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POPULATION HEALTH Assessment

Population Health Assessment

Understanding the health needs and strengths of the people that live in Southern Health-Santé Sud is important to better plan programs and services.

Population Health Assessments, formerly known as Community Health Assessments, provide baseline information about the health status, determinants of health, and health system use of the people who live within the region. The report also tracks health outcomes over time, identifies opportunities for health promotion and disease prevention and describes the conditions that contribute to health disparities.

The Population Health Assessment informs strategic and operational planning for Southern Health-Santé Sud and actions in collaboration with local communities and partners. Together, we can improve the overall health and quality of life of communities and address health inequities, embracing a shared vision for Healthier People, Healthier Communities, Thriving Together.

Questions can be sent to Regional Lead – Quality, Planning & Performance, Ales Morga via 

Executive Summary ⓘ

Download the summary

Key Themes

Fastest growing population
Fastest growing population
At almost 238,000 residents in 2025, Southern Health-Santé Sud’s diverse population has increased by 12% since 2020, the highest 5-year percentage growth in the province. Looking forward, this momentum is expected to continue with an anticipated 19% increase by 2035, the largest projected growth in the province.
Higher volumes
Higher volumes
Population growth comes with a higher number of residents dying, living with chronic diseases, and experiencing some health events compared to previous time periods. Even when percentages or rates seem statistically stable, the higher number of people navigating these health experiences likely translates into added pressure to services in the community and health care system that support Southern Health-Santé Sud residents. In fact, increased counts are noted for primary care visits, diagnostics and surgical services, and residents living in personal care homes.
Proximity to Winnipeg
Proximity to Winnipeg
Many Southern Health-Santé Sud residents travel to Winnipeg to receive health care services, including: 43% of in-hospital births, 31% of visits to physicians and nurse practitioners, and 43% of hospitalizations.

The four districts surrounding Winnipeg, home to 21% of the region’s population, have the highest income and education level in Southern Health-Santé Sud. Some trends are noted for these four areas, for example: they are the only districts in the region where mood and anxiety disorders were not significantly lower than the province. Different access to health care services, due to proximity to Winnipeg, may play a role in some of the health trends noted in these districts.
Health
inequities
Health inequities
It is important to understand that the advantages of good health and the burden of poor health are not shared equally among us. Many of these differences can be explained by the conditions in which we are born, grow up, play, work, and live, as well as how we are treated. These differences often stem from unfair and avoidable conditions.
Health inequities:
Income gap
Health inequities:
Income gap
Income was associated with the majority of indicators where income analyses were available. For the most part, people in rural Manitoba (which includes all of Southern Health-Santé Sud) who lived in the lowest income areas had less favourable health outcomes and higher health care use compared to those in the highest income areas. Only a few exceptions were noted (e.g., higher percentages of vaginal births after C-sections, lower child asthma, and fewer hip replacement surgeries).

For the majority of indicators, the gap between the lowest and highest rural income areas remained the same over time but decreased significantly for 14 indicators.
Health inequities:
District gaps
Health inequities:
District gaps
We continue to notice trends where some of the districts in the region disproportionately experience some of the worst social determinants of health and health outcomes while others experience some of the best. Although differences over time were not tested statistically, the gap between the lowest and highest districts widened for the majority of indicators.

More needs to be done to address the root causes of these inequities. People and communities should not be disadvantaged by social, economic, and environmental conditions. Everyone should have fair access and the ability to act on opportunities to reach their full health potential.

Social Determinants of Health

Strengths

Two green circles. The first with a white piggy bank representing income. The second with a briefcase marked with an X representing unemployment.

Better vs. MB

  • Socioeconomic conditions
  • Social deprivation

Lowest in the province

  • Lone-parent families
  • Unemployment

Challenges

Two purple circles. The first with a white piggy bank representing socioeconomic conditions. The second with an appartment building with a blue key and a green price tag representing unaffordable housing.

Worse vs. MB

  • Material deprivation

Worsening

  • Socioeconomic conditions
  • Social deprivation
  • Material deprivation

Highest in rural

  • Spending 30% or more on shelter expenses

Reproductive and Infant Health

Strengths

Two green circles. The first a small blue hand resting on a larger white hand. The second a blue parent figure embracing a darker blue child figure.

Lower vs. MB

  • Inadequate prenatal care
  • Preterm births (lowest in MB)
  • Newborns small for gestational age
  • Teen pregnancies and births and decreased

Higher vs. MB

  • Vaginal births after C-sections
  • Breastfeeding/ chestfeeding initiation (highest in MB)

Challenges

Two purple circles. The first with a baby laying on a scale. The second with a fetus in the womb.

Higher vs. MB

  • Newborns large for gestational age

Increased

  • Preterm births
  • C-sections

Infectious Diseases and Immunizations

Challenges

Two purple circles. The first with a needle and vial representing immunizations. The second with a virus icon.

Lowest in the province for childhood immunizations

  • Measles
  • Diphtheria/ pertussis/ tetanus (age 2)
  • Meningococcal-c-c (age 2)
  • Human papillomavirus (girls and boys age 17)

Significantly lower than Manitoba for other immunizations

  • Pneumococcal (age 65+) and lowest in the province
  • Influenza

Majority of cases in the province for:

  • Measles (2026)
  • Pertussis (2023)

Health Status

Strengths*

*While the lower percentages or rates of disease may be indicative of better health status, an alternative explanation may be that residents are not accessing health services and, therefore, not diagnosed.

Green circle with birthday cake with three candles. Represents life expectancy.

Female & male life expectancy
higher vs. MB

Green circle with white and blue ribbon. This represents cancer.

Cancer incidence
lower vs. MB
(lowest in MB)

Green circle with blood glucose meter representing diabetes.

Diabetes incidence
lower vs. MB (lowest in MB)

Green circle the outline of a bended knee with lightning bolts at the knee and bones visible inside of the leg. This represents arthritis.

Arthritis
lower vs. MB & decreased

Green circle with a white bone snapped in half. This represents osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis
lower vs. MB

Green circle with an icon of a person with an arm in a sling and bandages around the head, reaching for their head. This represents injury.

Injury hospitalizations
lower vs. MB (lowest in MB) & decreased

Green circle with an icon of a brain in white and blue with green dots. This represents mental health.

Mood and anxiety disorders*
lower vs. MB (lowest in MB)

Green circle with bottle of wine, wine glass and Cannabis leaf. This represents substance use.

Substance use disorders*
lower vs. MB

Green circle with an icon of a person holding their chest with lightning bolts coming out. This represents heart attacks.

Heart attacks
decreased

Challenges

Purple circle with an icon of a person holding their chest with lightning bolts coming out. This represents heart attacks.

Heart attacks
higher vs. MB

Health Care Use

Strengths

Lower vs. MB and Lowest in the Province

  • Potentially avoidable hospitalizations with appropriate outpatient care
  • Hospital readmissions

Decreased

  • Potentially avoidable hospitalizations with appropriate outpatient care
  • Benzodiazepine prescribing for older adults living in community and in personal care homes
  • Hospital readmissions
  • Median wait times for personal care home admissions

Increased

  • Continuity of care

Challenges

Higher vs. MB and Highest in the Province

  • Median wait times for personal care home admissions from the community and hospital

Lower vs. MB

  • Continuity of care

Lowest in the Province

  • Only 35.7% of visits to physicians and nurse practitioners were within residents’ home district

Other Significant Findings

For these indicators, it is unclear whether higher or lower percentages or rates are better or worse. That’s because, higher use of health care services, especially for primary care, could reflect the health of the population (i.e., less healthy means more health care use) or it could reflect access to services (i.e., higher health care use means more access).

Lower vs. MB

  • Residents with at least one visit with a physician or nurse practitioner
  • Average visits to physicians or nurse practitioners
  • Prescription opioid use (lowest in MB)

Higher vs. MB

  • Day surgeries
  • Percentage of 75+ year-olds living in personal care homes

Decreased

  • Residents with at least one visit with a physician or nurse practitioner
  • Average visits to physicians or nurse practitioners
  • Prescription opioid use (lowest in MB)
  • Residents with at least one hospitalization in a year
  • Average hospitalizations
  • Percentage of 75+ year-olds living in personal care homes

Increased

  • Cataract surgeries
  • CT scans

District Summaires

COMING SOON, you’ll be able to select an area on the map below to access a summary of key findings for the district or choose from the list below the map.

Zone 1 (North)

  • Seven Regions
  • North Norfolk
  • City of Portage
  • Rural Portage
  • Cartier/St. François Xavier (SFX)

Zone 2 (Mid)

  • Carman
  • Grey
  • Macdonald
  • Morris
  • St. Pierre/De Salaberry
  • Red River South

Zone 3 (West)

  • Winkler
  • Morden
  • Stanley
  • Altona
  • Roland/ Thompson
  • Lorne/ Louise/ Pembina

Zone 4 (East)

  • Niverville/ Ritchot
  • Taché
  • Ste. Anne/La Broquerie
  • Steinbach
  • Hanover
  • Rural East