Impact of Lung Diseases in Canada

The three leading lung disease asthma, COPD, and lung cancer cost the Canadian economy a staggering $12 billion in 2010.

Including $3.4 billion in direct health-care costs (drugs, hospitals, physicians) and $8.6 billion in indirect costs (such as premature death and long term disability).

More than 6 percent of Canada’s welfare bill is taken up by chronic lung disease care.

If no further enhancements are made to strategies for dealing with respiratory diseases, the annual economic burden is projected to double by 2030.

Further reducing smoking rates through policy tools that include tax or price increases, health warnings.

Respiratory diseases affect children to parents to grandparents.

13,400 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 10,800 will die from it, 12,700 women will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 9,700 will die from it. Many families are losing loved ones from lung diseases.

The projected increase in the number of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will have major implications for families.

Altering day-to-day living to influencing a person’s overall outlook on life is hard on patients and family.

Families and friends suffer because they hate to see you uncomfortable and unable to do the things they know you enjoy.

Stress levels can rise as roles change and family goals and plans have to be re-evaluated or changed.

You are likely going to feel lots of emotions. This is an important time for you and your family. Be open about sharing these feelings with your loved ones. Talk it out, cry together, hug each other, talk about how the diagnosis may change your lives

You cant do it on your own, you need family.

There has been a steady increase in the number of lung transplants performed in Canada.

The rate of tuberculosis remains high in Canadian-born Aboriginal peoples and in persons that were born in countries with a high incidence of TB.

Cystic fibrosis was once almost exclusively a child's disease, most individuals with this disease are now living into their twenties and thirties. This changing face of cystic fibrosis has major implications for the health care system.

The data on activity restriction, emergency room visits and hospitalization suggest that many individuals with asthma require help in keeping their disease under control.

Presently, almost 6.5% of total health care costs were related to respiratory diseases (not including lung cancer).

This accounts for nearly $5.70 billion in direct (visible) costs of health care, such as for hospitalization, physician visits, research and drugs, as well as an additional $6.72 billion for less visible (indirect) expenses associated with disability and mortality.

Stop-smoking assistance (such as counseling and medication for smokers trying to quit)

One in five Canadians currently smoke cigarettes. Some of the reasons people smoke tobacco are felling down or sad, having trouble sleeping, feeling irritable, on edge or grouchy. These can all be caused by stress from work or money issues.

As an employee, your health may be at risk from poor indoor air quality at work. Poor indoor air quality can make your allergies and asthma worse, can irritate your eyes, nose and throat, or can result in fatigue, nausea or illness.

Reducing exposure to second-hand smoke through ongoing support for smoking bans in workplaces and public spaces.

The health effects of lung diseases can affect your well-being, and lead to poor work performance and productivity. In the long-term, these symptoms could also lead to sickness, missed work and loss of income.

are felling down or sad, having trouble sleeping, feeling irritable, on edge or grouchy. These can all be caused by stress from work or money issues.

Its a full time job keeping track of medication.

Over 3 million Canadians cope with one of five serious respiratory diseases.asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, tuberculosis (TB), and cystic fibrosis.

Respiratory diseases affect individuals of all ages, cultures and backgrounds.

The number of patients on waiting lists for lung transplantation continues to rise.

On average, 72 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer every day.

On average, 56 Canadians will die from lung cancer every day.

As lung diseases progress, its physical and psychological effects on the individual increase.

Some patients may seem to adapt well, others find the experience devastating.

Regular activities are harder when your lungs dont work. Example brushing teeth.

" Expecting the worse and anything better then that is easier to deal with "

Efforts to promote healthy weights will have the greatest impact on the prevention of sleep apnea.

All Canadians are affected by the quality of air they breathe. However, the effects are more severe in those with lung disease. Action to address air quality issues would make a key contribution to lowering the rising rate of respiratory disease in Canada.

More fundraisers and contributions should be started for lung diseases, media could have a huge impact on that.

Anyone who donates to foundations make a huge difference in people life with Lung diseases.