The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A new report from the Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) takes stock of enduring inequalities in health in Canada, including among children, Aboriginal peoples and low-income Canadians. Improving the Health of Canadians focuses on why some Canadians are healthy and others are not; and underscores some of the choices communities face in creating more equal opportunities for good health. "SARS, West Nile and other high profile events have filled the headlines in the past year, reminding all of us of the ongoing importance of a strong public health system," says Dr. Cameron Mustard, Chair of the CPHI Council and a leading population-health researcher. "This report highlights how long-term choices in social policy Ð from physical activity in schools to pensions for seniors Ð can also have profound implications for our health." "Let's look more closely at the health of disadvantaged groups, especially Aboriginal peoples. We need to understand the health needs of low-income families. We also have to confront new challenges, such as obesity, which the World Health Organizations has recognized as a worldwide epidemic." The report reviews how income and health are linked and examines the tendency of Canadians to have poorer health at low levels of income. The report also looks at three other issues: obesity, the health of Aboriginal peoples and early childhood development. "This report is a starting point for discussion about where we go from here as Canadians," says Jennifer Zelmer, CIHI's Vice-President of Research and Analysis. "Most fundamentally of all, we need good information about what works and what doesn't, and how the choices we make today affect our health tomorrow." CPHI produced Improving the Health of Canadians 2004 to bring attention to these issues and promote understanding of the broader factors influencing the health of Canadians. Highlights from the report Income - People with higher incomes are healthier. For example, the highest income 20% of men in Canadian cities live five years longer, on average, than the lowest income 20%; they are also about one-quarter less likely to die of heart disease. - The income gap persists over time, even as we all get healthier. From 1971 to 1996, the life expectancy of Canadians in all income groups rose; the gap between the richest and poorest men narrowed by one year, from six years to five. - Tax policy, income transfer programs and some social policies can mitigate the effects of low-income among Canadians. For example, research has shown that increasing the income of low-income families resulted in higher birth weights for babies, likely due to improved nutrition for their mothers. Early childhood development - Poor early childhood development can lead to restricted brain development, reduced language capacity and poorer lifelong physical and mental health. Low birth weight has been found to be associated with lower cognitive development. - Childcare and other early childhood interventions can make a difference in people's health and the economy. A study conducted by researchers at the Childcare Resource and Research Unit at the University of Toronto estimates a $2 return for every $1 invested in high-quality childcare in Canada. - Early intervention for low-income families can also have significant benefits. For example, the federal government funds the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program to support community interventions that target pregnant women at risk, with a goal of improving the health of the infant and mother. Aboriginal People's health - Aboriginal peoples' health is worse than that of Canadians as a whole. While they are making some gains, their lives are still on average 5 to 10 years shorter than those of other Canadians. - Compared with the rest of the Canadian population, First Nations and Inuit have higher suicide and infant mortality rates. Aboriginal peoples also have three times the rate of diabetes and 16 times the rate of tuberculosis. - "Cultural continuity" and community control are emerging as factors in the health of Aboriginal peoples. A 1998 study found that First Nations communities in British Columbia that have more community control over schools, health and other services have much lower youth suicide rates than other communities. Obesity - Obesity rates have considerably increased among children in the last 20 years, although rates may have stabilized in the last few years. New analysis for CPHI using 2000-2001 data from Statistics Canada shows that the rate of obesity among Canadian boys aged 7 to 13 was 4-1/2 times higher in 2001 than in 1981, jumping from 2% to 9%. See 'Inactivity' P.# Con't from P.# The rate among girls jumped by five times in this same time period, from 2% to 10%. - Inactivity is one of the major causes of obesity. In 2000-2001, four out of five Canadian youth aged 12 to 19 were not active enough to meet international guidelines for optimal growth and development. - Only 16% of schools in 2001 were providing daily physical education classes to students - although over half of schools in Canada report having a policy to provide daily physical education classes. Better nutrition, more exercise and fewer sedentary activities (like watching television) are three key strategies for reducing obesity.
