Good health is fundamental
to a good quality of life. Given the diverse factors that influence health
and well-being, trends in health can be assessed in a variety of ways. One
method is to evaluate population health outcomes, such as life expectancy
and self-rated health. Another is to examine the presence of health determinants
in the environment, such as air and water quality, or human behaviours,
such as smoking or physical inactivity. The state of health can also be
assessed by examining demands on the health care system and its performance.
| Life
Expectancy |
|
GETTING
BETTER - Life expectancy continues to rise
in all regions of the Basin, but four out of five regions are below
the BC average. |
| Rate
of Low-Weight Births |
|
GETTING
WORSE
- Except in
the Fraser Valley the rate of low-weight births has increased between
9% and 11%. |
| Rate
of Type 2 Diabetes |
|
GETTING
WORSE -
The rate has increased in all regions of the Basin. |
Life Expectancy (1987-2005) 1
Life expectancy is one of the most frequently used indicators of a population's
health status. In the Fraser Basin, life expectancies for men and women
continue to rise. Between 1987-1991 and 2001-2005, the life expectancy of
men increased by 5% (from 75 to 79 years) and by 3% for women (from 81 to
83 years). In all but one region, GVSS, life expectancy is below the provincial
average of 80.8 years (See
Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Relations).
The Next Generation-Rate of Low-Weight
Births (2000-2005) 2
Low-weight births, another standard measure of a population's health, are
on the rise in the Fraser Basin. A baby's weight at birth is indicative
of the newborn's chances for survival, growth, long-term health and psychosocial
development. Over the past decade, the proportion of newborns of low birth
weight (less than 2,500 grams) rose by 8% in the Basin, the most significant
rates being in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and GVSS regions where the rates were
above the BC average of 5.6%. Since 2000, the proportion has dropped slightly
in the Fraser Valley region, but has risen between 9% and 11% in all other
regions.
Leading Causes of Death (1995-2005)
3
Cancer remains the leading cause of death in the Basin, followed by cardiovascular
(heart) disease and cerebrovascular disease (strokes). Looking at age standardized
mortality rates (ASMRs) from 1995-2005, there have been steady decreases
in mortality rates caused by both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease.
Cancer mortality rates are 27% higher in the Upper Fraser than in the GVSS,
and the rate for heart disease is 31% higher in the Fraser Valley than in
the Upper Fraser.
Rising Rates of Diabetes (1995-2005)
4
One emergent trend having a significant impact on individual health and
the costs of health care is the increasing rate of diabetes. Diabetes is
among the most prevalent of all chronic diseases worldwide and represents
the seventh leading cause of death in the Basin. Between 1995 and 2005,
the mortality rate more than doubled in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region, grew
almost 63% in the Upper Fraser region, but only 7.5% in the GVSS region.
Research suggests that 25-30% of the burden of diabetes in Canada can be
attributed to risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy
eating habits, and social, economic, and cultural conditions.
Health Determinants Related to
Lifestyle in BC (2003-2004) 5,
6
In 2004 in BC, 40% of adults were considered overweight and 19% were obese,
while 20% of youth between the ages of two and 17 were overweight, and 7%
were reported as being obese. Rates of physical inactivity are also a growing
related health concern. In 2003, 41% of respondents to the Community Health
Survey over the age of 30 indicated that they were inactive in their leisure
time.
Health Care System Expenditures
in BC (1984-2004) 7
Since 1994, total expenditures in the health care system have increased
by 71% in BC. In 2004, costs were more than double what they were 20 years
earlier. On the other hand, expenditures have typically remained in the
range of 6-8% of GDP over the same period.
What is being done?
Action Schools! BC contributes
to the health of children by integrating physical activity and healthy eating
education: www.actionschoolsbc.ca.
The
Women North Project is focused on building a network of women and women's
organizations in northern BC to aid health-related research, action, and
policy initiatives: www3.telus.net/public/wnn/index.html.
ADAPT, of the Vancouver
Native Health Society, addresses the high rates of diabetes and its complications
among Métis and off-reserve Aboriginal people living in Vancouver's
Downtown Eastside: www.vnhs.net/programs/diabetes.htm.
What else can we do?
Your community can join
99 others in BC already registered in the Active Communities Initiative,
aimed at improving physical activity levels of British Columbians by 20%
by the year 2010: www.bchealthycommunities.ca.
Individuals can commit
to healthy eating and exercise, and schools and institutions can replace
unhealthy junk food sold by their cafeterias and vending machines with more
nutritious, healthier options.
|
HEAL helps
northern communities combat diabetes
Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) is a network of individuals,
organizations and communities from 100 Mile House to the Yukon border.
Its goal is to prevent type 2 diabetes by spreading the word about
the importance of healthy eating and active living. Since 2001, HEAL
has provided seed money to 19 small projects ranging from community
gardens and kitchens to policy development, involving 15 communities
and over a thousand participants. The HEAL newsletter has built a
subscriber base in 45 communities and involving 189 organizations:
www.healbc.ca.
|
REFERENCES
1. Population Section, BC Statistics. (Deaths - Vital Statistics,
Ministry of Health, Victoria, BC; Population - BC Stats, Ministry of Management
Services, Victoria, BC).
2. BC Vital Statistics. Custom tabulation: www.vs.gov.bc.ca.
3. BC Vital Statistics. Custom tabulation: www.vs.gov.bc.ca.
4. BC Vital Statistics. Custom tabulation: www.vs.gov.bc.ca.
5.Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey, Nutrition,
2004.
6.Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey File
2003 (cycle 2.1). Also reported in the Provincial Health Officer's Annual
Report 2004.
7.CIHI. National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975-2004.
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