How did Canada react to Sepsis becoming a major global health priority, and how is Sepsis Canada helping to protect patients and raise awareness?
In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared sepsis a major global health priority, emphasizing the need for enhanced prevention, diagnosis, and management strategies.
Sepsis, a life-threatening condition triggered by infections, accounts for a staggering 48.9 million cases and 11 million deaths worldwide, constituting nearly 20% of all global fatalities. Moreover, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was estimated that sepsis placed a $1.7 billion annual burden on Canada with 1 in 18 deaths attributed to sepsis.
Sepsis places a $1.7 billion annual burden on Canada
Sepsis Canada
In response to these alarming statistics and to the WHO 2017 resolution, Sepsis Canada was formed and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) as single nationally coordinated research network. Sepsis Canada’s vision is to suspect sepsis, save lives, and support recovery.
This vision has brought together a diverse coalition of researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and trainees, all with a singular aim to alleviate the burden of sepsis for all Canadians. Their multifaceted approach includes prioritizing key themes: surveillance and epidemiology, pathobiology, early recognition and diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and knowledge translation.
Sepsis Canada operates through three dedicated research teams:
- Team 1 addresses Population Health, Economics, and Policy, focusing on the economic impact and policy aspects of sepsis.
- Team 2 leads Advocacy, Knowledge Transfer, and Education, aiming to raise awareness and facilitate the exchange of vital information.
- Team 3 centers on Translational Biology, Clinical Trials, and Rehabilitation, striving to bridge the gap between research and real-world clinical application.
These teams work in harmony to advance six critical focus areas:
- Understanding the Causes of Sepsis
- This encompasses in-depth research into the pathogenesis of sepsis and its social determinants. It also explores the intricate interplay between diabetes, obesity, and sepsis.
- Improving the Prevention of Sepsis
- The network is committed to advancing both primary and secondary prevention strategies, seeking to reduce the incidence of sepsis.
- Improving the Detection and Identification of Sepsis
- Ensuring early identification and management of sepsis cases is a top priority. Sepsis Canada also endeavors to understand the epidemiological and economic burden of sepsis in Canada, striving for consistent sepsis surveillance nationwide.
- Improving the Management of Sepsis
- Evidence-based management practices are at the core of this focus area, with the ultimate goal of improving patient health outcomes.
- Improving Rehabilitation and Recovery from Sepsis
- In the post-COVID era, virtual training has become widespread, but there’s limited research on its effective application for patients recovering from sepsis. This module’s ultimate goal is to develop virtual learning tools that effectively aid the rehabilitation of sepsis survivors.
- Educating the Next Generation
- Training the current and next generation of sepsis researchers, clinicians, support personnel, and patient partners is fundamental to the network’s sustainable impact.
