Population-to-specialist Ratios, 1996

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Abstract

Canada’s average population to specialist physician ratio has been 1100:1 for over a decade. Low ratios are generally associated with urban areas. The region with the highest ratio is located in north central Newfoundland, a region with relatively few people but even fewer physician resources, including family physicians.

The mapping classes for this map were built around the figure 1100:1, the population-to-specialist ratio that has been characteristic of Canada as a whole for more than a decade. Two of the mapping classes (401:1 to 549:1 and 550:1 to 1099:1) show regions of Canada that have ratios that are significantly lower or slightly lower than the 1100:1 value and two mapping classes (1100:1 to 1649:1 and 1650:1 to 48 247:1) with higher and significantly higher ratio values. The full range of this ratio is from 401:1 to a staggering 48 247:1! The census division with the latter enormous ratio is located in north central Newfoundland, a census division with relatively few people but even fewer physician resources (including Family physicians).

Again, low ratios are generally associated with urban areas. But this map may contain surprises for some. A large number of rural and remote areas in Canada (in every province and territory with the exception of the Yukon) show ratios that would suggest the presence of a large number of specialist physicians. In fact, this is not the case. This is an example of where ratios can mislead.