On June 5, Benefits Canada‘s 2019 Chronic Disease at Work conference featured educational presentations around trends and treatments in an effort to help plan sponsors and advisors make the best decisions for their plans and members.
Here’s what you missed!
Behavioural change a key component to managing chronic disease
More than 50 per cent of working-age Canadians are living with one or more chronic disease, up from just 37 per cent in 2007, according to Jonathan Tafler, senior director of employer health solutions at Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. Read more
Supporting employees with obesity starts with recognizing it’s a chronic disease
Six million Canadians are living with obesity and its prevalence is continuing to rise, said David Macklin, medical director of the weight management program at Medcan. Read more
Rethinking long-term disability with cannabis-assisted return to work
Compared with recreational users, medical cannabis patients frequently use CBD-dominant preparations with the smallest amount of THC to get the greatest improvements in symptom control, function and quality of life with the fewest adverse events, said Michael Koehn, founder of the CannSolve Clinic in British Columbia. Read more
Considering the link between cardiovascular disease, absenteeism and cost
Thirty per cent of deaths in Canada are due to cardiovascular disease. It kills more woman than all cancers combined. And it cost $21 billion 10 to 15 years ago, so with the rising cost of health care, it’s easy to imagine what that number looks like today. Read more
Understanding adolescent eczema’s burden on patients, caregivers
For adolescents with atopic dermatitis, or eczema, the burden of illness is high and caregivers face many challenges, according to Dr. Neil Shear, president of the Canadian Dermatology Association. Read more
The numbers behind chronic disease in the workplace
By now, the economic burden of chronic disease in Canada has most likely surpassed $200 billion, according to Sarah Lussier Hoskyn, senior analyst, regulatory affairs and market access at Innovative Medicines Canada. Read more
A look at the value of continuous glucose monitoring
For people with diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia can impact health and, as a result, workplace performance. However real-time continuous glucose monitoring can enable people to prevent or treat these highs and lows. Read more
The impact of hypoglycemia on workplace absenteeism
While the definition of type 1 diabetes – the body doesn’t produce insulin – sounds clear and concise, this disease is anything but, said Lisa Geelen, a type 1 diabetes caregiver. Read more
Find out about more Benefits Canada events.