SWO Regional Demographic Information¹

The Southwestern Ontario Stroke Region is home to approximately 1,569,300 people or 12.7% of Ontario's population. Approximately 44% of the population over 20 years of age has attained post-secondary education credentials. 28.4% have not completed high school. Compared to the provincial average, a smaller proportion of the stroke region's population is low income.

Compared to the provincial average, the Southwestern Ontario Stroke Region has a greater proportion of seniors and a much smaller proportion of immigrants and visible minorities. In the Erie St. Clair LHIN, almost 4 % of the population is Francophone. Approximately 1% of the population is Francophone in the Southwest LHIN.

In Erie St. Clair both males and females have a life expectancy that is lower than the life expectancy for Ontario overall. Further, residents of Erie St. Clair are significantly less likely than Ontarians overall to rate their health as "Excellent" or "Very Good." In the SW LHIN, life expectancy for males is lower that the life expectancy for Ontario overall.

The Chart "Selected Chronic Conditions and Health Practices, population age 12+" demonstrates some of the similarities and differences among populations of the two LHINs in the Southwestern Ontario Stroke Region and the Province of Ontario overall. Chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes increase one's risk of stroke.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the percentage of the Canadian population 35 years and over diagnosed with hypertension has increased from 14% to 22% in the last decade². It is also estimated that at least 42% of the affected population are unaware that they suffer from hypertension³.

Hypertension increases the risk of stroke by 300% to 400% and is often associated with stroke, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and other conditions including dementia and peripheral arterial disease.

Risk factor prevalence by county is available through the Government of Canada website at http://www.cvdinfobase.ca/NCDASP/profile_e.aspx

¹Health System Intelligence Project. Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/providers/information/resources/ profiles/profile_southwest.pdf and http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/providers/information/resources/ profiles/profile_eriestclair.pdf
²Heart and Stroke Foundation website. Online: www.heartandstroke.ca
³Joffres et al. Am J Hyper 2001; 14: 1099-1105