Technical Notes

Indicators based on 1996 Census data (STC)

• Regional data on non-medical determinants of health indicators and certain community characteristics were extracted from the 1996 Census, based on enumeration areas (EA). A correspondence file, linking EAs to current health regions has been developed in the Health Statistics Division of Statistics Canada with the cooperation of provincial Ministries of Health, Alberta Treasury and BC Stats.
  
  
• Income related indicators from 1996 Census are based on income in 1995.
  
  
• Low income rate, children in low income families: Low income data were not derived for economic families or unattached individuals in the Territories or on Indian reserves. For health regions containing Indian reserves, analysis of low income data should only be done with this caveat explicitly noted.
  
  
• Housing affordability: Band housing on Indian reserves was not included in the calculation of housing affordability. For health regions containing Indian reserves, analysis of housing affordability should only be done with this caveat explicitly noted.
  
  
• Proportion Aboriginal population: This variable is derived from three questions asked in the 1996 Census (20% sample). Aboriginal population refers to those persons who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, i.e. North American Indian, M�tis or Inuit and/or those who reported being a treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada and/or who were members of an Indian Band or First Nation. Census coverage studies were used to adjust these data with the population estimates for incompletely enumerated Indian Bands or reserves. The 1996 demographic population estimates (which adjusts for census undercoverage and refusal reserves) were used as the denominator for these percentages.

For more information on census concepts, please refer to the 1996 Census Dictionary, Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 92-351-XPE.