This is the first study that takes looks at all the money spent on health versus all the money spent on social services. It finds provinces need to spend less on healthcare and more on social services to improve health. Looking into health and social spending in nine provinces over 31 years and compared it to three population health measures: potentially avoidable death, life expectancy and infant mortality, they discovered that when social spending increased relative to health spending, premature death rates were lower and life expectancy increased. No statistical impact on infant mortality was found. At a time when close to 40% of provincial budgets are spent on healthcare, the research shows shifting a small amount of this funding to social programs such as housing, welfare or child care, could reap significant health benefits. Average per capita spending on social services was $930, compared with $2,900 for health services.
Related News:
Canada must rethink health spending strategy - The Globe and Mail (sub. req.)
Investir dans les services sociaux pour améliorer la santé, propose une étude - Le Journal de Montréal
Prescription for healthier population: spend more on social services - Toronto Star
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