Labour shortage affecting access to health care in Abitibi-Temiscamingue
Quebec's labour shortage is creating difficulties in access to health care in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, according to a study published Thursday by the Institut de recherche et d'informations socioéconomiques (IRIS).
Over the past year, the region's health care institutions have experienced numerous service disruptions.
Most notably, the Témiscaming-Kipawa emergency room had to close during evenings and nights for the summer; it reopened last Friday.
According to the study, a lack of health care personnel is the region's leading cause of health care access problems.
"We already know that the average number of nurses and medical specialists in Quebec is insufficient to meet the needs of the population," explains Bertrand Schepper, researcher at IRIS and co-author of the study. "The fact that this number is lower in Abitibi-Témiscamingue is even more problematic given the size of the territory to be covered."
Data compiled by IRIS show that there are 2.7 nurses and nursing assistants per 1,000 inhabitants in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, compared to 3.4 in Quebec.
The number of general practitioners is slightly below that of the province: 1.2 per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to 1.3.
The study also notes that many residents travel to Ontario for treatment -- about 2,400 had to do so in 2019.
"Whether it is the repeated interruption of services or the long wait times to consult a specialist, the problems of access to health care in Abitibi-Témiscamingue precede the pandemic," said Krystof Beaucaire, associate researcher at IRIS and co-author of the study. "In addition to forcing many residents to travel hundreds of kilometres to major hospitals, this may also prompt others to forego certain types of care."
The authors point out that the region has particular challenges related to its demographic and geographic characteristics.
Life expectancy in Abitibi-Témiscamingue is notably lower than in the rest of Quebec, at 78.6 years for men and 82.4 years for women, according to the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
Only residents of the Nord-du-Québec have a lower life expectancy.
"The issues arising from the aging of the population are felt more strongly in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, which has a smaller working-age population than the rest of Quebec," said Beaucaire. "To serve a small population spread over a large territory, Abitibi-Témiscamingue needs more of facilities like CLSCs."
He notes that the region serves as a service corridor for residents of the Nord-du-Québec.
Hospitals in Val-d'Or and Amos receive 5.1 per cent and 3.5 per cent of patients from the Nord-du-Québec, respectively.
Essentially, lack of access to primary care and family physicians impacts emergency rooms.
In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 72 per cent of emergency room visits are made up of people who need primary care, compared to 53 per cent on average in Quebec.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 22, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.