Chronic disease

Substance-Related Disorders – Prevalence of Cases Identified Using Administrative Databases, 2001-2016

This report presents the annual and cumulative prevalence of substance-related disorders (SRDs). It demonstrates the ability of the Québec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System (QICDSS) to allow for the study of SRDs based on health administrative databases. Prevalences were determined based on administrative data from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2016, for all persons eligible for coverage by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec and aged 12 and older. To be identified as having an SRD, the individual must have had at least one medical visit or hospitalization resulting in a primary or secondary diagnosis of an SRD.

  • Over a 15-year period, 40 individuals per 1,000 were diagnosed with an alcohol-related disorder and 39 per 1,000 with a drug-related disorder. Approximately 13 per 1,000 were diagnosed with both an alcohol-related and a drug-related disorder. Thus, 66 individuals per 1,000 were diagnosed with at least one SRD.
  • The annual prevalence o…

Autism Spectrum Disorder Surveillance in Québec

This report discusses the prevalence and the incidence rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It also demonstrates the capability of the Québec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System (QICDSS) to identify the comorbidities associated with ASD and the profile of health services utilization. These estimates were obtained from a longitudinal study covering the period from April 1, 2000, to March 31, 2015, for all persons eligible for health coverage between the ages of 1 and 24 years. To be considered to have ASD, the individual must have had at least one medical visit or hospitalization with a principal diagnosis of ASD.

  • The results show a constant growth in ASD over time. In 2014-2015, there were nearly 17 000 persons in Québec between the ages of 1 and 17 who have been diagnosed with ASD.
  • The prevalence of ASD varies considerably from one region to another, varying from 0.7% to 1.8% among persons aged 4 to 17 years.

Prevalence of Hypertension in Québec: A Comparison of Health administrative Data and Survey Data

Among the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, hypertension is the leading factor since 13% of deaths overall are attributed to it. Given the considerable weight of this risk factor from the standpoint of public health, it is necessary that population-based studies be conducted to measure its prevalence and evolution over time. In Québec, the universal healthcare system is administered, among other things, by means of health administrative databases that are constantly being updated and can be linked. Population-based health surveys are conducted on a regular basis and provide other types of data. The data collected through the surveys can be self-reported or measured. The main objective of this study is to compare the prevalence of estimated hypertension based on three data sources: 1) linked health administrative data; 2) self-reported data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS); and 3) measured data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS).

Monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders: Feasibility Study Based on Health Administrative Databases

The term dementia refers to a group of degenerative diseases that affect cognitive function and lead to loss of functional autonomy. Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are the most common forms of dementia. In this report, the term “Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders” will be used.

Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders generally start appearing from the age of 60 to 65 years of age and onwards. They affect individuals’ daily functioning by disrupting their memory, judgment, organization, orientation, language or control over their behaviour and emotions. These diseases place a staggering burden on individuals who are affected, their families and caregivers, as well as on professionals and the health system.

To date, most estimates of the prevalence and incidence of AD and related disorders in Canada are still based on the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA), a large population study conducted across Canada between 1991 a…

Surveillance of Personality Disorders in Québec: Prevalence, Mortality, and Service Utilization Profile

The aim of this report is to describe the use of administrative databases to estimate the prevalence of diagnosed group B personality disorders, along with service utilization and mortality. This group will be compared to personality disorders outside of group B and to serious or common psychiatric conditions (schizophrenia, anxio-depressive disorders) concerning which the INSPQ has already published.

Group B personality disorders represent a common psychiatric condition. Their mortality rate classifies them among chronic disorders, both psychiatric and physical, with very high case fatality (Lesage et al., 2012; Lesage et al., 2015). Moreover, and notably, the excess mortality associated with this psychopathology does not take into account the psychological suffering experienced by the persons afflicted, or their relatives, or the impact experienced on the level of psychosocial functioning. The severity of this psychiatric condition quite evidently influences the…

Lifestyle Habits and Health Indicators of Québec Anglophones

As part of an initiative to evaluate the health status of Québec anglophones, their lifestyle habits and certain health indicators were examined by area of residence and compared with those of francophones. The data was taken from the 2003, 2007−2008 and 2009−2010 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), with particular emphasis on the most recent data.

The results show few statistically significant differences in lifestyle habits and health indicators between anglophones and francophones, regardless of survey cycle or area of residence. Among the few significant differences we did find, anglophones report eating less often fruits and vegetables and tended to be more prone to overweight than francophones, but were also more physically active. They also seem to have a stronger sense of community belonging.

The sample of anglophones was relatively small in this survey, which reduces its statistical power and may partially account for the limited differenc…

Surveillance of Mental Disorders in Québec: Prevalence, Mortality and Service Utilization Profile

Although population surveys based on standardized questionnaires on mental disorders convey information on prevalence, they cannot provide timely monitoring data on changes in prevalence of mental disorders or their complications. Moreover, they cannot deliver information on links between services offered and utilization that could be used provincially, regionally and locally for mental health prevention planning and service organization.

To overcome this problem, the unité Surveillance des maladies chroniques et de leurs déterminants (USMCD; Chronic Diseases and determinants Surveillance Unit) at the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) was given the mandate to develop and implement a mental disorder surveillance system in Québec.

To shed light on the nature and magnitude of mental disorders in Québec, the USMCD has published this first report on surveillance of mental disorders, for the years 1999–2000 to 2009–2010. The report provides information…

Use of Live-Attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccine (LAIV), Flumist® in children and adolescents aged 2-17 years of age with chronic conditions

The live attenuated influenza virus vaccine (LAIV), Flumist®, administered by intranasal spray, is approved for people aged 2-59 years. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended in its statement for the 2011-2012 season that, given its efficacy and immunogenicity, LAIV should be used preferentially for healthy children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 years. NACI also indicates that LAIV can be used for children with chronic diseases, other than immune compromising conditions or severe asthma, but that there were insufficient data to recommend the preferential use of LAIV over trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV). The Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec (CIQ) also recommended, at its June 2011 meeting, that LAIV should be used preferentially in healthy children aged 2-17 years, particularly among household contacts of people at high risk for complicated influenza infection.

At the December 2011 CIQ meeting, the question of LA…

Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec

Cancer among Aboriginal people living on reserves and in Northern villages in Québec, 1984-2004 : incidence and mortality

To our knowledge no data on cancer incidence and mortality among the Aboriginal population of Québec has been published. The only known reference was in a study examining the creation of a cancer registry during a specific period of the 1970s and 1980s. The study found that cancer was virtually non-existent within this population. Indeed, between 1969 and 1989 only 180 cases were reported in Nunavik, though the numbers tended to increase each year during that period. Studies in Canada and the United States suggest that the profile of Aboriginal populations is different from the general population. This small population group shows a low cancer incidence and a low cancer mortality rate.

Notwithstanding these low rates, an increase in cancer (incidence and mortality) has been observed. The change in lifestyle of these populations may prompt the emergence of chronic pathologies, including cancer, which has previously been present mainly in non- Aboriginal populations. This chan…

Cree Health Survey 2003, Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1, Iiyiyiu Aschii: Health status, life expectancy and limitation of activities

The survey was conducted during the summer of 2003 using a representative sample of residents aged 12 and older from the nine communities in Iiyiyiu Aschii: Chisasibi, Eastmain, Mistissini, Nemaska, Oujé- Bougoumou, Waskaganish, Waswanipi, Wemindji, and Whapmagoostui.

  • One out of six Iiyiyiu Aschii residents reports himself or herself to be in “fair or poor” health.
  • Life expectancy at birth of Iiyiyiu Aschii residents is two years less than that of residents of the rest of Quebec (77.2 vs. 79.2 years). The difference is slightly more than 3 years between women of both regions (78.7 vs. 81.9 years).
  • More than half (57 %) of Iiyiyiu Aschii residents reported a long-term health problem. The five main problems reported in 2003 were hypertension, non food-related allergies, diabetes, back problems and migraine headaches.
  • The prevalence of some of the main chronic health problems reported increased between 1991 and 2003:
    • Asthma, bron…