A Case for Action on Chronic Health Conditions
T he Health Council of Canada is creating a three-year series of reports that examine the health outcomes of people with chronic health conditions as a marker of the effectiveness of our health care system and the importance of health care renewal. Chronic health conditions affect the health and quality of life of a large number of Canadians and represent a growing health and economic challenge in Canada. The Health Council recognizes that improving the prevention and management of these conditions requires concerted and immediate action within health care but also in other areas of public policy that influence the health and well-being of Canadians.
Our TOP 10 REASONS to concentrate efforts on health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease management are as follows:
Canadians with chronic conditions account for over 70% of all nights spent in hospital
1: The burden of chronic health conditions on Canadians, the health care system, and our economy is enormous and growing.Canadians with chronic conditions account for over 70% of all nights spent in hospital.
2: One in three adults in Canada, or close to nine million people, report having at least one of seven high-impact, high-prevalence chronic conditions. More than one-third of these people have multiple long-term health problems.
3: Many people with chronic conditions suffer complications that add to their health problems and reduce their quality of life. Half of Canadians with multiple chronic conditions report moderate to severe disability in daily living.
4: More Canadians are developing chronic conditions because of rising risks such as obesity.
5: Chronic conditions are more common among older Canadians (77% of people 65 years or older have at least one chronic condition), among some ethnic groups, and among people with low income — but chronic conditions cut across all ages and circumstances.
...at least one-third of the total economic and social burden of disease in developed countries is caused by a handful of largely avoidable risks...
6: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least one-third of the total economic and social burden of disease in developed countries is caused by a handful of largely avoidable risks: tobacco, alcohol, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.
7: The WHO has determined that most benefits from reducing these risks will accrue within a decade, and even modest changes in risk factor levels can bring about large improvements in the health of populations. Modest lifestyle changes, such as losing four kilograms over three to six years, have been shown to dramatically delay or prevent the onset of diseases such as diabetes in high-risk populations.
8: The quality of chronic illness care in Canada could be greatly improved: less than half of Canadians with diabetes, for example, get all the laboratory tests and procedures that experts recommend to prevent complications of the disease.
9: Underuse, overuse, and inappropriate use of medications are ongoing concerns, and prescribing practices can vary widely across the country. Too few people with diabetes, for example, receive medications that are effective at preventing cardiovascular problems and more than half of people with diabetes have poor heart health.
Investing in prevention pays off—in lower health care costs and a healthier society.
10: Investing in prevention pays off—in lower health care costs and a healthier society.
To learn more about what the Health Council of Canada has to say about chronic health conditions, including their impact on health and the health care system, and what we recommend, we invite you to read the reports.
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