Analysis Reveals Current Health Trends of Canadian Workforce
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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
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
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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
Anti-obesity claimants by province 20233 | ||||
Female % | Male % | % of Claimants in | YOY Growth% | |
79.5 % | 20.5 % | 61.1 % | 55.3 % | |
76.3 % | 23.7 % | 14.6 % | 25.2 % | |
79.4 % | 20.7 % | 10.4 % | 25.6 % | |
77.1 % | 22.9 % | 6.0 % | 44.5 % | |
81.3 % | 18.7 % | 5.0 % | 1.6 % | |
77.2 % | 22.8 % | 2.2 % | 37.6 % | |
All of | 78.8 % | 21.2 % | 100 % | 42.3 % |
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
Substance use disorder | Number of Claimants |
16.4 % | |
23.6 % | |
19.2 % | |
17.0 % | |
4.0 % | |
27.3 % | |
All of | 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
"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 |
Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.
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