Pulse
Number of health care workers lags behind population growth
CMAJ 2000;163(3):323
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A Canadian Institute for Health Information report released in June paints a widely varying picture of trends concerning the number of health care workers in different provinces. While provinces such as Newfoundland and New Brunswick saw gains in the number of health workers per capita between 1988 and 1997 (increases of 22% and 15%, respectively), Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia experienced losses of 8%, 11% and 7%, respectively. Overall, the number of health professionals per 10 000 Canadians fell by 1.7% over the period, from 185 to 182 (see Figure 1).
Of the 17 occupational groups included in the report, nursing personnel (licensed practical nurses and registered nurses) accounted for 62% of the total. The second largest group was physicians, who accounted for just over 10% of all health personnel in 1997.
The percentage change in the number of health professionals between 1988 and 1997 varied greatly among occupational groups. While the per capita rate for both nurses and physicians decreased during this period, by -8.2% and -0.3% respectively, the number of chiropractors and dental hygienists per 10 000 people increased by 26% and 64% respectively, and the number of occupational therapists more than doubled. — Lynda Buske, buskel@cma.ca
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