The general election in British Columbia is scheduled for October 19, 2024. Arthritis Consumer Experts (ACE) is asking B.C. parties and candidates for their position on arthritis prevention, treatment and care.
The arthritis community is a significant constituency in British Columbia.
Arthritis affects approximately 800,000 B.C. voters. There are over 100 types of arthritis, and despite the misconception that it is only a disease of older adults, two-thirds of British Columbians with arthritis are younger than 65. It is the leading cause of disability in B.C. and a significant economic burden related to direct health care costs and indirect costs to the economy related to lost employment, sick leave, and absenteeism.
Health care delivery is one of the most important issues for B.C. voters. The way people living with arthritis access and receive health care varies significantly across B.C. Where you live can be more important in determining arthritis treatment than how sick or disabled you are. This particularly affects British Columbians living with inflammatory arthritis – like rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis or lupus – who depend on getting a timely and accurate diagnosis, fast access to rheumatologists, and appropriate public reimbursement for needed disease-modifying medications.
The time to arthritis prevention, treatment, and care is now after years of being at the back of the line of health care planning and delivery.
That’s why it is important you as a B.C. voter make your voice heard. To help you with your decision, Arthritis Consumer Experts sent a questionnaire to the B.C. political parties and the candidates running for office to share their perspectives on how to meet the needs of the one in five B.C. residents living with arthritis.
We have collected candidate and party responses and posted them on ACE’s British Columbia Election 2024 homepage to help people living with arthritis make an informed vote.
On October 19, 2024, make your voice count: #Vote4Arthritis. For more information on how to vote, please visit Elections BC.