The Weekly Review, February 10 to 14, 2025

The most common type of work-related barrier to accessibility is related to the physical environment

The Survey Series on Accessibility – Experiences with Accessibility and Employment found that nearly three in five (59%) persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced a labour market-related barrier to accessibility. The most common barrier, reported by almost half (49%) of employed persons with disabilities and long-term conditions, were those related to the physical environment, followed by barriers related to communication (41%), transportation (35%) and technology (35%).

Source: Accessibility barriers related to employment among persons with disabilities or long-term conditions, 2024

Condoms are the most commonly used method of contraception

A new study uses data from the 2019 and 2020 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey to examine the prevalence of contraception use among sexually active women wanting to avoid pregnancy. Among the different methods of contraception studied, condoms were the most commonly used method, with one-third (33.0%) of women wanting to avoid pregnancy reporting that they and their partner used a condom the last time they had sex.

Source: Study: Contraception use among sexually active women wanting to avoid pregnancy, 2019/2020

Overall, one in eight households report having experienced some form of homelessness previously

In 2022, 12.1% of households reported some form of homelessness experience in their lifetime. Hidden homelessness, which refers to individuals without permanent addresses who are provisionally accommodated (such as couch surfing), was experienced by 11.2% of households, while 2.6% of households reported they had experienced sheltered or unsheltered homelessness. A smaller proportion (1.6%) reported experiences of both hidden and sheltered or unsheltered homelessness.

Source: Exiting homelessness: Results from the 2022 Canadian Housing Survey

Young adults, especially young women, are more likely to avoid dental care for cost-related reasons

Almost one-third of young adults aged 18 to 34 (32%) had avoided visiting an oral health professional because of the cost in 2023/2024. This was significantly higher than adolescents aged 12 to 17 (7%), other adults aged 35 to 49 (24%) and those aged 50 to 64 (21%). Women (27%) were more likely than men (22%) to report cost as a barrier to visiting an oral health professional, especially young women aged 18 to 34 (38%) compared to young men aged 18 to 34 (27%).

Source: Study: Cost-related avoidance of oral health services

Free trade of goods and services between the provinces and territories

The free trade of goods and services between the provinces and territories has long been an aspiration of governments in Canada. According to the Canadian Survey on Interprovincial Trade, more than two in five (41.0%) businesses in Canada purchased goods or services from suppliers operating in another province or territory in the 12 months preceding the survey, while more than one in four (26.9%) sold to customers located in another province or territory.

Source: Canadian Survey on Interprovincial Trade, 2023

Discomfort talking about sexual or reproductive health can prevent some people from getting help

Some people are more willing to talk about sexual and reproductive health with health care providers, while others may experience stigma or other barriers that make such conversations difficult. In 2024, about 1 in 5 people aged 15 to 24 (19%) and aged 25 to 34 (20%) reported that discomfort talking about their sexual or reproductive health had ever prevented them from getting help from a health care provider, compared to 9% among Canadians aged 65 years and older.

Source: Sexual and reproductive health: Let’s talk about it!