Canadians link environment, health problems: CMA poll

Last Updated: Monday, August 20, 2007 | 10:11 AM ET

CBC News

One in four Canadians surveyed in the Canadian Medical Association's seventh annual National Report Card on Health Care linked the effects of the environment in relation to their health problems, the association's president said Sunday.

About 27 per cent of Canadians believe they have environment-related illnesses such as asthma and allergies, Dr. Colin McMillan told CBC News on Sunday. It was the first time the report card focused on that issue, he said.

Dr. Colin McMillan, outgoing president of the Canadian Medical Association, discussed findings Sunday in the organization's seventh annual report card.

"It does seem like the link between good health and a good environment is a real one, and that Canadians are aware of this and concerned in many areas," he said.

Although scientists and health officials haven't been able to confirm a strong link between the two, asthma clinics have been set up in certain regions to track the number of children who suffer from the condition.

McMillan, who leaves his post as CMA president later this week, said the clinics help doctors detect changes or complications earlier, which has meant a reduction on the use of the health care system, particularly hospitalization.

The survey was commissioned by the CMA and was conducted between June 19 and 29 that asked 1,001 Canadian adults. The sample provides a 3.2 percentage point margin of error for the overall national findings, 95 times out of 100.