Over the past 20 years, the amount Canadians spend on their personal fitness, health and wellness has more than doubled, yet they’ve experienced worse health outcomes during that time.
Specifically, roughly half of Canadians have at least one chronic disease, the prevalence of diabetes has almost doubled and mental-health challenges represent an increasing share of disability and drug claims.
Speaking at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Future of Work summit, Shelley Sjoberg, assistant vice-president of group product development and support at Canada Life, said a host of root causes are driving up the rates of chronic illnesses, including sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, poor access to food and nutrition, lack of sleep and difficulty accessing the health-care system.
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The insurer is seeing a rise in co-morbidities in its health, drug and disability claims data, she said, noting 37 per cent of short-term disability claims now have a secondary diagnosis. “We’re spending a lot of money, but are we really seeing any kind of difference? It raises the important question of [whether] we have the right tools or solutions in place.”
Plan sponsors can address the root causes of chronic disease and improve members’ health outcomes by focusing on preventative health care in their benefits plans, noted Sjoberg. She suggested virtual care can be leveraged for preventative care in addition to helping employees quickly connect with a health-care practitioner.
She also recommended plan sponsors provide some coverage for dietitians and health coaches, who can help employees make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle and address underlying issues like nutrition and exercise.
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Canada Life recently launched a pilot project providing access to RxFood for some plan members. The AI-powered app helps users manage chronic disease with personalized diet, sleep and exercise recommendations. Participants experienced notable increases in their diet quality and amount of weekly exercise and 35 per cent had a video consultation with a specialized doctor. Ninety per cent of participants actively engaged with the app.
“Simply giving educational resources about diet and exercise is not what’s moving the needle,” said Sjoberg. “This is a tool that can be partnered with your life and uses technology to take away the difficulties or the barriers people have.”
Benefits plan sponsors can also conduct employee surveys to understand common health needs, life stages and stressors, she said, as well as collect greater demographic data to inform plan design.
Read more coverage of the 2024 Future of Work Summit.