Life expectancy for men, infant mortality rise: Statistics Canada
From www.cbc.ca
OTTAWA - Men benefited from an increase in life expectancy in 2002, Statistics Canada said Monday.
Boys born in 2002 can expect to live 77.2 years, up 0.2 years from 2001. The life expectancy for girls born in 2002 remained at 82.1 years.
In 2002, the infant mortality rate for deaths in the first year of life rose to 5.4 deaths for every 1,000 live births, up from 5.2 in 2001.
A higher number of deaths among female infants under one day old accounted for the increase, as the mortality rate of these newborns increased to 2.5 per 1,000 live births in 2002, up from 2.3 the year before.
Alberta is leading the country in infant mortality rates, and the province is seeing rates it hasn't experienced since 1994, the agency reported.
After declines in 1997 and 1998, the infant mortality rate in Alberta rose to 7.3 deaths per 1,000 live births from 5.6, rising in three of the last four years.
Deaths of infants under one day old accounted for most of the increase.
Researchers have found low-birth weight (under 2,500 grams) and pre-term births (under 37 weeks) puts infants at higher risk of death.
In Alberta in 2002, 8.6 per cent of newborns were pre-term compared to 7.5 per cent nationally.
The province's rate of low-birth weights was 6.5 per cent, compared to 5.7 per cent of newborns in Canada.
Researchers also found a large increase in deaths related to diabetes. More than 7,800 deaths were due to diabetes mellitus in Canada in 2002, up 10.9 per cent from 2001.
Deaths from the disease also increased 5.7 per cent between 2000 and 2001.
The proportion of Canadians aged 12 and older reporting chronic diabetes increased from 3.0 per cent in 1994/95 to 4.6 per cent in 2003, according to national health surveys.

LEADING KILLERS
The biggest killers in Canada continued to be cancer and diseases of the circulatory system.
Statistics Canada said 74,600 people died of diseases of the circulatory system in 2002, which accounted for a third of all deaths.
Cancers accounted for 29 per cent or about 65,000 deaths.
Half of cancer deaths were due to tumours in one of four sites: lung, colorectal, female breast and male prostate.
Source: Statistics Canada

October 1 -International Day of Older Persons
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2004/30/c5672.html?view=print
Excerpt
TORONTO, Sept. 30 /CNW/ - On October 1, 2004, communities around the world will join in observing the International Day of Older Persons. To celebrate this important day, Toronto Homes for the Aged encourages citizens across Toronto to take 10 minutes to enrich the life of a senior. Activities could range from making a phone call to an older relative, to dropping by the neighbour's house for a quick chat, to volunteering in a long-term care facility or retirement residence. The goal of the challenge is promote community connections that remind seniors that they play a vital role in our society.
In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 1 of each year as the International Day of Older Persons. This day is meant to commemorate older persons and raise awareness about the challenges to older persons and to announce or highlight important global aging events. The 10-minute challenge is part of a world-wide action plan to ensure that people everywhere age with security and dignity, and continue to participate in their societies as citizens with full rights.
The 10-minute challenge is part of a world-wide action plan to ensure that people everywhere age with security and dignity, and continue to participate in their societies as citizens with full rights.

Kids a drain on the bottom line ?
By Michele Faux
Catholic Register Special
It sounded like a financial statement but it hadn't been uttered by my husband, the accountant. Surpriseingly, our friend, a caring person, a doctor and a family man, had said the words which shocked us all: "When you think about it." he said," youhave to admit that children are really a net negative." For full text click here.