Abstract
Background/Aims Statistical evidence confirms a disparity in diabetes mellitus prevalence by ethnicity in Canada. Diabetes mellitus (DM) prevalence was 6.4% of total populations for 2010 in Canada (PHAC, 2011). Canadian Diabetes Association (2006) reports that South Asian populations in Canada are at a greater risk of having DM. While DM prevalence in Canada was at 5.2% for total populations in 2005, it was almost three folds higher, at 14% for South Asian populations. Canada is a world leader in scholarship of social determinants of health (SDH). However a gap between knowledge and action in SDH is evident in policies and practices of the Canadian government. Expert Panel Report (PHAC, 2009) contends that increasing prevalence of DM poses significant threats to the sustainability of the public health care system in Canada. With increased disparity in population health outcome it is imperative to investigate alternative approaches to policies and practices that will effectively lessen the prevalence of DM among South Asian populations in Canada. In this paper, I study the dominant approach in health organizations that inform/formulate/direct policies and practices, to reduce prevalence and/or to delay the onset of DM among South Asian populations in Canada.
Methods In this paper I advance my investigation with a political economy lens of social determinants of health. For qualitative inquiry I analyzed primarily text based documents from the organizations mentioned in the results section. I collected quantitative data from the World Health Organization, the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Health Canada, between the time periods of 1998 and 2011.
Results Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, and Diabetes Association of Canada, have a dominant medical model approach in policies and practices to reduce the prevalence of T2DM among South Asian populations in Canada.
Discussion To reduce disparity in health outcome and to lessen DM prevalence among South Asian populations in Canada, it is imperative to put into effect a social determinants of health approach towards healthy public policies in Canada.
