While exercise can help extend lifespan, a transplant is the only concrete effective treatment for people suffering from the incurable genetic disease that causes a build-up of mucus in the airways.
The two other compelling factors were childhood nutrition and healthcare coverage.
There appears to be greater awareness of childhood nutrition needs in Canada compared to the US, and the lifespan of a patient in the US is far more dependent on their healthcare coverage than in Canada.
Experts warn the staggering disparity in lifespan highlights significant shortfalls in the US healthcare system.
Even after adjusting for patient characteristics, such as age and severity of disease, the risk for death among people with cystic fibrosis was 34 percent lower in Canada than in the United States.
Differences in survival between U.S. and Canadian patients varied according to U.S. patients' insurance status (Canadians have universal, publicly funded health care coverage).