Pelham's Health Story
The population of Pelham is 16,155 and has total area of 126.4 km2.
Located at the heart of Niagara, Pelham is characterized by rolling hills which offer beautiful views of Niagara, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
- Profile of Pelham
- Priority Populations
- Leading Cause of Death
- Leading Cause of Hospitalization
- Prenatal and Reproductive Summary
Profile of Pelham
|
Pelham | Niagara region | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population density per square kilometre | 127.8 | 230.5 | 13.4 |
| Population of 2001 | 15,272 | 410,574 | 11,410,046 |
| Population of 2006 | 16,155 | 427,421 | 12,160,282 |
| Population change | 5.8% | 4.1% | 6.6% |
| Total private dwellings | 6,058 | 179,903 | 4,972,869 |
| Private dwellings occupied by usual residents | 5,933 | 169,425 | 4,554,251 |
| Land area (square km) | 126.4 | 1,854.2 | 907,573.8 |
| People ages 25-64 who have not completed high school | 6.8% | 14.0% | 13.6% |
| Lone female parent | 13.4% | 21.9% | 20.0% |
| Lone male parent | 3.1% | 5.4% | 4.5% |
| Knowledge of neither English nor French | 0.1% | 0.6% | 2.2% |
| Population who immigrated to Canada in the last 5 years | 3.4% | 10.4% | 17.1% |
| Aboriginal identity | 0.5% | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| Visible minority status | 2.2% | 6.3% | 22.8% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
Population density
Pelham has a relatively large rural area compared to the rest of Niagara. In Pelham, there are approximately 127.8 people in 1 square kilometre compared to 230.5 in Niagara and 13.4 in Ontario.
Population change
Between 2001 and 2006, the population of Pelham grew by 5.8%. This means the population in Pelham grew more than the population of Niagara (4.1%), yet less than the population of Ontario (6.6%).
Population who did not graduate from high school
6.8% of the population of Pelham, between the ages of 25 and 64, have not completed their high school education; which is much lower than Niagara (14.0%) and Ontario (13.6%).
Lone parent families
Among the families with children at home, Pelham has a lower percentage of single mothers (13.4%) compared to Niagara (21.9%) and Ontario (20%). Pelham also has a lower percentage (3.1%) of families with single fathers than Niagara (5.4%) and Ontario (4.5%).
Language, immigration and Aboriginals
Almost all of Pelham residents are able to speak either English or French. Only a very small proportion, less than 1%, cannot. This pattern is also seen in Niagara, but in Ontario, the proportion is slightly higher at 2.2%.
2.2% of people in Pelham are of a visible minority, which is much lower than the Visible minority population of Niagara as a whole (6.3%) and even lower than that of Ontario (22.8%). In terms of immigration, 3.4% of the population of Pelham immigrated in the last five years, which is lower than both Niagara (10.4) and Ontario (17.1%).
In Pelham, a much smaller percentage of the total population are Aboriginals (0.5%) compared to Niagara (1.6%) and Ontario (2%). However, only Aboriginals who live off reserve were surveyed by the census.
|
Pelham | Niagara region | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low income before tax | 4.6% | 12.0% | 14.7% |
| Low income after tax | 3.2% | 8.4% | 11.1% |
| Low income families with children or youth less than 18 years old (before tax) | 5.8% | 15.0% | 18.0% |
| Low income families with children or youth less than 18 years old (after tax) | 3.9% | 10.5% | 13.7% |
Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2006
Population with Low income
Pelham has a much lower percentage of people living within the ‘before tax Low income category’ (4.6%) than both Niagara (12.0%) and Ontario (14.7%). The same goes for the ‘after tax Low income’ percentages. After taxes, the percentages of people living within the Low income bracket are as follows: 3.2% for Pelham, 8.4% for Niagara, and 11.1% for Ontario.
Low income families
5.8% of Pelham families, who are considered Low income (before tax), have a child/youth under the age of 18 living with them. After tax, this decreases to 3.9%, which is much lower than Niagara (10.5%) and Ontario (13.7%).
Priority Populations
To examine geographical patterns of socio-economic indicators (e.g. income, low education), a priority index was developed to explore characteristics of the Niagara region. A Priority Population is defined as those populations that are at risk and for whom public health interventions, (e.g. the Health Bus program) may be reasonably considered to have a substantial impact at the population level.
The map shows an image of Pelham with areas of high versus low priority, based on six indicators included from the 2006 census:
- Median family income
- Proportion of people who have not graduated with a certificate, diploma or degree
- Unemployment rate
- Proportion of single parent families
- Proportion of people living alone
- Proportion of persons who are separated
Leading Causes of Death
| Males (0-64 years) | Females (0-64 years) | |||||||
| Pelham | Niagara region | Pelham | Niagara region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Ischaemic heart disease | 9.7% | Ischaemic heart disease | 15.3% | Breast cancer | 14.3% | Lung cancer | 10.9% |
2 |
Intentional self harm | 6.5% | Lung cancer | 8.5% | Colorectal cancer | 11.4% | Breast cancer | 8.3% |
3 |
Lung cancer | 4.8% | Intentional self harm | 5.3% | Lung cancer | 5.7% | Ischaemic heart disease | 7.4% |
4 |
Pancreatic cancer | 4.8% | Transport accidents | 4.2% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 5.7% | Colorectal cancer | 4.9% |
5 |
Brain cancer | 4.8% | Colorectal cancer | 4.1% | Diabetes mellitus | 5.7% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 4.0% |
Source: Causes of Death, 2000-2004, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Data Last Refreshed March 2009.
In Pelham, the leading causes of death among males and females aged 0-64 are similar to those of Niagara region with some notable differences.
Females
For females aged 0-64: both Pelham and Niagara report breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and Cerebrovascular diseases
leading causes of death. For Pelham, diabetes completes the list for females; while Ischaemic heart disease, completes the list for causes of death for females in Niagara.
Males
For males aged 0-64: Pelham and Niagara share Ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer and intentional self harm among the top 5 leading causes of death. That is where the similarities end. Pelham reports pancreatic cancer and brain cancer, whereas Niagara reports transportation accidents and colorectal cancer.
| Males (65+ years) | Females (65+ years) | |||||||
| Pelham | Niagara region | Pelham | Niagara region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ischaemic heart disease | 24.4% | Ischaemic heart disease | 26.2% | Ischaemic heart disease | 20.0% | Ischaemic heart disease | 26.4% |
| 2 | Lung cancer | 8.1% | Lung cancer | 7.7% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 8.3% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 9.1% |
| 3 | Prostate cancer | 7.2% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 6.1% | Lung cancer | 6.7% | Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease | 5.3% |
| 4 | Cancer of lymph, blood and related | 5.7% | Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.4% | Diabetes mellitus | 5.0% | Lung cancer | 5.2% |
| 5 | Cerebrovascular diseases | 4.3% | Diabetes mellitus | 4.7% | Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease | 3.3% | Diabetes mellitus | 4.8% |
Source: Causes of Death, 2000-2004, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Data Last Refreshed March 2009.
In Pelham, the leading causes of death among males and females over the age of 65 are similar to those of the Niagara region.
Females
For females over the age of 65, Pelham and Niagara share the same leading causes of death; ischaemic heart disease, Cerebrovascular diseases
, lung cancer, diabetes, and dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Males
For males over the age of 65, both Pelham and Niagara list Ischaemic heart disease, lung cancer and Cerebrovascular diseases
leading causes of death. The difference between Pelham and Niagara is that, in Pelham, prostate cancer and cancer of the lymph, blood and related are reported whereas, in Niagara, chronic lower respiratory disease and diabetes are reported.
Leading Causes of Hospitalization
| Males (0-64 years) | Females (0-64 years) | |||||||
| Pelham | Niagara region | Pelham | Niagara region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liveborn infants according to place of birth | 4.6% | Liveborn infants according to place of birth | 6.2% | Complications of pregnancy (labour and delivery) | 16.2% | Complications of pregnancy (labour and delivery) | 21.4% |
| 2 | Complications of surgical and medical care | 3.5% | Disorders related to Short gestation and Low birth weight | 3.5% | Complications of pregnancy (Antenatal) | 13.4% | Complications of pregnancy (Antenatal) | 14.8% |
| 3 | Inguinal hernia | 3.0% | Acute myocardial infarction | 3.0% | Liveborn infants according to place of birth | 3.8% | Liveborn infants according to place of birth | 4.1% |
| 4 | Disorders related to Short gestation and Low birth weight | 2.5% | Complications of surgical and medical care | 2.9% | Mood, affective disorders | 2.8% | Mood, affective disorders | 2.1% |
| 5 | Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities | 2.5% | Diabetes mellitus | 2.1% | Complications of surgical and medical care | 2.8% | Disorders related to Short gestation and Low birth weight | 2.0% |
Source: Causes of Hospitalizations, 2003-2007, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Data Last Refreshed March 2009.
In Pelham, the leading causes for hospitalization among males and females aged 0-64 are quite similar to those of Niagara region, but there are some differences.
Female
Pelham and Niagara share four of the five leading causes of hospitalization for females aged 0-64. The only difference between these groups is that complications of surgical and medical care is listed for Pelham and disorders related to Short gestation and Low birth weight is listed for Niagara.
Males
For Pelham and Niagara males aged 0-64: birth, complication of surgical and medical care and disorders related to Short gestation and Low birth weight are listed among the leading causes of hospitalization. Inguinal hernia and congenital malformation, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities are the other two leading causes for Pelham. Acute myocardial infarction and diabetes are the other two causes for Niagara.
| Males (65+ years) | Females (65+ years) | |||||||
| Pelham | Niagara region | Pelham | Niagara region | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heart failure | 6.7% | Heart failure | 5.3% | Acute myocardial infarction | 4.6% | Heart failure | 5.7% |
| 2 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis | 4.9% | Acute myocardial infarction | 4.9% | Heart failure | 4.2% | Fracture of femur | 4.8% |
| 3 | Conduction disorders, cardiac arrhythmias | 4.5% | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis | 4.7% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 4.0% | Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, bronchiectasis | 4.3% |
| 4 | Acute myocardial infarction | 4.1% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 3.5% | Arthrosis of knee | 3.9% | Acute myocardial infarction | 4.2% |
| 5 | Cerebrovascular diseases | 3.8% | Pneumonia | 3.1% | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis | 3.8% | Cerebrovascular diseases | 3.9% |
Source: Causes of Death, 2003-2007, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Data Last Refreshed March 2009.
In Pelham, the leading causes of hospitalizations among males and females aged 65+ are similar to those of Niagara region with only a couple of differences.
Females
Pelham and Niagara females over the age of 65, share four of the five leading causes of hospitalization. The only difference is that Pelham lists arthrosis of the knee and Niagara lists fracture of the femur.
Males
For males over the age of 65, the only difference between Niagara region and Pelham is that, in Pelham, conduction disorders and cardiac arrhythmias was listed while, in Niagara, Pneumonia was listed.
Prenatal and Reproductive Summary
|
Pelham | Niagara region | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Parkyn (N) | 111 | 3795 | |
| Mothers who attended a Prenatal class at Public Health† | 2.5% | ||
| Mothers under 20 years old | * | 5.2% | |
| Mothers who smoked during pregnancy | * | 13% | |
| Preterm birth baby | 4.5% | 7.1% | |
| Low birthweight baby | * | 4.3% | |
| High-risk Parkyn Score | 13.5% | 19.2% | |
| Feeding Method | Breastmilk only | 79.3% | 72.6% |
| Both breastmilk and formula | 11.7% | 8.9% | |
* Data are limited and cannot be reported.
†Source: Prenatal class Data, Niagara Region, 2008. Source: ISCIS Jan-Dec, 2007, Extracted: March 2009.
Overall, 2.5% of pregnant women in Pelham attended Prenatal classes offered by Niagara Region Public Health last year.
The Parkyn Postpartum Screening Tool is an instrument designed to identify families with a new baby who may be at an increased risk of developmental challenges based on health, physical, and social drawbacks. Using this tool, 13.5% of newborns in Pelham were considered high risk in comparison to 19.2% in Niagara region. In 2007, there were 111 live births to mothers from Pelham; representing 2.9% of the total newborns throughout Niagara. 4.5% of these births were preterm which is slightly lower than Niagara region (7.1%).
In Pelham, 79.3% of mothers breastfed while in hospital; a further 11.7% both breastfed and used a bottle. Both rates in Pelham are higher than Niagara (72.6% and 8.9%, respectively).
