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April 12, 2008

Senate Focuses on Socio-economic Health Problems

(The Senate Subcommittee on Population Health (of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology) is examining the impact of the multiple factors and conditions that contribute to the health of Canada's population — known collectively as the social determinants of health — including the effects of these determinants on the disparities and inequities in health outcomes that continue to be experienced by identifiable groups or categories of people (such as disabled workers) within the Canadian population. They are also examining government policies, programs and practices (including workers compensation) that regulate or influence the impact of the social determinants of health on health outcomes across the different segments of the Canadian population. They are investigating ways in which governments could better coordinate their activities in order to improve these health outcomes, whether these activities involve the different levels of government or various departments and agencies within a single level of government.)
(also see Darrell Powell's radio series)

In this Fourth Report,(Population Health Policy: Issues and Options.) the Senate Committee has focused on socio-economic staus as the major social determinant of health and recommends a federal population health strategy along with health impact assessments of government agencies such as WCBs. They state:
- Income and Socio-Economic Status · " Research has estimated that 15% of the population’s health is attributable to biology and genetic factors, 10% to the physical environment, 25% to the reparative work of the health care system, while, fully 50% is attributable to the social and economic environment (see Figure 1). Clearly, health is much more than health care and of them all, the socio-economic environment is the most powerful of the determinants of health. . . . In 2005, 15% of all Canadians were living in poverty and income inequality is increasing. The wealthy live longer than the poor, and experience less chronic illness, obesity, and mental distress.· One in five Canadian children are clinically underweight at birth and, therefore, at increased risk for a number of adverse health and developmental conditions later in life. Low birth-weight children from privileged backgrounds, however, still have a developmental advantage over normal birth-weight children born into under-privileged backgrounds.· In 2000-2001, twice as many men and women in Canada’s highest income group rated their health as excellent compared with those in the lowest income group." (The failure of WCB is a major influence on the socio-economic status of Canadians disabled due to occupation and their families.*)

- Implement a Federal Population Health Strategy . . . "Although experts acknowledge that there is no single right way to enhance the health of the population or reduce health disparities, they all agree that the more focused and integrated a pan-government strategy for action, the greater the probability that health status and its distribution will change in the desired direction. Moreover, the Subcommittee’s international review suggests that leadership at the highest levels, including from central agencies, is essential for a whole-of-government approach to population health to be successful. . . . Thirty years ago the Canadian government was acclaimed worldwide for its leadership in elaborating the concept of population health and promoting population health policy. It is time, once again, for leadership in developing and implementing a pan-Canadian population health strategy." (The CIWS has pointed out the conflict of interest that provinces have regarding WCB.*)

- Health Impact Assessment . . . "To date, only Québec has an Act to ensure that the impacts on health of proposed laws and regulations are assessed. The Subcommittee believes that HIA could be considered as one of the first steps toward the development of population health policy. Such assessments would lead to a better understanding of how most public policies (such as WCBs'*) influence population health in one way or another. In our view, HIA is a practical way to judge the potential health effects on the population of a given policy, program or project and in particular on vulnerable or disadvantaged groups (such as disabled worklers); it could maximize the positive and minimize the negative health effects of proposals coming forward from all sectors of government."
(*statements in parentheses in yellow are by the CIWS)

article:

Patients not getting full value: report - 'Old-style' health care condemned

"Canadians could get more bang for their health-care buck by focusing policy on the socioeconomic factors that cause health problems, says a Senate subcommittee report released Wednesday. Fifty per cent of a person's health is determined by their social and economic environment, while only 25 per cent can be directly attributed to the health-care system, according to the report, Population Health Policy: Issues and Options."

Matthew Jay
Canwest News Service

April 3, 2008

OTTAWA - Canadians could get more bang for their health-care buck by focusing policy on the socioeconomic factors that cause health problems, says a Senate subcommittee report released Wednesday.

Fifty per cent of a person's health is determined by their social and economic environment, while only 25 per cent can be directly attributed to the health-care system, according to the report, Population Health Policy: Issues and Options.

"There appears to be a commitment to old-style health-care delivery systems," said the subcommittee's co-chair, Senator Lucie Pepin. "A commitment to population health strategies and community-level programs would lead to Canada getting the kind of value for money that we see in other countries' population health strategies."

The health of a population is affected by a wide range of factors, including education, income, early childhood development, culture, gender and access to health care.

Canada gathers population health data effectively, but lags behind such countries as Norway, Sweden, Finland and England in the way the information is applied to a broad range of government policy, resulting in wasted public funds, the report said.

For example, the report says 30 federal departments and agencies deliver programs and services, at a cost of $8.2 billion, to Canada's aboriginal peoples, but they are not co-ordinated in ways that reduce health disparities.

"What we see in our studies is that Canada is not getting value for money in its health care," said committee chair Senator Wilbert Keon.

The Edmonton Journal 2008

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=0021aa6f-211c-47e3-87ef-a0f57c4d4a38

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