Activity
Restriction
In the NPHS, activity restriction is defined as at least one day of activity restriction
in the previous year.
Age-Specific Rate
The death or disease rate for a specified age group in a specified period.
Five-year age groups are commonly used.
Age-Standardized Rate
An adjusted rate that represents what the crude rate would have been in the study
population if that population had the same age distribution as the standard population,
which in this report is the 1991 Canadian population. However, because standardization
produces a summary measure, it may obscure important differences in age-specific patterns.
Also, standardized rates can be compared with each other only when the same standard
population has been used to obtain the rate.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Anthropometric measure, defined as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in
metres. This measure correlates closely with body density and thickness (see Overweight).
Cardiovascular Disease
ICD-9 codes # 410-414, 428, 429.2, 429.3, 429.9
Cerebrovascular Disease
ICD-9 codes # 430-438
Coefficient of Variation
The coefficient of variation (CV) indicates the quality of a population estimate. A CV of
16.7-25.5 indicates moderate sampling variability. A CV of 25.6-33.3 indicates high
sampling variability. Estimates with either a moderate or high CV should be interpreted
with caution. In some situations, the sample in the survey was too small to produce a
reliable estimate. These numbers are not included in the report.
Confidence Interval
The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all estimates were calculated during the preparation
of the report. As a result, there is a 95% probability that the true value for the
population lies somewhere in this range of values. If the text reports a difference
between two values, the 95% CIs of these estimates do not overlap, and one can be
reasonably sure that a true difference exists. If the text does not report on a difference
found in the values, the reader should assume that none exists.
Cumulative Incidence
The number or proportion of a group who experience the onset of a health-related event
during a specified time interval; this interval is generally the same for all members of
the group, but, as in lifetime incidence, it may vary from person to person without
reference to age.
Daily Smoker
An individual who was smoking cigarettes on a daily basis at the time of the interview.
Deaths Projected
Five-year age-specific mortality rates for 1996/97 were applied to the projected
population structure to the year 2050, developed by Statistics Canada.
Diabetes Mellitus (DM)
A chronic condition that results from the body's inability to sufficiently produce
and/or properly use insulin.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1, also known as insulin dependent diabetes, occurs mainly in childhood or early
adolescence and requires daily insulin injections for survival. The most common form is
caused by the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas by the auto-immune system, leaving
the pancreas unable to produce insulin.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes, typically occurs after the age of 40
years. A resistance to insulin develops, often exacerbated by excess weight, leaving the
pancreas unable to produce enough insulin to compensate.
Gestational Diabetes
During pregnancy, some women develop glucose intolerance that can be treated with diet
and/or insulin. If the glucose intolerance is not well controlled, however, the fetus can
develop macrosomia (large size) that affects both the health of the baby and the birth.
Health-related Conditions of Diabetes
Diabetes-related conditions include hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular
disease, peripheral vascular disease, lower respiratory tract infection, renal disease,
and skin disease.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, as defined by a physician, is usually considered to be a diastolic
pressure of > 90 mm Hg or systolic pressure of > 160 mm Hg.
Hypertension (also called High Blood Pressure)
ICD-9 codes # 401-405
ICD-9 Codes
International Classification of Disease, 9th edition.
Incidence Rate
The rate at which new events occur in a population. The numerator is the number of new
events that occur in a defined period; the denominator is the population at risk of
experiencing the event during this period, sometimes expressed as person-time.
Insulin
A hormone secreted from beta cells in the pancreas, which assists with the conversion of
glucose into energy.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy is a summary measure of the health status of a population. It is defined
as the average number of years an individual of a given age is expected to live if current
mortality rates continue to apply.
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