One hundred years ago, the people of Saskatchewan had reason to fear the onset of illness like tuberculosis, dysentery, and diphtheria. Advances in public health and water treatment systems have gone a long way toward eliminating those illnesses. Today, we are facing others.
Chronic disease has become a number one topic of discussion among staff and program planners in Sun Country Health Region. In the past few years, we have seen that more and more of our people are living, and dying, from complications related to diabetes, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), mental illness, heart and kidney disease.
In this Region, circulatory and heart disease are the leading cause of death. Respiratory diseases account for 41.2 per cent of deaths here. Five per cent of our population has diabetes. Just over 26 per cent are obese. Nine per cent have asthma, and 3.2 per cent have COPD. Over seven per cent have a mood disorder.
Some of the diseases are related. For instance, the Canadian Diabetes Association says individuals with diabetes are over three times more likely to be hospitalized with cardiovascular disease than individuals without diabetes, 12 times more likely to be hospitalized with end-stage renal disease, that could result in the need for dialysis, and almost 20 times more likely to require lower limb amputations.
Diabetes was the primary cause of 34 per cent of new cases of end-stage renal disease in 2009, creating a growing demand for renal replacement therapy (dialysis or transplant) in Canada.
Because diabetes shares several risk factors with other chronic diseases, 36.5 per cent of Canadian adults with diabetes reported having two or more other serious chronic conditions (hypertension, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mood disorder, and/or arthritis) in addition to diabetes, and 12.5 per cent reported having three or more.
To respond properly as patients and health care workers to this new situation, we recognized early that we shouldn't wait until the people with these diseases come to the hospital for treatment.
By that time, they can be quite sick and in need of drastic treatment.
Why wait, when we know that if we intervene earlier with specific kinds of out-patient treatments, we can help these patients live longer, more active and more productive lives at home. In fact, let's prevent the disease from ever developing if possible.
With proper out-patient care, we can help them "self-manage" their disease, delay the onset of the more serious complications, and add years to their lives.
You will see those out-patient therapies and education programs advertised under different names. The COPD program, the Diabetes program, LiveWell self-management program, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, all of these and more are provided by trained professionals in the Region to help people with chronic disease live better lives.
A great tool we've developed to help people know where to find assistance and co-ordinate the services is the Chronic Disease Inventory. Look for it under "Programs and Services" on our website at www.suncountry.sk.ca
Health care in Sun Country Health Region is changing to reflect the changing needs of the population. At one time, clean water and hospital beds were our prime consideration. Today, we have other challenges and we are stretching ourselves to meet them all.
