Epidemiology of Heart Disease Among Canadians

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Research Scope and Purposes
Current Epidemiological Data
Community-Based Strategies
Impact of Heart Disease on Health Care
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Canada is known for its universal healthcare system and the ability to identify community health problems. The Canada Health Act of 1984 is a federal law, the standards of which define and manage administrative activities and service delivery for diverse populations (Martin et al., 2018). Insurance models are created to eliminate financial barriers and meet as many population health needs as possible. Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in the country, inferior to cancer (Government of Canada, 2021). This cardiovascular disease class covers conditions such as coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive heart disease, provoking blood vessel problems (Dai et al., 2021). Despite the intention to monitor its prevalence and prevent complications, heart disease is a serious burden that requires specific community-based strategies and research. This paper aims to analyze the current epidemiological data on the rates of heart disease among Canadians, discuss the existing trends, and learn what steps communities can take to address the issue. Heart disease in Canada is a growing problem, and local communities need to understand how to organize their lifestyles and follow professional guidelines.

Research Scope and Purposes

The scope of current research is within the limits of the chosen country. Although Canada is among the youngest nations compared to many European nations, ageing turns out to be an inevitability that distinguishes populations (Martin et al., 2018). Besides, large Indigenous territories are characterized by specific care conditions and contributors to heart diseases. Therefore, it is important to underline the differences between sex, age, and territory. The goal is to investigate statistics through the prism of existing social and environmental factors. The next step is to examine what different communities use to address heart disease and what strategies are preferred at different levels of prevention. Finally, it is important to recognize the impact this disease might have on the healthcare system in Canada, including expected costs, hospitalization conditions, and nursing care. There are many direct and indirect outcomes in the spheres of health care, economy, and education to be taken into consideration. At the end of the study, the connection between heart disease epidemiological evidence, community strategies, and internal and external impacts will be revealed to contribute to a better application of knowledge.

Current Epidemiological Data

Heart disease is a serious health problem among the Canadian population, which explains shits in healthcare costs and mortality ratings. According to the recent reports of the Government of Canada (2021), about 2.4 million adults, or 8.5%, were diagnosed with ischemic heart disease during the last 10-15 years. It means that about 1 in 12 Canadians risk dying because of a heart attack or another cardiovascular disease. In most cases, care providers tend to believe that women and men are equally affected by this disease. The Government of Canada (2021) reports the following statistics: about 9.8% of men older than 20 and about 7.1% of women older than 20. However, hospitalization due to heart problems and cardiovascular-related deaths are more often among men than women. At the same time, the long-life factor can be used to prove the percentage similarities because women live longer than men (Government of Canada, 2021). Sex-adjusted prevalence of heart disease was characterized by a significant decline during the last 15 years (Dai et al., 2021). Therefore, overall changes in disease prevalence according to the gender factor remain the same in Canada.

The statistics of patients diagnosed with heart disease differs in terms of their age significantly. Older adults are at higher risk of having the disease compared to younger patients. For example, people older than 80 comprise about 76-80%, aged between 65 to 79 – about 61%, and between 50 and 64 – 30-32% (Government of Canada, 2021). Still, heart disease may develop in younger individuals because of different reasons, including genetics and environment. Approximately 250,000 to 580,000 Canadians aged between 20 and 30 years live with some form of cardiovascular diseases or have suffered from heart attack at least once a year (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018). The proportion of the older population is greater than the proportion of children and adolescent due to additional risk factors like obesity, frailty, and diabetes (Rodgers et al., 2019). Age is a serious aspect that affects the deterioration of hormone and heart functionality, provoking new problems due to atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction.

Ethnic and cultural origins of Canadians play an important role in epidemiological evidence of heart disease. The colonial impact on Indigenous people and their understanding of heart health differentiates this group of people from other local citizens (Foulds et al., 2018). This community constitutes about 4.9% of the total Canadian population and is divided into three distinct groups – Inuit, Metis, and First Nation (Schultz et al., 2021). These people do not have an appropriate education on how to protect their hearts against external factors and rely on their traditions and beliefs about how to keep their heart health. Biomedical perspectives are poorly addressed, leading to such statistics as 7.1% of Indigenous people with heart disease compared to 5% of the general population with the same condition (Foulds et al., 2018). These differences provoke additional examinations of the neighborhood environment, education opportunities, and employment statuses (Dai et al., 2021). People need to improve their awareness of health promotion to maintain their well-being and recognize the moment when it is high time to address for professional help.

Canada consists of several counties, and heart disease statistics have certain differences there. For example, Quebec and Nova Scotia have the lowest ratings of 3.2% in age-standardized heart failure, while Nunavut has the highest – 6.4% (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018). At the same time, ischemic heart disease is more common in Quebec and Alberta and less common in Nunavut and New Brunswick (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018). Regardless of the type of heart disease, Nunavut continues showing the worst results in mortality ratings and poor prevention programs, while such regions Nova Scotia and New Brunswick keep low prevalence and improved healthcare services.

Compared to Canada, where heart disease is the second reason for death, the global perspective is much more serious. Khan et al. (2020) define ischemic heart disease as a leading cause of disability and mortality globally. The numbers change periodically, but the most challenged countries, regardless of their statuses and resources, are China, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Regarding regional distribution, Central and Eastern Europe are in the risk zone – approximately 2,800 per 100,000 cases – while South Asia does not exceed 1,000 per 100,000 cases (Khan et al., 2020). In particular, the United States reports more cases of heart diseases (2.9%) compared to Canada (2.3%) (Khan et al., 2020). All these numbers prove that the prevalence of heart disease does not depend on some geographical issues but on genetics, biology, and demographics.

Community-Based Strategies

The chosen health issue cannot be solved without taking particular steps and addressing the community’s role in understanding the worth of its prevention. There are several ways to prevent heart disease, starting from the education level and ending with personal participation in healthy activities. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (2018), the proportion of Canadians with heart disease remained stable during the last 15 years, while mortality rates have declined by 35-45%. It means that healthcare providers have achieved certain progress in treating disease, but citizens cannot positively affect their health. Therefore, the evaluation of community-based strategies is supported to decrease annual deaths from heart disease and educate the population on how to prevent complications.

The initial level of preventing heart disease is related to identifying risk factors for creating a healthy environment. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diabetes, lack of physical activities, poverty, and poor education are critical risks for all population groups (Schultz et al., 2021). Canadian communities recognize these factors and manage appropriate behaviors and promote healthy habits. Healthcare facilities, profit or non-profit organizations, and private professionals publish their studies and reports to underline the presence of the problem (Martin et al., 2018). People without medical knowledge should understand that they put their hearts at risk when they take or do not take the necessary steps.

The next step consists of education and guidelines to give communities enough reasons to address the health issue and learn the most helpful ideas. For example, a balanced diet with low-fat levels and high-fiber composition, including vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes, and nuts, is commonly recommended (Tobe et al., 2018). People know how to obtain moderate energy and maintain healthy body weight to lower heart disease risks. Increased physical activities and decreased harmful habits like alcohol abuse and tobacco smoking are also supported by Canadian communities. These steps are taken regularly and contribute to healthy eating, improved glycemic control, and weight loss (Tobe et al., 2018). Smoking is one of the causes of atherosclerosis when arteries are damaged by fatty plaque deposition from chemicals inhaled while smoking (Khan et al., 2020). Increased alcohol is associated with high blood pressure that negatively affects the heart’s work, which is also a reason for cardiovascular diseases. All this knowledge is important for understanding how the heart is damaged and why people should be careful when deciding not to follow these simple, effective recommendations.

The last prevention step taken by Canadians is the promotion of physical activities to reduce heart disease risks. A community-based strategy is developed to help people apply their knowledge in practice. In addition to obtaining clear information about the existing threats to their health, people strive to identify available sources and opportunities. For example, some topics may be covered in local newspapers, journals, and other media sources (Ndejjo et al., 2021). There are several options for people to visit meetings and public places for discussion and experience exchange (Ndejjo et al., 2021). Indigenous people and older adults should not be exposed to extra expenses, meaning such meetings must be free. Communication materials, training, and counseling are available alternatives for the population to improve their awareness of the condition (Ndejjo et al., 2021). All these interventions are not difficult to implement in Canada, and communities have enough resources to integrate their knowledge and develop the required skills.

Impact of Heart Disease on Health Care

Some people might think that heart disease impacts only human health and provokes serious complications in life quality. Unfortunately, the number of negative outcomes increases regularly because this health issues have many organizational and economic burdens. The Canadian healthcare system consists of three major layers, namely public services (hospital care, physicians, and diagnostics), mixed services (medications and home/long-term/mental health care), and private services (dental/vision/outpatient care/therapy) (Martin et al., 2018). Each layer has a certain way of funding and administration based on private and public resources. It is not enough to hire someone with some knowledge and professional qualities to cover the needs of patients with heart disease. It is more important to penetrate the system without breaking the boundaries and shifting the already prescribed responsibilities. Heart disease is a common health problem among Canadians, proving the demand for experts in this field. As such, changes in funding introduce the major direct organizational and financial impact of the condition on the system. Indirect impacts are the promotion of obesity programs, increased glycemic control, and other preventive steps that do not cover heart disease signs.

At the same time, heart disease provokes a significant financial burden on society and life quality. According to Martin et al. (2018), expenditures on health care usually constitute about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. During the last 15 years, Canada has been spending about $C13 billion annually (Dai et al., 2021). However, these numbers are not stable, and economists and healthcare providers should cooperate to identify current shifts and make common decisions. Direct financial impacts are the necessity to increase care costs for hiring more employees and promoting the required medication supply. Indirect costs may include the prevention of risk factors like diabetes and hypertension and the importance of regular checkups for ageing populations and Indigenous people as the representatives of risk groups.

Today, Canada has to improve its healthcare system positions to ensure people with appropriate preventive, diagnostic, and care services. The impact of heart disease cannot be ignored because a significant part of the population expects to obtain high-quality care and professional help in understanding their conditions. The Canadian Cardiovascular Harmonized National Guideline Endeavour, also known as C-CHANGE, promotes care and recommendations for clinicians to organize effective treatment plans and primary care steps for cardiovascular patients (Tobe et al., 2018). What can be done with the help of these guidelines is to encourage enthusiastic and supportive care elements, implement new activities, and evaluate their effectiveness. The assessment of heart disease impacts is a regular activity to notice any changes and factors that affect people’s conditions.

Conclusion

Heart disease remains a serious public health problem in Canada that requires specific solutions and observations. In this project, several strong statistical pieces of evidence were presented to prove that many Canadians live with this disease and have to follow professional recommendations to stabilize their life quality and maintain their well-being. Prevention of risk factors such as poor diet, smoking, alcohol intake, and low physical activities plays an important role. Multiple community-based strategies are promoted at different levels to recognize a problem, educate the population, and create appropriate environments for practice. Age, gender, social statuses, and education levels affect the way how people understand their heart disease and take steps to treat it properly. Providing epidemiological evidence is one of the first steps to proving that heart disease is associated with certain financial and organizational burdens imposed on the Canadian healthcare system. Funding changes, administration, and organizational decision-making are direct impacts, while the creation of additional programs and interventions for other conditions endorse additional indirect impacts that have to be recognized at different levels. Heart disease may be prevented, and learning epidemiological and strategic data helps predict severe complications.

References

Dai, H., Tang, B., Younis, A., Kong, J. D., Zhong, W., & Bragazzi, N. L. (2021). Regional and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular disease in Canada during 2005–2016: Evidence from repeated nationwide cross-sectional surveys.BMJ Global Health, 6(11). Web.

Foulds, H. J., Bredin, S. S., & Warburton, D. E. (2018). Cardiovascular dynamics of Canadian Indigenous peoples.International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 77(1). Web.

Government of Canada. (2021). Surveillance of heart diseases and conditions. Canada.ca. Web.

Khan, M. A., Hashim, M. J., Mustafa, H., Baniyas, M. Y., Al Suwaidi, S. K. B. M., AlKatheeri, R., Alblooshi, F. M. K., Almatrooshi, M. E. A. H., Alzaabi, M. E. H., Al Darmaki, R. S., & Lootah, S. N. A. H. (2020). Global epidemiology of ischemic heart disease: Results from the global burden of disease study. Cureus, 12(7). Web.

Martin, D., Miller, A. P., Quesnel-Vallée, A., Caron, N. R., Vissandjée, B., & Marchildon, G. P. (2018). Canada’s universal health-care system: Achieving its potential. The Lancet, 391(10131), 1718–1735. Web.

Ndejjo, R., Hassen, H. Y., Wanyenze, R. K., Musoke, D., Nuwaha, F., Abrams, S., Bastiaens, H., & Musinguzi, G. (2021). Community-based interventions for cardiovascular disease prevention in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review.Public Health Reviews, 11. Web.

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2018). Report from the Canadian chronic disease surveillance system: Heart disease in Canada, 2018 [PDF document]. Web.

Rodgers, J. L., Jones, J., Bolleddu, S. I., Vanthenapalli, S., Rodgers, L. E., Shah, K., Karia, K., & Panguluri, S. K. (2019). Cardiovascular risks associated with gender and aging. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 6(2).

Schultz, A., Nguyen, T., Sinclaire, M., Fransoo, R., & McGibbon, E. (2021). Historical and continued colonial impacts on heart health of Indigenous peoples in Canada: What’s reconciliation got to do with it? CJC Open, 3(12), 149-164.

Tobe, S. W., Stone, J. A., Anderson, T., Bacon, S., Cheng, A. Y., Daskalopoulou, S. S., Ezekowitz, J. A., Gregoire, J. C., Gubitz, G., Jain, R., Keshavjee, K., Lindsay, P., L’Abbe, M., Lau, D. C., Leiter, L. A., O’Meara, E., Pearson, G. J., Rabi, D. M., Sherifali, M., … & Liu, P. P. (2018). Canadian cardiovascular harmonized national guidelines Endeavour (C-CHANGE) guideline for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease in primary care: 2018 update.Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190(40), 1192-1206. Web.

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