Overall
By Sex
By Age Group
By Deprivation
Overall
In 2021, diseases of the respiratory system, including chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), were the third leading cause of emergency visits in Simcoe Muskoka. There were over 2,300 COPD emergency visits in 2021, accounting for over 13% of all respiratory system disease related emergency visits.
The age-standardized rate for COPD emergency visits in Simcoe Muskoka for all ages and sexes in 2021 was 302 (289.9, 315.3) visits per 100,000 population, which was significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 222 (219.2, 223.8) visits per 100,000 population.
The COPD emergency visit rates dropped dramatically in 2020, by approximately 40% in Simcoe Muskoka and Ontario. The local provincial rates both dropped again in 2021 by an additional 20%. The 2021 rates were less than half than what was observed prior to the pandemic. This sudden and dramatic drop can be attributed, at least in part, to changes in health care use and access during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear how much the reduced transmission of other infectious diseases (like the common cold and influenza) and reduced exposures to activities and environments that exacerbate COPD may have contributed to the drop in the rates.
There was a small, but significant, downward trend in the Simcoe Muskoka COPD emergency visit rates from 2003 to 2019; however, the Ontario rates remained relatively stable during the same period. The COPD emergency visit rates in Simcoe Muskoka have been significantly higher than the provincial rates since 2003.
By Sex
In 2021, the age-standardized COPD emergency visit rate among Simcoe Muskoka males was 283 (265.7, 301.3) visits per 100,000, which was significantly lower than the female rate of 323 (304.7, 341.5) visits per 100,000. The 2021 COPD emergency visit rates for Ontario males and females were significantly lower than the comparable Simcoe Muskoka rates.
The 2020 COPD emergency visit rate dropped by approximately 40% among Simcoe Muskoka males and females. The rates dropped again in 2021 for both males and females by an additional 20%. The COPD emergency visit rates among both males and females in Simcoe Muskoka declined significantly between 2003 and 2019; however, the rates among Simcoe Muskoka males decreased significantly faster than the female rates over this 17-year period. The COPD emergency visit rates among Simcoe Muskoka females were significantly higher than male rates from 2012 to 2019.
By Age Group
Emergency visits for COPD increases with age. The age-specificrate for COPD emergency visits between 2017 and 2021 (combined) in Simcoe Muskoka was highest among those 75 years and older at 2,367 (2,306.6, 2,428.9) emergency visits per 100,000 population. The Simcoe Muskoka age-specific rates were significantly higher than the provincial rates for all age-groups over this five-year period.
By Deprivation
For the period from 2017 to 2021 (combined), Simcoe Muskoka residents living in areas with the highest amount of material deprivation (as measured by the 2016 Ontario Marginalization Index) had more than double the rate of COPD emergency visits when compared with those living in areas with the least amount of material deprivation.
Page last updated February 15, 2023