"Doctors need to help tackle poverty"

from the Peterborough Examiner

A new report by Ontario doctors, says they should take a more active role in identifying poverty. - Kale

Posted By FIONA ISAACSON

The report, by the Ontario Physicians Poverty Work Group outlines how poverty "substantially raises" the rate of chronic illness, infant mortality and lowers life expectancy.

Dr. Rosana Pellizzari, Peterborough County-City Health Unit's medical officer, is one of seven doctors in the poverty work group.

"Poverty in Ontario is a growing problem," Pellizzari told The Examiner.

"Ontario now has 50 per cent of Canada's poor children living here. We've seen an increase in our poverty rates."

The group outlines strategies for doctors to help identify poverty and help their patients reach services by working closely with community agencies.

Pellizzari said that could range from doctors encouraging patients to apply to the Ontario Disabilities Support Program or writing letters of support for affordable housing or rejecting income supplement applications.

"For many physicians this will be a new area," she said. "Many physicians aren't aware that their patients are living in poverty and so we've given them some tools, some sample questions, they can use to identify the patients that are facing poverty and that could benefit from their physician's support." In Peterborough, for example,

Pellizzari said, doctors could make health services more accessible to people living in poverty by going directly to shelters, or changing their hours.

"There are ways we can make our services more accessible to people who face low income," she said.