There are many reasons behind these differences, such as the fact that in northern communities, people tend to smoke more, be less physically active, have a much more difficult time accessing specialized medical care, have higher aboriginal populations and have lower education and income levels compared with large urban centres. Of course, many of these same problems can be found within cities, where pockets of vulnerable individuals can live just a few blocks from affluence.
But none of this explains why we as Canadians have allowed these problems to persist for so long. Why we consider it acceptable that, depending on where you live, how much you earn or what education level you have achieved, you are much more likely to die from a chronic illness or have to wait weeks longer for a loved one to get a spot in a long-term care home.
The answer, quite possibly, is that many of us have never really stopped to consider that these differences exist. That, in 2015, aboriginals in Canada are being infected with and dying of tuberculosis. Or that many patients with chronic diseases living outside of urban centres often have few resources to help them manage their conditions. Or that many communities throughout Canada face crippling doctor shortages that close emergency rooms and delay treatment.
Cheryl Stadnichuk on 04 Apr 16Health inequality in Canada is growing. And nowhere is that more evident than in the health gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. In a report released last November the Canadian Institute for Health Information concluded that Canada wasn't likely to see any major improvements in health inequality without addressing the social determinants of health. "A big part of that isn't our health care system, it's that we don't have the kind of equal society, we don't have the social safety net that many European countries for example do. And that reflects in statistics," said Dr. Ryan Meili, a family doctor from Saskatoon and a former provincial NDP leadership candidate.
