Were you among the few people in Canada who chose the correct responses? If not, don’t worry. How could you? When has anyone ever spoken to you about your health as it relates to your substance use.
The results of this quiz demonstrate the significant gaps in knowledge and information Canadians have about Substance Use Health. Specifically, it shows that:
- Of those surveyed, only 14% knew that almost half of people who drink alcohol are at high risk of early death because of their drinking.
- Only 10% knew that more than five million people (nine million to be exact) are in this category
- Only 13% know that lost productivity of “average” people who use substances accounts for the largest total cost to our economy. $22 billion is lost annually to the lost productivity of the workforce – almost double the cost of healthcare attributed to substance use.
There is some good news.
Almost 80% of people surveyed believe we all need access to more Substance Use Health information and supports, and that it is an urgent issue. The Substance Use Health framework is CAPSA’s response to this demand from the public. It lays out strategies for moving beyond an illness-based system to one that includes the health of the whole population across a spectrum – just as we do with Mental and Physical Health.