Chronic diseases pull down Canada’s grade in Conference Board health report card

Canada's financially stretched health-care system is facing greater strain from chronic diseases, according to a new report by the Conference Board of Canada.

The Ottawa think tank's Health Report Card ranks Canada 10th in population health out of 17 countries in the survey. That's unchanged from last year, the Postmedia News reports, getting an overall grade of B but a C grade for mortality rates from cancer, diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis or arthritis.

"Canada is facing a growing burden from such chronic diseases as diabetes and cancer. This burden is expected to increase due to an aging population and rising rates of obesity," Gabriela Prada, director of health, innovation policy and evaluation at the Conference Board, told Postmedia News.

Overall mortality rates are dropping in Canada but they're increasing alarmingly for diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases, she said.

"In comparison to our peers, Canada is not making enough progress," said Prada. "Its overall ranking is deteriorating,"

Canada does, however, get an A grade for self-reported health status, premature mortality and death due to circulatory diseases.

But it's overall B grade was due to weakness on key indicators, including the third highest mortality from diabetes among the countries surveyed. The disease's prevalence also continues to rise to the point where it's the second highest in the survey.

The report recommends combating diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases through exercising more, eating healthier foods and maintaining a healthy weight.

Postmedia noted that the World Health Organization estimated Canada lost $500 million in national income in 2005 due to premature deaths from heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

"As more people die each year, these losses accumulate; financial losses due to these premature deaths will skyrocket to an estimated $1.5 billion by 2015, triple the 2005 numbers," the report said.

The report also ranks Canada poorly on major health-risk factors from tobacco and alcohol consumption, and for higher than average childhood obesity.

Japan, Switzerland and Italy finished on top of the Conference Board's report card with overall A grades. Canada's B grade puts it in a group with Norway, Finland, Sweden, France, Australia and Germany. The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and the United Kingdom got a C, while Ireland, Denmark and the bottom-ranked United States earned a D grade.