Learning the unique and peculiar challenges of direct health measures surveys: the Canadian experience

The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) represents Statistics Canada's first health survey employing a comprehensive battery of direct physical measurements of health. The CHMS will be collecting directly measured health data on a representative sample of 5000 Canadians aged 6 to 79 in 2007 to 2009. After a comprehensive in-home health interview, respondents report to a mobile examination centre where direct health measures are performed. Measures include fitness tests, anthropometry, objective physical activity monitoring, spirometry, blood pressure measurements, oral health measures and blood and urine sampling. Blood and urine are analyzed for measures of chronic disease, infectious disease, nutritional indicators and environmental biomarkers. This survey has many unique and peculiar challenges rarely experienced by most Statistics Canada surveys; some of these challenges are described in this paper. The data collected through the CHMS is unique and represents a valuable health surveillance and research resource for Canada.