June 5, 2023

As cases of IBD in Canada increase rapidly, Snyder member Dr. Gilaad Kaplan says health care must become more multidisciplinary

Kaplan says multidisciplinary care should include access to specialist physicians and nurses, mental health professionals, dietitians and others to improve quality of life.
Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, MD, MPH

CALGARY, AB, June 1, 2023 /CNW/ - Crohn's and Colitis Canada, a national health charity, today released the 2023 Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada report – a comprehensive snapshot of the state of care and implications for the future. 

Infographic 2023 Impact of IBD in Canada report (CNW Group/Crohn's and Colitis Canada)

(Note: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes a group of conditions, the two main forms of which are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These autoimmune diseases cause inflammation, ulcers and bleeding in the bowel that can extend to the rest of the body. IBD is a completely different disease from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which does not result in visible inflammation or ulcers in the bowel.) 

The report includes findings that need to be addressed to improve the lives of those impacted with these diseases: 

The number of people in Canada with IBD is increasing rapidly: 

  • 322,600 people in 2023 (0.8% of the population) to 470,000 in 2035 (1.1% of the population)
  • 11,000 people will be diagnosed in 2023 (1 every 48 minutes) and 14,000 in 2035 (1 every 38 minutes)
  • The number of new diagnoses is rising most rapidly in children under the age of six years old. They and their families face particular challenges as they age
  • Seniors are the most rapidly growing group since people with IBD are living longer due to better therapies, and our population is aging
  • Those with low socioeconomic status, who live in rural, remote and Northern communities and Indigenous peoples face additional barriers to care

Dr. Eric Benchimol, report co-chair, and Professor of Paediatrics and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Toronto, Senior Core Scientist at ICES, and Senior Scientist and Northbridge Financial Corporation Chair in IBD at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, says: "We see there is a significant impact on mental health – psychiatric disorders are 1.5-2 times more common in people with IBD. Youth with IBD have nearly double the risk of psychiatric diagnosis. This underlines the importance of making mental health services available, especially in children, adolescents and young adults." 

Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, MD, MPH, a professor of Medicine, adult, gastroenterologist, epidemiologist, member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases at the University of Calgary and report co-chair, says: "The number of people in Canada living with IBD is growing rapidly. Healthcare needs to evolve to include multidisciplinary care, including access to specialist physicians and nurses, mental health professionals, dietitians and others to improve quality of life." Read more.

Post Media article: Crohn's and Colitis Canada: Inflammatory bowel disease also comes with stigma, cancer risk and mental health issues

CTV News: Experts warn of 'rapid' growth of IBD as number of Canadians diagnosed set to reach 470K by 2035