical services, recovery from illness, functional decline and mortality.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3226.

The Internet publication Your Community, Your Health: Findings from the Canadian Community Health Survey: Community Belonging and Self-perceived Health: Early CCHS Findings, (82-621-XWE2005001, free) is now available. From the Our products and services page, under Browse our Internet publications, choose Free, then Health.

The article "Community belonging and self-perceived health: Early CCHS findings (January to June 2005)" includes supporting tables and charts. In addition, tables in CANSIM and "Beyond 20/20" format are available for other selected CCHS variables.

For more information or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this article, contact Margot Shields (613-951-4177, margot.shields@statcan.gc.ca) or Sylvain Tremblay (613-951-2528, sylvain.tremblay@statcan.gc.ca), Health Statistics Division.

To order custom tabulations, contact Client Services (613-951-1746, hd-ds@statcan.gc.ca), Health Statistics Division.

Results from the CCHS Cycle 3.1 (2005), based on the entire collection period, will be available in June 2006.

For further information on the Canadian Community Health Survey, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of the survey, contact Mario Bédard (613-951-8933, mario.bedard@statcan.gc.ca), Health Statistics Division.