(Ottawa) –The Canadian Lung Association is concerned about the disparity in lung health across Canada after a new health report card reveals that deaths from respiratory disease are much higher in Nunavut, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.
“There are still too many people dying in Canada because of respiratory disease,” says Debra Lynkowski, president and CEO of the Canadian Lung Association. “As our population ages, we will be facing an increase in the number of Canadians with lung disease. We need to work with all levels of government to ensure a coordinated response so that together we can improve the lung health of all Canadians.”
Highlights from “How Canada Performs” health report card 1 from the Conference Board of Canada regarding respiratory disease include:
- Respiratory diseases are responsible for the third highest share of hospitalizations and deaths in Canada, after cardiovascular disease and cancer.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma account for over 50 per cent of respiratory disease deaths in Canada.
- Nunavut, Yukon, Northwest Territories finish at the bottom of the rankings, with deaths from respiratory disease in Nunavut nearly five times the Canadian average. Poor living conditions are a leading factor.
- P.E.I. and Nova Scotia are the bottom-ranked provinces and score “C” grades.
- Prevalence of COPD is highest in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec because of higher rates of smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.
In Ontario, The Lung Association is advocating for a provincial Lung Health Action Plan to address the human and economic burden of lung disease.
To ensure excellence in respiratory care across Canada, The Lung Association provides education and training to health-care professionals through its RESPTREC™ programs and disseminates best practice guidelines and other resources across the country. The Lung Association also provides a toll-free information line to answer inquiries on lung-related issues .
To strengthen lung research in Canada and make a real difference in the lives of those affected by lung disease, the Lung Association has developed the National Respiratory Research Strategy, which provides leadership for research, training, knowledge translation to promote the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases.
To raise more funds for lung health research, the Lung Association has launched Breathing as One, a national fundraising campaign that will support innovative research.
Quick Facts
• One in five Canadians has a serious respiratory disease, such as asthma, COPD, lung cancer, tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis and respiratory distress syndrome.
• Canada has one of the highest asthma rates in the world. About 2.7 million Canadians live with asthma. Asthma is the most common work-related lung disease, the third leading cause of lost work time and the leading cause of school absenteeism and hospitalization for children.
• COPD is the fourth leading killer of Canadians and has a higher hospitalization rate and re-admission rate than heart failure, angina, and other serious chronic diseases.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada.3 While smoking is the leading cause, exposure to radon, a radioactive gas, is the second leading cause and is responsible for 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths in Canada.
• Tobacco use remains the single greatest preventable cause of death and disease. It is the leading cause of death from lung cancer and COPD. Despite years of public education, smoke free legislation, tax increases, advertising and sales restrictions and more, almost 5 million Canadians aged 15 and older (15 per cent) are still smoking.
For information on lung health issues, call us toll-free at 1-866-717-2673. In British Columbia, call us toll-free at 1-800-665-LUNG (5864). In Quebec, call us toll-free at 1 800-POUMON-9.
About the Canadian Lung Association
Established in 1900, The Lung Association is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs and advocacy on lung heath issues.
Media contact:
Janis Hass
Director of Marketing and Communications
Canadian Lung Association
613-569-6411 ext. 252
jhass@lung.ca
