Canadians link environment, health problems: CMA poll

One in four Canadians surveyedin the Canadian Medical Association's seventh annual National Report Card on Health Care linked the effects of the environmentin relation to their health problems,theassociation's president said Sunday.

About 27 per cent of Canadians believe they have environment-related illnesses such as asthmaand allergies, Dr. Colin McMillan told CBC News on Sunday. It was the first time the report cardfocused on that issue, he said.

"It does seem like the link between good health and a good environment is a real one, and that Canadians are aware of this and concerned in many areas," he said.

Although scientists and health officials haven't been able to confirm a strong link between the two, asthma clinics have been set up in certain regions to track the number of children who suffer from the condition.

McMillan, who leaves his post as CMA president later this week,said the clinics help doctors detect changes or complications earlier, which has meant a reduction on the use of the health care system, particularly hospitalization.

The surveywas commissioned by the CMA and was conducted between June 19and 29 that asked1,001 Canadian adults. The sample provides a 3.2 percentage point margin of error for the overall national findings, 95 times out of 100.