Table 2 Prevalence and distribution of socio-demographic characteristics among working-age individuals (ages 25–64) back problems, arthritis and back problems, reporting arthritis, and any other chronic conditions; 2007/2008 Canadian community health survey

Estimated number of individuals (1,000)

8,401

2,927

1,061

1,328

4,511

Prevalence (%)

46.1

16.1

5.8

7.3

24.8

Sex (%)

 Male

54.0

51.1

41.4

40.4

45.2

 Female

46.0

48.9

58.6

59.6

54.8

Age (%)

 25-34

31.9

22.8

5.5

6.5

21.3

 35-44

29.9

29.2

17.1

14.5

24.7

 45-54

25.2

29.3

35.2

33.0

28.4

 55-64

13.0

18.8

42.1

46.0

25.7

Education (%)

 < Secondary grad

8.6

11.5

20.9

16.9

11.7

 Secondary grad

16.0

15.0

17.0

17.1

16.2

 Some post-secondary

6.0

7.6

7.0

7.3

7.3

 Post-secondary grad

69.4

65.9

55.1

58.7

64.9

BMI (%)

 Underweight/normal

52.7

45.1

37.1

36.3

42.3

 Overweight

34.5

35.5

35.1

37.0

34.9

 Obese

12.8

19.4

27.8

26.7

22.8

Living arrangement (%)

 Single, with or without others

17.2

17.5

21.9

18.8

18.2

 Living with partner/spouse

22.8

25.5

35.2

36.4

28.3

 Living with children

47.7

45.9

34.7

34.7

42.5

 Other

12.3

11.2

8.2

10.1

11.0

Smoking (%)

 Never

22.7

29.1

24.2

29.1

33.0

 Current

36.7

29.5

33.8

25.4

24.7

 Former

40.6

41.3

42.0

45.6

42.3

Alcohol (%)

 Nondrinker

69.5

15.8

23.9

20.2

18.2

 Regular

14.2

68.9

55.2

61.8

64.6

 Occasional

16.4

15.3

20.9

18.0

17.2

Physical activity (%)

 Active

25.2

22.0

20.3

20.7

20.8

 Moderately active

25.0

24.8

21.8

24.6

26.6

 Inactive

49.8

53.2

58.0

54.7

52.6

Work status (%)

 In labor force

89.8

84.7

64.2

73.9

82.0

 Not currently employed

9.7

11.6

21.2

20.7

14.7

 Out of the labor force

0.5

3.7

14.6

5.4

3.3