Diabetes Canada applauds British Columbia's renewed commitment to poverty reduction through its updated Poverty Reduction Strategy released by the Honourable Sheila Malcolmson, minister of social development and poverty reduction. This important initiative can support health and well-being for British Columbians at risk or living with diabetes, who are also experiencing poverty.
“Diabetes Canada is pleased to see that B.C.’s Poverty Reduction Strategy recognizes that poverty is about more than income,” says Joan King, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy at Diabetes Canada. “Addressing health equity is a foundational principle of the Framework for Diabetes in Canada and this strategy addresses a number of social determinants to support people out of poverty and improve overall health.”
Type 2 diabetes is brought on by a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors, and is influenced by social determinants of health.
The social determinants include income, education level, employment and working conditions, food security, early childhood development, social support and connectedness, the built environment, as well as access to the internet, diabetes supports, prevention, and care services.
More than 596,000 people in British Columba are diagnosed with diabetes, and prevalence is predicted to increase by 29 per cent in the next 10 years. Diabetes and its complications also cost the health-care system $583 million and are expected to rise to $747 million by 2029.
The prevalence of diabetes among First Nations adults living off reserve, Metis adults, and Inuit adults is 1.72 times,1.22 times, and 1.18 times higher respectively than the prevalence among non-Indigenous adult , due in large part to systemic socio-economic inequities, including increased risk of poverty, lack of access to nutritious and affordable food options, chronic underfunding of health services for Indigenous populations, and a lack of culturally appropriate care.
Systemic exclusion arising from health inequities puts individuals experiencing poverty at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes and can reduce quality of life for people living with diabetes. However, providing individuals with adequate and stable support systems can reduce risk and support diabetes management.
Provincial drug coverage covers the cost of some medications, but unfortunately, there are often co-payments or deductibles that can be prohibitive. Furthermore, if the medication prescribed by one’s physician is not listed on the formulary, individuals must either pay out-of-pocket or forego their optimal and/or necessary care plan. Some British Columbians pay up to $2,800 a year on costs related to diabetes care and management, and for individuals with low-income, such costs are unsustainable.
For these reasons, Diabetes Canada is pleased to see that BC’s approach to poverty reduction includes access to healthy food, safe, affordable housing, education, employment opportunities, and health care and supports.
Diabetes Canada further recommends the government of British Columbia adopt a comprehensive strategy to diabetes prevention, screening and treatment as prescribed in the Framework for Diabetes in Canada.