Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada Reveals Inflammatory Bowel Disease Costs Canadians a Shocking $2.8 Billion a Year

Report Reveals Impact of IBD and Increasing Prevalence Rates in Children

TORONTO, Nov. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - To kick off November as Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month, today the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is launching The Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada 2012 Final Report and Recommendations.

This report, commissioned by the CCFC, was developed to collect and communicate information on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) relevant to Canada. It also raises awareness and understanding of IBD in Canada, ultimately leading to new research opportunities and improved quality of life of people with IBD.

"We had hoped that our research efforts into finding the cures for Crohn's and colitis would have paid off long ago, giving our patients the freedom to move ahead with their lives and careers," said Dr. Kevin Glasgow, Chief Executive Officer, CCFC. "We're getting closer to the cures - and definitely seeing the benefits of better treatments - but we're not there yet. Until that day comes, we have a collective obligation to improve quality of life by reducing the impact of living with IBD, which is why the CCFC commissioned the Impact of IBD Report."

The Impact of IBD in Canada -  Key Findings

• There are approximately 233,000 Canadians living with IBD - 129,000 with Crohn's disease and 104,000 with ulcerative colitis.
• This is up from 201,000 Canadians with IBD as reported in CCFC's 2008 Burden of IBD in Canada Report.
• An estimated 5,900 Canadian children have IBD.
• One in every 150 Canadians has IBD (0.7% of the population).
• IBD is more than twice as common as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease; about as common as Type I diabetes or epilepsy.
• More than 10,200 new cases of IBD are diagnosed every year (5,700 with Crohn's disease, 4,500 with ulcerative colitis).
• The incidence of IBD in Canada has been rising, particularly since 2001, and significantly so in children under the age of 10.
• The economic costs of IBD are conservatively estimated is $2.8 billion per year, which is more than $11,900 per person every year.
• Direct medical costs (dominated by medications, hospitalizations and physician visits) totalled over $1.2 billion.
• Indirect costs (dominated by long and short-term work losses and patient out-of-pocket expenses) totalled over $1.6 billion.
• Quality of life for people with IBD is low across all aspects of health, compared to the general population.

Paediatric IBD Incidence Rates on the Rise

One of the most troubling findings from the 2012 Impact of IBD Report is the prevalence of pediatric IBD - the numbers were higher than expected - and have been increasing significantly in children aged 0-4 years and 5-9 years. Today, an estimated 5,900 Canadian children have IBD, experiencing symptoms of agonizing pain and countless bowel movements a day. While further research is required to answer the big question of "why?" researchers believe that this finding is related to undetermined environmental factors, or due to patterns of migration.

"The rising rate of IBD in children under 10 is very concerning," says Dr. Eric Benchimol, pediatric gastroenterologist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. "This increase in children living with IBD will lead to more longterm complications of the disease such as short stature, osteoporosis, and the psychosocial effects of having a chronic disease."

Key Challenges and Recommendations

As a result of this 2012 Impact of IBD Report, the CCFC has identified several significant key challenges facing persons with IBD, their family members and caregivers, which vary from province to province. The common challenges facing the IBD community include, but are not limited to, dimensions of awareness, diagnosis, timely and equitable access to treatment and medications, health service delivery, employment, support systems and research.

"It is time to recognize IBD as a national and provincial health priority," added Dr. Glasgow. "To improve the current landscape of IBD in Canada, the CCFC, along with government, media, the general public, and other key stakeholders need to work together to help advance public understanding of IBD and to fund research that leads to more treatment options and, ultimately, cures."

The complete Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Report can be downloaded from the CCFC website at www.ccfc.ca.

November is Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month

Adults and children living with IBD face a number of critical challenges. The disease can severely impact their quality of life, including a reduction in their ability to work or attend school, social stigma, management of bathroom issues, difficulty with physical intimacy and a restriction in career choices.

In an effort to educate those living with IBD, and celebrate the courage of Canadians who are not letting their IBD stop them, the CCFC will be making a number of announcements and hosting a series of events throughout the month of November, including:

The Abbott 2012 IBD Scholarship Program

With the prevalence of IBD rising in youth, education can be affected. To support Canadian students living with IBD, empower them and to raise awareness about this chronic disease, the CCFC and Abbott Laboratories launched the Abbott IBD Scholarship Program in March 2012, designed to help encourage students to live well with IBD so that they can excel at their personal and academic goals.

Through an educational grant from Abbott Laboratories, the CCFC awarded seven one-time scholarships of up to $5,000 CAN to students who are courageously living with IBD. To meet this year's "gutsy" scholarship winners, please visit www.ibdscholarship.ca.

Students of all ages who suffer from IBD are encouraged to apply for the 2013 Abbott IBD scholarship as of March 2013. The scholarship can be used for any Canadian post-secondary institution.

The CCFC & You Education Symposium Series

This November, the CCFC is proud to host 15 educational symposia in cities across Canada, giving more people with IBD access to some of the best speakers and top specialists in IBD disease management and research in Canada. These events wouldn't have been possible without the support of Janssen Pharmaceuticals. For details on the education symposium series please visit www.ccfc.ca/symposium.

Additional details for all Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Month initiatives are available online at www.ccfc.ca.

About IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause sections of the gastrointestinal track to become severely inflamed and ulcerated. An abnormal response of the body's immune system plays a role in each of the two main forms of IBD; namely Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, fatigue and diarrhea that is often urgent and unexpected.

About the CCFC

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) was founded in 1974 by a group of parents whose children were diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). They were concerned about the lack of funding for IBD research and they were interested in learning more about Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). 

From that small but dedicated group, CCFC has grown to become a world leader in IBD research funding. Through the support of our generous sponsors and donors, CCFC funds research projects that probe the mysteries of IBD. We know that life-altering treatments have been developed as a result of these discoveries, and we also know that someday, cures will be found.

We also believe it is important to raise awareness about Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis by educating people with IBD, their families, health professionals and the general public about these diseases. There are many challenges for people living with IBD, ranging from lack of awareness of IBD as a chronic disease, to social stigma, to lack of equity in access to IBD medications. 

For more information about the CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca.

In addition to CCFC's professional staff, the CCFC has committed volunteers and members across Canada who are willing to speak with media about their experience with IBD. If you would like to speak with one of our volunteers, or require further information, please contact Ive Balins or Adriana Lurz at Strategic Objectives.

SOURCE: Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC)

Tel: [phone].  Fax: [phone]. Email: [email protected]