Background <p>Over the past two decades, Canada’s public health system has undergone transformative structural changes that may impact chronic disease prevention (CDP). PHORCAST is a unique national study of CDP organizations in Canada that documents trends in organizational characteristics, funding, and priorities across the public health system.</p> Methods <p>PHORCAST conducted national censuses of CDP organizations in 2004, 2010, and 2023, including governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that develop and deliver CDP activities (classified as “resource” and “user” organizations, respectively). A standardized questionnaire captured organizational characteristics, populations served, staffing, funding, and activities. Descriptive statistics and stratified analyses were used to describe 20-year trends.</p> Results <p>Data from 258 organizations in 2004 (92% response), 239 in 2010 (90%), and 267 in 2023 (89%) revealed: (i) a shift toward more centralized delivery of CDP activities, with fewer organizations serving local populations and more serving provincial/territorial or national jurisdictions; (ii) a growing role of NGOs, the presence of which increased from 39 to 62% among resource organizations and from 36 to 51% among user organizations; (iii) declining prioritization of CDP especially among governmental user organizations (from 43% in 2004 to 26% in 2023); (iv) reduced reliance on federal/provincial funding and increased reliance on municipal and private sources; (v) persistent gaps in evaluation with only 19–22% of resource organizations reporting adequate staffing or budget; and (vi) a broadened CDP focus, particularly among NGOs, to include mental health and underserved populations.</p> Conclusions <p>Canada’s CDP landscape has become more centralized, increasingly NGO-driven, and financially unstable, with shrinking government prioritization despite rising chronic disease burdens. Strengthening system-wide capacity, evaluation infrastructure, and stable, equity-oriented funding models will be essential for building a resilient and effective CDP system.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Two decades of change: The evolution of Canadian public health organizations in chronic disease prevention, 2004–2023

  • Katerina Maximova,
  • Gilles Paradis,
  • Elizabeth Holmes,
  • Michelle Halligan,
  • Greg Penney,
  • David L. Mowat,
  • Teodora Riglea,
  • Maryam Marashi,
  • Jennifer L. O’Loughlin

摘要

Background

Over the past two decades, Canada’s public health system has undergone transformative structural changes that may impact chronic disease prevention (CDP). PHORCAST is a unique national study of CDP organizations in Canada that documents trends in organizational characteristics, funding, and priorities across the public health system.

Methods

PHORCAST conducted national censuses of CDP organizations in 2004, 2010, and 2023, including governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that develop and deliver CDP activities (classified as “resource” and “user” organizations, respectively). A standardized questionnaire captured organizational characteristics, populations served, staffing, funding, and activities. Descriptive statistics and stratified analyses were used to describe 20-year trends.

Results

Data from 258 organizations in 2004 (92% response), 239 in 2010 (90%), and 267 in 2023 (89%) revealed: (i) a shift toward more centralized delivery of CDP activities, with fewer organizations serving local populations and more serving provincial/territorial or national jurisdictions; (ii) a growing role of NGOs, the presence of which increased from 39 to 62% among resource organizations and from 36 to 51% among user organizations; (iii) declining prioritization of CDP especially among governmental user organizations (from 43% in 2004 to 26% in 2023); (iv) reduced reliance on federal/provincial funding and increased reliance on municipal and private sources; (v) persistent gaps in evaluation with only 19–22% of resource organizations reporting adequate staffing or budget; and (vi) a broadened CDP focus, particularly among NGOs, to include mental health and underserved populations.

Conclusions

Canada’s CDP landscape has become more centralized, increasingly NGO-driven, and financially unstable, with shrinking government prioritization despite rising chronic disease burdens. Strengthening system-wide capacity, evaluation infrastructure, and stable, equity-oriented funding models will be essential for building a resilient and effective CDP system.