Demographics

Alberta’s Health System (Descriptives)

Alberta Health Services Zones and Peer Hospitals

Alberta Health Services delivers care in five zones which reflect differences in population and geography. Some measures may be reported by zones to allow for comparison, other  metrics may be reported by facility and presented based on peer groupings of like facilities.

When reviewing the performance measures it is important to consider the population distribution served by facility or zone, and to also consider that the reasons for any variances may require a deeper analysis.

• View Zone Map

Population by Age and Zone for Alberta in 2008

The different geographical zones represent different population distributions. This will impact the services offered, the demand for those services and the health issues prevalent within the local populations. To understand this context within the report, the 2008 population figures are provided as reference. 

Based on population trending forecasts, planning for healthcare delivery to the growing population of older adults in Alberta will be a key challenge for the Alberta Health Services and the province.

A population’s size and age composition impacts the health status of a zone and its need for health services. Population data also provide the "denominators" used to calculate rates for most health and social indicators.

The following table presents Alberta’s Population distribution by age across each Zone.

The following graph presents Alberta Population Trends for seniors by percentage (over the age of 65 years). 

The Performance Report may not display correctly in all browsers. If you are having difficulty viewing the report online, it is also available in pdf format.