Self-rated health

Proportion of the population by perceived health.

Self-rated health, also referred to as perceived health, is an indicator of overall health status. Self-rated health refers to the perception of a person's health in general, either by the person themselves, or, in the case of proxy response, by the person responding to the survey questionnaire on behalf of the intended respondent. Health means not only the absence of disease or injury but also physical, mental and social well-being. Self-rated health reflects aspects of health not captured in other measures, such as: incipient disease, disease severity, aspects of positive health status, physiological and psychological reserves and social and mental function.

This indicator is measured in a number of Statistics Canada surveys.

In the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and the Canadian Social Survey (CSS), survey respondents are asked:

In general, how is your health?

• Excellent
• Very good
• Good
• Fair
• Poor

This indicator is measured through multiple Statistics Canada surveys. Estimates can vary between data sources due to differences in reference periods, targeted or sampled populations, data collection and other methodology.

Surveys that measure this indicator include, but are not limited to:

• Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)
  • Table 13-10-0096-02 – Perceived health, by age group
  • Table 13-10-0096-01 – Health characteristics, annual estimates
• Canadian Social Survey (CSS)
  • Table 45-10-0081-01 – Perceived health, by gender and province
  • Table 45-10-0082-01 – Perceived health, by gender and other selected sociodemographic characteristic
• Indigenous Peoples Survey (IPS)
  • Table 41-10-0020-01 – Self-perceived general health by Aboriginal identity, age group and sex
  • Table 41-10-0002-01 – Perceived general health, Inuit population, by Inuit region of residence
• Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
• Canadian Housing Survey (CHS)
• General Social Survey (GSS) - Social Identity
• General Social Survey (GSS) - Canadians' Safety (Victimization)
• General Social Survey (GSS) - Canadians at Work and Home
• Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD)
• Canadian Internet Use Survey (CIUS)
• Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces (SSPPS)
• Survey on Access to Health Care and Pharmaceuticals During the Pandemic (SAHCPDP)
• Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth (CHSCY)
• Survey on Mental Health and Stressful Events (SMHSE)

• Having someone to count on (Statistics Canada – Infographics, August 9, 2022)
• Sense of meaning and purpose in Canada (Statistics Canada – Infographics, March 30, 2022)
• Portrait of Youth in Canada: Physical Health & Behaviours (Statistics Canada – Infographics, February 1, 2021)

• Health of Canadians – Health outcomes (Health of Canadians, September 13, 2023)
• Chinese New Year and quality of life among Chinese in Canada (StatsCAN Plus, January 24, 2023)
• Having someone to count on, January to March, 2022 (The Daily, August 9, 2022)
• Health of youth in Canada (Portrait of Youth in Canada: Data Report, February 1, 2021)
• The changes in health and well-being of Canadians with long-term conditions or disabilities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (COVID-19: A Data Perspective, October 7, 2020)