Wellesley Institute has prepared this paper as a contribution to the current discussions in Ontario about socio-demographic data and health services. In addition to our scan of Ontario’s policy environment and a review of the relevant literature, it reflects the valuable discussions that we have had with a range of persons knowledgeable about and interested in data collection in health in Ontario.
This paper reflects on the value of socio-demographic data in the context of health services, considers how we can build on existing strong foundations, and identifies some principles and considerations that can shape new initiatives on sociodemographic data collection and usage in health to ensure improved health and health equity.