Media Room

Recommendations by BC Healthy Living Alliance follow province-wide consultations with more than 200 organizations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 15, 2009

VANCOUVER, BC: Phasing in universal childcare, improving access to healthy food for all British Columbians – especially in rural and remote areas, and assigning a Minister to lead a poverty reduction plan for BC.

These are but a few of the 45 recommendations to government released today by the BC Healthy Living Alliance in its report “Healthy Futures for BC Families – policy recommendations for improving the health of British Columbians”. The document is the result of extensive research, focus groups and a consultation process with representatives from 202 organizations across the province, and directs its recommendations to all levels of government.

“Everyone in BC should have an equal chance to be healthy and this report provides recommendations that can help to make that a reality” said Bobbe Wood, Chair of BCHLA and President and CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, BC & Yukon.

Ms. Wood explained, “We know from international and local research that to improve the overall health of this province, we need to do more for the least healthy”. BC data shows that Aboriginal peoples, immigrants, those with mental health issues and other low income British Columbians are more likely to have poorer health. 

The stress and lack of resources from living on low income makes it extremely difficult for people to live healthy lives, putting them at a higher risk for lung and heart diseases, cancer and diabetes. A supportive environment including affordable housing, early childhood development and care and a fair income can make a difference. BCHLA recommends that government start by building on existing efforts and working with the many supportive partners in business and the non-profit sector.

Ms Wood noted “These are difficult times but this a long-term plan and we must start. There is an economic pay-off, those countries that have invested in quality early childhood education systems and improving the incomes and health of poorer citizens are some of the top performing economies in the world.”

“Representatives from groups across BC agreed that it makes more sense to keep people healthy and productive so that they never need the expensive treatments required after they get sick.” Ms. Wood added that, “improving conditions for the least healthy can help reduce chronic disease rates and the burden on the health care system.” 

The BC Healthy Living Alliance is the largest health promotion team ever assembled in the history of BC. It was formed in 2003 with a vision of a healthy British Columbia and a focus on the common risk factors and underlying determinants of chronic disease.

Click here to download the complete report

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Contact:
Noelle Virtue, Manager Communications
BC Healthy Living Alliance Secretariat
604-629-1630 / Mobile: 778-828-2069
nvirtue(at)bchealthyliving.ca

Published in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

By Bobbe Wood, Special to the Sun September 15, 2009
 
In the fight against heart and lung diseases, cancer and diabetes, politicians and policymakers may be as important as doctors and scientists.

Over the past several years, the evidence on the underlying social causes of these chronic diseases has been piling up in B.C., Canada and around the world. In fact, the estimated impact of social and economic conditions on our health (or risk for disease) is double that of the health care system, biology and genetics combined.

There is a human face to this as well. Many of the adults and children who are most likely to develop debilitating and costly chronic diseases are also those who live in poverty, face discrimination and have lower rates of education and literacy.

From focus groups, we know that people living on low incomes understand the choices they should be making -- to stay healthy they should eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, should be active and shouldn't smoke. The problem is that many cannot. They are weighed down by stress, empty bank accounts and a lack of support.

This gives us some interesting choices for how we plan for the coming demand on the healthcare system that is anticipated as aging baby boomers move through the system.

The most recent B.C. Ministry of Health Services Service Plan stated that 34 per cent of British Columbians have one or more chronic diseases and they consume 80 per cent of the costs of PharmaCare, physician payments and acute (hospital) costs.

Yet we know that 80 per cent of heart disease and 50 per cent of cancers are preventable. So it is obvious if we want to get control of health care costs, we need to address chronic diseases and find ways that all British Columbians can live healthier lives.

The BC Healthy Living Alliance (BCHLA) has some ideas about how we can lower the demand for expensive treatments and make the most of our healthcare budgets. We can do this without jeopardizing programs and funding in the other ministries that are required to keep our economy humming and provide us with a high quality of life.

Today, BCHLA is releasing its report, Healthy Futures for BC Families, policy recommendations for a healthier British Columbia‚ in which we urge all levels of government to work with communities, first nations, business and the non-profit sector to put in place policies that can improve health outcomes in B.C. and ease the burden on the healthcare system by addressing social issues that will provide other benefits.

BCHLA is not alone. Over the past year, we consulted 360 representatives from 202 groups across the province. These opinion leaders, professionals and activists came from academia, business, municipal government, first nations, education, service organizations and the non-profit sector.

It was widely acknowledged that certain groups face systemic barriers and the poverty they experience personally interferes with our collective prosperity.

There was overwhelming support for policies to increase affordable housing, expand early childhood development programs and care, keep at-risk kids in school and create communities where people can get to services and recreation on foot or by bus.

Across the board, organizations were calling for government to increase communication and collaboration internally, between ministries and with communities.

We know that these are difficult economic times, and many tough decisions have to be made, but we can not afford to stop planning for the future.

Indeed, many of the policies and programs we are advancing hold potential economic benefits and others would not be a great burden on the public purse, but require innovation and imagination.

It is often said that the greatest health advance of the last century came from those who brought clean water and sanitation to the public. In the 21st century, our elected politicians need to play a central role to make possible the next great health breakthrough.

Bobbe Wood is chairwoman of BC Healthy Living Alliance and CEO and president of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, BC & Yukon.