SASK. LEADS CANADA IN PREVENTABLE DEATHS
Accidents among causes
REGINA —Statistics Canada has released its latest numbers on the leading causes of death in Canada and the provinces.
To some people, the numbers are no surprise.
The top five leading causes of death in Canada are cancer, diseases of the heart, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease and accidents.
Saskatchewan’s rates are higher than the national average in all five categories — particularly when it comes to deaths which are preventable, like accidents and heart disease.
Saskatchewan leads the country when it comes to accidents, at 40.8 per 100,0000 people. The national average is 24.2.
Phillip Germain, vicepresident of prevention and employer services for the Saskatchewan Workers Compensation Board (WCB), is not surprised by the statistics.
“It’s been like that for a very long time,” he said. “When we compare Saskatchewan’s provincial workplace injury rate to other jurisdictions, Saskatchewan is second highest only to Manitoba from a workplace injury rate. Obviously if you’re having lots of injuries, you are likely going to have a high percentage of fatalities.”
Reducing the rate of preventable deaths in the province will take time because it’s about changing the way people think, he said.
“For whatever reason, Saskatchewan residents have typically not looked at risk or managed risk and hazards in the right way,” Germain said. “It seems to be cultural to just get out and do what you’re doing and just accept the fact that sometimes when you do things you get injured.”
The WCB is working to change that attitude and has seen progress, particularly with the creation of WorkSafe, a partnership with the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, he said.
“It develops provincial strategies to help employers and workers and other organizations address injury prevention in the workplace. We also support and are a founder of an organization called Safe Saskatchewan that in broad terms
“IT SEEMS TO BE CULTURAL TO JUST GET OUT AND DO WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DO THINGS YOU GET INJURED” PHILLIP GERMAIN
looks at the whole provincial issue.”
He believes the work taking place today will have a positive impact in the future and will be reflected in next year’s report, he said.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation also seeks to reduce the number of deaths associated with heart disease.
According to the data, Saskatchewan, at a rate of 110.8 heart disease-related deaths per 100,000 people, is second only to Newfoundland and Labrador, at 122.5 per 100,000. The national rate is 91.
Stephanie Cross, senior manager of health promotion for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, said she’s not surprised by the province’s rankings either.
“The risk factors for heart disease and stroke are higher here than for the average Canadian,” she said.
Cross said to avoid heart disease and stroke one needs to be active and maintain a healthy weight. In Canada, 52 per cent of the population is overweight or obese; in Saskatchewan, the percentage is 59.