Chronically ill Canadians face barriers
Posted Dec 13, 2011 1:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Sicker Canadians are facing roadblock after roadblock when it comes to receiving adequate healthcare.
In a new survey released Tuesday, the Health Council of Canada revealed 23 per cent are having a hard time affording their medication.
It’s a significant number considering 90 per cent of these Canadians take at least one drug as part of their routine regiment.
The survey shows those with chronic disease are the largest expenditure facing this country’s health system and are far more likely to be hospitalized, have surgery, use emergency departments and take prescription medication.
Council President John Abbott says this should be a concern for all Canadians.
Abbott says it’s going to become a growing burden on the system as the population begins to age.
“That can only lead to worse health and further use of the health care system down the road,” he says.
“This survey acts as a bell-weather in terms of where we’re headed in terms of providing universal health care,” he says.
Sicker Canadians are more likely to have below average household income and lower levels of education than the general population.
Abbott says there needs to be a three-pronged approach in fixing this growing crisis.
He says the government needs to be more vigilant, health care providers need to make sure they’re spending more time with patients and Canadians need to take more of an onus in their personal care.
