Heart Disease Status Report
 

Indicator

Status

Source

Leading Cause of Death

·        Circulatory Disease is the Leading Cause of Death in Ontario, SWO and Grey Bruce accounting for approximately 40% of all deaths.

·        Within the broad category of Circulatory Disease, about 60% of deaths are from ischemic or coronary heart disease, 20% from cerebrovascular disease including stroke and 4% heart failure.

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Heart Disease Deaths

·        Circulatory Disease is responsible for about 600 deaths per year in Grey Bruce.

·        Over the last 10 years or so, mortality rates for circulatory disease have declined significantly in ONT and SWO, however, decreases in the rates for Grey and Bruce Counties have been smaller and non-significant.

·        Age-standardized mortality rates of circulatory disease in Bruce County are significantly higher than ONT rates (see Table 1 attached; signif.).  Rates for Grey County are slightly higher than ONT (ns).

·        Age-standardized mortality rates of Ischemic Heart Disease in Bruce County is significantly higher than ONT rates (196.8 versus 154.5 per 100,000; 1993-97; signif.).  Rates for Grey County (163.0 per 100,000) is slightly higher than ONT (ns).

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4

Indicator

Status

Source

Heart Disease Hospitalizations

·        In 2001, there were over 3300 hospital separations due to Circulatory Disease (1350 due to ischemic heart disease and 499 due to cerebrovascular disease)

·        Over the last 10 years, hospital separation (morbidity) rates for circulatory disease have significantly decreased in ONT, SWO as well as in Grey and Bruce Counties (signif.).

·        Age-standardized mobidity rates of circulatory disease in Grey and Bruce Counties are significantly higher than SWO and ONT rates (see Table 2 attached; signif).

·        Age-standardized mobidity rates of Ischemic Heart Disease in Grey and Bruce Counties are significantly higher than SWO and ONT rates (748.2, 744.5 versus 603.2, 496.7 per 100,000; 1995/6 to 1999/2000; signif.).  This pattern also holds true for hospital separation rates for cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure, and hypertensive disease.

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Diabetes

·        Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) rises with age and is generally higher in men than women.  Prevalence rates increased steadily over the last several years.

·        The 1999 age-adjusted prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus for Bruce County is 5.18 and is 5.13 for Grey County per 100 population, age 20 years and over.  This is slightly lower than the provincial average of 6.19 (ns).  

·        All estimates of Diabetes prevalence are considered imperfect because it is estimated that nearly 30% of DM goes undiagnosed.

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Health Behaviors

Smoking

·        21% of GB residents are Daily Smokers (compared to ONT 20%, ns), Males > Females, highest among 20 to 44 year olds and lowest among 65+

·        41% are Former Smokers (compared to ONT 35%, signif.)

·        46% of smokers in GB tried to quit smoking in the past year (compared to 39% ONT, ns)

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Indicator

Status

Source

Health Behaviors continued

Overweight & Obesity

·        40% of GB residents have Body Mass Index (BMI) scores of 25-29.9 considered to be overweight, significantly higher than provincial average (33% ONT, signif.)

·        17% of GB residents have BMI’s of 30+ considered to be obese, slightly higher than provincial average (15% ONT, ns)

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Physical Activity Level (Energy expenditure values used to categorize into Active, Moderate Inactive)

·        54% of GB residents have a level of physical activity considered Inactive, slightly higher than the provincial average (50% ONT, ns)

·        GB Females are more Inactive than GB males (58% versus 50%, ns), both are slightly higher than the provincial average (ONT 55% females, 45% males, ns)

·        Across all age groups GB residents have a slightly higher proportion of Inactive persons compared to the provincial average (ns)

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Physical Activity Frequency (Avg monthly freq of phys activity >15 minutes)

·        Only 53% of GB residents perform Regular physical activity, slightly lower than the provincial average (56% ONT, ns)

·        Among those 65 years and older, GB has a statistically lower proportion of persons doing Regular physical activity (37%) compared to the provincial average (50% ONT, sign.)

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Fruit &Vegetable Consumption

·        Only 35% of GB residents consume 5 or more servings of Fruits and Vegetables per day, slightly lower than the provincial average (38% ONT, ns)

·        Significantly higher proportion of Females (41%) than Males (28%) consume 5 or more servings of Fruits and Vegetables per day

·        Those 20 to 44 years have the lowest proportion of people consuming 5 or more servings of Fruits and Vegetables per day (26% versus 35% ONT, ns)

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 Regular Heavy Drinking (5 + drinks per occasion > than once per month)

·        18% of GB residents report Regular Heavy Drinking, significantly higher than the provincial average (14.5% ONT, signif.)

·        27% of GB males report Regular Heavy Drinking, slightly higher than the provincial average (22% ONT, ns)

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Indicator

Status

Source

Health Behaviors continued

Knowledge of Risk Factors

·        In our community, the lack of knowledge about the risk factors for Heart Disease needs to be addressed.  A recent survey of Grey Bruce residents found that when asked “In your opinion, what are the main causes of heart disease?”, they correctly identified poor nutrition (including high cholesterol) (57%), smoking (44%), lack of exercise (39%) and obesity/overweight (21%) as main risk factors.  However, 21% did not identify any of these main risk factors or did not know of any risk factors.

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1988 - 1992

1993 - 1997

Grey County

304.6

252.4

Bruce County

320.8

    318.7**

SW Ontario*

306.6

278.3

Ontario*

282.3

250.9

Avg. # Hospital Separations per year

Crude Hosp. Sep. Rate

Age-stand. Hosp. Sep. rate

Grey County

2118

2460.0

1907.8

Bruce County

1554

2325.7

1902.4

Southwestern Ontario

25459

1704.4

1459.8

Ontario

165506

1471.9

1361.7