Population Health

Health is more than health care.  Health is primarily influenced by: age, lifestyle, social circumstances, and the environment. A stable place to live, enough healthy food, the ability to read, and the amount of exercise you get all contribute to good health.  (for more information about the health of the population in the HNHB LHIN, please see our Health Atlas)

Lifestyle: The single greatest opportunity to improve health status and reduce premature death lies in changing personal
behavior.

• Obesity, physical inactivity, and smoking are the leading lifestyle factors related to premature death
• Relative to the province, there are significantly higher rates of smoking, heavy drinking, and obesity in the HNHB LHIN.

Age: People use more health care services as they get older.  The use of hospital services increases sharply after age 65.

• Over 220,000 people 65+ years live in the HNHB LHIN and over the next ten years this age group will grow by 30%.
• Our LHIN has the highest number of seniors than any other LHIN in Ontario. Niagara, Haldimand, and Norfolk
  have the oldest populations.

Social circumstances: Low income and low education levels are associated with higher rates of illness, premature death, and use of health care services.

• About one in seven residents of the HNHB LHIN population live below the poverty line. This means over 200,000 people spend 20% of their income or more on food, shelter or clothing.
• Rates of low income are higher among population groups such as: recent immigrants, aboriginal people, visible minorities, and female lone parents.

If you are interested in learning more about Populration Health, please read our Health Atlas (see the side menu under About our LHIN).