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Canadians
Living Longer, Getting Fatter
Canadian life expectancy is rising in line with that in
other countries, but kids are getting fatter and nurses
fall sick too much, according to an annual survey of the
largely state-funded healthcare system.
The fact-packed 87-page report also said Canada compared
well with other industrialized countries in terms of survival
rates from transplant surgery.
Per capita health care expenditure was below that in countries
such as Germany and the United States and government picked
up some 70% of the overall health care bill.
``We see life expectancy continuing to increase in Canada--we
have seen a six-year gain since the 1970s,'' said Michael
Decter, of the Canadian Institute for Health Information,
the nonprofit organization that wrote the report.
``We are keeping up with the competition, and we have seen
substantial gains not just in how we live, but in the quality
of life.''
The report put Canadian life expectancy at 79 years from
birth, above France and the United States, but below Japan's
80 years. ``Canada has been near the top of international
life expectancy ratings for seven decades,'' it said.
But Health Minister Alan Rock said the report card was
not yet good enough for Canada, which is proud of its universal
medicare system and shuns the idea of a US-style system
with Rolls-Royce treatment for those with full insurance
coverage but large gaps for those who cannot afford to pay.
``We are not doing a good enough job, and we have not met
our targets,'' Rock said at a news conference launching
the report. ''Health care is going to have to redouble its
efforts, look for more money and hire more analysts.''
The report was the second annual survey of medical services
across Canada, the world's second-largest country by area.
It found disparities in treatment and life expectancy in
different parts of Canada and fretted that too many major
operations were taking place in hospitals with relatively
little experience.
``We have too many centers undertaking complex procedures
such as heart surgery,'' said Decter. ``The result may be
unnecessary complications and unnecessary deaths.''
Decter also expressed concern about rising child obesity,
something that can cause problems such as diabetes later
in life. Some 29% of Canadian boys and 23% of girls were
overweight in 1996, according to recently released data,
up from 15% for boys and girls in 1984.
Nurses fell ill more often than workers in supposedly high-risk
shift-work occupations, police or fire services, for instance,
taking some three weeks a year off sick. Many nurses complain
of low pay levels and low morale, although evidence of a
major nursing shortage in the future was not conclusive.
The report also highlighted high rates of in-house health
care, where family members act as care givers to an elderly
relative or someone with disabilities.
A quarter of seniors in a recent survey said their children
provided support when they fell ill and a survey in the
western province of Alberta showed that one in three respondents
had helped a sick family member in the last six months.
``If one in four adults is providing home care...a burden
is falling on families,'' Rock said, stressing the need
to make at-home health care services more readily available.
Article
Source: Reuters Health
Article Author: N/A
Net Reference 89
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