1. Issues in Human Services (HMNS 10085) Module 3: Poverty
2. Definition of Poverty The experience of material and social
deprivation that prevents individual, communities and entire
societies from reaching their full potential. (Raphael, 2007, p.
6). Income and wealth inequality
3. How should poverty be defined? Relative poverty - compares
incomes to average incomes in that society Absolute poverty -
resources to pay for basic needs (food & shelter) Being
excluded or marginalized from the standards of living available to
the average income-earning Canadian
4. How is poverty measured? Poverty line > Statistics Canada
Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) Income level that below it, individuals
would spend a larger share of their income on basic necessities 55%
of income vs. ~34% of income
5. How is poverty measured? Depth of poverty - how much income
would it take to raise individual/family to the LICO Poverty
duration - length of time someone experiences low income
6. Poverty in Canada 3.2 million Canadians lived below LICO in
2009 9.6% of all Canadians Same number of people had incomes that
moved above LICO, as moved below LICO Depth of poverty - 26% below
LICO Duration of poverty - 60% of Canadians living in poverty, it
is temporary For 40% of those living in poverty it is more enduring
5% - they lived in poverty for > 10 years.
7. What causes poverty? Income distribution across a nation.
Income equality vs. inequality Top income earning group - 40% of
the total income generated by Canadians Bottom income group - 6% of
the total income Top 2 income earning groups - 65% of total income
generated by Canadians Bottom 2 income earning groups - 18% of
total income Above figures from 1996 > in 2004, the total income
of top earning group has risen by almost 20% The rich are getting
richer! OR, income inequality is increasing
8. What causes poverty? Cost of living - cost of goods
generally rises Those whose incomes have not risen, actually paying
more of their income for the same goods Low social assistance &
income assistance benefits Trends in the types of jobs available
Wage trends Groups of people at risk
9. Job Trends Contributing to Poverty: More temporary or part
time jobs being created Secure full time jobs with benefits are
disappearing In the new economy, jobs are in the service sector -
retail, hospitality industries
10. Job Trends Contributing to Poverty 2007- 194, 000 or 50% of
families experiencing poverty had a major income earner with full
time work Average income was $23,500 Single individuals
experiencing poverty, 306,000 or 28% had full time work Average
income was $10, 400 Working poor Lack of consistent minimum wage
standards
11. Poverty impacts some groups more than others: Women
Aboriginal individuals People of colour People with disabilities
Recent newcomers to Canada
12. Child Poverty Between 2002 & 2007, 23% of all children
(1.4 million) living in poverty at least one year in 6. 107, 000
lived in poverty for all 6 years. Impacts child growth &
development When parents had a higher level of educational
attainment > opportunities for earning higher than poverty-level
income. This may provide: Access to play items likely to lead to
optimal development Lowered stress of parents Access to
neighbourhoods that are a safer physical & social
environment
13. Child Poverty Educational outcomes associated with child
poverty: 1. Lowered receptive vocabulary scores 2. Almost 50% more
likely to have cognitive difficulties 3. 45% more likely to
experience behavioural difficulties
14. Child Poverty Health outcomes associated with childhood
poverty: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Higher probability of health problems
Higher infant mortality rate Lower birth weight babies Growth delay
More likely to have asthma & other chronic diseases More likely
to visit hospital emergency departments More likely to die from
injuries
15. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation: Food insecurity Food bank usage > 25% of those
accessing the Daily Bread Food Bank are employed, the rest receive
social assistance On average, people accessing the Daily Bread Food
Bank, had $5.67 left over after paying rent and utility bills. Half
of those accessing DBFB had not eaten for a whole day in the past,
and half of these people did so almost every month. 43% identified
not being able to afford nutritionally balanced meals
16. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation: Housing: 2004 - the proportion of renters spending
more than 30% on housing was ~42% in Toronto. The proportion
spending more than 50% was 20% >high risk of homelessness
17. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation Homelessness: A state of having nowhere to live Can be
hidden homeless > couch surf Use of homeless or family shelters
Housing crisis > exacerbated by the lack of affordable housing
Not only is subsidized housing not being built, rent controls
(regulations to control rent increases) have been relaxed. Wait
lists in Hamilton for subsidized housing were at > 4000
applicants long in 2005. Housing also needs to be adequate - not in
need of major
18. Impact of Experiencingn Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation: Health outcomes: Cardiovascular disease is 3 times
higher for those living in poverty Incidence of heart attack - 2.5
times higher in the lowest income level than in the highest 1 year
survival rates 82% for those in the upper income level, & 76.4
for those in the lowest income level Slower access to
specialists
19. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation: Health outcomes: Rate of diabetes is higher - 4 times
greater for women in lower income communities than those in higher
income communities For men in lower income communities, 40% higher
rate than middle income earning men, & 50% higher than men in
higher income communities Higher incidence of death due to mental
health disorders amongst those living in poverty Life
expectancy> men 2.8 years less for those in lowest income
communities compared to men in the next income earning group >5
years less than those in the highest income earning
20. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Material & Social
Deprivation: Inequality of opportunities - culture, recreation
& leisure: areas of deprivation Access to leisure, recreation
& cultural activities is a determinant of health Cost money,
and tend to be not affordable Recreation pursuits > health
behaviours that may make people less vulnerable to health
concerns
21. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Experience of Stress
Associated with being able to meet basic needs, social needs Worry
about this on a daily basis Where will money come from to cover
some costs that are unexpected? Stress involved with going
without
22. Impact of Experiencing Poverty: Experience of Stigma Blame
Seen as undeserving Feelings of degradation - internalized public
sentiments Lowered self-esteem effects of stigma
23. Readings: National Council on Welfare (2010). Duration of
poverty. Poverty Profile 2007. Ottawa: National Council on Welfare.
National Council on Welfare (2010). Education & poverty.
Poverty Profile 2007. Ottawa: National Council on Welfare. National
Council on Welfare (2010). Paid work and poverty. Poverty Profile
2007. Ottawa: National Council on Welfare. National Council on
Welfare (2010). Sources of income. Poverty Profile 2007. Ottawa:
National Council on Welfare. National Council on Welfare (2010).
The dollars and sense of solving poverty. Poverty Profile 2007.
Ottawa: National Council on Welfare. Above profiles all retrieved
from site for National Council on Welfare
http://www.ncw.gc.ca/