An Overview Of Public Health Surveillance Of Hypertension In Canada

Objective Hypertension is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke. In 2006/07, 4.4 million Canadians reported being diagnosed with hypertension. The Public Health Agency of Canada is developing new approaches to tracking hypertension in Canada. The objective of this study is to present new information on hypertension prevalence, self-management and impact to guide effective approaches and strategies for prevention and management of hypertension. Design and method 1. To describe the prevalence of hypertension and use of health services over time, with/without diabetes, using health administrative data (Hospital Morbidity Database, Physician Claims, and Insurance Registry). The hypertension case is defined as one hospitalization, or two physician claims, over the last 2 years. 2. To describe the impact of hypertension, and health related behaviours and self-management of people with hypertension, using the Canadian Community Health Survey and the Survey on Living with Chronic Disease in Canada (SLCDC) data. Results The age-standardized prevalence of diagnosed hypertension among people (20+) has increased from 12.9% in 1998/99 to 19.6% in 2006/07. 16.8% of individuals with diabetes reported that they had hypertension in 2005, and this rose to 19.1% in 2007. 88% of adults with diagnosed hypertension took anti-hypertensive medications. The SLCDC survey (N=6,100) has just been completed with questions on: diagnosis, care received from professionals, monitoring and management of the condition. Results will be available for the conference. Conclusion Hypertension is a common and serious health problem among Canadians. The increase of diagnosed hypertension over the last decade has a major impact on Canada's health system. Gaps in self-management and health related behaviours among individuals with hypertension provide direction for policy makers and care providers to improve programs and services.