Summary of key findings

Remaining life expectancy at age 25 and probability of survival to age 75, by socioeconomic status and Aboriginal ancestry

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.

Table 1 Remaining life expectancy at age 25, by sex, income adequacy quintile, education, housing and Aboriginal ancestry, non-institutional cohort members aged 25 or older, Canada, 1991 to 2006

Table 2 Probability of survival to age 75, by sex, income adequacy quintile, education, housing and Aboriginal ancestry, non-institutional cohort members aged 25 or older, Canada, 1991 to 2006

Full article

For more information on this article contact Michael Tjepkema (1-613-951-3896; michael.tjepkema@statcan.gc.ca), or Russell Wilkins (russell.wilkins@statcan.gc.ca, 1-613-951-5305), Health Analysis Division.