A new report card from Arthritis Society Canada has given BC a C grade.
The State of Arthritis in Canada Report Card gave low grades to all the provinces and territories in the country, with BC’s grade coming because of wait times for joint replacement surgery being too long.
Along with the waiting, the number of medications that are under review are higher in BC than other provinces.
Arthritis society CEO and president Trish Barbato says we have a growing arthritis crisis in Canada.
“Arthritis is more prevalent than diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke combined,” said Barbato.
“We need to invest in arthritis research, adopt new models of care, raise awareness and improve data collection to address the burden this disease places on our healthcare system.”
In a different study done by Angus Reid for Arthritis Society Canada, 93 percent of residents agree that more arthritis research is needed, with 89 percent saying that the wait times are too long for surgeries and services related to arthritis.
The report recommends the province to invest up to $10 million into arthritis research, community programs, and health strategies, along with expanding community-based joint management programs.
