Education Status
Sociodemographic Data Collection Training
Page 17/23
Household Income
Employment Status / Main Source(s) of Income
The question:
At the hub, when youth are provided the sociodemographic questionnaire the questions they receive related to their employment status and main source(s) of income are:
| I have a job: |
|---|
| o No o Yes |
| If yes, my job is: |
|---|
| o Full-time o Part-time regular hours o Part-time hours that change each week o Casual on call o Other |
| My main sources of income are (check all that apply): |
|---|
| o Full-time job o Part-time job o Casual work o Student loan o Family gives me money and/or supports me o Income/social assistance (e.g. Ontario Works OW, Children’s Aid Society CAS) o Disability Assistance (e.g. Ontario Disability Support Program ODSP) o Employment insurance (i.e. EI) o Panhandling / binning / scavenging / recycling o No source of income o I do not want to say o Other |
Rationale for this question:
- There is large consensus that low income is the single most powerful predictor of poor health status and treatment outcomes.
- Income-related stigma and discrimination in health care experiences affect quality of care. For example, a Toronto based study reported that those with high-income levels receive preferential access in finding a regular provider.
- Children and youth who grow up experiencing income insecurity and poverty are less likely to access mental health supports.
Important considerations:
- Many people are uncomfortable answering a question about family income or income related questions, including fear of being judged and fear of being reported to Canada Revenue Agency or other authorities. Ensure young people the rationale for this question, who will haves access to this information, and remind them that the information they choose to provide, will not affect their quality of service.
Responding to youth asking why they are being asked this question:
- We ask this question because we want to understand the link between income, access to, and experiences with our services.
- Asking this question allows us to better understand the support needs that may be required by a youth and to connect youth with an employment counsellor, if they would like.
