Supplementary data: Nova Scotia
This page provides data visualizations related to the priorities for Canada’s cancer system, as well as accessible descriptions.
Download data tables for all indicators.
Priority 1 Action 1: Help people to stop smoking or not start in the first place and live healthier lives
Topic: Keeping people smoke-free
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 12) classified as daily or occasional smokers in 2019
Caveats/limitations:
- This indicator was reported using the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Overall smoking rates are reported using 2019 data.
- Individuals who did not respond to the required CCHS questions regarding smoking status were not included in the analysis.
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Topic: Keeping people smoke-free
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as daily or occasional smokers in 2019, by household income quintile and sex
Title of table: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as daily or occasional smokers in 2019, by household income quintile and sex
| Sex | Quintile 1 | Quintile 2 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 4 | Quintile 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 39.2% | 27.4% | 17.5% | 11.5% | 19.8% |
| Female | 22.0% | 21.6% | 12.3% | 10.6% | 12.8% |
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Topic: Keeping people smoke-free
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as daily or occasional smokers in 2019, by highest level of education
Title of table: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as daily or occasional smokers in 2019, by highest level of education
| Sex | Less than secondary school graduation | Secondary school graduation, no post-secondary education | Post-secondary certificate/diploma or university degree |
| Female | 28.6% | 24.4% | 10.7% |
| Male | 35.8% | 29.0% | 16.9% |
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Topic: Maintaining healthy body weight
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as overweight or obese in 2019
Caveats/limitations:
- This indicator was reported using the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). Overall obesity and overweight percentages are reported using 2019 data. Percentages by income quintile and/or sex are reported using 2017-2018 data.
- Individuals who did not respond to the required CCHS questions to derive the BMI classifications were not included in the analysis.
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Topic: Maintaining healthy body weight
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as overweight or obese in 2017-2018, by income quintile and sex
Title of table: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as overweight or obese in 2017-2018, by income quintile and sex
| Sex | Quintile 1 | Quintile 2 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 4 | Quintile 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 71.4% | 71.9% | 78.3% | 74.4% | 81.2% |
| Female | 66.9% | 68.8% | 72% | 74.4% | 81.2% |
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Topic: Maintaining healthy body weight
Title of image: Percentage of individuals in NS (aged ≥ 18) classified as overweight or obese in 2017-2018, by sex
Data source: Canadian Community Health Survey
Priority 1 Action 2: Adopt proven practices known to reduce the risk of cancer
Topic: Increasing HPV vaccination
Title of image: Percentage of Grade 7 students in NS in the 2018-2019 school year who received both doses of HPV vaccination prior to January 1, 2020
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 2 Action 1: Prioritize rapid access to appropriate diagnosis for those suspected of having cancer
Topic: Diagnosing cancer earlier
Title of image: Proportion* of stage 4 diagnosis in NS in 2019
Note: *Data is projected proportions of stage 4 diagnosis in 2019
Caveats/limitations: 2019 Cancer Registry data is not currently available. Data presented is based on projections of total case counts and proportions of stage IV diagnoses.
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 2 Action 2: Strengthen existing screening efforts and implement lung cancer screening programs across the country
Topic: Increasing participation in colorectal cancer screening
Title of image: Percentage of NS residents who had a FIT test result between Apr 1, 2017 – Mar 31, 2019
Title of table: Percentage of NS residents who had a FIT test result between Apr 1, 2017 – Mar 31, 2019
| Overall (age 50-74) | Age 50-54 | Age 55-59 | Age 60-64 | Age 65-69 | Age 70-74 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.4% | 26.7% | 21.6% | 38.3% | 31.4% | 50.4% |
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 2 Action 2: Strengthen existing screening efforts and implement lung cancer screening programs across the country
Topic: Implementing lung cancer screening
Title of image: Jurisdiction-specific level of implementation status for lung cancer screening for high-risk individuals
Visual Pending
Priority 3 Action 1: Set best practices and standards for care delivery and promote their adoption
Topic: Implementing multidisciplinary care
Title of image: Percentage of pediatric new oncology cases with documented multidisciplinary tumour board rounds prior to initiation of treatment in 2019-2020
Caveats/limitations:
- This includes only documented rounds found in patient charts that contained a list of attendees with 3 or more disciplines documented in attendance
- Data includes pediatric patients from the Maritime provinces seen at the pediatric tertiary centre (IWK Health Centre)
- We suspect the data underestimates multidisciplinary participation in these rounds due to the reliance on chart documentation to capture the data.
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 3 Action 2: Eliminate low-benefit practices and adopt high-value practices
Topic: Optimizing care at end of life
Title of image: Percentage of patients with cancer who received chemotherapy in last two weeks of life in 2018
Caveats/limitations:
- The denominator includes only those cancer patients who have a history of IV Chemotherapy in the past year. These patients represent 17% of all cancer patients who died in 2018.
- Unable to report on oral chemotherapy.
Data sources: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Topic: Optimizing screening and appropriate follow-up
Title of image: Percentage of people with a cervix in NS aged 18 to 24 who received a Pap smear by calendar year and age group
Caveats/limitations:
- Pap smear guidelines changed in Nova Scotia in February 2019. Prior to 2019, screening was recommended for individuals 21 years and older. Therefore, in 2018, individuals aged 21–24 years were screened as per recommended age guidelines at that time.
- People with a cervix may receive a Pap test for symptomatic/diagnostic reasons and therefore we would not expect the percentage to be zero.
- Data is not hysterectomy cleared. Therefore, those who had a hysterectomy and no longer eligible for PAP smear, have not been removed from the denominator.
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 4 Action 1: Provide better services and care adapted to the specific needs of underserved groups
Topic: Increasing access to culturally safe care
Title of image: Percentage of individuals who indicated “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” in response to the 5-point Likert scale questions in 2020
Caveats/limitations: The survey was provided only in English and therefore people whose primary language is not English may be underrepresented in the survey. This may have impacted the results of some of the questions.
Title of table: Percentage of individuals who indicated “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” in response to the 5-point Likert scale questions in 2020 “Care received was respectful of the patient’s…”
| Values | Culture | Language preference | Gender identity | Ethnicity | Abilities, physical or mental | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91.9% | 85.7% | 89.9% | 87.2% | 84.6% | 89% | 78.2% |
Data source: The Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program 2020 Patient Satisfaction Survey
Topic: Increasing support to help patients navigate the system
Title of image: Percent of patients who had at least one visit with a cancer patient navigator within one year of their referral to a cancer centre specialist in 2019
Caveats/limitations:
- No data from the Central Health Zone of Nova Scotia has been included in the analysis. Central Health Zone does not have any Cancer Patient Navigator roles. Navigation services in the Central Health Zone are carried out by other providers but data is not available.
- In Nova Scotia, 50% cancer patients are considered to reside in rural communities and 50% in urban communities (2014-2018 NS Cancer Registry).
- Travel time to closest Cancer Centre is the estimated driving time between the latitude and longitude associated with a resident’s postal code and the latitude and longitude of the two cancer centres (Halifax and Sydney). Travel time is calculated for off-peak driving congestion.
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 4 Action 2: Ensure rural and remote communities have the resources required to better serve their people
Topic: Increasing access to virtual care
Title of image: Percentage of cancer patients using virtual health appointments, by number of patients and number of appointments
Caveats/limitations:
- In 2019 telehealth was the only virtual option for patients. Attendance at a telehealth appointment requires the patient to travel to a local hospital to attend telehealth appointments with oncologists/NP at other sites.
- In Nova Scotia, 50% cancer patients are considered to reside in rural communities and 50% in urban communities (2014-2018 NS Cancer Registry)
- Nova Scotia has limited coverage of broadband internet in many regions of the province reducing accessibility for at home video appointments
- SES factors may limit access to technology required for at home video appointments
Title of table: Percentage of cancer patients using virtual health appointments, by number of patients and number of appointments
| Category | Overall | Rural | Urban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient-level | 1.5% | 2.5% | 0.6% |
| Appointment-level | 0.8% | 1.2% | 0.4% |
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Topic: Increasing access to virtual care
Title of image: Percentage of cancer patients using virtual health appointments, by appointment type and geography
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Title of table: Percentage of cancer patients using virtual health appointments, by appointment type and geography
| Category | Overall | Rural | Urban |
|---|---|---|---|
| New case count | 1.8% | 2.8% | 0.9% |
| Return appointment | 0.5% | 0.9% | 0.3% |
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Topic: Increasing access to supportive psychosocial care services
Title of image: Percentage of individuals who indicated they received supportive help of those who indicated they needed supportive services
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Topic: Increasing access to supportive psychosocial care services
Title of image: Percentage of individuals who indicated they received supportive help of those who indicated they needed supportive services, stratified by geography
Caveats/limitations:
- Respondents who did not need help are not included in the data. The proportion of respondents who did not need help varied by category: 60% did not need help with social and family issues, 55% did not need help with emotional issues, 75% did not need help with spiritual issues, 28% did not need help with physical issues, 66% did not need help with practical issues.
- In Nova Scotia, 50% of cancer patients are considered to reside in rural communities and 50% in urban communities (2014-2018 NS Cancer Registry).
Title of table: Percentage of individuals who indicated they received supportive help of those who indicated they needed supportive services, stratified by geography
| Geography | Social and family | Emotional | Spiritual | Practice | Physical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | 89% | 81.4% | 79.4% | 83.9% | 86.4% |
| Urban | 84.6% | 78.8% | 78.8% | 89.2% | 87.2% |
Data source: Data from the Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program 2020 Patient Satisfaction Survey
Topic: Increasing access to supportive palliative care services
Title of image: Proportion of Nova Scotians (18 yrs and older) who died in 2019 of cancer related causes and were referred to specialist palliative care services
Caveats/limitations: Only the referral closest to death was used to determine the referral timeframe. This may result in a slight underestimation in the proportion of patients referred 14 days or more for patients with multiple referrals.
Title of table: Proportion of Nova Scotians (18 yrs and older) who died in 2019 of cancer related causes and were referred to specialist palliative care services
| Overall | Geography: Rural | Georgraphy: Urban | Referral status: 14 days or more to death | Referral status: Within 14 days of death | No referral |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80.7% | 80.8% | 80.6%% | 61.3%% | 19.4%% | 19.3%% |
Data source: Provincial cancer agencies and programs
Priority 5 Action 1: Integrate the full spectrum of information and support services to ensure people are fully supported throughout the cancer experience
Topic: Improving availability of information and support
Title of image: Percentage of cancer patients who reported that they were given enough information about their cancer, its treatments, and the outcome of their cancer
Title of table: Percentage of cancer patients who reported that they were given enough information about their cancer, its treatments, and the outcome of their cancer
| My cancer, (what type, where it is) | My treatment plan | The probable outcome for my cancer | Whether the treatment is working |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97.7% | 96.5% | 86.2% | 86.2% |
Data source: Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program 2020 Patient Satisfaction Survey
Priority 5 Action 2: Address the limited and unequal access to palliative and end-of-life care across Canada
Topic: Improving access to quality end-of-life care
Title of image: Place of death for Nova Scotians dying of Cancer
Caveats/limitations:
- ‘Home’ includes deaths occurring in Long Term Care facilities, Residential Care facilities and Continuing Care facilities
- Hospital deaths include deaths occurring in acute care and community care hospital units (excluding Palliative Care Units located within the same facility)
Data Source: Place of death was determined using NS vital statistics and administrative databases