Medical Officers of Health Call for Closing the Health Gap in Canada's Large Cities

    OTTAWA, Nov. 24 /CNW Telbec/ - Medical Officers of Health from 18 of
Canada's largest cities today expressed serious concern about persistent
health inequalities across the socio-economic spectrum in urban Canada. The
Urban Public Health Network called upon governments, urban and social
planners, and health, education and social sectors to work collaboratively to
close these gaps within a generation.
    "We have understood for a long time that people with lower socio-economic
status experience significantly worse health than those with higher
socio-economic status," stated Dr. Richard Lessard, Director of Public Health
in Montreal. "Yet the lives of far too many Canadians continue to be burdened
by preventable poor health. This is not acceptable." said Dr. Lessard.
    Dr. Lessard was commenting on the findings of Reducing Gaps in Health, A
Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada, a report authored by the
Canadian Population Health Initiative in partnership with the Urban Public
Health Network, Statistics Canada and the Institut national de santé publique
du Québec.
    Dr. Lessard stated: "Social and economic conditions are closely
associated with a range of health outcomes. Many initiatives, programs and
policies help reduce the impact of poverty on health, but the persistence of
deep health gaps in Canadian cities is evidence that reducing poverty and its
impact on health requires commitment and action from all levels of government
and all sectors of society."
    Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health, City of Toronto, stated:
"It will take the sustained effort of all levels of government to address the
multiple determinants of urban health inequalities, and to reduce the impact
of poverty on health in urban Canada."
    Dr. McKeown added, "The prospect of a recession makes it even more urgent
to implement policies and initiatives that reduce socio-economic disparities
and mitigate their impact on health. If we hope to close the gap within a
generation, the time for action is now."
    Fifteen of Canada's largest metropolitan areas were studied, accounting
for 66% of the Canadian population. The study identified neighbourhoods in
each city as having low, average or high socio-economic status (SES). It
compared the health of the SES groups within each city and then compared these
differences with national averages. The health indicators included
hospitalization rates, self-reported health status and health risk behavior
such as smoking.
    The study found significant links between almost all of the indicators
and the socio-economic status of urban Canadians. It concluded that residents
of low SES neighbourhoods are more likely to experience multiple serious
health problems than residents of higher SES neighbourhoods. The attached
table provides an example from the report's data of the differences between
SES groups related to hospital admissions.
    The Urban Public Health Network will actively seek opportunities to
advance effective approaches to closing the health gap in Canadian cities over
the next generation and to bring together those who have the ability to
influence the building of policies, systems, processes and infrastructure.

    The Urban Public Health Network (UPHN) includes the Medical Officers of
Health of 18 of Canada's large cities. The Network helps to address public
health issues that are common to urban populations and to develop strategies
to address these issues. The UPHN serves as a forum for sharing best
practices, advocating for policy changes and fostering and facilitating
research in public health. More information can be found at www.uphn.ca.

    Gaps in the Health of Urban Canadians Based on Socio-Economic Status

    Information to prepare the following table was obtained from Reducing
Gaps in Health, A Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada authored by
the Canadian Population Health Initiative in partnership with the Urban Public
Health Network, Statistics Canada and the Institut national de santé publique
du Québec.
    The table compares the numbers of hospital admissions for those living in
low, average and high socio-economic status (SES) neighbourhoods/communities.
In all cases those from low socio-economic neighbourhoods are more likely to
be hospitalized for a wide range of health conditions. There is evidence that
rates of all of these conditions can be reduced through appropriate community
and policy interventions.-------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Hospitalization Rates     Low SES         Average SES       High SES
    for 15 Canadian           Per 100,000     Per 100,000       Per 100,000
    Metropolitan Areas        people          people            people
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Mental health(*)          596             368               256
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Injuries                  537             434               386
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ambulatory Care
     Sensitive Conditions
     (ACSC)(xx)               458             285               196
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Injuries in children      330             283               274
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Unintentional falls       288             251               226
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Asthma in children        233             182               149
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Motor vehicle and other
     transport crashes
     and collisions           78              66                59
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (*)  Includes anxiety disorders, psychoses, substance-related disorders,
         dementia, and affective disorders such as depression.

    (xx) Conditions for which appropriate medical care provided on an
         outpatient basis is effective in reducing or preventing hospital
         admission include: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
         asthma, heart failure and pulmonary edema, hypertension, angina,
         diabetes, grand mal status and other epileptic convulsions.

For further information: Victoria: Dr Richard Stanwick, [phone];
Vancouver: Dre Patricia Daly, [phone]; Surrey: Dr Roland Guasparini,
[phone]; Edmonton: Dr Gerry Predy, [phone]; Calgary: Dr Richard
Musto, [phone]; Saskatoon: Dr Cory Neudorf, [phone]; Regina: Dre
Tania Diener, [phone]; Winnipeg: Dre Sande Harlos, [phone];
London: Dr Graham Pollett, [phone], ext 2444; Hamilton: Dre Elizabeth
Richardson, [phone], ext 3501; Peel Region: Dr David Mowat, (905)
791-7800, ext 2566; Toronto: Dr David McKeown, [phone]; Ottawa: Dre
Isra Levy, [phone], ext 23681; Montreal: Dr Richard Lessard, (514)
528-2400, ext 3543; Longueuil: Dre Jocelyne Sauvé, [phone]; Quebec
City: Dr François Desbiens, [phone], ext 310; Halifax: Dr Gaynor
Watson-Creed, [phone]; St. John's: Dr David Allison, [phone];
Key spokespersons: Dr. Richard Lessard, Director, Montreal Public Health and
Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health, City of Toronto; The report is
available at www.uphn.ca.