Text table 5.1 (concluded)

Average document proficiency scores by Physical Component Summary (PCS) and age groups,
Canada and jurisdictions, population 16 and over, 2003
Province or territory Poor Fair, good
or excellent		  
Average Difference1
Newfoundland and Labrador
16 or 65 251 274 23
66 and older 192 216 24
Total 237 269 32
Quebec
16 or 65 256 277 21
66 and older 192 211 19
Total 237 271 33
Prince Edward Island
16 or 65 263 285 22
66 and older 208 216 7
Total 245 279 33
Nova Scotia
16 or 65 268 290 22
66 and older 212 230 18
Total 251 284 33

1. The difference reported in the last column is the difference between the average document literacy scores of respondents receiving poor physical health scores and the average document literacy score for those receiving fair, good or excellent health scores. Jurisdictions have been ranked according to the difference of their total adult populations 16 and over.

E. Use with caution.

x. Suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act.

Source: International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey, 2003.

More than half of the over 65 population reports being in poor health compared to 20 percent of 16 to 65 year-olds. For Canada, those over 65 who report poor health have an average document literacy score of 206 – corresponding to Level 1 proficiency. At 224, the score is higher for those in fair, good or excellent health. The proportion of seniors reporting poor health is either close to or over 50 percent in each of the provinces and territories, with the exception of the Yukon. In each jurisdiction, the average document literacy score among seniors in poor health corresponds to Level 1 proficiency. The fact that about half of all seniors are in poor physical health and they score at the lowest level of proficiency may have serious implications for their overall quality of life.

While the existence in Canada of a link between reported physical health and document literacy is apparent, further studies are needed to disentangle the web of relationships that may underlie this phenomenon. The literacy demands placed on Canadians responsible for managing their own health and well-being are likely to grow in complexity as the Canadian health care system evolves. The link between literacy and health may become even more important in future years.