Analysis Reveals Current Health Trends of
Canadian Workforce
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TORONTO, May 31, 2024
/CNW/ - Manulife Canada today released its first ever
Employee Health Report, offering key insights into the
health of the Canadian workforce. The Employee Health Report takes
a deep dive into rising health claims across the country to help
organizations identify areas for investment in employee health and
wellness, and to help Group Benefits members get more health from
their benefits.
This Employee Health Report highlights two major trends in the
aggregate data that are impacting Canadians from coast-to-coast:
the sharp increase in use of medication to treat obesity, and the
rise in medications to treat substance abuse disorders.
Canadian employers can play a critical role in supporting the
overall health and well-being of their workforce. By leveraging the
data and information in the Employee Health Report, employers can
implement targeted health and wellness initiatives, like increased
coverage for mental health services, voluntary onsite health
screenings and clinics, hold wellness seminars and informational
sessions and increase coverage for dietician and nutritional
services. Data suggests that organizations who prioritize employee
health experience a reduction in absenteeism and an increase in
overall workforce health1.
"As a proud health partner to the millions of Canadians we
serve, we see firsthand how important it is for organizations to
invest in their employees' health," said Ashesh Desai, Head of Group Benefits for
Manulife Canada. "The 2024 Employee Health Report highlights
critical health trends that can affect all Canadians, underscoring
the urgency of addressing holistic, end-to-end employee
health."
Increasing use of medication to
address obesity as a chronic health condition
Analysing the surge in unique claimants for anti-obesity
medications underscores a rising trend towards medical intervention
for obesity and weight-related issues. In 2023 alone, Manulife
observed a significant 42.3 per cent increase in individuals using
anti-obesity drugs2, and a total increase of 91.9 per
cent since 2020. Global media coverage on Ozempic®
may also be contributing to the growing interest in these
medications, though it is important to emphasize that it isn't
currently approved as an anti-obesity treatment by Health Canada
and is therefore not part of the Report's findings.
___________________________________
|
1 Manulife Wellness Report,
2023
|
2
This includes Saxenda®, Contrave® and Xenical®.
|
A deeper analysis of Manulife's claims data shows that women
represent 78.8 per cent of the total claimants compared to men at
21.2 per cent. Additionally, breakdowns by province reveal
particularly stark increases in Ontario and British
Columbia. The Employee Health Report's findings
suggest a heightened awareness and concern over weight management
across all regions, as well as the increasing recognition of
obesity as a chronic health issue.
Anti-obesity
claimants by province 20233
|
|
|
Female %
|
Male %
|
% of Claimants in
Canada
|
YOY Growth%
|
Ontario
|
79.5 %
|
20.5 %
|
61.1 %
|
55.3 %
|
Quebec
|
76.3 %
|
23.7 %
|
14.6 %
|
25.2 %
|
Alberta
|
79.4 %
|
20.7 %
|
10.4 %
|
25.6 %
|
British
Columbia
|
77.1 %
|
22.9 %
|
6.0 %
|
44.5 %
|
Atlantic
Canada
|
81.3 %
|
18.7 %
|
5.0 %
|
1.6 %
|
Central Canada
(MB/SK)
|
77.2 %
|
22.8 %
|
2.2 %
|
37.6 %
|
All of
Canada
|
78.8 %
|
21.2 %
|
100 %
|
42.3 %
|
Nationwide Increase in
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Claims
The Employee Health Report highlights a notable 17.2 per
cent jump in Canadians seeking treatment for substance use
disorders, marking a 52 per cent increase since 2020. Included in
the analysis are treatments used for substance use disorders
involving alcohol and opioids. While indicative of a growing trend,
it's important to note that the absolute percentages of those
seeking treatment for substance use disorders is still a relatively
small percentage of the ~5 million people in Canada insured by Manulife Group Benefits.
Substance use
disorder
treatment claimants by
province 2023
|
Number of Claimants
YOY Growth%
|
Ontario
|
16.4 %
|
Quebec
|
23.6 %
|
Alberta
|
19.2 %
|
British
Columbia
|
17.0 %
|
Atlantic
Canada
|
4.0 %
|
Central Canada
(MB/SK)
|
27.3 %
|
All of
Canada
|
17.2 %
|
With increasing demand for medications to treat alcohol and
opioid use disorder, the need for comprehensive treatment coverage,
including programs like the Employee and Family Assistance Program,
becomes increasingly important. These programs have the ability to
help employees get the support they need while helping to optimize
their functioning in the workplace.
"These results mean we can all do more to help foster healthier
Canadian lives. Well-being is not just beneficial for bottom lines,
but essential for employees' quality of life. With top
organizations showing meaningful productivity gains - up to 13
additional days per employee compared to their
counterparts4 – it is clear that investing in employee
health can pay off," said Desai.
For more information, including ways to implement programs to
improve employee health, visit Manulife.ca/groupbenefits
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|
3
Provincial breakdowns are provided here as a supplement to The
Employee Health Report 2024.
|
4 Manulife Wellness Report,
2023
|
About Manulife
Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international
financial services provider, helping people make their decisions
easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in
Toronto, Canada, we provide
financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across
Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the
United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the
global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we
serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members
worldwide. At the end of 2023, we had more than 38,000 employees,
over 98,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving
over 35 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New
York, and the Philippine stock exchanges, and under '945' in
Hong Kong.
Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For
additional information, please visit manulife.com.
SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation