Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada

Data from the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada are now available. The objective of the survey (sponsored by the Public Health Agency of Canada) was to assess the impact of diabetes and respiratory conditions (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) on quality of life and to provide more information on how Canadians manage their chronic condition. Data were collected in the fall of 2010 and the spring of 2011. Approximately 6,500 individuals in the 10 provinces were interviewed. For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Statistics Canada's National Contact Centre (613-951-8116; toll-free 1-800-263-1136; infostats@statcan.gc.ca), Communications Division

Exercise helps anxiety in chronic illnesses

"People who are living with chronic illnesses and who are experiencing anxiety would do well to get some exercise, according to a new study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine. Illnesses can trigger anxiety for a variety of reasons. As people become more anxious, they may find it more difficult to focus on their health - and it becomes a vicious cycle. While some may do well taking anti-anxiety medications, researchers have found that exercise training reduces anxiety symptoms. They came to this conclusion after reviewing the medical literature for studies that investigated the connection between exercise in adults with chronic illnesses who generally didn't participate in physical activity. Patients had diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and fibromyalgia, among others. The patients in all the studies were, on average, 50 years old. The exercise programs were done, on average, three times per week for 16 weeks, for an average length of 42 minutes per session. The only disease that wasn't associated with less anxiety in relation to exercise was multiple sclerosis"