PRESS RELEASE

The Cost of Chronic Disease in Nova Scotia

October 2002, Halifax, Nova Scotia— A new study released today says chronic illnesses are costing Nova Scotia taxpayers more than $3 billion in medical costs and lost productivity each year.

“This report reinforces the need to look at opportunities to change individual lifestyles, community environments, work environments, as well as provincial policies and programs,” said Dr. Tom Ward, the province’s Deputy Minister of Health. “The data is one step in the work government is doing in developing a provincial strategy to help Nova Scotians prevent and manage chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis and to help them live healthier, more productive lives."

The report, The Cost of Chronic Disease in Nova Scotia, was written by GPIAtlantic and funded by the Department of Health, through Dalhousie University’s Population Health and Disease Prevention Unit and Health Canada’s Population and Public Health Branch. It looked at the economic impact of seven chronic illnesses: cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory ailments, diabetes, muscular skeletal disease, such as arthritis, diseases of the nervous system and sense organs like Parkinson’s or blindness and mental illness.

Although Nova Scotians live as long as most Canadians, they become sick from chronic diseases earlier. The result is $1.24 billion in direct medical costs and $1.79 billion in lost productivity each year.

“It’s certainly a wake up call, especially when you consider that so much of this illness is preventable,” said Dr. Ward. “More important than the financial cost, is the impact on people’s lives. Chronic diseases can take away a person’s quality of life and their ability to work."

The study reveals that a small number of common risk factors – such as obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking and poor nutrition – contribute to most of these chronic diseases.

“The economic impact of these risk factors is significant,” said Ron Colman, author of the study. “We found that 40 per cent of chronic disease incidence, 50 per cent of the premature mortality caused by chronic diseases, and 38 per cent of the total economic costs of illness are preventable. Fully 25 per cent of medical costs, or nearly a half a billion dollars in Nova Scotia, are attributable to a small number of modifiable risk factors.”

The study linked these risk factors to socio-economic conditions such as poverty, level of education, availability of decent housing and higher rates of unemployment.

“These results underscore the impact of broader determinants of health,” said Kathy Coffin, regional director of the Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada, Atlantic Region. “We need to focus on comprehensive health promotion strategies that consider all the factors that positively and negatively affect the health of Nova Scotians.”

The provincial government and many health groups are involved in programs and strategies that address the risk factors and socio-economic contributors associated with chronic disease.

Examples include the province’s tobacco strategy and Active Kids, Healthy Kids – a strategy to increase the physical activity levels of children and youth. The province also funds ICONS, a program to improve cardiovascular outcomes, along with other work in partnership with the Cancer Society, the Diabetes Care Program of Nova Scotia and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, among others.

Federal programs include the Community Action Program for Children, the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, the Aboriginal Head Start Program and many others that focus on young people and seniors.

“There is an opportunity to work together on a common strategy that will better integrate and co-ordinate efforts, avoid duplication and make the best use of resources,” said Merv Ungurain, visiting fellow with the Unit for Population Health and Chronic Disease Prevention at Dalhousie University. “This is an issue for all Nova Scotians, including government. Everyone has a role to play in becoming healthier - individuals, families, communities and different levels of government.”

The department of Health, through Dalhousie University, has started consulting with a number of groups for input into the chronic disease prevention strategy, with a workshop scheduled for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 to review the report.

We now have a better idea of how much chronic diseases are costing Nova Scotia.

A report released today by GPIAtlantic says chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis account for more than one billion dollars in direct medical costs, and almost two billion dollars in lost productivity.

Although Nova Scotians live as long as most Canadians, they become sick from chronic diseases earlier in their lives.

The study says most chronic illness can be linked to risk factors like obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking and poor nutrition. The province is implementing or developing strategies aimed at reducing the impact of chronic disease.

The Nova Scotia Department of Health, Dalhousie University and Health Canada funded the report.

Dr. Tom Ward, Nova Scotia’s deputy minister of health, says the results of the study are a wake-up call and that they emphasize the need for strategies to help people live healthier lives.