Beck I T
Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston, Ont.
Clin Invest Med. 2001 Feb;24(1):12-36.
To assess the economic impact, research output and research support of digestive diseases, and to compare them to those of other common disease entities, specifically mental, cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous system diseases.
Economic burden was assessed with the use of (a) published Canadian government data of direct cost from 1963 to 1993, (b) data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information and (c) recent Canadian economic studies. Research achievements were assessed on the basis of (a) research training in Canadian units, (b) individual achievements by Canadian investigators and (c) contribution to meetings and reception of awards. Research support was assessed by reviewing (a) Canadian government publications, (b) the Association of Canadian Medical Colleges, (c) the Medical Research Council (MRC) of Canada, (d) charitable organizations and (e) the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG).
Digestive diseases are responsible for 15% of the total direct economic burden of Canadian health costs, and this figure exceeds those for mental, cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous system diseases. Hospital discharges for digestive diseases contribute 12% of all hospitalizations and 20% of all neoplasias. Digestive diseases cause short-term loss of productivity, costing $1.14 billion/yr and exceeding the costs of mental, cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous system diseases. Eighty-one percent of Research Fellows trained in Canadian units entered academic positions, and 63% obtained operating grants. Canadian investigators made important contributions in all areas of digestive science and received major international awards. Government support for digestive diseases was less than that for cardiovascular and neurologic research. In contrast to the highest economic burden, university staffing and residents were fewer for digestive than for mental, cardiovascular, respiratory and neurologic diseases. The number of MRC grants decreased, mainly because of organizational problems. Most charitable organizations support research specifically oriented to the disease of their interest. The CAG was the major supporter of non-specified research.
Digestive diseases are responsible for a major economic burden. Scientists in this field have established international recognition, but research support lags behind the need to correct the economic burden and to provide future generations of scientists in the digestive sciences. There is need for government to readdress this shortcoming and to review its method of support.
评估消化系统疾病的经济影响、研究产出和研究支持情况，并将其与其他常见疾病实体（特别是精神疾病、心血管疾病、呼吸系统疾病和中枢神经系统疾病）进行比较。
使用以下数据评估经济负担：（a）1963年至1993年加拿大政府公布的直接成本数据；（b）加拿大卫生信息研究所的数据；（c）加拿大近期的经济研究。根据以下方面评估研究成果：（a）加拿大各单位的研究培训情况；（b）加拿大研究人员的个人成就；（c）对会议的贡献和获奖情况。通过审查以下方面评估研究支持：（a）加拿大政府出版物；（b）加拿大医学院协会；（c）加拿大医学研究理事会（MRC）；（d）慈善组织；（e）加拿大胃肠病学协会（CAG）。
消化系统疾病占加拿大医疗费用总直接经济负担的15%，这一数字超过了精神疾病、心血管疾病、呼吸系统疾病和中枢神经系统疾病。消化系统疾病的住院出院人数占所有住院人数的12%，占所有肿瘤病例的20%。消化系统疾病导致短期生产力损失，每年成本为11.4亿美元，超过了精神疾病、心血管疾病、呼吸系统疾病和中枢神经系统疾病的成本。在加拿大各单位接受培训的研究人员中，81%进入了学术岗位，63%获得了运营资助。加拿大研究人员在消化科学的各个领域都做出了重要贡献，并获得了重大国际奖项。政府对消化系统疾病的支持少于对心血管和神经学研究的支持。与最高的经济负担形成对比的是，消化系统疾病的大学工作人员和住院医生人数比精神疾病、心血管疾病、呼吸系统疾病和神经疾病的要少。MRC资助的数量减少，主要是由于组织问题。大多数慈善组织专门支持针对其感兴趣疾病的研究。CAG是未指定研究的主要支持者。
消化系统疾病造成了重大的经济负担。该领域的科学家已获得国际认可，但研究支持落后于纠正经济负担和培养下一代消化科学领域科学家的需求。政府需要重新审视这一缺陷并审查其支持方式。
