The mortality rate for newcomers continued to be lower than for Canadian-born residents, even after immigrants have lived here more than 20 years, the new study suggested. The study does not examine the reasons immigrants tend to have better health, but those are likely to include the screening that selects an inherently healthier group of people who arrive in Canada, and also those who have a healthier diet and are more physically active in their native countries.

The longer the immigrants live in Canada, the more closely they adopt the patterns and behaviours common here.

The relationship between immigration and health has become more difficult to determine, however, as the origins and demographics of immigrants to Canada have changed. Statistics Canada’s current analysis relies on the 1991-2001 Canadian mortality followup study, which examined 2.7 million people, of which 552,300, or 20 per cent, were immigrants. Immigrants had significantly lower mortality rates than Canadian-born people: 1,006 versus 1,305 for men, and 610 versus 731 for women.

In 2006, immigrants made up 19.8 per cent of Canada’s population, a proportion that is expected to increase to at least 25 per cent by 2031, Statistics Canada says. Mortality rates differ according to the origins of immigrants, and the study suggests there is a need for more in-depth analysis of health by country of origin.

Back then, a 50-year-old employed person could expect to work another 12.5 years before retiring from the daily grind. Today, that same 50-year-old worker could expect another 16 years of employment. There has been a corresponding increase in the employment rate of Canadians aged 55 and older during this time period. StatsCan says that 34 per cent of Canadians aged 55 and older were employed in 2010, compared to just 22 per cent in 1996.

Self-employed Toronto businesswoman Adina Lebo is one of the many people in this age group who still embrace going into work every day. Lebo, 62, actually retired this past spring, but reversed course when she realized she wasn’t ready to leave the office for good.

“Sixty is the new 40,” Lebo said.

“And I have so much energy. I love working, I love contributing to society and it’s not time to slow down.”

There could also be economic factors driving older Canadians to keep working longer than they did in the past. A new Royal Bank of Canada survey says that 57 per cent of Canadians do not set aside money for emergencies, suggesting that many future retirees end up facing unforeseen expenses that delay their long-term plans.

While it might be expected that a longer working life would imply a shorter retirement, StatsCan says that men and women leaving the work force today are spending as much time in their post-career life as many of their predecessors did. For example, in 1977, a 50-year-old man could expect to spend 45 per cent of his remaining years on Earth in retirement. Today, that same person would expect to be retired for 48 per cent the years ahead of him.

For women, the proportional length of retirement has stood basically unchanged. In 2008, a 50-year-old woman would expect to spend 55 per cent of her remaining life in retirement, which StatsCan says was almost the same 1977.

Lebo said she has many friends who have sought out new opportunities and experiences since they entered retirement.

“It’s just a time to expand and go somewhere new and do something different,” Lebo said.

The index suggests the middle class, in particular, is eroding. ”There are some very, very troubling signs,” Romanow said in an interview.

“I think if we continue on this trajectory we’re going to have bigger and bigger disparities. You can never build a solid political, social and economic community with wide disparities.”

The Canadian Index of Wellbeing is meant to be GDP’s alter ego, measuring the quality of life in society in ways gross domestic product does not. The index has been years in the making, pulling together 64 indicators to track progress in areas such as community spirit, education, health, environment, leisure and democratic engagement. While GDP measures what companies and government produce, the wellbeing index measures how Canada and its people are faring. It shows that between 1994 and 2008, wellbeing improved by just 11 per cent. The economy over that period grew by 31 per cent.

So while investment and corporate activity were ticking along at a decent pace, Canadian households saw only minor improvements in their lifestyle. ”The divergence in the (index of wellbeing) and GDP tells us emphatically that we have not been making the right investments in our people and in our communities. And we have not been doing it for a long time,” the report on the index says.

The index’s subcomponents show that quality of life actually deteriorated over that time frame in areas such as the environment, leisure and culture, and time use. Researchers noted that metal reserves are at rock-bottom, species abundance has declined, greenhouse-gas emissions have soared, and ground ozone has risen. When it comes to leisure, Canadians are working out more and taking longer vacations, but they spend less time engaged in arts and culture. Health care saw a slight gain — we’re smoking less and getting our flu shots, but diabetes and depression were on the rise. Wealthier people had better health status.

Living standards rose 26.4 per cent, but at the expense of income inequality. The rich took the lion’s share.

While parents are reading more to their young children and signing them up for all sorts of classes, kids are also spending more time in front of screens. And seniors are seeing less of their families. In other words, a typical household is now working harder and longer to keep on track financially, at the expense of having free time with family and friends, enjoying arts and culture, and volunteering.

“Many Canadians are simply too caught up in a time crunch to enjoy leisure and culture activities in the company of friends and family. The question raised by the results of this domain: Is that progress?” the study asks.

On the positive side, the index also revealed that Canadians feel safer than in the 1990s, and feel a stronger sense of belonging to their community. The “community vitality” index rose 20.7 per cent over the 15 years.

Education has improved, especially with university graduation rates soaring. But our international rating has declined in literacy, math and science.

While Romanow, the former NDP premier of Saskatchewan, is the face of the new index, he says the work put into the index is far from political or ideological. Rather, the data is taken from Statistics Canada and elsewhere, collected and crunched by a wide variety experts in their field. The work is recognized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation as leading edge.

The policy prescriptions, however, point to failures at every level of government over the past couple of decades, Romanow says — adding that he, too, carries some of the blame. ”We all wear some of this.”

Instead of focusing on redistributing wealth and building programs that improve quality of life for Canadians, governments are obsessed with juicing GDP, he said.

The result has been to whittle away at the vibrancy of the middle class, and undermine core Canadian values that encourage individual effort, in part, through redistribution of wealth, Romanow said.

“I think this is a yellow light. A cautionary light,” he added. “We want to be able to make sure that … our societal values are not diminished here.”

“It is important that Canadians are aware of one of our most expensive spending patterns—paying top-dollar on temporary fixes for the problems that grow out of poverty,” said Dr. John Rook, Chair of the Council.  “The good news is even more vital.  A better pattern is already partially in place, in policies and programs that enable people to get out of poverty, not just cope with it, and to be well and to thrive.  Now, we need to get the whole job done.”

The report draws on a wide range of local, national and international research from economics to epidemiology to illustrate how reducing poverty benefits everyone, no matter where we sit on the income ladder.

The report’s findings include: 

• In 2007, the amount it would have taken for every Canadian to have an income over the poverty line was $12.6 billion. The consequences of poverty that year added up to almost double that amount.  Despite this spending, by 2009, 3.2 million Canadians (9.6%) were still living in poverty.

• Indirect costs drive up the cost of poverty.  Stable housing costs less than shelter, ambulance, police, hospital and other bills resulting from homelessness. Similarly, basic medicine costs far less than emergency wards, where people end up when they can’t afford medicine.  This pattern can be found in the justice system, education, employment, business and other areas.

• Societal costs reflect the wasted potential—and tax dollars—of people who could be contributing more to the economy if they did not go hungry, or continued to be poorly paid, ill-housed, stigmatized or ignored.

• Solving poverty is about more than money because humans are social beings. The daily wear-and-tear of stress, including discrimination and lack of respect, can physically damage brains and bodies.  The lower you are on the income ladder, the more stressors you are likely to face, with the fewest resources to cope.  There is a direct relationship between poverty and poor health.

• The benefits of programs are often underreported. Child and seniors’ benefits, for example, provide secure, non-stigmatizing incomes broadly in society, and they have benefits well beyond individual recipients.  The improved wellbeing of today’s seniors compared to the past enables them to remain active in their communities or to help care for grandchildren.

The Council’s recommendations in the report focus on: a Canada-wide strategy to ensure everything works together; a sustained investment plan; a design framework centred on wellbeing; and a forum that brings people and ideas together to get the best results.

Rook emphasized Canada has more options than some other countries struggling with poverty and spending pressures, including wealth, experience, public support for mutual responsibility and social innovation.  “The way forward is practical and within our grasp, building on what we have and know already,” he said.

The full report, an ‘in-brief’ version and additional documentation are available at www.ncw.gc.ca.

The province had previously announced it would participate in the federal government’s clinical trials on the procedure proponents call “liberation therapy.”

The therapy is based on the idea that collapsed veins in the necks of some MS patients hinder blood flow from the brain. Doctors inflate tiny balloons inside the veins to open them up again.

Many patients who suffer impaired mobility, spasms and vision problems say the treatments help their symptoms. But many doctors say MS is an autoimmune disease, not a vascular problem, and have noted that any apparent improvements don’t last.

The provincial government was originally planning to spend $5 million on clinical trials done in Saskatchewan, which has a higher MS rate than the Canadian average. However, the province failed to approve the only applicant and decided to work with Ottawa instead.

It says it’s still supporting the federal effort. However, the province was worried about how long that would take to get going.

It’s now working with a research team led by Dr. Gary Siskin, a vascular and interventional radiologist at Albany Medical Centre. The protocols are still being worked out, but it’s hoped the first Saskatchewan patients will be heading to Albany early in the new year.

Read more about CCSVI in Canada

The latest Statistics Canada figures show smoking rates are fairly stable. In 2010, 20.8 per cent of Canadians aged 12 and over — about six million people — were smokers. Five years ago, there were 5.9 million smokers or 22 per cent of the population. In 2003, 23 per cent of Canadians aged 12 or older, smoked.

Canadian smokers at a glance

• People age 18 to 34 form the highest proportion of smokers, at 28 per cent.
• More men than women smoke. In 2010, 24.2 per cent of males and 17.4 per cent of females smoked. That’s a jump from the 22.6 per cent of men who smoked a year earlier — and about the same as the rate in 2008. The percentage of women who smoked in 2010 remained about the same in 2010 and 2009, but was down significantly from the 18.5 per cent who smoked in 2008.
• In 2009, smoking rates were lowest in British Columbia and Ontario, at 16 per cent and 18.6 per cent. That compares to 20.5 per cent and 24.5 per cent in those provinces in 2000.
• Smoking rates in the territories are high: 35.5 per cent in Yukon, 35.7 per cent in Northwest Territories and 61.3 per cent in Nunavut. Smoking rates rose in Nunavut and Yukon in the first decade of this century.
• Overall, the percentage of Canadians over the age of 12 fell by 22 per cent between 2000 and 2009.

Smoking facts and figures

• The lowest smoking rates are among youths aged 12-15 (three per cent) and seniors (9.6 per cent).
• Almost 60 per cent of senior non-smokers are former smokers. Just under 11 per cent of non-smokers between the ages of 12 and 19 are former smokers.
• In 2009, just over 50 per cent of people between the ages of 20 and 24 had never smoked.
• In 2001, 73 per cent of youth said they never smoked cigarettes. In 2005, the percentage rose to 82 per cent. This finding is key because most smokers start before age 18, and research shows that it is rare for adults to take up smoking.
• Non-smokers are exposed to less second-hand smoke. On the whole, non-smokers are exposed to smoke to a lesser extent. The rate of second-hand smoke exposure has traditionally been highest among 12-19 year olds. In 2010, about 15 per cent of them were exposed to second-hand smoke in the home. That’s down significantly from the 23 per cent who were exposed in 2003.
• More homes are smoke-free. More and more households are banning smoking from their homes. In 2005, 64 per cent of people 12 and older lived in a smoke-free household, up from 57 per cent in 2003.
• More workplaces are smoke-free. Between 2001 and 2003, the percentage of Canadians who had a smoking ban at work rose from 62 per cent to 67 per cent. In 2005, this rose to 68 per cent.
• Smoking bans, at home or at work, reduced the amount of cigarettes smoked. Of employed Canadians aged 15 to 75, the average number of cigarettes smoked was related to smoking bans:

Source: Statistics Canada: Canadian Community Health Survey 2005, 2011

The Coca-Cola Happiness Monitor explored not only when we are feeling our best, but what contributes to our overall happiness. Lakes, oceans, campfires and the Rocky Mountains are our nation’s emblems of summer. And when these summer staples are paired with family vacations, weekend getaways with friends, Canadians bliss out.

“The study told us that Canadians have a lot to say on the topic of happiness and as a nation, we share many common points of view. Our stunning landscape and natural scenery, outdoor recreation and family and friends are all contributors to our collective happiness,” said Nicola Kettlitz, President, Coca-Cola Ltd.

The Happiness Monitor

The Happiness Monitor survey canvassed 5,000 Canadians 16 years and older. Respondents were asked about all things “happiness”, including social networks, active living, work and the influence of Canadian icons and landscapes in their lives.

Nearly all Canadians are happiest when surrounded by water, which is good news for a country flanked by three oceans, permeated by lakes, rivers and streams and stewarding the largest supply of fresh water in the world. Whether it’s kayaking, canoeing, swimming or surfing, Canadians from coast to coast will spend the lazy days of summer lounging on the dock or riding the waves.

• 96 per cent prefer spending time on a lake
• 93 per cent of Canadians prefer the cool breeze of the ocean air

Summer is the best time to enjoy our nation’s vast landscape and iconic natural wonders.

From a Cabot Trail bike tour to an Algonquin canoe trip, Canadians won’t miss an opportunity to experience the dance of the Northern Lights, the grandeur of Niagara Falls and the majesty of the Rocky Mountains.

• 92 per cent said the Rocky Mountains are the Canadian icon that makes them the happiest

Spending time with family and friends during the summer months is the first thing on Canadians minds. The Happiness Monitor discovered the number-one contributing factor to personal happiness is family or a significant other at 71 per cent.

• 87 per cent of Canadians are happiest on a vacation with a spouse or significant other
• 82 per cent enjoy trips with their friends
• 76 per cent state that vacation time with their children makes them the happiest

In contrast, the data reveals that adults are sedentary for an average of 9.5 hours each day while children and youth spend 8.6 hours engaged in sedentary activities such as watching television.

The results are based on data gathered in a survey of the physical activity patterns of Canadian adults and kids.

StatsCan divided its findings into two reports: One addressing physical activity in Canadian adults between the ages of 20 and 79, and the other examining young people between 6 and 19-years-old.

Unlike previous research that was based on the activity levels reported by the subjects themselves, this survey is the first to measure activity directly using a small device akin to a sophisticated pedometer worn on the subject’s hip for seven days.

Researchers could therefore sidestep the misreporting that commonly plagues such surveys, because the accelerometers recorded participants’ actual movements. It also meant the study could accurately parse the time spent in light, moderate and vigorous intensity movement, as well as the moments spent simply sedentary.

Other highlights from the survey include:

• Just over half of all adults accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity one day a week, but only 5 per cent of adults manage to accumulate the recommended 150 minutes by week’s end.
• On average, adult men take about 9,500 steps a day, compared with 8,400 for women. Among older adults aged 60 to 79, men average 7,900 steps each day, while women average 7,000. Boys average 12,100 steps per day compared with 10,300 for girls.
• While just 7 per cent of children and youth accumulate 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on at least six days a week, the number who rack up 30 minutes climbs to 29 per cent of boys and 21 per cent of girls. More than 8o per cent of boys and 70 per cent of girls manage to squeeze in 30 minutes of activity three days a week.

As a University of Ottawa pediatrics professor actively involved in healthy, active-living initiatives, Dr. Mark Tremblay was one of the senior investigators who gathered the survey data.

When asked to weigh the results, Tremblay said they don’t look good.

“The only good news out of this story is that for the first time we have a very robust, very accurate measure of a representative sample of Canadians’ movement behaviours, and that’s pretty much where the good news ends,” Dr. Tremblay said.

Pointing to what he called the survey’s most troubling finding, Tremblay said it’s clear too many Canadians are spending too much time sitting around.

“Perhaps the most astounding finding is that between 60 and 70 per cent of our waking time is spent being completely sedentary, and clearly that’s not something that’s kept this species alive, fit and active throughout history,” he said.

Sedentary lifestyles are linked to at least two dozen ailments ranging from diabetes to heart disease and osteoporosis.

ParticipAction president Kelly Murumets says Canadians need to get moving, and encourage their children to be more physically active too.

“It is urgent that all Canadians take action so that we can reverse this dangerous, societal trend,” she said in a statement.

“Parents, the private sector, government, schools and the community at large are all partners in this complex task. Bottom line is that we need to inspire and support our children by being good role models and leading active, healthy lifestyles.”

Broken down by gender, the survey found that half of all women reached for fruit and vegetables five or more times daily compared with just 36 per cent of men.  The data is based on an ongoing survey of 65,000 Canadians on a gamut of more than 30 health indicators.

Other highlights from the latest edition of the annual snapshot include:

• Six in 10 Canadians reported their own state of health as very good or excellent.
• Canadians nevertheless reported a slight increase in their daily stress levels, with 24 per cent describing most days are either extremely or quite stressful. That was up two percentage points from 2008.
• The number of Canadians whose height and weight categorizes them as obese under Health Canada guidelines was virtually unchanged from the year before, at approximately 4.5 million or 18 per cent of the overall population.
• For the first time, Statistics Canada found the same number of women as men reporting they had been diagnosed with hypertension. Overall, nearly 1 in 6 Canadians said they had high blood pressure.
• One-in-eight of the 15 per cent of Canadians who said they had no regular medical doctor, reported easy access to alternative medical care such as a walk-in clinic.
• Among the 21 per cent, or 6 million Canadians who said they were either daily or occasional smokers, more men (24 per cent) lit up in 2010 than in the year before. The number of women smokers fell two percentage points, however, to 17 per cent in 2010.

In its bulletin announcing the results Statistics Canada suggested the trend among women may continue, and indeed spread to men in the coming years as well.

“Since people typically begin smoking during their teenage years, the percentage who had not started smoking by age 20 is an indicator of future smoking rates,” StatsCan wrote, noting that 57 per cent of women between the ages of 20 and 24 said they had never smoked. That’s up from 41 per cent in 2003. And the same holds for young men too, 45 per cent of whom reported no prior experience with tobacco. That also represents “a considerable increase” from the 37 per cent of young men who said the same in 2003.

Although the survey captures data from Canadians in every province and territory, Residents of Indian reserves, health care institutions, some remote areas and full-time members of the Canadian Forces are not included.

When flying at high altitudes, your internal body pressure remains the same (as if you were on the ground) while the outside of your body experiences reduced pressure. This causes the gases (mainly air) inside your body to expand some of which is dissolved in your body fluids. As altitude increases, the expanding gases increases within your inner ear, sinuses and intestines which can cause discomfort. This expansion of gases in the sinuses and inner ear can lead to headaches, general face pain and ear pain. A heavy feeling, or a feeling of being bloated is caused by gases being trapped in the stomach. Gases trapped in the small intestine can be painful and cause fainting. A greater risk of pain and discomfort is caused by a fast ascension.

The Sinuses

Your sinuses are located within your face bones. If you have a cold or your sinuses are congested, the ducts that connect the sinuses to the nose and back of the throat are blocked or partially blocked. This blockage can cause considerable discomfort when descending to lower altitudes.

The Middle Ear

The air in your middle ear cavity changes when atmospheric pressure shifts because of changes in altitude. If the ear is not equalized with the outside pressure, the eardrum becomes distended and can lead to pain and inflammation. In more serious cases, temporary deafness can occur.

Prevention: Equalizing the air between the ear and sinuses with outside air will help alleviate some discomfort. The following are some actions you can take to reduce your discomfort:

• Widely open and close your mouth. The tube that connects your ear to your throat expands and fills with outside air
• Pinch your nose and blow gently while keeping your mouth closed
• Chew gum or suck on a piece of hard candy
• Swallow frequently

Traveller’s Thrombosis (DVT)

Traveller’s Thrombosis, or Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) is blood clotting (usually in the lower legs) and can be caused by reduced blood flow due to prolonged immobility. DVT is generally caused by sitting in the same position for an extended length of time. Other factors that can increase your risk are:

• If you are over 40 years of age
• Previous DVT or a family history of DVT
• Certain types of cardiac disease
• Hormone treatment or hormone replacement therapy (including oral contraceptives)
• Recent major surgery of the lower limbs
• If you have a blood clot in your leg

Signs and Symptoms of DVT

There are several symptoms that you should watch for when traveling:

• Pain and swelling in your legs
• Discolouration in your leg
• Pulmonary embolism: this is when a piece of a blood clot becomes detached and travels through your body to your heart and lungs and generally occurs when then there is an existing clot. This may have serious consequences such as chest pain, shortness of breath and even sudden death in sever cases.

Reducing your Risk

Here are some simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing DVT:

• Drink water and juice instead of caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and soft drinks Avoid alcoholic drinks
• Try to get up and walk around the cabin or stand up and stretch whenever possible Avoid crossing your legs while seated
• Wear comfortable and non constricting clothes while traveling

If you have any of the afore-mentioned elevated risk factors, we strongly advise that you seek medical advice before traveling.

Jet Lag

Jet lag occurs when we go from one time zone to another in a relatively short period of time and our body unable to “keep up”. The new time zone can be many hours different than what our inner body clock is at and sleeping, eating and alertness are affected. While eliminating jet lag is almost impossible, you can take several steps to minimize its affects such as:

• Keep yourself hydrated by drinking water and juice
• Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks
• When in a different time zone, take short naps when your internal body clock tells you you need to sleep and sleep 8 hours when it is proper for that time zone.

If you do notice anything odd, or you feel unwell make sure you tell someone, whether it be a travelling companion or flight attendant. As long as you are prepared and are aware of any potential problems you should be fine.

When it comes to cancer research, Canadians want to do more

We have the answer and it takes just 30 or so minutes to sign up. The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project is looking for 300,000 Canadians between the ages of 35 and 69 to participate in a landmark Canadian study designed to help us better understand cancer and other chronic diseases, like heart and lung disease or diabetes. By following a large group of people over many years, researchers can explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle and behaviour interact and contribute to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases.

“This type of research is often difficult because it is complex, time consuming and extensive resources are required,” says Dr. Heather Bryant, Vice-President of Cancer Control, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. “By joining this landmark study, Canadians will be contributing to the creation of a rich national bank of health information to help researchers answer fundamental questions about the causes of cancer and chronic disease for future generations.”

Study participants will be asked to provide information about their health, lifestyle and environment, biological samples such as urine and blood, and physical measurements such as weight and height. By following participants over the long term, researchers will be able to build layers of information that will create a rich understanding of how all of these factors interact to affect health. It is much more than a single study: it is the construction of a population laboratory that will yield results for decades to come.

“Like many Canadians, I have been personally affected by cancer and have often felt powerless in the face of this devastating disease,” says Jan Duff, a study participant. “By participating in the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, I know that I’m making a simple contribution that could make a significant difference in cancer research, and prevent my children and grandchildren from ever developing the disease.”

How to Join

Make a commitment to cancer research by participating in the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, please visit www.partnershipfortomorrow.ca.

The Conference Board of Canada’s Somebody Call a Doctor map is part of an ongoing Centre for the North series, which illustrates similarities and differences between Canada’s North and South and among Northern regions.

“It’s no secret that Canada suffers from a doctor shortage. But the pain is not felt evenly across the country,” said Derrick Hynes, Director, Centre for the North. “Not only are there fewer doctors, Northerners frequently have limited access to them. Northern Canadians often have to be transported hundreds or even thousands of kilometers to reach a doctor, which increases the risks to human health and security, and health care costs.”

Based on 2006 census data, the Northern regions with the fewest number of doctors per 10,000 population include Northern Saskatchewan (3), Nunavut (5), Northern Newfoundland and Labrador (8), Northern Alberta (10), and Northern Manitoba (11). In comparison, the Southern regions with the lowest ratios are Prince Edward Island at 16 doctors per 10,000 population, and New Brunswick (20).

Doctors per 10,000 Population (2006 Census)

It’s no medical secret–Canada suffers from a shortage of doctors. But while the shortage is an issue of national concern, the pain is not felt evenly across the country.

Canadian Medical Association president Jeff Turnbull notes that while we “lag behind other developed countries” in terms of our physician-to-resident ratio, there is a “serious lack” of physicians in many of the country’s rural areas. Dr. Turnbull points to the Northwest Territories and Nunavut as examples of regions where the problem is especially critical. The map and table confirm that finding–apart from in Yukon, the doctor shortage is far worse in Canada’s vast North than it is in the South.

Access to the few doctors who do live in Northern regions is another problem. To reach a doctor, many Northerners must be transported hundreds–or even thousands–of kilometres. The cost of the physician shortage in Canada’s North is great, both in terms of dollars spent on transportation and in the risks to human health and security.

Data for total population

Methodology

Data for total population, “D011–Specialist physicians” and “D012–General practitioners and family physicians” were exported from a 2006 census custom tabulation of occupations purchased from Statistics Canada (catalogue number 97C0001) using Beyond 20/20 Professional Browser. These data were imported into Microsoft Excel, where the two categories of physicians were summed for every census division in Canada. Individual census division values were then summed into the 10 Northern and 10 Southern regions defined by the Centre for the North. The ratio of physicians per regional population was calculated and then multiplied by 10,000. These regional values were then imported into a geographic information system (ArcGIS) where the data were categorized (<20, 20-29, 30+), mapped, and labelled. A ranked table of the total number of physicians by region was then prepared.

The quotes from Dr. Jeff Turnbull, president of the Canadian Medical Association, were taken from an article by Amy Minsky entitled “More Physicians in Canada Than Ever, but Shortage Still Evident: Study,” which was published in the Ottawa Citizen on December 3, 2010.

A number of factors should be taken into consideration when comparing the figures on the map and in the table with those found in other studies.

• The total number of physicians is defined here as including specialist physicians. Some other studies do not include this group of doctors, so the total numbers presented in those studies are typically lower than the numbers here.
• A Statistics Canada report on health-care professionals notes that “[t]hese professionals are not necessarily active in the labour force.”
• The same report warns that 3,350 doctors enumerated in the census actually work outside Canada.
• Finally, the report states that “Because of the small number of inhabitants in Nunavut, and of the effect of random rounding, the ratio tends to vary greatly, and in some cases to even double.”

Canadians are not as active as they should be, Statistics Canada warns in a new study

Young people fare even worse, with just 7 per cent of those aged 5 to 17 attaining the minimum level of physical activity each day. In contrast, the data reveals that adults are sedentary for an average of 9.5 hours each day while children and youth spend 8.6 hours engaged in sedentary activities such as watching television.

The results are based on data gathered in a survey of the physical activity patterns of Canadian adults and kids. StatsCan divided its findings into two reports: One addressing physical activity in Canadian adults between the ages of 20 and 79, and the other examining young people between 6 and 19-years-old.

Unlike previous research based on the activity levels reported by the subjects themselves, this survey is the first to measure activity directly using a small device attached to the subjects’ hip for seven days.

Researchers could therefore sidestep the misreporting that commonly plagues such surveys, because the accelerometers recorded participants’ actual movements. It also meant the study could accurately parse the time spent in light, moderate and vigorous intensity movement, as well as the moments spent simply sedentary.

Other highlights from the survey include:

• Just over half of all adults accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity one day a week, but only 5 per cent of adults manage to accumulate the recommended 150 minutes by week’s end.
• On average, adult men take about 9,500 steps a day, compared with 8,400 for women. Among older adults aged 60 to 79, men average 7,900 steps each day, while women average 7,000. Boys average 12,100 steps per day compared with 10,300 for girls.
• While just 7 per cent of children and youth accumulate 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on at least six days a week, the number who rack up 30 minutes climbs to 29 per cent of boys and 21 per cent of girls. More than 8o per cent of boys and 70 per cent of girls manage to squeeze in 30 minutes of activity three days a week.

Although the United Kingdom is one of the top desired destinations for would-be migrants around the world, Gallup surveys in 2010 show one in three Britons say they would like to leave their country permanently if they had the opportunity. Britons, in fact, are among the most likely in the European Union to say they would like to move, sharing the top spot with Romanians.

Britons’ relatively high level of desire to migrate permanently cannot be attributed to the recent global economic crisis or the country’s own recession. The 33% who say they would like to move is the same now, as the United Kingdom emerges from its longest recession on record, as when it entered recession in 2008. This trend is similar to what Gallup observes worldwide: With some exceptions, people’s expressed desire to migrate did not decrease meaningfully in the downturn.

The profile of the United Kingdom’s potential migrants has not changed much either during that time. Like others worldwide, younger, working-age Britons and those with secondary or higher education are the most likely to say they would like to migrate. One in three or more with secondary educations (33%) or the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher education (36%) say they would like to move if they had the chance.

Britons are most likely to want to relocate to Australia, Spain, the United States, and Canada. But before these countries start bracing for an influx of Britons or British businesses fret about losing their workforce, it’s important to qualify that Gallup’s findings reflect desire rather than intent or a migration rate. Among Britons who say they would like to migrate, 2% say they are planning to move in the next 12 months. This percentage is much lower than in many other places in the European Union.

Britons’ relatively high level of desire to migrate, however, suggests an underlying malaise among a sizable portion of the population. A closer look at those who would like to go reveals dissatisfaction with not only economic conditions, but also with conditions in local communities. Those who say they would like to migrate, for example, are more likely to be dissatisfied with their communities as places to live in general and with aspects of their local infrastructure such as the quality of the local schools and their roads and highways. They are also less likely to approve of their local leadership and trust their local police.

The daily wellbeing of Britons who express a desire to leave their country also tends to be slightly worse than that of those who would like to stay. Would-be migrants are more likely to report experiencing a lot of stress, worry, and anger the day before the survey, and are less likely to report experiencing a lot of enjoyment, feeling well-rested, or having the opportunity to learn something interesting.

Implications

The International Organization for Migration estimates that there were 214 million international migrants worldwide in 2010. The United Kingdom finds itself in a situation that many around the world do, with their young people and their educated the most likely to want to migrate. As Britons struggle to find solutions that keep the talent they need at home, Gallup data suggest some of the work will need to start in communities with leaders doing more to increase individual day-to-day wellbeing.

The study, published today in The Lancet medical journal, is an initiative of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP), an international partnership of clinicians, academics and policymakers seeking to understand how and why cancer survival varies between countries. As its first area of focus, the ICBP explored survival rates for four cancers – lung, breast, colorectal and ovarian – in six developed countries.

Based on the voluntary participation of four Canadian provinces – British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario – the study data show that Canada’s survival rates for these four cancers are among the highest, along with Australia and Sweden, of six countries that also include Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom. The study is based on population data for 2.4 million adults diagnosed with colorectal, lung, breast or ovarian cancer between 1995 and 2007. Countries were invited to take part in the study based on comparable wealth, universal access to healthcare and the nature of cancer data available.

International study shows Canada among top countries in survival rates for lung, breast, colorectal and ovarian cancers

“Overall, Canada is performing well internationally when it comes to cancer survival – and the survival rates for all participating countries show improvement over time,” said Dr. Heather Bryant, Vice-President of Cancer Control at the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and a senior author of the study. “Canada will continue to contribute and learn from international data as this study continues, while also working within our own borders to reduce cancer’s significant burden on our population, our health system and our economy: 174,000 cancer diagnoses and 76,000 cancer deaths every year is still very high.”

“The provinces in this study have organized approaches and systems to provide their citizens with world-class cancer care,” said Dr. Terry Sullivan, President and CEO of Cancer Care Ontario and a member of the study’s International Programme Board. “Having both an interprovincial context and international comparisons allows us to understand our strengths and gaps, and to focus our improvement efforts. The international benchmarking findings are heartening for Canada, and a reminder to continue to strive for optimal care.”

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and provincial cancer agencies are among the many organizations involved in a national cancer strategy. Such strategies exist in several countries to bring a coordinated approach to reducing the impact of cancer on their populations.

Canada’s national cancer control strategy was funded by the federal government in 2006, and the Partnership opened its doors in 2007 to begin implementing it. Working with partners across the country – many of whom were instrumental in developing the cancer strategy – the Partnership is helping to improve the consistency and coordination of the cancer system across Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories.

One example of the Partnership’s collaborative work with Canada’s cancer community is the System Performance Initiative, which collects cancer data from a number of sources — including StatisticsCanada and provincial cancer organizations — to provide a series of snapshots about the performance of Canada’s national cancer control system across a range of areas like prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. Two system performance reports have been released to date, and findings will be deepened over the next year through ongoing collaboration.

About the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer is an independent organization funded by the federal government to accelerate action on cancer control for all Canadians. Bringing together cancer experts, government representatives, the Canadian Cancer Society and cancer patients, survivors and their families through the Canadian Cancer Action Network to implement the first pan-Canadian cancer-control strategy, the vision is to be a driving force to achieve a focused approach that will help prevent cancer, enhance the quality of life of those affected by cancer, lessen the likelihood of dying from cancer, and increase the efficiency of cancer control in Canada. For more information about the Partnership and Canada’s cancer control strategy, visit partnershipagainstcancer.ca. The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer is also the driving force behind cancerview.ca, an online community linking Canadians to cancer information, services and resources.