Obesity is one of the most misunderstood diseases, with stigma and judgement contributing to the misconceptions, said Lisa Schaffer, executive director at Obesity Canada, during a session supported by Eli Lilly Canada at Benefits Canada’s 2025 Chronic Disease at Work conference. Obesity is associated with more than 200 chronic illnesses and nearly one in three […]
When a 49-year-old woman attended Dr. Phil McFarlane’s multi-care kidney clinic with polycystic kidney disease, she had multiple health issues, including chronic flank pain and fatigue, and had been to the emergency room multiple times. She was dealing with a “high anxiety burden” from her health issues, the financial burden from the necessary medications and […]
Most people, while standing in line at a cafe, contemplate whether to get their regular drip coffee or treat themselves to a latte, and whether to also buy a croissant or scone. Canadians with insulin-dependent diabetes, standing in that same line, are doing complex calculations: how many carbs are in a latte’s milk and flavour […]
Alzheimer’s disease should be an urgent health-care priority because it robs individuals of their autonomy, dignity and quality of life and takes a mental, physical and financial toll on the individual and their families, according to Dr. Sara Mitchell, a cognitive neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Speaking during a session supported by Eisai Canada […]
Chronic illnesses are strongly linked to worse outcomes from vaccine-preventable diseases. Given the rising rate of chronic conditions in the workplace, employers should consider implementing benefits coverage for vaccines and hosting workplace vaccine clinics, said Ajit Johal, a community pharmacist and clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and the founder of immunize.io. […]
It’s been nearly two years since I slept through the night — my 15-month-old daughter is still waking up to nurse and I wasn’t sleeping consistently in the nine months before her birth due to typical pregnancy symptoms. I’m very tired, the kind of fatigue you just take for granted and roll into your overall […]
Even though humans spend a third of their lives asleep, it’s often taken for granted, but people are waking up to how sleep — or lack of sleep — is affecting their health and well-being. “All of medicine has been focused on how we do when we’re awake, but now we’re trying to pick up […]
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 […]
Canada’s workforce increasingly reflects the unique health challenges faced by its female population. Between 2018 and 2023, women represented a little more than half of the total claimants and spend in Express Scripts Canada’s drug claims data, according to Farah Belayadi, the organization’s senior manager of clinical services and health technology database, during Benefits Canada’s […]
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, predominantly affecting women, with more than 29,000 diagnoses in 2023. It’s complexity is underscored by more than 50 unique types, making each diagnosis distinct and challenging to treat, according to Kimberly Carson, chief executive officer of Breast Cancer Canada, during a session supported by AstraZeneca Canada […]