Heart disease is a leading cause of death in our region
Using the World Health Organization's classification system, heart disease is by far the leading cause of death in the Champlain Local Health Integration Network region. It is also the leading cause nationally and globally. However, cancer would be the leading cause in the Champlain LHIN if all forms were grouped into a single category. Ottawa's death rate for Dementia and Alzheimer's disease is over 12% higher than for the Champlain LHIN as a whole.
- Becker R, Silvi J, Ma Fat D, L'Hours A, Laurenti R. 2006. A method for deriving leading causes of death. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 84: 297–304.
- Champlain LHIN 2014. Population Characteristics for Champlain Health Link Areas. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Ontario's LHINs. Environmental Scan 2016-2019 Integrated Health Service Plans. 2015
Ottawa has low rates of premature and potentially avoidable mortality
The rate of premature mortality, defined as death before the age of 75, is lower in Ottawa compared to the Champlain LHIN as a whole, and significantly lower than the national rate. At all levels, premature mortality has declined dramatically over the past 30 years. Cancers, circulatory diseases, injuries and chronic respiratory disease are now the most significant causes of premature mortality.
Potentially avoidable mortality refers to premature deaths that could have been avoided through prevention practices, public health policies, and timely and effective health care. In 2010, the number of potentially avoidable deaths per 100,000 residents in Ottawa was comparatively low -- 143 versus 171 nationally. But the ratio between potentially avoidable deaths and premature deaths is the same.
More total years are lost to premature death in low income as compared to high income neighbourhoods.
An age-standardised rate is a summary measure of the rate that a population would have if it had a standard age structure. Standardization is necessary when comparing several populations that differ with respect to age because age has a powerful influence on the risk of various illnesses.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information 2014. Health Indicators Interactive Tool. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information. Health Indicators 2012. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Public Health Agency of Canada 2008. The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on The State of Public Health in Canada 2008. Chapter 3 - Our Population, Our Health and the Distribution of Our Health. Accessed April 11, 2016.
Ottawa has relatively low rates of arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure
The prevalence of three common diseases -- arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure – are lower in Ottawa than across Ontario and Canada. While arthritis is related to joint inflammation, diabetes and high blood pressure are much more directly linked to heart disease – one of the leading causes of death.
- Canadian Diabetes Association and Diabetes Quebec 2011. Diabetes: Canada at the Tipping Point. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Public Health Agency of Canada 2011. Diabetes in Canada: Facts and Figures from a Public Health Perspective. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Statistics Canada. CANSIM Table 105-0509
Rates of stroke requiring hospitalization correlate strongly with income, but are declining overall
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and death. Poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity and smoking are all risk factors.
Throughout the period between 2010 and 2015, hospitalized stroke rates in Ottawa have been significantly and consistently lower than at national, provincial, regional levels. During this period, rates of hospitalized stroke declined at all levels. Even though only a proportion of people who suffer a stroke are admitted to hospital, the trend is reflective of overall declines in strokes.
Ontario residents in the lowest versus highest income quintile had close to a 50% higher rate of hospitalized stroke events in 2013. However, the results of one study suggest that in-hospital mortality rates are not affected by socio-economic status.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information 2015. Health Indicators Interactive Tool. Accessed August 1, 2017.
- Canadian Institute for Health Information 2009. Health Status. Accessed April 11, 2016.
- Chaudhary, K. Nguyen, L. Yin, C. Tosevski, Y. Gurevich. Socio-economic gradients in the occurrence of stroke and 30-days in-hospital mortality after a stroke event in Canada. Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2014 Canadian Population Health Association Conference.
