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A Canadian peer-reviewed journal of population health and health services research

March 2014

Estimating the prevalence of COPD in Canada: Reported diagnosis versus measured airflow obstruction

by Jessica Evans, Yue Chen, Pat G. Camp, Dennis M. Bowie and Louise McRae

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada. COPD is typically described in terms of two conditions—chronic bronchitis and emphysema—although asthma and other causes of chronic airflow obstruction are often included. National estimates of COPD prevalence are approximately 4%, based on survey respondents' reports of having been diagnosed with the condition. However, these estimates were not derived from objective lung function measures, and so are suspected to under-represent the true prevalence of COPD.


Mortality from diabetes mellitus, 2004 to 2008: A multiple-cause-of-death analysis

by Jungwee Park and Paul A. Peters

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases in Canada. It occurs when the body is either unable to sufficiently produce or properly use insulin. Insulin, a hormone secreted by beta cells in the pancreas, enables the cells of the body to absorb sugar from the bloodstream and use it as an energy source. People with type 1 diabetes mellitus produce little or no insulin; in type 2 diabetes mellitus, the pancreas continues to make insulin, but the body develops resistance to its effects or an insulin deficiency.

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