Message from the Chair, CCAN Québec
Welcome to CCAN Québec.
In an effort to better understand the cancer landscape in Québec, the firm of Leger Marketing was hired in early 2009 to conduct a survey evaluating accessibility to care and support for people with cancer in different regions of Québec to 800 residents of Québec (in both urban and rural communities) who were either diagnosed with cancer in the past two years, or who knew someone close to them who had been diagnosed within that timeframe.
In total, 300 telephone interviews and 500 web interviews were completed offering an insightful picture of the various concerns relevant to cancer care in Québec. Of the 800 respondents, 44% were male and 56% were female with the highest number (22%) in the range of 45-54 years old. Of these, 21% had been diagnosed with cancer; 64% of the respondents had a family member diagnosed and 13% reported it was a close friend who had battled cancer in the last two years.
Upon analysis of the compiled data, it was realized that there were a total of 21 types of cancer that formed the basis for respondent responses. (Of these, the highest percentage of respondents were linked to a breast cancer diagnosis (23%), followed by lung cancer (17%) and colorectal cancer (6%).
When the 800 respondents were asked about access to drug insurance for cancer patients, 45% indicated drugs were paid for in full by either public or private drug insurance, while 32% indicated they had to pay a portion of the drug cost direct. 22% declined to answer, or were not aware.
Costs remain an obstacle for people with cancer.
Leger Marketing reported that a considerable proportion of respondents feel that the financial assistance offered to people with cancer (35%) and those close to them (46%) is insufficient to cover all the expenses and loss of revenues. In fact, 60% of patients did not receive any financial support.
Additional key finding concluded that:
- Not all people with cancer obtain quick and easy access to healthcare.
- People with cancer do not receive all the available information.
