The general health of an area is, in part, measured by the life expectancy.  This statistics predicts the life span of individuals who are born that year and is calculated based on the health of the population.  The Elgin-St. Thomas Health Unit provided data for The Health Profile in October 2011.  The life expectancy for St. Thomas-Elgin is 78.9, lower than Ontario and Canada.  Furthermore, the life expectancy of someone in 2011 aged 65 is 18.7 years, or to the age of 83.7 for St. Thomas, lower than Ontario and Canada, again lower.

The younger life expectancy indicates that the people living in Elgin County are less healthy than the Canadian population in general.  The change in life expectancy from birth and at age 65 demonstrates the affect of unhealthy life styles across the Country.

Life Expectancy

St. Thomas-Elgin

Ontario

Canada

At birth

78.9

81

80.7

At Age 65

18.7

20.3

20.2

Expected lifespan

83.7

85.3

85.2

Change in life expectancy

4.8

4.3

4.5

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