Canada NewsWire
General News, Friday, May 3, 2002
Ontario Government blind to links between health and
poverty - Lives of Canadians at risk
Canada NewsWire
TORONTO - In a report released today, poverty is identified as a
major cause of heart disease, throwing years of policy and
research directions into question. "The lifestyle approach,
especially physical activity and diet, to heart disease is largely
disproved- such solutions are not only ineffective but may actually
harm the health of Canadians," says the report's author, Dennis
Raphael.
Dr. Raphael's study, "Social Justice is Good for Our Hearts"
reviewed over 100 studies on the causes of heart disease and
found that much stronger evidence exists for socio-economic
factors as explanations for heart disease than for lifestyle or genetic
factors. The report is published by the CSJ Foundation for
Research and Education.
Says Dr. Raphael, "Twenty four percent of all premature heart
disease deaths can be explained by income differences- this is
more than any other factor. We found that there would be 6,366
fewer deaths annually in Canada if all Canadians had the heart
health of the wealthiest 20% of the population."
Study after study established poverty and low income as the best
predictor of the onset of heart illness. The primary solutions are to
increase the minimum wage so that minimum wage earners do not
live in poverty and to increase social assistance payments so that
child poverty shrinks.
Dr. Raphael's study reveals that Ontario Government policies are
harmful to public health and wasteful to the public purse. "The Tory
decision to spend $17 million on the Heart Health program is
wasteful and a potential hazard to health. Ignoring the importance
of poverty to heart disease is akin to poor bashing- telling the
overstressed, under-housed, and excluded that an exercise
program will solve their troubles is insensitive and dangerous. But it
serves Tory purposes- downloading the troubles with larger
systems has been their forte for the last 7 years," adds Dr.
Raphael.
Dr. Raphael states: "when the Ontario Government implements
policies that deepen poverty, it ensures that many Ontarians go to
their graves early." He calls for an immediate increase in the
minimum wage and social assistance rates. "This is an opportunity
for Premier Eves to break with the policies of Premier Harris that
have done so much to harm the health of Ontarians," says Dr.
Raphael.
Full report available at www.socialjustice.org
For further information: Media Contacts: Ann Curry-Stevens,
Communications Coordinator, Centre for Social Justice, (416)
998-9791 (cell); Dennis Raphael, PhD, Associate Professor,
School of Health Policy and Management, York University, (416)
736-2100, ext. 22134.
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