Vote For The Party That Supports A Diversity Approach To Healthcare

By Allan Bucka Jones
PRIDE Health Columnist

On Monday October 19, Canadians will participate in a general election. The usual mudslinging and blaming has found its way into the debate. There is usually one truth, and the challenge for voters is to discern which party, if any, is speaking the truth, and then park our support where we feel comfortable. My concern is the truth on healthcare.

When it comes to healthcare, especially as it affects black Canadians, I am far from comfortable that no party, and no black candidate, is trumpeting the need for a diversity approach to healthcare. To put it bluntly, we should be treated based on our genetic makeup. For example, the treatment approach that is right for a white person or a South Asian, may not be right for a black individual. Unfortunately the Canadian model, which historically, is based on an approach to treat white individuals, is the one used mostly to treat all ethnicities.

It does not take much to convince anyone that when they are sick, even with the common cold, that their main preoccupation is with getting  well, and most other issues or concerns are not as important at that point in time. Think of the thousands of us with diabetes, for example, a debilitating and all-encompassing disease, which runs like wild fire in the black and South Asian community. Diabetes is also very expensive to maintain and treat on an ongoing basis.

The politicians can talk until they are blue in the face about various initiatives that they will implement if they are elected. I am not suggesting that many of these initiatives are not good. They may be, but if you are not healthy, you cannot appreciate these initiatives. A healthy body is the very foundation of our existence, and we need this foundation to survive.

There is scientific evidence to support the call for a diversity approach to healthcare.  A recent significant study from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, was published in the BMJ Open Journal. It is the first study in Canada to look at ethnic-specific trends of cardiovascular risk factors over time. Between 2001 and 2012, the study examined the prevalence of self-reported risk factors, among 220,000 adult participants from the black, white, Chinese and South Asian communities. The study found that the risk of getting heart disease soared among black women, black men and South Asian men over the period investigated.

In summarising the results of the study, Dr. Maria Chiu, the lead author of the study, said “Our findings suggest, that cardiovascular risk factor profiles are worsening at different rates for different ethnic groups, and with more than a decade’s worth of data, we are able to show for the first time that general trends don’t apply to all ethnic groups”. In other words, treat patients based on their ethnicity and propensity to develop certain diseases.

Canada prides itself on multiculturalism and diversity, but it does not have a multicultural healthcare policy. The motto for Toronto, Canada’s largest city and most diverse city is ‘DIVERSITY OUR STRENGTH’. It makes you wonder why, when it comes to health of the citizens, which is a multicultural  mosaic, this principle is not applied.  The ‘one size fits all” approach does not work. Different ethnic groups should be managed differently, based on their probability to manifest a disease.

We are all products of our genetic make-up and the environment in which we live. We can adjust environment, like lifestyle management, for example, but our genes remain unchanged, causing some ethnic groups to be more inclined to develop certain diseases.

There are some common afflictions that affect the black community at high rates. For example, lupus is a disease in which the body attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. Sickle Cell Disease is at a disproportionately higher rate in black individuals. Breast cancer can be more devastating and more common in black women. Prostate cancer is a big problem among middle aged men and black men have higher rates of this cancer. Diabetes is a very overwhelming disease at epidemic proportions in the black community. The high salt content of common foods is a big contributor to high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, stomach cancer and any other illnesses. Too much salt in our diet is literally killing the black community.

Now, during this election season, is the time to engage our politicians in discussing issues around healthcare for the black community. Get a commitment from the politicians that they will fight for, and support a federally mandated diversity approach to healthcare in Canada. Good health is the basis for a good life. We owe this political engagement to our children and grandchildren, and those not yet born.  A federal election is taking place on October 19, so now is the time for engagement, not tomorrow. Let your vote count. Get out of the habit of voting for the same party election after election. Support the party and candidate that support your health needs, because as far as I am concerned, when it comes to the healthcare needs of the black community, all the political parties are “just not ready”.

Allan Bucka Jones is a Health Promoter and Broadcaster. You can contact Allan Bucka Jones at allan@jonesandjones.ca.