Despite chronic diseases, many people reluctant to seek help

Thirty-five per cent of Canadians have been diagnosed with chronic disorders, and many of them are reluctant to seek help amid the COVD-19 pandemic, according to a report from Novo Nordisk Canada.

Nearly four in 10 (38 per cent) Canadians of these people are avoiding the healthcare system altogether while 27 per cent are not comfortable seeing a physician in-person during this health crisis.

More than one in five (13 per cent) of those with a chronic condition have not visited their doctor or had a virtual consultation since the start of the pandemic, while 56 per cent did so, according to the survey of 1,532 adults conducted in February.

Potentially, more than 100,000 Canadians living with undiagnosed chronic diseases did not begin treatment in 2020, according to Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management organization.

Employers’ role

Employees with chronic diseases need continuous support to stay at work and keep working, according to CHRODIS PLUS, an initiative funded by the European Commission and participating organizations.

“This support includes mental and physical manifestations. Communication about these issues and compassion within the company are critical,” it says.

“To improve organizational collaboration between employees with chronic diseases and employees without any health conditions, managers can benefit from the use of intranet on which a training package for all employees can be launched, or email announcements, company newsletters and info-screens can also be used.”

Examples of reasonable accommodations for people with chronic diseases include modified work schedule and flextime, modification or purchase of equipment and devices and modifying physical working environment, according to the initiative.

Two-thirds (66 per cent) of Canadians living with a chronic illness or major illness have faced challenges accessing treatment and care during the pandemic, according to another report.