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• Background
  
• Keywords
  
• Findings
  
• Authors
  

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Background

Previously, little information has been available about life expectancy and the probability of survival by socio-economic status or for Aboriginal groups.  However, data from the 1991 to 2001 Canadian census mortality follow-up study made it possible to construct life tables for the non-institutional population aged 25 or older by a range of census variables.  Those life tables have now been updated to include deaths through to the end of 2006.  This report summarizes the updated findings.  Life expectancy at age 25 and the probability of survival to age 75 tended to be low for people with low income and education, for residents of shelters, rooming houses and hotels, and for Registered Indians, non-Status Indians and Métis.  In general, socio-economic disparities in mortality were greater for men than for women.

Keywords

cohort studies, education, homeless persons, housing, income, life tables, North American Indians

Findings

Although life expectancy in Canada is among the longest in the world, it differs across population groups. Until recently, estimates by socio-economic indicators and for Aboriginal peoples have generally not been available, because information about these characteristics is not recorded on death registrations. With data from the 1991 to 2001 census mortality follow-up study, which tracked mortality in a 15% sample of the population, it became possible to construct life tables for such groups. These life tables have been updated to include deaths through to the end of 2006 (see The data). This report summarizes the updated findings. The objectives are to calculate remaining life expectancy at age 25 and the probability of survival to age 75 during the 1991- to-2006 period by income adequacy, education and residence in shelters, rooming houses and hotels, and for Registered Indians, non-Status Indians and Métis. [Full Text]

Authors

Michael Tjepkema (1-613-951-3896; michael.tjepkema@statcan.gc.ca) and Russell Wilkins (1-613-951-5305; russell.wilkins@statcan.gc.ca) are with the Health Analysis Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0T6.  Russell Wilkins is also affiliated with the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario.