• Population forecasts by the Region of Durham’s Official Plan Review state that it is expected that the Region’s population will grow to approximately 657,000 by 2011, 842,000 by 2021 and 1.05 million by 2031.¹

• According to the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System (RRFSS), in 2003, 5.4% of Durham Region residents aged 18 and older reported being diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, the National Diabetes Surveillance System (NDSS) state that the proportion of adults with diabetes increased with age.² In 2003, over 3,000 Durham Region residents were hospitalized one or more times with a diagnosis of diabetes.³

• The prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is increasing in the Durham Region from 4.48% (12,373) in 1995 to 5.62% (17,501) in 1999⁴ which concurs closely with the data from the Durham Region Health Department.

• There is an increasing trend of obesity, occurring across all age ranges⁵, which is directly related to developing Type II diabetes.⁶

• Hospitalization for associated conditions was consistently higher with those with diabetes (76.9%) compared to those without diabetes (41.1%).⁷

• The direct costs to all Canadians for treating diabetes in our hospitals and health care system are projected to increase 76 percent by 2016 (in only 10 years).⁸

• The evidence indicates that the cost of diabetes and its complications in adult 15 years and older to the health care system is approximately 18% of the health care budget. ⁹

• With the increase of diabetes, there will be a similar increase in the incidence of other chronic diseases. Forty per cent of people with diabetes will develop debilitating complications such as blindness, kidney failure, or heart disease. In addition, some people will undergo foot, toe or leg amputations.¹⁰ Diabetes is a risk factor for other chronic diseases: Type 2 diabetes, for example, is associated with a 70-80% chance of premature death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) or stroke. All these complications from diabetes are devastating for the individual, the family, and the province's health system, and with appropriate support and management, can be reduced or prevented.

• There is a growing evidence of a link between Type 2 diabetes and breast cancer. Recent literature stated increased prevalence of prior breast cancer in women with newly diagnosed diabetes.¹¹

References

1. Durham Region Official Plan Review 2006.

2. Diabetes in Canada, Second Edition, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada, 2002

3. Durham Region Health Department. Fast Facts on Diabetes in Durham Region.

4. Hux J.E., Tang T., ; Diabetes in Ontario, Practice Atlas; Patterns of Prevalence and Incidence of Diabetes,

5. Heart and Stroke Foundation , Tipping the Scale Heart Disease and Stroke in Canada 2006

6. Diabetes in Canada Second Edition, Center for Chronic Disease prevention and Control, Population Health Branch Health Canada, 2002

7. Diabetes in Canada, Second Edition, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada, 2002

8. “Diabetes Prevalence and Cost in Canada: 2000 –2016”, Canadian Journal of Diabetes. June 2004;28(2)

9. Diabetes, A Manitoba Strategy (1998)

10. CMOH Colin D’Cuhna report 2003

11. Lipscome L, Goodwin P, Zinman B, McLaughlin J, Hux J. Increased prevalence of prior breast cancer in women with newly diagnosed diabetes. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006: 98 (3): 3003 -309