Canada lags in public spending on health care
CMAJ 1998;159:1064
© 1998 Canadian Medical Association
In 1997, Canada spent 9.3% of its gross domestic product on health care services. According to data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), this puts the country in fifth place among 28 OECD countries. Canada's per capita expenditure in US dollars was $2095, ranking us sixth among 23 nations.
Public expenditures on health care in Canada, when taken as a proportion of total spending, have traditionally been low when Canada is compared with other OECD countries, but they have decreased even more since 1994. At that time, public spending represented 71.8% of all expenditures and placed Canada in 15th position among 22 OECD countries. In 1997, the public component represented 68.7% of all health spending and our rank fell to 23rd among 28 countries.
We're lagging in R & D spending, too. An examination of Group of Seven nations shows that Canada spends less per capita than most on R & D concerning health care. Compared with 1994 standardized per capita figures for the UK ($78), France ($63), US ($61) and Japan ($35), Canada lags far behind at $21 per capita. The percentage of R & D that was paid for by public money in Canada was 67% in 1994, compared with 97% in Japan and 92% in the US.
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This column was written by Lynda Buske, chief, physician resources information planning, CMA. Readers may send potential research topics to Patrick Sullivan (sullip@cma.ca; 613 731-8610 or 800 663-7336 x2126; fax 613 523-0937).
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