A Summarization of Lessons of Foundations of Health in Canada

A Summarization of Lessons of Foundations of Health in Canada

Jeff Rideout

Athabasca University

Abstract

The goal of this blog is to discuss and summarize the lessons learned in the Foundations of Health Systems in Canada. This blog’s purpose is to discuss the lessons learned and apply the knowledge to an appropriate issue. The focus is set towards how Newfoundland and Labrador’s society fits into the health systems currently existing in Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The focus is of the blog is looking at defining health, looking at social determinants of health, and vulnerable populations and how this applies to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Entering the first course of my Masters in Health Studies program, I was unsure what I was going to learn in #MHST601 course Foundations of Health systems in Canada. Our first unit focused on our professional identity and social media presence. My career and my social media usage were not two things that I incorporated together until I learned the power of social media. Unit 2 we focused on drafting our e-portfolio and finding where our professions fit into the Canadian system. This process was eye opening for me. Moving on to Units 3 & 4 we learned about understanding what health is and the social determinants of health. This learning opportunity really focused on the many complex levels of health and how many individuals and organizations have different definitions of what health is. Chronic disease identification in our regions as well as the rate at which these occur was the focus of Unit 5. Newfoundland and Labrador has a unique population with unique health concerns. It was rewarding to look in depth into my province’s issues surrounding health. Vulnerable populations lead our learning for Unit 6. An indigenous population, which is important to Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the dementia population was my focus. Lastly, Unit 7 we looked at the future health issues.

My professional identity was not something that I considered until beginning course work in Unit 1. In my 8 years of my career my focus was to work hard, contribute and earn a pay cheque. This course challenged me to focus on what matters to me on a professional level. My identity will change as I grow as a professional. I believe compassion, growth, leadership, open communication and respect will be the pillars of my career going forward. It is my goal to achieve these values everyday and I will continue to work towards these values throughout my career.

Social media was simply something I used to interact with friends and follow my favorite sports teams.

“A major benefit of social media for health communication is the accessibility and widening access of health information to various population groups, regardless of age, education, race or ethnicity, and locality, compared to traditional communication methods” (Moorhead et al, 2013).

With the help of my classmates and their postings I was able to see the positive impact social media can have in our professions. I did learn that social media should be used properly as there can be negative consequences if improper information is shared or discussed. Content curation was a fairly new practice for me initially. I learned how social media could positively impact gathering new information and sharing it in an appropriate way.

As a non-clinical professional, it was interesting to learn where my profession fits into our health systems in Canada. I learned that I have an indirect impact under the Canadian Health Care act. My goal at work currently is to keep health care workers as safe as possible while caring for our patients and residents. Keeping our employees healthy and safe in the workplace impacts access and availability of health services to the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As a health professional I did not have a complete understanding of what health is. We discussed the World Health organization’s definition of health.

“A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948). Previous to discussing health in Unit 3 my personal definition of health would have been similar. We learned that health has many complex factors and that the WHO’s definition should be updated. I personally believe the biggest gap in the definition is the exclusion of individuals living with chronic disease. My family has history of type 1 & 2 diabetes, which under the WHO definition would not be considered to be healthy.

A social determinant of health was a new way of understanding how complex healthcare is. As a society we look at our diet, amount of exercise and sleep we get to determine if we are healthy. We often overlook things such as income, education, genetics, and politics as factors that can determine our health. In Unit 4, we looked at many social determinants of health and how they can affect our areas. Newfoundland and Labrador is a large island with poor weather that can affect our ability to access health services at times. Our population here in this province has notoriously maintained unhealthy diets, consumed alcohol and smoked more than the national average (Canadian Institute for Health information n.d.). These factors that are often overlooked in our province greatly affects our health. “Since self-perceived health status within a population can affect medical service utilization and mortality rates, it is critical that policymakers identify and employ measures to alleviate the negative effects of these factors on individuals’ self-perceived health status.” (Bonner, et al). It is important that our policymakers look at the population’s habits and ensure to target the problem areas in our self perceived health.

Chronic disease was our focus for Unit 5, which is a topic that truly hits close to home. “Sixty-three per cent of residents have at least one chronic disease and Newfoundland and Labrador has the highest rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity across Canadian provinces.” (Government Newfoundland and Labrador, 2017). Newfoundlanders and Labradorians see these challenges affect areas such as negative impacts on health outcomes, increased cost of delivering health care and a lower quality of life.

Our province has taken steps into improving health for members of Newfoundland and Labrador by investing in new health initiatives. For example, Dial a dietician, a program started to allow residents to call and ask questions about improving their diets and making healthy food choices. Our province has also looked at improving screening for chronic disease and self-management techniques. Telehealth initiatives, which allow people to speak to doctors and specialists, have been introduced to increase access and decrease wait times for people in isolated areas as well as people with issues travelling.

Indigenous populations and dementia patients were two examples of vulnerable populations that I focused on in my learning for Unit 6. My career takes me into long term care facilities across the eastern region of Newfoundland. The vast majority of residents in these facilities are suffering from one of many forms of dementia. Our demands for dementia care is growing and our resources to care for these individuals needs to be reviewed and updated. “Despite availability of effective care strategies for dementia, most health care systems are not yet organized or equipped to provide comprehensive family-centered dementia care management” (Samus, et al). This is not an issue that is only prevalent in Newfoundland and Labrador, however, the province must address ways to care for these individuals.

The indigenous population in Newfoundland and Labrador reported a large percentage of heavy drinking and smoking through all age groups. The table below states percentages from information gathered by Statistics Canada.

Selected health behaviours of population aged 12 and over, by selected Aboriginal identity group and age group, Newfoundland and Labrador, 2012 Table summary This table displays the results of Selected health behaviours of population aged 12 and over Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves) and Non-Aboriginal identity population, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Total Aboriginal identity population (excluding reserves)

Non-Aboriginal identity population

percent

12 to 24

Daily smoking

16.5Note E: Use with caution

17.5Note E: Use with caution

Heavy drinkingTable 6, Note 1

47.1

46.2

Non-drinking

35.2

30.6

25 to 44

Daily smoking

25.2

24.6

Heavy drinking

41.3

46.5

Non-drinking

18.6Note E: Use with caution

12.0Note E: Use with caution

45 and over

Daily smoking

20.5Note E: Use with caution

18.7

Heavy drinking

16.4Note E: Use with caution

26.2

Non-drinking

26.2

24.6

E use with caution

Note 1.

Heavy drinking refers to the consumption of five or more drinks on one occasion at least once a month in the 12 months preceding the survey.

Return to table 6, note 1referrer

Sources: Statistics Canada, Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2012; and Canadian Community Health Survey, 2012.

Our indigenous population has many of the bad habits as Newfoundland and Labrador’s entire population. Our health systems must find ways to help these populations with these problem areas.

Finally, Unit 7 we looked at future directions of health issues. Newfoundland and Labrador will face many issues with providing healthcare to our aging population.

“Currently one in two Newfoundlanders and Labradorians is age 44.6 years or older which is the highest median age of all provinces and territories in Canada. In fact, this province has the most rapidly aging population in Canada.” (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, 2015). As a province we must focus on ensuring that our support systems are accessible to our population. With the rise in chronic disease in our province it is imperative that we provide our residents with adequate support to live long healthy lives.

The first course, Foundations of Health Systems in Canada, of my Masters program has been a rewarding experience. My understanding of health and all of its complexities has vastly grown through the course work. The diversity of my classmates as they work in different health areas in different parts of the country has facilitated a great learning environment. The lessons of defining health, social media usage and content curation will help my career moving forward.

References:

Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July, 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April, 1948.

Moorhead, S. A., Hazlett, D. E., Harrison, L., Carroll, J. K., Irwin, A., Hoving, C. (2013). A New Dimension of Healthcare: Systemic Review of the Uses, Benefits, and Limitations of Social Media for Health Communication. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(4). 2-9.

Bonner, W., Weiler, R., Orisatoki, R., Lu, X., Andkhoie, M., Ramsay, D., …Farag, M. (2017) Determinants of self-perceived health for Canadians aged 40 and older and policy implications. Internation Journal for Equity in Health. 16 (94-98).

Samus, Q. M., Davis, K., Willink, A., Black, B. S., Reuland, M., Leoutsakos, J., . . . Johnston, D. (2017, December). Comprehensive home-based care coordination for vulnerable elders with dementia: Maximizing Independence at Home-Plus-Study protocol. International Journal of Care Coordination. 20 (1123-124).

The Way Forward. Chronic Disease Action Plan (2017) Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Provincial Healthy Aging Policy Framework (2015) . Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Stats Canada (2012). Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-656-x/89-656-x2016002-eng.htm

Canadian Institute for Health Information (n.d.) Retrieved from:

https://www.cihi.ca/en/an-in-depth-look-at-the-newfoundland-and-labrador-health-care-system