Health : Canada/International Links

Santé : Liens canadiens et internationaux

Updated June 6, 2010
Page révisée le 6 juin 2010

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New from The Daily:
[Statistics Canada]

Health Fact Sheets
June 3, 2010
The Health Fact Sheet publication features short informative articles on interesting health topics from various health data sources.
Click the link above to access the fact sheets below.

* From the Canadian Health Measures Survey:
--- Aerobic fitness in Canada 2007 to 2009
--- Body composition of Canadian adults 2007 to 2009
--- Body mass index (BMI) for children and youth 2007 to 2009
--- Heart health and cholesterol levels of Canadians 2007 to 2009
--- Lung function results 2007 to 2009
--- Musculoskeletal fitness in Canada 2007 to 2009
--- Oral health: Edentulous people in Canada 2007 to 2009
--- Vitamin D status of Canadians 2007 to 2009
* From the Canadian Community Health Survey:
--- Adults who are overweight or obese 2008
--- Arthritis 2008
--- Asthma 2008
--- Diabetes 2008
--- Exposure to second-hand smoke at home 2008
--- Fruit and vegetable consumption 2008
--- Having a regular medical doctor 2008
--- Heavy drinking 2008
--- High blood pressure 2008
--- Household food insecurity, 2007–2008
--- Influenza immunization 2008
--- Life satisfaction 2008
--- Mood disorders 2008
--- Perceived life stress 2008
--- Physical activity during leisure time 2008
--- Smoking 2008
Source:
Health Fact Sheets

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Health Indicator Maps
May 27, 2010
This publication presents a series of thematic maps, including those showing the subprovincial variations for selected health indicators based on the latest data available from different data sources. Reference maps showing the boundaries of health regions in Canada are also available by province.

View a list of all reference maps - health regions and peer groups by province and territory

View a list of all thematic maps - over three dozen themes, from Adults who are obese by health region to Smoking by health region, Vital Statistics - Birth Database, Low Birth Weight by health region, etc.

[ earlier editions of this report ]
[ related articles and links to maps ]
[ Health Indicator Maps Main Page ]
[ Health Indicators Main Page]

Source:
Health Indicators
This publication, produced jointly by Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), is a compilation of over 80 indicators measuring health status, non-medical determinants of health, health–system performance and community and health-system characteristics.

See also:
Health in Canada --- all StatCan health reports in one location
Health Reports Available from Statistics Canada (from Stats by Subject)

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New from the
Canadian Institute for Health Information:
(from the "Dog-Bites-Man" series?)

Heart attacks more likely among lower-income groups,
but quality of care about the same for all Canadians
Variations in heart attack and hysterectomy rates much
greater by region than by socio-economic status
News Release
May 27, 2010
Canadians living in the least-affluent neighbourhoods are more likely to have a heart attack than those in more-affluent areas, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Canadians living in low-income neighbourhoods have higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, smoking and other cardiac risk factors. However, heart attack patients receive about the same quality of care across the country, regardless of their socio-economic status. The report, Health Indicators 2010, provides more than 40 measures of health and health system performance in Canada for larger health regions, provinces and territories.

Complete report:

Health Indicators 2010
May 2010
HTML version - incl. table of contents (see below) and links to individual sections
PDF version (PDF - 1.7MB, 105 pages)

Table of contents:
* Executive Summary
* Health Indicator Framework
* In Focus: Measuring Disparities in the Health System
--- Heart Attacks and Disparities
--- Hysterectomies and Disparities
--- Concluding Remarks
* Information Gaps
--- References
* Health Indicators: Region by Region
--- Health Region Profile
--- Health Status
--- Equity
--- Non-Medical Determinants of Health
--- Health System Performance
--- Community and Health System Characteristics
--- Appendix
--- Indicator Index
* Regional Map

Companion Products

* Health Indicators e-publication
* Technical Notes

Source:
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
CIHI collects and analyzes information on health and health care in Canada and makes it publicly available. Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments created CIHI as a not-for-profit, independent organization dedicated to forging a common approach to Canadian health information.

< Begin Snide addendum by Gilles:>

COMING SOON:
"20-Yr Longitudinal Study Finds that Canadians
are Better Rich and Healthy than Poor and Sick!"

< /End Snide addendum by Gilles.>

[ Earlier editions of Health Indicators - back to 2002 ]

York University health researchers
produce public primer on who gets sick and why (PDF - 19K, 2 pages)
TORONTO, April 28, 2010 – A report released today by York University health researchers offers Canadians the opportunity to learn how their living conditions will determine whether they stay healthy or become ill. Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts shows why these factors are so important for health and documents the state of these living conditions in Canada in an accessible manner for the Canadian public.

Summary

Complete report:

Social Determinants of Health:
The Canadian Facts (PDF - 3.7MB, 63 pages)
April 2010
By Juha Mikkonen and Dennis Raphael
(...)Improving the health of Canadians requires we think about health and its determinants in a more sophisticated manner than has been the case to date.
Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts considers 14 social determinants of health:
1. Income and Income Distribution
2. Education
3. Unemployment and Job Security
4. Employment and Working Conditions
5. Early Childhood Development
6. Food Insecurity
7. Housing
8. Social Exclusion
9. Social Safety Network
10. Health Services
11. Aboriginal Status
12. Gender
13. Race
14. Disability
The publication outlines why they are important; how Canada is doing in addressing them; and what can be done to improve their quality. The purpose of the document is to provide promote greater awareness of the social determinants of health and the development and implementation of public policies that improve their quality.

Source:
York University School of Health Policy & Management (Toronto)

Income-related differences in
mortality among people with diabetes mellitus
Lorraine L. Lipscombe, MD et al.
December 21, 2009
[includes an abstract and a link to the full study]
Income-related differences in mortality among people with diabetes mellitusMortality declined overall among people with diabetes from 1994 to 2005; however, the decrease was substantially greater in the highest income group than in the lowest, particularly among those aged 30–64 years. These findings illustrate the increasing impact of income on the health of people with diabetes even in a publicly funded health care setting.

Complete study (PDF - 1MB, 17 pages)

Source:
Canadian Medical Association Journal

Related link:

Death rate worse for poor diabetics: Ont. report
December 21, 2009
People with diabetes in Ontario are dying prematurely less frequently, but the decline in mortality rate was smaller among those who earn less, researchers say. The study's authors found the death rate for diabetics fell by 33 per cent across the province between 1995 and 2006, after taking age and sex into account. But the group also found that a person's chances of survival with the disease improved as income increased.
Source:
CBC

These links will take you further down on the page you're now reading:
Statistics Canada Health Reports
Drug Assistance Programs and Expenditures in Canada
Health Care in Canada reports (Canadian Institute for Health Information)
Call for a National Autism Strategy
The Health of Canadians - December 2006 (from the Canadian Council on Social Development)

New from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada:

Reporting on Health Indicators—Health Canada
December 2008
In 2000, the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments reached an historic agreement on health that set out a vision, principles, and an action plan for health system renewal. The First Ministers' commitments on health also called for improvements in accountability and reporting to Canadians and directed federal, provincial, and territorial health ministers to develop indicators that could be compared across jurisdictions and over time to measure progress on renewal. All jurisdictions later committed to public reporting every two years on a number of health indicators—for example, wait times and patient satisfaction with health services. First Ministers' agreements in 2003 and 2004 further reiterated reporting requirements.

News Release:
Report on health indicators is of limited value to Canadians
(Chapter 8—Reporting on Health Indicators—Health Canada - December 2008 Report of the Auditor General)
February 5, 2009
Health Canada has published health indicator reports as a result of commitments made by First Ministers in 2000, 2003, and 2004, says the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons. However, these reports do not meet the broader intent of providing Canadians with information on the progress of health care renewal.

Source:
2008 December Report of the Auditor General of Canada
February 5, 2009
[ Office of the Auditor General of Canada ]

Poverty is making us sick : A comprehensive survey
of income and health in Canada (PDF - 522K, 39 pages)
By Ernie Lightman Ph.D, Andrew Mitchell and Beth Wilson
December 2008
"(...) the poorest one-fifth of Canadians, when compared to the richest twenty percent, have:
• more than double the rate of diabetes and heart disease;
• a sixty percent greater rate of two or more chronic health conditions;
• more than three times the rate of bronchitis;
• nearly double the rate of arthritis or rheumatism."
Source:
Partners in this report include:
Social Assistance in the New Economy
Wellesley Institute
Community Social Planning Council of Toronto

Related Toronto Star article:

Higher pay, better health
December 2, 2008
By Laurie Monsebraaten
Poverty is making Canadians sick, robbing thousands of their health and creating huge costs to the public health-care system, says a new report to be released today. But boosting incomes of the poor – even by $1,000 per year – can lead to significant health improvements, says the report by the University of Toronto's Social Assistance in the New Economy program. (...) The study, based on the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey, found that every $1,000 increase in income for the poor resulted in nearly 10,000 fewer chronic health care problems.
Source:
healthzone.ca
[ part of the Toronto Star ]

Pandemic Planning and Homelessness Research Network
As an extension of the Homeless Hub, this network allows people who are interested in homelessness and pandemic planning to come together in a collaborative on-line environment. This dynamic website features a library of resources and documents from governments and community agencies that can be accessed from one user-friendly site. Researchers, service providers, government officials and others are invited to share information and documents, participate in discussion forums, and collaborate on strategies to minimize the likelihood and impact of the spread of infectious disease among people who are homeless. To join, simply visit http://homelesshub.apps01.yorku.ca/network/cphrt, register and request membership. Once your membership has been confirmed, you will gain access to a large collection of pandemic plans, community documents, research articles, guides and best practices, and news articles from Canada and around the world.
For further information please contact Kristy Buccieri at kristy_buccieri@edu.yorku.ca

Source:
The Homeless Hub
[ www.homelesshub.net/ ]
This site is a supplement to the www.homelesshub.ca site and encourage as much online collaboration, networking and information-sharing among stakeholders doing work on homelessness and poverty-related issues as possible.

New Ingredients for the Health Care Mix (PDF - 35K, 3 pages)
By Sherri Torjman
September 2009
As the aging population puts more pressure on scarce resources, the debates as to who gets selected for essential health care services will become increasingly contentious. The typical response is to look for ways to reform health care in order to ration services more efficiently. Another answer is to shore up the supply of nurses. This paper argues for additional supports for the estimated three million informal caregivers in Canada . Options include greater provision of home supports and workplace policies that allow flexibility for elder care. Another possibility involves the development of secondary suites, an affordable housing option that enables the provision of care at home. The paper argues that urban design makes an important policy contribution to our social challenges.
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy
The Caledon Institute of Social Policy does rigorous, high-quality research and analysis; seeks to inform and influence public opinion and to foster public discussion on poverty and social policy; and develops and promotes concrete, practicable proposals for the reform of social programs at all levels of government and of social benefits provided by employers and the voluntary sector.

Health Council of Canada
"The Health Council of Canada is mandated to monitor and report on the progress of health care renewal in Canada."

Health Council of Canada report calls for early, ongoing action
to tackle trouble spots in kids’ health (PDF file 67K, 2 pages)
News Release
WINNIPEG, JUNE 22, 2006 – While the health of Canada’s children and youth is generally good, especially by global standards, there are serious trouble spots within this population that require strategic, immediate and sustained attention, the Health Council of Canada said in a report released today. The report, Their Future Is Now: Healthy Choices for Canada’s Children & Youth, says many of those
problems are in fact preventable – if we act now. The report looks broadly across child health issues, from immunization and obesity risks to mental health and crime prevention, reviews government commitments to improve child health, highlights effective regional programs and the ingredients key to their success, and offers advice for future action.

Backgrounder (PDF file - 51K, 1 page)

Complete report:

Their Future Is Now: Healthy Choices
for Canada’s Children and Youth (2.5MB, 52 pages)
June 2006

Toronto Star op-ed:
Help children do their best
June 21
Dr. Nuala Kenny, chair of the Health Council of Canada’s working group which created Their Future Is Now: Healthy Choices for Canada’s Children & Youth, penned this op-ed piece for the Toronto Star.

No more time to wait:
Toward benchmarks and best practices in wait time management (PDF file - 731K, 65 pages)
March 2005
"Seven national medical organizations have united to release an interim report examining the problem of wait times for health care in Canada and to establish new benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times for care. The Wait Time Alliance of Canada (WTA) released an interim report today. The Report outlines evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times for access to care in: heart, cancer, diagnostic imaging, joint replacement and sight restoration. The report is a direct response to the commitment made by First Ministers in September 2004 (10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care) to establish evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times in the five priority areas. With the deadline fast approaching (December 31, 2005), Federal-Provincial-Territorial governments have commissioned research on this issue, but have yet to come forward with a process to develop national benchmarks."

Wait Time Alliance members:

Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine
Canadian Association of Radiologists
Canadian Cardiovascular Society
Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
Canadian Ophthalmological Society
Canadian Association of Radiation Oncologists

[Found on the DisAbled Women's Network - Ontario website]

Jordan's Principle, governments' paralysis
Noni MacDonald, M.D., M.Sc, and Amir Attaran, L.L.B., Ph.D.
August 14, 2007
Children are vulnerable members of our society. They are voiceless in decision-making, subject to the judgments and actions of others. First Nations people are also vulnerable — victims of ill-will and broken promises and suffering from the worst social, economic and health conditions in Canada. So imagine the unenviable situation to be a First Nations child, very sick and living on a reserve where there are minimal children's services.
Source:
Canadian Medical Association Journal
[ Canadian Medical Association ]

For related links, go to the First Nations Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm

Health Reports Available from Statistics Canada:
Information on the health of the population, determinants of health, and the scope and utilization of Canada’s health services.
Subtopics include :
1. Health (general)
2. Disability
3. Diseases and health conditions
4. Factors influencing health
5. Health services performance and utilization
6. Injuries
7. Measures of health
8. Mental health and well-being
9. Prevention and detection of disease
10. Find all

Featured products

1. Health (overview)
2. Health in Canada
3. Health Reports
4. Health Research Working Paper Series
5. Health Indicators
6. Canadian Social Trends
7. Teenage pregnancy: Guide to the latest information
8. Smoking: Guide to the latest information
9. Suicide: Guide to the latest information
10. Teachers and students: Learning resources for Health and Physical Education

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Selected content from
The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

November 18, 2009
Health Reports, November 2009
The November 2009 online edition of Health Reports contains the following articles.

* Income disparities in health-adjusted life expectancy for Canadian adults, 1991 to 2001
The dramatic increase in life expectancy in Canada and other economically developed nations during the last century stands as testimony to the success of improvements in public health and advances in medical care. But despite these gains in longevity, inequalities in health outcomes across different subpopulations are still pervasive in Canada and other industrialized countries.(...) For both sexes, disparities in health-adjusted life expectancy between the highest and lowest income groups were substantially greater than those for life expectancy alone.

* Social class, gender and time use: Implications for the social determinants of body weight?
The social gradient in health refers to the consistent association between higher socioeconomic position and better health status across an array of health outcomes. The social gradient in body weight departs from this consistent pattern. Recent Canadian studies suggest that the association between income and obesity is positive for men, and curvilinear (perhaps in transition) among women. This article examines time-use patterns by indicators of socioeconomic position and considers the implications of variations in time use for the social gradient in weight reported in other studies.

* Risk factors and chronic conditions among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations
In Canada, the prevalence of behavioural risk factors and chronic conditions varies between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations, with Aboriginal people generally having less favourable outcomes. For example, obesity and overweight are more common among Aboriginal people than among other groups. Also, the likelihood of having at least one chronic condition and specifi c conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes is higher among Aboriginal people, even when differences in sociodemographic characteristics are taken into account

Source:
The Daily
[Statistics Canada]

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A Lost Decade: Income Equality and the Health of Canadians
December 2, 2002
Presentation by Katherine Scott, Senior Policy and Research Associate, at the Social Determinants of Health Conference in Toronto
Source : Canadian Council on Social Development

The Government of Canada Announces an Early Childhood Development Initiative for Aboriginal Children
News Release
October 31, 2002
"...a funding allocation of $320 million over the next five years for a strategy to improve and expand Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs and services for First Nations and other Aboriginal children."
Source : Health Canada

The Health of Canadians – The Federal Role
Volume Six: Recommendations for Reform
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Chair: The Honourable Michael J.L. Kirby
Deputy Chair: The Honourable Marjory LeBreton
October 2002
Senate Committee recommends $5B national health care premium new money to reform and expand health care system
News Release
October 25, 2002
"Canadians need to contribute an additional $5 billion per year to health care in order to make the publicly funded system financially sustainable and avert the emergence of a parallel private health care system. The decision facing Canadians is whether they are prepared to make that investment in order to overhaul Medicare."

Speaking Notes for Senators (on the release of Volume Six)

Report - Table of Contents and Part One, plus links to the rest of the report
(HTML - 186K, 29 pages)
Complete report - PDF file - 1169K, 392 pages

Highlights (HTML - 240K, 43 pages)
Highlights (PDF version - 158K, 54 pages)

Source:
Recent Senate Reports
(37th Parliament, 2nd Session)
- incl. links to volumes one to five in this series (from 37th Parliament, 1st Session)
Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology

Work–Life Conflict in Canada in the New Millennium
A Status Report - Final Report
Linda Duxbury, Chris Higgins
October 2003
"As we enter the new millennium, Canadian governments, employers, employees and families face a common challenge—how to make it easier for Canadians to balance their work roles and their desire to have a meaningful life outside of work. The research initiative summarized in this report was undertaken to address this issue."
PDF version (PDF file - 1.7MB, 154 pages)

For links to more work-life balance content, go to the Canadian Social Research Links Work-Life Balance page

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
"CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system."
CIHR's 13 institutes: Aboriginal Peoples' Health - Aging - Cancer Research - Circulatory and Respiratory Health - Gender and Health - Genetics - Health Services and Policy Research - Human Development, Child and Youth Health - Infection and Immunity - Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis - Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction - Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes - Population and Public Health

Population Health Approach
Health Canada
April 2000
"We need to address the entire range of factors that determine health [and] the complex  interactions among these factors"
Population health is an approach to health that aims to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups.
Resources and Related Sites
Links to 14 key documents on population health, including:
A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians (PDF file, 1.4MB) - "The 1974 report on health promotion that led to an evolution in thinking about health."

The National Children’s Agenda: Health Canada's contribution
Budget 2000 Information
February 28, 2000
Good overview of Health Canada initiatives for children

Seniors Policies and Programs Database (SPPD)
- Launched in January 2000 by the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors as a unique and lasting legacy of the International Year of Older Persons.
Browse all Records for thousands of program descriptions,
Search the database by program or by jurisdiction, or
View Program Linkages, i.e., see how these programs affect one another (Hello, you quantitative analysts out there...)

Canadian Institute for Health Information
"The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is an independent, national, not-for-profit organization working to improve the health of Canadians and the health care system by providing quality, reliable and timely health information. CIHI's mandate was established jointly by federal and provincial/territorial ministers of health to coordinate the development and maintenance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to health information for Canada, and to provide and coordinate the provision of accurate and timely data and information required for establishing sound health policy, effectively managing the Canadian health system, and generating public awareness about factors affecting good health."

See the Sitemap of this enormous site for an overview of its content incl. links to research & reports, the CIHI Data Collection, standards, statistics and client services.

Selected site content:

Health Care in Canada 2009
Date published: October 29, 2009
Health Care in Canada 2009: A Decade in Review is the tenth in a series of annual reports on Canada's health care system. Past issues of this report brought together statistics from a variety of sources to provide an overview of the Canadian health care system. With this anniversary edition we tell the story of the last decade in health care by focusing on key areas of change. Issues such as spending, policy, access and quality are examined in the context of where the health system was 10 years ago, how things have changed since then and the issues on the horizon.

Click the link above to access the full report, individual sections, companion products the media release and contacts

Full Report (PDF - 7MB, 120 pages)
Highlights (PDF - 86K, 2 pages)
Media Release (HTML) - October 29, 2009

Table of contents - download by chapter
* Introduction
* Chapter 1: Forces that Shaped Health Care in Canada
* Chapter 2: The Health of Canadians
* Chapter 3: Follow the Money
* Chapter 4: Access to Care
* Chapter 5: Quality, Safety and Outcomes
* Chapter 6: Taking Health Information Further
* Conclusion

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Reducing Gaps in Health: A Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada
November 24, 2008
Full Report (PDF - 3MB, 171 pages)
Table of contents (HTML) - download individual sections of the report
Reducing Gaps in Health: A Focus on Socio-Economic Status in Urban Canada provides a broad overview of the links between socio-economic status and health in 15 Canadian census metropolitan areas (CMAs), while exploring socio-economic patterns and gradients within those CMAs and across urban Canada.
- incl. links to : Full Report | Sections | Companion Products | Media Release | Summary Report | Executive Summary

Canadians in lower socio-economic groups more likely to be hospitalized for mental illness, child asthma
New CIHI study examines health differences in 15 urban areas in Canada; finds gaps wider in some areas than others.
News Release
November 24, 2008

Source:
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
CIHI is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides essential data and analysis on Canada’s health system and the health of Canadians.

Also from CIHI:

National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975 to 2008
November 13, 2008
- includes updated expenditure data by source of funds (sector) and use of funds (category) at the provincial/territorial level and for Canada.

Health Care in Canada (annual report)
"This report provides up-to-date information on what we know and don't know about the performance of Canada's health care system. Topics covered in the report include the outcomes of care, health expenditures and Canada's health care professionals. Included with this report is a Health Indicators insert, providing new data on a range of health and health system-related indicators at both regional and provincial/territorial levels."

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May 29, 2008
Health Indicators, 2008
The publication Health Indicators is a joint project between Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) that provides the latest information about the health system and the health of the population in Canada's health regions, provinces and territories. The Health Indicators 2008 print publication is available today and includes a selection of indicator data and presents analysis on hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive conditions.

Complete report:

Health Indicators 2008
PDF version (2MB, 96 pages)
HTML version - table of contents and related products + link to full PDF version
[ CIHI News Release and Highlights - May 29 ]

Health Care in Canada 2006
June 2006
-download the report in sections or as one single file (PDF file - 784K, 113 pages)

Health Care in Canada 2006 - Fact Sheet (PDF file - 103K, 1 page)

Heart attack survival rates improve—stroke death rates remain the same
In-hospital mortality rates within 30 days of admission with a new heart attack or stroke differ significantly among regions
News Release
June 7, 2006—Canadians admitted to hospital with a new heart attack are less likely to die in hospital within 30 days than in the past, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). (...) Health Care in Canada 2006, [is] CIHI’s seventh annual publication on the state of the health system. For the first time, this year’s report provides trends for two key health indicators: short-term mortality rates following admission with a new heart attack and short-term mortality rates following admission with a new stroke. It also examines how these death rates vary across the country and explores factors that may be associated with better or worse odds of survival, including age, sex and the types of care that patients receive.
- incl.Regional differences | Types of care influence survival rates | Different outcomes for different patients | Other highlights this year | Health Care in Canada 2006 | About CIHI | Figures | Report | Contact

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Health Care in Canada, 2005
June 2005
"Part A: A Look Inside Canada's Health System summarizes recent developments in health and health care. It includes an overview of health spending and updated information on how Canadians view the health system and the services that they have received.
* Part B: A Focus on Volumes and Outcomes includes information on the distribution of select procedures across Canada and in-depth analyses of the relationship between hospital volumes and patient outcomes.."
Table of Contents --- List of Selected Figures
- Incl. links to downloads by section and the entire report in a single file
- includes links to the complete report and to individual chapters

Mortality Rate Lower in Higher-Volume Hospitals
News Release
June 8, 2005
"A new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that Canadians have a better chance of surviving some types of highly specialized surgeries in hospitals where greater numbers of these procedures are performed."

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Links to Reports for Current and Previous Years - back to 2000

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Improving the Health of Canadians 2007-2008: Mental Health and Homelessness
The Improving the Health of Canadians: Mental Health and Homelessness report provides an overview of the latest research, surveys and policy initiatives related to mental health and homelessness and, for the first time, presents data on hospital use by homeless Canadians.
- includes links to the complete report and the media release (both of which are reproduced below) as well as links to download individual report sections, related documents and contact info if you wish to order a paper copy of the report

Complete Report:

Improving the Health of Canadians 2007-2008:
Mental Health and Homelessness (PDF file - 458K, 70 pages)
August 2007

Media Release:

Mental disorders account for more than half of hospital stays among the homeless in Canada:
New CIHI report offers overview of links between mental health, mental illness and homelessness
August 30, 2007—Mental disorders accounted for 52% of acute care hospitalizations among the homeless in 2005–2006 (outside Quebec), according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). In addition, the report shows that 35% of visits to selected emergency departments (EDs)—mostly in Ontario—by homeless people were related to mental and behavioural disorders, a proportion that is higher than that for other patients (3%).

Source:
Canadian Population Health Initiative
[ Canadian Institute for Health Information - CIHI ]

Health Indicators, 2007
Date published: May 30, 2007
Health Indicators 2007 is a compilation of selected indicators measuring health status, non-medical determinants of health, health-system performance and community and health-system characteristics. This issue also includes an analytical section that highlights the impact of hip fractures.

- includes links to the complete report and the media release as well as links to download individual report sections, related documents and contact info if you wish to order a paper copy of the report

Complete Report:

Health Indicators, 2007 (PDF file - 1.3MB, 91 pages)

Hospital Report 2007: Acute Care
Date published: August 24, 2007
Hospital Report 2007: Acute Care is a system-wide and hospital-specific report that uses a balanced scorecard approach to provide information on the performance of hospitals that provide acute care in Ontario. The objectives of this series of reports are to facilitate local quality-improvement programs, to encourage openness and transparency in reporting and to support hospitals' accountability to the communities they serve.

- includes links to the complete report and the media release as well as links to download individual report sections, related documents and contact info if you wish to order a paper copy of the report

Complete Report:

Hospital Report 2007: Acute Care (PDF file - 884K, 66 pages)

Health Care Spending to Reach $130 Billion This Year; per Capita Spending to Hit $4,000
Spending up, but rate of increase lowest in last seven years, reports CIHI
News Release
December 8, 2004
"Canada’s health care spending is expected to reach $130.3 billion in 2004, a 5.9% increase over last year, and the lowest annual growth rate since 1997. The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) released these figures today in its annual report on Canada’s health expenditure. In 2002, health care spending was $114 billion and is estimated to have reached $123 billion in 2003, for annual increases of 7.3% and 7.9%, respectively."

National Health Expenditure Trends, 1975-2004
"CIHI's eighth annual health expenditure trends publication and provides detailed, updated information on health expenditure in Canada."
- incl. links to the full report and to individual sections .
NOTE: Registration is required to download the report, but you don't need to give your e-mail address if you value your privacy

Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Data Tables
List of Figures

"Provincial/Territorial Government Health Spending Expected to Reach $84 Billion in 2004–2005,
Reports Canadian Institute for Health information: Projected growth lowest in seven years"
News Release
November 3, 2004
"A new report on provincial and territorial government health spending released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows continued growth in health care spending from provincial and territorial governments. Today’s report, Preliminary Provincial/Territorial Government Health Expenditure, 1974–1975 to 2004–2005, reveals provincial and territorial governments are expected to spend $83.9 billion in 2004–2005, an increase of 5.1% over the previous year, the lowest growth recorded since 1997–1998. Provincial and territorial government health spending was projected to reach $74.0 billion in 2002–2003 and $79.8 billion in 2003–2004, reflecting annual growth rates of 7.0% and 7.9% respectively. After removing the effects of inflation, health care expenditures in constant 1997 dollars are projected to reach $72.6 billion in 2004–2005, reflecting a real growth rate of 2.9%."
- incl. links to info about : Proportion of Provincial GDP | Per Capita Spending | Proportion of Governments’ Programs | Category of Service | About NHEX | About CIHI | Charts and Tables | Report | Contact

Complete report
(Registration required, but you don't need to give your e-mail address if you value your privacy)
Executive Summary
Table of Contents (no links, just the table of contents)

Source:
Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)

Also from CIHI:

Inpatient Hospitalizations Continue to Decline, Same-Day Surgery Visits on the Rise,
Reports Canadian Institute for Health Information
News Release
October 29, 2004
"New data available today from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) show that inpatient hospitalizations declined by 14.4% between 1995–1996 and 2002–2003, and by 1.7% between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. Overall, there were 2,770,128 inpatient hospitalizations in Canada in 2002–2003, down from 3,235,313 in 1995–1996. The age-adjusted inpatient hospitalization rate (per 100,000 population) reflects this trend, declining by 22.3% since 1995–1996 and by 3.3% between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. While most provinces and territories reported a decrease in inpatient hospitalizations between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003, increases were observed in Alberta (2.0%) and the Yukon Territory (6.5%). The largest decreases in inpatient hospitalizations between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 were reported by the Northwest Territories (8.0%) and New Brunswick (4.9%)."
- incl. in this release: Same-Day Surgery | Length of Stay | Hospitalizations | About CIHI | Charts/Tables | Contact

Charting the Course, Progress Report: Two Years Later: How Are We Doing?
Posted May 2004
Joint publication of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Institute for Health Information
"This report documents the progress made by CPHI and IPPH in responding to key population and public health priorities identified in a cross-country consultation conducted in 2001. The priorities are captured in Charting the Course: A Pan-Canadian Consultation on Population and Public Health Priorities, released in 2002."
Also available on the site:
Charting the Course, Progress Report: Two Years Later: How Are We Doing?(2004) - PDF file - 229K, 31 pages
Charting the Course: A Pan-Canadian Consultation on Population and Public Health Priorities (2002) PDF file - 874K, 52 pages
NOTE: Click on the Charting the Course link (above) to access either of these two reports. In each case, you'll be asked on the following page to indicate what type of organization you're with and your location (province/territory) "to help us prepare more useful and informative reports." You have the option of answering the two questions using the drop-down menus provided, or ignoring them. Then click on "Submit"to get to the page with the link to the PDF file.

Related Links:
Canadian Institute for Health Information
Canadian Institutes of Health Research

From the Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) :
[ Canadian Institute for Health Information - CIHI ]

New Report Examines Inequalities in Health
Canadians must focus on opportunities to improve health
News Release
"February 25, 2004 - A new report from the Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI) takes stock of enduring inequalities in health in Canada, including among children, Aboriginal peoples and low-income Canadians. Improving the Health of Canadians focuses on why some Canadians are healthy and others are not; and underscores some of the choices communities face in creating more equal opportunities for good health.

Summary Report (PDF file - 507 KB, 43 pages)
Backgrounders:
* Income
* Early Childhood Development
* Aboriginal Peoples' Health
* Obesity

Complete report:

Improving the Health of Canadians 2004
PDF version - 3.4MB, 173 pages
NOTE: clicking the PDF link above takes you to a (free) registration page where you are asked for some personal info (name, e-mail address, etc.). The Canadian Population Health Initiative is a Canadian government organization, so you don't have to worry about your personal info being used inappropriately. However, if you have a personal issue with divulging your personal info online, just click "Submit" at the bottom without completing it and you'll have access to the file.

Feedback - for your comments and suggestions re. Improving the Health of Canadians 2004

Women Live Longer Than Men – but Life-Expectancy Figures Mask Major Health Problems
New Report Provides First Comprehensive Look at Health of Canadian Women; Finds Disturbing Risks Among Young Women
News Release
September 30, 2003
Canadian Population Health Initiative (CPHI)
"Canadian women live longer than men, but that doesn’t mean they’re healthier. A new report shows that both younger and older women are actually at higher risk than men for many serious health problems."
- In this release: General Findings | Risks for Younger Women | Risks for Older Women | Risks for Single Mothers and Rural Women | About the Report | About CPHI | Contact
Table of Contents - just the TOC, no links to actual content
Complete report:
Women's Health Surveillance Report :
A Multi-Dimensional Look at the Health of Canadian Women (PDF file - 917K, 102 pages)

Poverty and Health - CPHI Collected Papers
The Impact of Poverty on Health by Shelley Phipps, June 2003 (PDF file -297K, 39 pages)
Policy Approaches to Address the Impact of Poverty on Health by David P. Ross, June 2003 (293K, 33 pages)
Poverty and Health: Links to Action - proceedings of the CPHI National Roundtable on Poverty and Health, March 26, 2002 (PDF file - 232K, 36 pages)

Other CPHI reports:
- Children and Youth Health-CPHI Atlantic Regional Workshop
- Determinants of Healthy Communities-CPHI Prairie Regional Workshop
- Place and Health-CPHI Research Workshop Report
- "Initial Directions" Proceedings of CPHI's First Roundtable on Aboriginal Peoples' Health
- Women's Health Surveillance Report
Coming this fall:
- Aboriginal Peoples' Health-CPHI Roundtable Series Reports 2 & 3
- Obesity in Canada-CPHI Roundtable Report

Canadian Health Network - "The (CHN) is a new and growing network, bringing together resources of leading Canadian health organizations and international health information providers."

Canadian Health Care System Links
(from about.com) 
Excellent collection of links to federal and provincial/territorial government health care sites, all on one page

Women's Health Bureau
Health Canada
- incl. links to : About Women's Health Bureau - Women's Health Strategy - Facts & Issues - Key Activities - Resources - Links
Some sample content:
- Women's Health Strategy (last updated 01/02)
- Key Activities includes links to : Women's Health Strategy - Centres of Excellence for Women's Health Program - Menopause - Gender-Based Analysis Initiative - Health Canada`s Gender-Based Analysis Policy - Ninth Conference of the Spouses of Heads of State and Government of the Americas - Women's Health Bureau Open House
- Links to Women's Sites - incl. links to women's health organizations in Canada, the U.S. and other countries

Centres of Excellence for Women's Health (Health Canada)
- "The Women's Health Bureau of Health Canada is funding five Centres of Excellence for Women's Health over six years (1996-2002). The Centres are multi-disciplinary and operate as partnerships among academics, community-based organizations and policy makers. Their major aim is to inform the policy process and narrow the knowledge gap on gender and health determinants."
- Northern FIRE : Northern Secretariat of the BC Centre of Excellence for Women's Health
- B.C. Centre of Excellence for Women's Health - Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver
- Prairie Women's Health Centre of Excellence - Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon
- National Network on Environments and Women's Health - York University, Toronto
- Centre of Excellence for Women's Health - Université de Montréal
- Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health - Halifax

Related Links:

CEWH Research Bulletin
- this link takes you to the table of contents of the current issue of the bulletin (Spring 2002); down the left side of the page, you'll also find links to five earlier issues (back the the fall of 2000); in each case, you can either click on the individual sections of the bulletin to read them selectively or you can download the entire issue in PDF format.
- topics covered include : caregiving, women and health care reform, what counts and who’s counted in women’s health research, women with disabilities, Aboriginal women's health issues, midwifery, diversity and more...

The Canadian Women's Health Network
"The Canadian Women's Health Network (CWHN) was officially launched in May, 1993 by women representing over 70 organizations from every province and territory. Based on the visions, hopes and needs of women working in the women's health movement, the CWHN emerged from the generous dedication of health care workers, educators, advocates, consumers and other Canadians committed to sharing information, resources and strategies to better women's health."
- incl. links to : Network Magazine - Women's Health Topics - Women's Health Databases - Women's Health Links - Centres of Excellence for Women's Health - Brigit's Notes - About CWHN - Text Index - What's Hot - Health Links - What's New - français

What's new from the Canadian Women's Health Network:

Network magazine
Spring/Summer - Volume 10, Number 2
June 2008
HTML version
PDF version (1.8MB, 36 pages)

Feature articles:
* Editor's Note
* Feeling the heat: Women's health in a changing climate
* Evidence for caution: Women and statin use
* The HPV vaccine, one year later
* Charter challenge on drugs ads: A challenge in the wrong direction
* Labels, laws and access to health care: How history affects health-care access for First Nations and Métis women
* Cherchez la femme in minority francophone communities
* Barbara Seaman (1935-2008): Pioneer in the women's health movement
* Status positive: Supporting women immigrants and refugees with HIV/AIDS
* 'Women CARE' in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
* Highs & lows: Canadian perspectives on women and substance use
-- and much more!

[ Archive of back issues ]

See also:

Brigit's Notes: Women's Health E-bulletin
Brigit's Notes is a monthly electronic bulletin that's full of great women's health news.

Source:
Canadian Women's Health Network (CWHN)
The Canadian Women's Health Network was created in 1993 as a voluntary national bilingual organization to improve the health and lives of girls and women in Canada and the world by collecting, producing, distributing and sharing knowledge, ideas, education, information, resources, strategies and inspirations.

CWHN Partners:

* Centres of Excellence for Women's Health

* CBRN Research & Technology Initiative

* Women and Health Protection

* Women and Health Care Reform

---------------------------

Network online magazine - latest issue (Spring/Summer 2007)
Table of contents:
* Editor's Note
* Aboriginal women too often the victims of racialized, sexualized violence
* Memorials for women across Canada
* The Global Women's Memorial Website
* Violence prevention is a public health issue
*The Children's Fitness Tax Credit: Less than meets the eye
* Poor health and economic insecurity are realities for female unpaid caregivers
* Recommended resources
* more...

Back issues of Network magazine (links to several hundred articles going back to 1996)

---------------------------

Version française:

Le bloc-notes de Brigit : Babillard électronique
Dernière édition
Abonnement au bulletin par courriel

Le Réseau - dernier numéro
Anciens numéros de la revue Le Réseau (jusqu'à 1996)

Source:
Réseau canadien pour la santé des femmes

Primary Health Care Reform and Women (PDF file - 423K, 24 pages)
September 2005
"Given that women are both the majority of the users of the health care system and the majority of health care providers, how can reforms be made to work for all women — no matter where they live, what their income levels, education, language or health issue, sexual orientation or level of physical disability? (...)
Examines the debates about primary health care reforms and their impact on women and their health. Argues that these reforms are really about women’s work even though women are not the ones making most of the decisions."
Source:
National Coordinating Group on Health Care Reform and Women
[ Centres of Excellence for Women's Health ]
and
[ Canadian Women's Health Network ]
[ funded by Health Canada's Bureau of Women's Health and Gender Analysis ]

- Go to the Canadian Government Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/women.htm

United States/International
[The links below are in reverse chronological order, for the most part]

NOTE: For a large collection of links to info about the U.S. health care reform initiative, See this special section of the U.S. Govt. links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us.htm#health_care_reform

United States

Barely Hanging On: Middle-Class and Uninsured (PDF - 512K, 10 pages)(added April 2/10)
http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/58034.pdf
March 2010
In recent times, the ability of middle-class persons to secure adequate health care insurance has been compromised by a number of factors. These are the findings of a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released in March 2010. The work chronicles state-by-state health coverage trends since 1999, and it was prepared by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) at the University of Minnesota. The report notes that the total number of uninsured, middle-class people increased by more than 2 million since 2000 and that the average employee's cost for health insurance rose 81 percent from 2000 to 2008. Visitors can peruse the 10-page report's various charts and tables at their leisure, and the report is of particular interest to those in the fields of public health and health care management.
Reviewed by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2010.

Related links:

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The mission of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is to improve the health and health care of all Americans. Our goal is clear: To help Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need.

State Health Access Data Assistance Center
The University of Minnesota's State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) is funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help states monitor rates of health insurance coverage and to understand factors associated with uninsurance.

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Historic U.S. health-care bill passes
March 22, 2010
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a historic health-care bill late Sunday that will make coverage possible for more than 30 million uninsured Americans and end discrimination by insurance companies against people with existing medical conditions. Legislators voted 219 to 212 in favour of the landmark legislation that has been debated on Capitol Hill for a year.
NOTE: see 1000+ story comments!
Source:
CBC

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Health Care 2010
Tracking the national debate on health care system overhaul
Source:
The Washington Post

---

From The White House:

March 22, 2010
Reform Begins
White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer lays out some of the immediate benefits of health reform.

March 22, 2010
This is What Change Looks Like
After a historic vote in the House to send health reform to the President, he speaks to all Americans on the change they will finally see as they are given back control over their own health care.

--------------------

--------------------

Comparison of Canadian and American health care systems From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Government and private health and public policy analysts have compared the health care systems of Canada and the United States. The U.S. spends much more on health care than Canada, both on a per-capita basis and as a percentage of GDP. In 2006, per-capita spending for health care in the U.S. was US$6,714; in Canada, US$3,678. The U.S. spent 15.3% of GDP on health care in that year; Canada spent 10.0%. In 2006, 70% of health care spending in Canada was financed by government, versus 46% in the United States. Total government spending per capita in the U.S. on health care was 23% higher than Canadian government spending, and U.S. government expenditure on health care was just under 83% of total Canadian spending (public and private). NOTE: 1. Click "External Links" on the Wikipedia page for comparisons of several aspects of health insurance in Canada and the U.S. (e.g. insurance coverage, wait times) 2. Click "References"on the Wikipedia page for a collection of links to dozens and dozens of free online resources.

--------------------

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President Obama and antipoverty policy:
What does the stimulus bill do to fight poverty, educate citizens and improve public health? (PDF - 239K, 3 pages)
By T. Smeeding
March 2009
Source:
Institute for Research on Poverty (Madison, Wisconsin)

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Michael Moore and National Health Care: Lies of the Left and the Right
Posted August 7, 2007
In Moore's film the first president Bush is seen dismissing the idea of socialized medicine, remarking that if you think it could work, "Ask a Canadian." The fact is that while many Canadians have criticisms of their health care system, almost none would choose a U.S.-style, for-profit system. They would laugh at the idea that it would work better for them.
Source:
Huffington Post (U.S.)

Related links:

SiCKO - the official movie website

MichaelMoore.com - includes "SiCKO Factual Backup"

SiCKO - from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Medicaid Resource Book
This reference book describes four pivotal aspects of how the Medicaid program operates -- who it covers, what it covers, how it is financed, and how it is administered. It was written to assist the public and policymakers in understanding the structure and operation of the Medicaid program.
Table of Contents : * Medicaid Eligibility * Medicaid Benefits * Medicaid Financing * Medicaid Administration * Medicaid Glossary * Appendix 1: Medicaid Legislative History, 1965-2000 * Appendix 2: Index to Medicaid Statute * Appendix 3: Index to Medicaid Regulations * Appendix 4: Selected Resources from KCMU * Appendix 5: Selected Internet Medicaid Resources

Source:
Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and The Uninsured
[ Kaiser Family Foundation ]

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Snapshots: Health Care Costs
This is "a series of online publications ... that use charts, data and analysis to provide insight into the political and policy debates about the cost of health care in the United States." Some of the topics include out-of-pocket spending for health care, insurance premium cost-sharing and coverage take-up, health care spending in the U.S. compared with other countries, and effect of changes in medical technology on health care costs.
Source:
Kaiser Family Foundation
Reviewed in:
New this Week
[New This Week Archive]
[ Librarians' Internet Index ]

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Pew Center on the States: Special Report on Medicaid 2006
Bridging the Gap Between Care and Cost (U.S.)
This special report on Medicaid, by the Pew Center on the States, seeks to analyze the real-world experiences of states, highlight examples of what works and what doesn't, and inform a crucial policy debate that will affect the lives of millions of Americans.
- incl. links to the Complete report (PDF file - 292K, 24 pages) and to a table of contents (copied below) with links to the individual chapters in HTML.
Table of contents:
Overview
* The Great Debate Medicaid in the eye of the storm
* The Challenge of Change Balancing cost controls with the health of millions
The States at Work
* Long-term care Medicaid's Third Rail
* Prescription drugs The Rx Factor: Controlling prescription drug costs
* Technology The Great eHealth Hope: How technology can help
* Cost sharing Something of Value: Experiments in cost sharing
* Management Tools to Live By: Managing for better performance
* Private insurance Trading Places: Tapping into private insurance
* Reform The Radical Reformers: A new approach
* About the Report
* Related Resources - Links to over 800 reports from the 50 states pertaining to Medicaid and related health issues. These reports were published in 2004 and 2005 and come from many different sources, including auditors, legislatures, a wide variety of state agencies and research organizations. Resources can be browsed by state or topic.

News Release:

Pew Center on the States Examines State Innovation in Medicaid Policy
January 1, 2006
(Philadelphia, PA) - All 50 states are experimenting with new ways to try to rein in Medicaid costs. While these approaches may save money, they could limit the program's capacity to provide vital health care to the nearly 60 million Americans who depend on it. Which reforms have been most effective? What may be the unintended consequences of reforms to Medicaid? The Pew Center on the States, a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts, today issued its first state policy report, Special Report on Medicaid: Bridging the Gap Between Care and Cost, which analyzes how state Medicaid programs are wrestling with rising costs and highlights examples of which innovations are working, which are not, and why.

Source:
Pew Center on the States
"The Pew Center conducts highly credible research, brings together diverse perspectives, analyzes states' experiences to determine what works and what doesn't, and collaborates with other funders and organizations to shine a spotlight on nonpartisan, pragmatic solutions."

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Measuring disparities in health status and in
access and use of health care in OECD countries (PDF - 514K, 55 pages)
March 9, 2009
[incl. Canada]
By Michael de Looper and Gaetan Lafortune
This paper assesses the availability and comparability of selected indicators of inequality in health status and in health care access and use across OECD countries, focussing on disparities among socioeconomic groups. These indicators are illustrated using national or cross-national data sources to stratify populations by income, education or occupation level. In each case, people in lower socioeconomic groups tend to have a higher rate of disease, disability and death, use less preventive and specialist health services than expected on the basis of their need, and for certain goods and services may be required to pay a proportionately higher share of their income to do so.
Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Measuring disparities in health status and in
access and use of health care in OECD countries (PDF - 514K, 55 pages)
[incl. Canada]
March 9, 2009
By Michael de Looper and Gaetan Lafortune
This paper assesses the availability and comparability of selected indicators of inequality in health status and in health care access and use across OECD countries, focussing on disparities among socioeconomic groups. These indicators are illustrated using national or cross-national data sources to stratify populations by income, education or occupation level. In each case, people in lower socioeconomic groups tend to have a higher rate of disease, disability and death, use less preventive and specialist health services than expected on the basis of their need, and for certain goods and services may be required to pay a proportionately higher share of their income to do so.
Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

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Health at a glance 2007: OECD indicators
November 15, 2007
Progress in the prevention and treatment of diseases has contributed to remarkable improvements in life expectancy and quality of life in OECD countries in recent decades. At the same time, spending on health care continues to climb, consuming an ever-increasing share of national income: health expenditure now accounts for 9% of GDP on average in OECD countries, up from just over 5% in 1970.
Source:
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

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Challenges in health and health care for Australia
By Bruce K Armstrong, James A Gillespie, Stephen R Leeder, George L Rubin and Lesley M Russell
The Medical Journal of Australia
Posted 13-11-2007
Our health system is stretched by an ageing population, the growing burden of chronic illness, and the increasingly outmoded organisation of our health services. Inequalities in health between our most and least advantaged citizens persist, and are the sentinels that remind us that there is no room for complacency, or for inertia in reforming our health care system.

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Global Health Watch 2005-2006
"Global Health Watch 2005-2006 is a collaboration of public health experts, non-governmental organizations, community groups, health workers and academics. It presents a hard-hitting assessment of inequalities in health and health care – and is aimed at challenging the major institutions, such as the World Health Organization, that influence health."
- use the links near the top of the page to download the report as one large file or individual chapters

Global Health Action 2005-2006 (PDF file - 2MB, 24 pages)
"Global Health Action is a campaign tool based on the first Global Health Watch, published in July 2005.

Source:
Global Health Watch
"... a broad collaboration of public health experts, non-governmental organizations, civil society activists, community groups, health workers and academics. It was initiated by the People’s Health Movement, Global Equity Gauge Alliance and Medact."

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Cover The Uninsured Week - U.S.
May 1-8, 2005
"Today, 45 million Americans have no health insurance, including more than 8 million children. Eight out of 10 uninsured Americans either work or are in working families. Being uninsured means going without needed care..."
Cover The Uninsured Week is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Who's Involved - Former Presidents Ford and Carter are again serving as Honorary Co-Chairs for Cover the Uninsured Week...

Source:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change.

Research on U.S. Health Insurance Coverage - links to reports, journal articles and books on health insurance coverage in the U.S. from 1999 to 2005

Related Canadian Links:

Conservative vets offer a new vision
Manning and Harris propose scrapping Canada Health Act, rebuilding U.S. relations
CanWest News Service
April 14, 2005
"OTTAWA - Preston Manning and Mike Harris, two prominent Conservatives, have sketched a vision for Canada that includes a new customs agreement with the United States and a dramatically revamped health care system. The two former politicians released a report yesterday that also calls for a tight rein on government spending and deep tax cuts as part of a strategy they say is aimed at giving Canada the highest quality of life in the world."
Source:
The National Post

Executive Summary + link to the complete report
Source:
The Fraser Institute

Commentary:
Two former American presidents, one a Democrat and the other a Republican, are co-chairing Cover the Uninsured Week in the U.S., a national initiative to encourage "individuals and organizations from every sector of society to join together to tell our leaders that health care coverage for all Americans must be their top priority."
And here in Canada, we have one former provincial Premier and one former federal Opposition leader proposing to "scrap the Health Act."
As Keith Banting said in 1995 to the Parliamentary Committee studying the Canada Health and Social Transfer (which was to take effect in April of 1996) and its impact on Canadian society, "those of us who have recently visited large American cities may well have seen our future."
Forty-five million Americans have *no* health insurance coverage, and millions more are not covered for the full year.
The Institute of Medicine estimates that 18,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health coverage.
Duh.

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America's Health: State Health Rankings - 2004 Edition
- incl. links to : Intro and Findings (Foreword and Introduction, Measures of Success, 2004 Results, Changes from 2003, 1990, Comparison to Other Nations) - Components - State Snapshots - Methodology - Commentaries and Special Features - Appendices (Occupational Fatalities, Health Disparity, Index of Tables [total of 37 tables])

Source:
State Health Rankings Home Page
[ United Health Foundation ]

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Health Care Insurance in the U.S.:

Healthcare and Insurance
Health care plans, health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield. Find information on healthcare.

Medicare, Medicaid, Differences and Similarities
Information on Medicare and Medicaid, learn about differences, health insurance, health care, plans.

Health Care and Medical Plans
Find information on healthcare, health care plans, different types of health insurance.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Social determinants of health. The solid facts
Edited by Richard Wilkinson and Michael Marmot
October 2003
"(...) This publication examines this social gradient in health, and explains how psychological and social influences affect physical health and longevity. It then looks at what is known about the most important social determinants of health today, and the role that public policy can play in shaping a social environment that is more conducive to better health."
- incl. the following determinants: The social gradient - Stress - Early life - Social exclusion - Work - Unemployment - Social support - Addiction - Food - Transport
Brief Intro + ordering info + link to free online report
Complete report (PDF file - 474K, 33 pages)
Source:
World Health Organization
Regional Office for Europe

The State of the World’s Children, 2009:
Maternal and Newborn Health
January 2009
"The State of the World's Children 2009 examines critical issues in maternal and newborn health, underscoring the need to establish a comprehensive continuum of care for mothers, newborns and children. The report outlines the latest paradigms in health programming and policies for mothers and newborns, and explores policies, programmes and partnerships aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health. Africa and Asia are a key focus for this report, which complements the previous year's issue on child survival."

[ Previous editions of The State of the World's Children reports - back to 1996]

Source:
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Health at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2003
October 2003
"...brings together the latest comparable data and trends concerning health status and risks, the activity and resources of health care systems, as well as health expenditure and financing across the 30 OECD countries. It contains a larger set of indicators than the previous edition. Overall, more than 30 indicators are presented.
NOTE: You have to purchase the book OECD Health Data 2003 (available on line at SourceOECD or on CD-ROM from the OECD’s online bookshop) for the detailed data
- incl. free info about Canada (among other countries) in country reports and eight charts covering a range of topics, from health expenditure as a percentage of GDP (2001) and health expenditure by source of funding (2000) to acute care beds per 1000 population (2000) and increasing obesity rates among the adult population...
OECD Health Data 2003 - Frequently asked data - 20 tables to " offer a sample of variables that can be found in OECD Health Data 2003, including data from the 1st Internet update (July 9, 2003).
- incl. country comparisons of life expectancy, infant mortality, expenditures on health, acute care beds / hospital discharges per 1000 population, alcohol and tobacco consumption, % of population 65 years old and over, and more...
Health at a Glance – OECD Indicators 2003 Briefing note (Canada) - October 2003 (PDF file - 20K, 3 pages)
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

State Health Facts Online (U.S.)
"Provided by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts discloses important health and health policy information for all fifty states and US territories. Data are divided into ten categories -- demographics and the economy, health status, health coverage and uninsured, medicaid and CHIP, medicare, health costs and budgets, managed care and health insurance, providers and service use, women's health, minority health, and HIV/ AIDS -- and are displayed as tables, rankings, graphs, or color-coded maps. Users may access individual state profiles and then compare them to other states, or the US as a whole. Also available is a complete list of all the categories, subcategories, and topics that are available on the State Health Facts Online site; links to over 40 Kaiser Family Foundation reports and related resources; a glossary; methodology; and contact information."
Reviewed by The Scout Report (July 19, 2002)
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2002
Related Link:
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

National Institutes of Health (NICHD) - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) seeks to assure that every individual is born healthy, is born wanted, and has the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential for a healthy and productive life unhampered by disease or disability. In pursuit of this mission, the NICHD conducts and supports laboratory, clinical, and epidemiological research on the reproductive, neurobiologic, developmental, and behavioral processes that determine and maintain the health of children, adults, families, and populations.
See the impressive list of almost 40 Institutes, Centers and Offices attached to the NICHD - you'll find links to health information covering a wide range of topics such as cancer, genome research, alcohol and drug abuse, mental health, nursing research, global health, and much more.
Here are links to just two of the institutes of the NICHD:
National Institute of Aging (NIA)
The National Institute on Aging is a component of the NICHD that is devoted to improving the health of older people.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
NICHD research on fertility, pregnancy, growth, development, and medical rehabilitation strives to ensure that every child is born healthy and wanted and grows up free from disease and disability.

"Measuring Up"- Improving Health Systems Performance in OECD Countries
OECD Health Conference on Performance Measurement and Reporting
5-7 November 2001, The Westin Hotel, Ottawa, Canada
- incl. links to conference programme - abstracts - speaker biographies - list of participants - registration - info fair - participants information - media information - related sites

The 2000 Green Book of Entitlement Programs
Background Material and Data on Programs within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means
October 2000 
By the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
The Green Book consists of background material and data on programs within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives. It is compiled by the staff of the Committee from many sources and it provides program descriptions and historical data on a wide variety of social and economic topics, including Social Security, employment, earnings, welfare, child support, health insurance, disability, the elderly, families with children, national and international health care expenditures and health insurance coverage, poverty and taxation. It has become a standard reference work for those interested in the direction of social policy in the United States.
- incl. links to earlier editions of the Green Book for 1994, 1996 and 1998
Source:
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) (principal advisor to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services)

Social Statistics Briefing Room - U.S.
Here you will find the most recent statistics on:
- Crime
- Demographics
- Education
- Health Care Reform

International Reform Monitor (from the Bertelsmann Foundation [see below]- Europe)
This Bertelsmann Foundation website gives a wide range of well-selected information on social policy (health care, pensions provision, family policy, state welfare), labour market policy and industrial relations in 15 OECD countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

The Bertelsmann Foundation (Europe)
Working on more than 180 projects (as of December 2000) in the fields of Economics, State and Public Administration, Media, Politics, Public Libraries, Medicine and Health Service, Philanthropy and Foundations, Culture and Universities, the Bertelsmann Foundation wants to help solve current social problems.
- See the Bertelsmann Foundation sitemap for an overview of what you'll find on this large site.

Tackling Inequalities: 10 Years On
A review of developments in tackling health inequalities in England over the last 10 years
May 7, 2009
Tackling Health Inequalities: 10 Years On examines the changes in policies, determinants and outcomes that have shaped health inequalities in England over the last 10 years and sets out the key lessons and challenges. It provides the context and background for the recently announced post-2010 strategic review of health inequalities commissioned to look forward to 2020 and beyond."
NOTE - to access the complete report (PDF - 3.8MB),
click the link above and, on the next page that opens, click the download link at the bottom of the text box.

Source:
United Kingdom Department of Health
[ Found in a Blog posting by nimira
from The Wellesley Institute ]

Related link:

Government Response to The Health Select Committee Report on Health Inequalities
U.K. Department of Health
22 May 2009
This Government response addresses, in turn, the individual conclusions and recommendations of the Committee’s report. (...) It acknowledges that there is still much to learn and that this learning – including through evidence, audit and evaluation – will continue to inform the development of our approach now and in the future.
NOTE - to access the complete report(PDF - 1.1MB),
click the link above and, on the next page that opens, click the download link at the bottom of the text box.

More reports on health inequalities in England - from the Department of Health

World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

Inequities are killing people on a "grand scale"
28 August 2008 -- Differences in mortality between - and within - countries result from the social environment where people are born, live, grow, work and age. These "social determinants of health" have been the focus of a three-year investigation. The recommendations from this investigation, released today, focus on policies to redress social equalities globally, nationally and locally.

Final Report of the
Commission on Social Determinants of Health (main page)
- includes links to the news release, backgrounders, the executive summary in six languages, links to the complete report and individual chapters, streaming video of the news conference and an interview with the chair of the Commission about the report

Closing the gap in a generation : Health equity
through action on the social determinants of health
Executive summary (PDF - 4.3MB,
Complete report (PDF - 7.3MB, 256 pages)
NOTE: See "The report in sections" on the main page for links to the individual chapters of the report in PDF format

News Release - August 28, 2008

Other publications of the
Commission on Social Determinants of Health

Related links:

The Commission on Social Determinants of Health - what, why and how?
The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) is a global network of policy makers, researchers and civil society organizations1 brought together by the World Health Organization (WHO) to give support in tackling the social causes of poor health and avoidable health inequalities (health inequities).

NOTE: One the Commission members is Monique Bégin, currently Professor at the School of Management, University of Ottawa, Canada, and former Minister of National Health and Welfare.
On the Comments from Commissioners page, Madame Bégin notes: "Canada likes to brag that for seven years in a row the United Nations voted us "the best country in the world in which to live". Do all Canadians share equally in that great quality of life? No they don't. The truth is that our country is so wealthy that it manages to mask the reality of food banks in our cities, of unacceptable housing (1 in 5), of young Inuit adults very high suicide rates. This report is a wake up call for action towards truly living up to our reputation."

---------------------------------

World Health Organization: The Department of Gender, Women and Health
The World Health Organization’s Department of Gender, Women and Health (GWH) “brings attention to the ways in which biological and social differences between women and men affect health and the steps needed to achieve health equity.” On their homepage, visitors can look at the right-hand side to get quick information about upcoming events sponsored by the GWH, read their monthly update, and also click on a link that will take them to the latest publications from the GWH team. On the left-hand side of the page, visitors can learn more about some of their specific areas of interest, including work on gender-based violence, gender and HIV/AIDS, and gender mainstreaming. Additionally, the “Gender and other health topics” area includes information sheets on gender and blindness, gender and mental health, as well as many other topics.
Review by:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2007

RxList - The Internet Drug Index

 

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