| What are the main issues for lung health in Saskatchewan and what is the Lung Association doing about them? |
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The areas of concern for lung health in Saskatchewan are:
PEDIATRIC RESPIROLOGYIssue:There are no children’s lung disease specialists (pediatric respirologists) in Saskatchewan. We need a minimum of three to adequately meet the needs of our children and youth. Respiratory diseases will be the leading cause of admissions to new Children’s Hospital. Asthma is the most common chronic disease of children. Respiratory complications requiring a specialist are almost ten times higher in aboriginal children compared to the rest of the province. The lack of a pediatric respirologist means sick children have to travel out of province to get the care they need. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association commissioned an external review of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine in Saskatchewan. The full report can be viewed here. The report has been used as the basis for recommendations to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. The Lung Association has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to fund a New Investigator Award in Pediatric Respirology in Saskatchewan (more details). This award of $60,000 per year for five years ($300,000 total) will increase research on children’s lung health in Saskatchewan and will also improve patient care and education of medical students. The Lung Association previously provided a professorship which was used to recruit Saskatchewan’s first pediatric respirologist in 1999. Over a 9-year period $450,000 was provided. The Lung Association also works to increase the ability of family physicians and other health care professionals in pediatric lung health - see the Sufficient Lung Health Care Professionals section. ↑ Return to top
SMOKING AND TOBACCO USEIssue:Saskatchewan has high smoking rates compared to the rest of the country. We estimate that there are 171,000 smokers in Saskatchewan. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of lung disease. The groups at highest risk are First Nations and Métis people and people with mental health disorders. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association has a long history of lobbying all levels of government for legislation for tobacco control with the aims of protecting people from tobacco smoke and reducing tobacco use. The Lung Association is currently working with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health Tobacco Action initiative. The priority areas for the Lung Association are: establishing a smoking cessation intervention at every contact with the health care system; engaging First Nations in tobacco control and cessation programs; and promoting smoking cessation for people with mental disorders and illnesses. Although the 2010 amendments to the Tobacco Control Act (more details) were helpful, our priority for new legislation is making multi-unit dwellings smoke-free. Currently, many families living in multi-unit dwellings are denied a smoke-free home because of tobacco smoke drifting into their home from other units. The Lung Association provides smoking cessation services; smoking prevention programs in schools; information on tobacco hazards; and is currently developing a comprehensive smoking and smokeless tobacco resource package for use in Saskatchewan schools. ↑ Return to top
COPDIssue:Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. COPD is the fastest growing cause of death and will soon be number three. COPD kills more Canadian women than breast cancer. COPD is the leading cause of hospitalization of seniors. Even though there are 58,000 Saskatchewan people living with COPD, awareness is low. Many COPD patients do not have access to diagnostic tools and management programs that are the recognised clinical standard of care. A lung attack (which is a flare-up of COPD) is as deadly as a heart attack. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association provides patient support through the BreathWorks program and many on-line resources. Certified Respiratory Educators on staff provide expert consultations to COPD patients and their family members. COPD patient support groups and newsletters are also provided. The Lung Association worked with the Health Quality Council of Saskatchewan on its collaborative on COPD to improve the quality of care for COPD patents in Saskatchewan. This included teaching family physicians and office staff to conduct and interpret spirometry. Spirometry is a breathing test which is used to diagnose COPD and to assess its severity, but less than half of COPD patients in Saskatchewan have had this test. The Lung Association worked with the Saskatoon Health Region to develop and implement COPD rehab programs and continues to provide group education sessions for the program. These programs are being expanded to other health regions in the province. A COPD Toolkit was developed to facilitate the establishment and enhancement of COPD rehab programs. The Lung Association is contracted by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health to provide training and services for the SAIL home oxygen program to improve the management of COPD. The Lung Association has trained and certified 614 home oxygen testers in all health regions of the province and provides an overnight home oxygen testing service which is especially important for those regions of the province that do not have local capacity for these tests. The Lung Association provides a COPD Professorship of $50,000 per year to the University of Saskatchewan. Over $520,000 has been contributed since 2001. This professorship has permitted Saskatchewan to retain one of the top COPD experts in Canada. The Lung Association has almost completed a project to assess the benefits of having a Certified Respiratory Educator providing consultations and conducting spirometry in family physician offices. The results of the analysis of the project will be used to promote the availability of this service in all areas of the province. The Lung Association through its medical society, the Canadian Thoracic Society, produces the Canadian clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of COPD. ↑ Return to top
ASTHMAIssue:There are 94,000 Saskatchewan people living with asthma, including 34,300 children. Many asthma patients do not have access to diagnostic tools and management programs that are the recognised clinical standard of care. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association provides patient support and many on-line resources including the asthma handbook and the asthma in children handbook. Certified Respiratory Educators on staff provide expert consultations to asthma patients and their family members. The Lung Association has almost completed a project to assess the benefits of having a Certified Respiratory Educator providing consultations and conducting spirometry in family physician offices. The results of the analysis of the project will be used to promote the availability of this service in all areas of the province. The Lung Association worked with the Saskatoon Health Region to provide Certified Respiratory Educator consultations and spirometry for children in inner-city schools. These children have reduced access to health care and providing services in the school setting is beneficial. The Lung Association will be piloting a new training program for coaches to help them understand and be equipped to deal with the problems children with asthma can have when participating in sports. The Lung Association is working to provide sufficient health care professionals working in asthma, including pediatric respirologists. The Lung Association through its medical society, the Canadian Thoracic Society, produces the Canadian clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. ↑ Return to top
SLEEP APNEAIssue:A recent Canadian Public Health Agency survey indicates that 26% of adults are at high risk for sleep apnea. This leads to an estimate of 220,000 Saskatchewan people who should be tested for sleep apnea. Saskatchewan does not currently have sufficient capacity to address this load. Waiting lists for overnight testing in a sleep lab are up to 2 years or more. Although untreated sleep apnea has very serious consequences, including an increased risk of death, awareness of sleep apnea remains low. With the increasing obesity epidemic there is a corresponding increase in sleep apnea. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association provides patient support and many on-line resources including the sleep apnea handbook. A respiratory technologist on staff provides expert consultation to sleep apnea patients and their family members. Sleep apnea patient support groups and newsletters are also provided. The Lung Association lobbied for the establishment of the two Sleep Disorders Centres in the province and continues to lobby for expansion of their capacity. The Lung Association continues to lobby for the provision of CPAP to sleep apnea patients through the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health SAIL program. The Lung Association provides a Sleep Apnea Professorship at the University of Saskatchewan to promote research on sleep apnea and to retain a sleep specialist in the province. The Lung Association provides support for the Director of the Regina Sleep Disorders Centre and provided funding for his training in sleep apnea prior to the opening of the centre. The Lung Association conducted a study of home testing for sleep apnea in collaboration with the Saskatoon Sleep Disorders Centre. The Lung Association successfully demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of such testing which convinced the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health to provide ongoing funding to the Saskatoon Health Region to provide this service which is now called the SleepWell program. The Lung Association through its medical society, the Canadian Thoracic Society, produces the Canadian clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of sleep apnea. ↑ Return to top
FLUIssue:Although the H1N1 flu pandemic received a lot of public attention, seasonal flu is a continuing threat, especially for people with lung disease. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association provides on-line resources and Certified Respiratory Educators on staff provide expert consultations regarding flu shots.
During the H1N1 pandemic, the Lung Association developed a special flu pamphlet which was widely used by health regions to provide information to the public. ↑ Return to top
LUNG CANCERIssue:There are about 660 new cases of lung cancer in Saskatchewan each year and about 560 deaths. Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer. Many deaths occur within six months of diagnosis. Lung Association Actions:The main emphasis for the Lung Association is the prevention of lung cancer. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer and therefore the Lung Association’s smoking cessation and smoking prevention programs are our best tools. However, it must be recognised that non-smokers also develop lung cancer. The second leading cause of lung cancer is radon gas. This is a naturally occurring substance in the soil that infiltrates homes. The Lung Association has partnered with Health Canada to develop information on radon. The Lung Association has applied for funding for a major radon awareness and action program. The third leading cause of lung cancer is exposure to second hand tobacco smoke. For many years, the Lung Association has lobbied for smoke-free spaces to protect people from tobacco smoke. Since other exposures to industrial chemicals and air pollution can also cause lung cancer, the Lung Association continues to lobby for clean air everywhere. Through its support of the Division of Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, the Lung Association has played a role in the recruitment of an interventional respirologist to Saskatchewan. He will bring a new diagnostic tool to Saskatchewan which uses ultra-sound in combination with bronchoscopy to improve the detection and staging of lung cancer. Saskatoon is only the fifth city in Canada to use this new technology. The Lung Association has developed patient information materials for this new procedure. ↑ Return to top
LUNG TRANSPLANTATIONIssue:For some people with severe lung disease, a lung transplant is their only remaining option for survival. Four or five lung transplants are done on Saskatchewan people each year. There are eleven Saskatchewan people waiting for the donation of new lungs. Saskatchewan is too small for a viable transplant program so most lung transplant patients are sent to the Edmonton program. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association is an active member of the Saskatchewan Coalition For Organ Donor Awareness, which encourages people to become potential organ donors. The Lung Association supports the Division of Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, which includes a respirologist who trained at the Edmonton transplant program. He is now able to conduct some of the pre- and post-lung transplant clinical work here in Saskatchewan which saves extra trips to Edmonton. There are over 40 Saskatchewan people in the post-lung transplant program. ↑ Return to top
TUBERCULOSIS (TB)Issue:There were 87 new cases of TB reported in Saskatchewan in 2008. However, TB rates are 60 to 100 times higher than the rest of the province in some northern Saskatchewan communities. Lung Association Actions:Our Association originally began as the Saskatchewan Anti-Tuberculosis League which was founded in 1911, making us Saskatchewan’s oldest health charity. We were responsible for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB until 1987. The Lung Association continues to be involved in TB and is a member of provincial TB Advisory Committee. The Lung Association provides resource materials on TB. The Lung Association also develops the Canadian TB Standards in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Lung Association appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee Health in April 2010 to express concerns about TB in First Nations, Métis and Inuit people. The brief submitted and the recommendations can be viewed here. ↑ Return to top
SUFFICIENT LUNG HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALSIssue:In order for Saskatchewan residents to have the best lung health care possible it is necessary to have adequate numbers of health care professionals who are well trained in respiratory care. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association developed training courses for health care professionals to become Asthma and COPD educators. The RESPTrec program is managed across Canada from here in Saskatchewan where it was developed. This has become Canada’s leading respiratory training program both in terms of numbers who take the course and in how well RESPTrec grads score in national certification exams. A continuing education program is also provided to keep RESPTrec grads up-to-date. Currently, the Lung Association has trained 165 asthma and/or COPD educators in Saskatchewan. Spirometry is a lung test used to diagnose and assess lung disease. The Lung Association developed and delivers Canada’s only course for spirometry training that is endorsed by national societies. The Lung Association has trained 86 health workers in Saskatchewan to conduct quality spirometry. The Lung Association is an accredited placement for students in various Health Sciences programs at the University of Saskatchewan. The Lung Association Professorship program was established in 1975 when it brought the first respirologist to Saskatchewan. Currently there are 18 respirologists in the province and almost all of them were either recruited with a Lung Association Professorship, trained with Lung Association funding or trained by the University of Saskatchewan Respirology Division which receives Lung Association support. The Lung Association convenes meetings of the Saskatchewan Respirology Summit which provides a forum for all respirologists in the province to meet and establish provincial best practices and plans for respiratory care. The Saskatchewan Thoracic Society is the health professional section of the Lung Association. The annual Education Day provides timely and important updates on lung health care issues. The Lung Association has partnered with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to fund a Research Fellowship in lung health and a Masters Program in COPD in Saskatchewan in addition to the New Investigator Award in Pediatric Respirology. The Lung Association convenes meetings of the Saskatchewan Home Respiratory Care Committee which advises the Ministry of Health on matters such as home oxygen therapy, provision of CPAP therapy for sleep apnea and home ventilation. ↑ Return to top
AIR QUALITYIssue:Clean air is essential for good lung health. There are many sources of air pollution in Saskatchewan. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association advocates for clean air, both indoor and outdoor. The Lung Association lobbies for the elimination of stubble burning in rural areas as well as back-yard burning in urban areas. The Lung Association also supports a no idling campaign to reduce pollution from vehicles. The Lung Association is also a partner in programs to eliminate cosmetic pesticide use. ↑ Return to top
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND AWARENESSIssue:Everyone must be encouraged and empowered to take good care of their lungs. Lung Association Actions:The Lung Association provides extensive information on how lungs work and how to prevent lung disease. The Lung Association has on-line materials for school programs and conducts classroom visits to educate students about lung health. Community education and programming in the area of tobacco are conducted by the Lung Association of Saskatchewan’s Lung Squad, a team of health experts specialized in tobacco cessation and education. The Lung Association is currently developing a new resource package for teachers. The Lung Association participates in health fairs around the province and frequently provides spirometry demonstrations. The Lung Association also includes health awareness information in all of its fundraising materials. The Lung Association participates in special “world days” for lung health:
The Lung Association regularly issues news releases and frequently participates in media interviews. Follow us on Twitter. ↑ Return to top |
