Twenty-year changes in chronic diseases prevention activities in Canada
1
Epidemiology, Biostatistics and OH, McGill University, Montreal, (Quebec), Canada
2
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
3
École de santé publique, Université de Montréal,, Montréal, Canada
4
Canadian Cancer Society, Toronto, Canada
5
Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, Canada
6
Canadian Public Health Association, Ottawa, Canada
7
Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1701
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Public health plays a central role in reducing the burden of chronic diseases. Using data from the Public Health Organizational Capacity Study (PHORCAST) ¹, we assessed 20-year changes in Chronic Disease Prevention (CDP) organizations in Canada.
METHODS:
PHORCAST conducted national censuses of CDP organizations in 2004, 2010, and 2023, including governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that develop and implement CDP activities (called “resource” and “user” organizations, respectively). A standardized questionnaire captured organizational characteristics and prevention activities. Trends were examined descriptively and stratified by organizational role (resource/user) and sector (government/NGOs). Because each wave represented a census rather than a sample, no statistical tests of significance were warranted².
RESULTS:
Data from 258 organizations in 2004 (92% response), 239 in 2010 (90%), and 267 in 2023 (89%) revealed a decline in prioritization of CDP, particularly among governmental user organizations (43% in 2004 to 26% in 2023). The proportion of resource organizations developing prevention programs decreased including for tobacco (61% to 32%), obesity (42% to 28%), and healthy lifestyles (72% to 63%). However, the proportion of these organizations targeting mental health and stress increased (23% to 56% and 15% to 27%, respectively) between 2010 and 2023. Decreases in the proportion of user organizations targeting tobacco control (88% to 62%), healthy diet (89% to 75%), healthy lifestyles (93% to 82%), diabetes (61% to 33%), and obesity (71% to 52%) were noted between 2004 and 2023. The proportion of user organizations targeting mental health or stress increased (51% to 80% and 54% to 62%, respectively) between 2010 and 2023.
CONCLUSIONS:
Over the past two decades, the focus of CDP in Canada shifted away from traditional risk factor and disease-specific activities toward mental health and stress-related initiatives. This reorientation occurred alongside declining prioritization of CDP within public health organizations, particularly in the governmental sector.
Public health plays a central role in reducing the burden of chronic diseases. Using data from the Public Health Organizational Capacity Study (PHORCAST) ¹, we assessed 20-year changes in Chronic Disease Prevention (CDP) organizations in Canada.
METHODS:
PHORCAST conducted national censuses of CDP organizations in 2004, 2010, and 2023, including governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that develop and implement CDP activities (called “resource” and “user” organizations, respectively). A standardized questionnaire captured organizational characteristics and prevention activities. Trends were examined descriptively and stratified by organizational role (resource/user) and sector (government/NGOs). Because each wave represented a census rather than a sample, no statistical tests of significance were warranted².
RESULTS:
Data from 258 organizations in 2004 (92% response), 239 in 2010 (90%), and 267 in 2023 (89%) revealed a decline in prioritization of CDP, particularly among governmental user organizations (43% in 2004 to 26% in 2023). The proportion of resource organizations developing prevention programs decreased including for tobacco (61% to 32%), obesity (42% to 28%), and healthy lifestyles (72% to 63%). However, the proportion of these organizations targeting mental health and stress increased (23% to 56% and 15% to 27%, respectively) between 2010 and 2023. Decreases in the proportion of user organizations targeting tobacco control (88% to 62%), healthy diet (89% to 75%), healthy lifestyles (93% to 82%), diabetes (61% to 33%), and obesity (71% to 52%) were noted between 2004 and 2023. The proportion of user organizations targeting mental health or stress increased (51% to 80% and 54% to 62%, respectively) between 2010 and 2023.
CONCLUSIONS:
Over the past two decades, the focus of CDP in Canada shifted away from traditional risk factor and disease-specific activities toward mental health and stress-related initiatives. This reorientation occurred alongside declining prioritization of CDP within public health organizations, particularly in the governmental sector.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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