Diabetes–prevalence and care practices

by Claudia Sanmartin and Jason Gilmore

Abstract
Keywords
The data
Findings
Authors

Abstract

In 2005, an estimated 1.3 million Canadians aged 12 or older (4.9% of the population of these ages) reported to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) that they had been diagnosed with diabetes. The Canadian Diabetes Association has published Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada, which recommend the type of care that should be provided to individuals with diabetes. According to the CCHS, and based on data from six of the provinces/territories (Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba and Yukon Territory), almost three-quarters of diabetic respondents aged 18 or older reported having had their hemoglobin A1C checked by a health care professional at least once in the year before the survey, and those who had had the test were close to meeting the recommended frequency of every three months. The majority of diabetic respondents were also meeting the recommendation for eye examinations, but only half had the recommended annual foot examinations. Half the diabetic population reported that they or a family member had checked their glucose level every day.

Keywords

Diabetes mellitus, diabetic foot, diabetic retinopathy

The data

Estimates in this article are based on data from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), conducted by Statistics Canada. The CCHS covers the population aged 12 or older living in private households. It does not include residents of Indian reserves, institutions, and some remote areas, full-time members of the Canadian Forces, and civilian residents of military bases. The data were collected by personal and telephone interviews between January and December 2005. The estimated prevalence of diabetes is based on these national data for the population aged 12 or older (n=132,947). [Full text]

Findings

Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that affects the body's ability to produce or properly use insulin. It can lead to various disabling and life-threatening complications such as heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, and premature death. In Canada, diabetes is the single largest cause of blindness, and a leading cause of kidney failure and lower limb amputations. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death and accounts for 25,000 person-years of life lost before age 75. [Full text]

Authors

Claudia Sanmartin (613-951-6059; Claudia.Sanmartin@statcan.gc.ca) and Jason Gilmore (613-951-7118; Jason.Gilmore@statcan.gc.ca) are with, respectively, the Health Information and Research Division and the Labour Statistics Division at Statistics Canada.