Policy Research Activities

• The Economic Burden of Illness in Canada (EBIC)
• Population Health Impact of Disease in Canada (PHI)
• Effectiveness of Community Interventions Project (ECIP)
• Knowledge Flow Between Policy Research and Practice
• Others

Type I EVIDENCE

The Economic Burden of Illness in Canada (EBIC)

project was developed to enhance the dissemination of, and facilitate access to, cost-of illness data in Canada. The primary goal of the EBIC project is to supply objective and comparable information on the magnitude of the economic burden or cost of illness and injury in Canada based on standard reporting units and methods. These estimates, along with other health indicators, provide an important piece of the evidence required for health policy and planning.

EBIC and its complementary web-based application (EBIC On-line) offer a comprehensive overview of how the principal direct and indirect costs of illness were distributed in Canada. The methods used by EBIC determine the "opportunity cost" to society of illness or injury by translating illness, injury, and premature death into direct (hospital, physician, drug, research and other institutional care expenditures) and indirect (mortality and morbidity costs) costs. EBIC provides updated estimates of illness/injury expenditures by diagnostic categories, age, sex and province/territory.

As part of this work, we are undertaking a Co-morbidity Case Study (CM) - Methodology and Impact.

Latest Publications

• Economic Burdent of Illness in Canada, 1998

Population Health Impact of Disease in Canada (PHI)

Our team, in conjunction with Statistics Canada, external researchers and a F/P/T Policy Advisory Committee, has engaged in this joint research program building on the methods of the World Health Organization's (WHO) "Global Burden of Disease". By using Canadian data and placing the research within a Canadian societal context, this research program will assess the relative impact that diseases, injuries and risk factors have on the health-related quality of life of the Canadian population.

This policy tool will help evaluate potential interventions on diseases and injury, and prioritize the potential impact of competing population and public health strategies. The program has completed analysis of the population health impact of cancer in Canada and is currently working on assessing the impact of obesity and its consequences. Results from the first phase of the program have been submitted to peer reviewed journals for publicaton and the program has launched a website for information: The Advisory Committee on Population Health and the board of direction of the Canadian Institute for Health Information are actively supporting this initiative.

As part of this work, we are working on Obesity in Canada, in collaboration with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control.

Latest Publications

• Health State Descriptions for Canadians: Cancers
• Health State Descriptions for Canadians: Diabetes
• Health State Descriptions for Canadians: Musculoskeletal diseases

For more information, contact publichealthpractice@phac-aspc.gc.ca
or call toll free: 1-877-430-9995.