Health

Description:

On behalf of Statistics Canada, I would like to welcome you all, friends and colleagues, to Symposium 2006. This the 23rd International Symposium organized by Statistics Canada on survey methodology.

Description:

Now that we have come to the end of a day of workshops plus two very full days of sessions, I have the very pleasant task of offering a few closing remarks and, more importantly, of recognizing the efforts of those who have contributed to the success of this year's symposium. And it has clearly been a success.

Description:

General population health surveys often include small samples of smokers. Few longitudinal studies specific to smoking have been carried out. We discuss development of the Ontario Tobacco Survey (OTS) which combines a rolling longitudinal, and repeated cross-sectional components. The OTS began in July 2005 using random selection and data-collection by telephones. Every 6 months, new samples of smokers and non-smokers provide data on smoking behaviours and attitudes. Smokers enter a panel study and are followed for changes in smoking influences and behaviour. The design is proving to be cost effective in meeting sample requirements for multiple research objectives.

Description:

When Chiang's "standard" method is used, calculating life expectancy for (small) census agglomerations in Canada can produce estimates whose confidence intervals are too wide to be useful. However, we have been able to show that by combining small area estimation methods and simulation methods, we can obtain narrower confidence intervals.

Description:

Immigrants have health advantages over native-born Canadians, but those advantages are threatened by specific risk situations. This study explores cardiovascular health outcomes in districts of Montréal classified by the proportion of immigrants in the population, using a principal component analysis. The first three components are immigration, degree of socio-economic disadvantage and degree of economic disadvantage. The incidence of myocardial infarction is lower in districts with large immigrant populations than in districts dominated by native-born Canadians. Mortality rates are associated with the degree of socio-economic disadvantage, while revascularization is associated with the proportion of seniors in the population.

Description:

The classification and identification of locations where persons report to be more or less healthy or have more or less social capital, within a specific area such as a health region, is tremendously helpful for understanding place and health associations. The objective of the proposed study is to classify and map areas within the Zone 6 Health Region (Figure 1) of Nova Scotia (Halifax Regional Municipality and Annapolis Valley regions) according to health status (Dimension 1) and social capital (Dimension 2). We abstracted responses to questions about self-reported health status, mental health, and social capital from the master files of the Canadian Community Health Survey (Cycles 1.1, 1.2 and 2.1), National Population Health Survey (Cycle 5), and the General Social Survey (Cycles 13, 14, 17, and 18). Responses were geocoded using the Statistics Canada Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF+) and imported into a geographical information system (GIS) so that the postal code associated with the response will be assigned to a latitude and longitude within the Nova Scotia Zone 6 health region. Kernel density estimators and additional spatial interpolators were used to develop statistically-smoothed surfaces of the distribution of respondent values for each question. The smoothing process eliminates the possibility of revealing individual respondent location and confidential Statistics Canada sampling frame information. Using responses from similar questions across multiple surveys improves the likelihood of detecting heterogeneity among the responses within the health region area, as well as the accuracy of the smoothed map classification.

Description:

Approaches used to select records for tabulation of national injury hospitalization data were identified. Three of the approaches were based on the principal diagnosis in the hospital separation record; the other three required that the record contain a code for an external cause of injury. Differences within these two main groups resulted in identification of six distinct approaches. Each approach was applied to the same set of hospital separation data. The numbers and types of injury records retrieved with the six approaches are compared and implications of the findings for injury surveillance are discussed.

Description:

Traditionally administrative hospital discharge databases have been mainly used for administrative purposes. Recently, health services researchers and population health researchers have been using the databases for a wide variety of studies; in particular health care outcomes. Tools, such as comorbidity indexes, have been developed to facilitate this analysis. Every time the coding system for diagnoses and procedures is revised or a new one is developed, these comorbidity indexes need to be updated. These updates are important in maintaining consistency when trends are examined over time.

Description:

Using survey and contact attempt history data collected with the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a multi-purpose health survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we set out to explore the impact of participant concerns/reluctance on data quality, as measured by rates of partially complete interviews and item nonresponse. Overall, results show that respondents from households where some type of concern or reluctance (e.g., "too busy," "not interested") was expressed produced higher rates of partially complete interviews and item nonresponse than respondents from households where concern/reluctance was not expressed. Differences by type of concern were also identified.

Description:

Accurate information about the timing of access to primary mental health care is critically important in order to identify potentially modifiable factors which could facilitate timely and on-going management of care. No "gold standard" measure of mental health care utilization exists, so it useful to know how strengths, gaps, and limitations in different data sources influence study results. This study compares two population-wide measures of primary mental health care utilization data: the Canadian Community Health Survey of Mental Health and Well-being (CCHS, cycle 1.2) and provincial health insurance records in the province of British Columbia. It explores four questions: (1) Is 12-month prevalence of contacts with general practitioners for mental heath issues the same regardless of whether survey data or administrative data are used? (2) What is the level of agreement between the survey data and administrative data for having had any contact with a general practitioner for mental heath issues during the 12 month period before the survey interview? (3) Is the level of agreement constant throughout the 12-month period or does it decline over more distant sub-timeframes within the 12-month period? (4) What kinds of respondent characteristics, including mental disorders, are associated with agreement or lack of agreement? The results of this study will provide useful information about how to use and interpret each measure of health care utilization. In addition, it will contribute to survey design research, and to research which aims to improve the methods for using administrative data for mental health services research.

Description:

The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Profiles present a series of variables by different geographies, such as health regions, census metropolitan areas and rural/urban groups. Also available are profiles of linguistic minorities, Aboriginals and immigrants. The data provide information on the following variables: self-rated health, self-esteem, body mass index, arthritis/rheumatism, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, pain or discomfort, risk of depression, injuries, functional health, two-week disability days, activity limitation, smoking, frequency of heavy drinking, leisure time activities, fruit and vegetable consumption, decision latitude at work, social support, stress, exposure to second-hand smoke, influenza immunization, mammogram screenings, Pap tests, contact with health care providers, contact with dental professionals, contact with medical doctors, and contact with professionals for mental health. Data were collected from over 130,000 respondents, aged 12 or older, residing in households across all provinces and territories.

Description:

The Cancer Survival Statistics tables provide site-specific five-year observed and relative survival estimates for cases diagnosed from 1992 onwards. In addition to age-specific and age-standardized national (excl. Quebec) estimates, all ages (15 to 99 years) and age-standardized provincial estimates are available.

Description:

The annual Cancer Incidence in Canada tables provide information on the number of new cases and rates of cancer tumours and patients from 1992 onwards by five-year age-groups and sex for all Canadian provinces and territories as well as information on the primary ICD-O-3 sites of cancer.

Description:

This product presents current and historical cancer incidence and cancer survival statistics in Canada, as well as links to the Cancer Record and Canadian Cancer Registry (CCR) procedures manuals.

The Annual Cancer Incidence in Canada tables provide information on the number of new cases and the rates of both cancer tumours and patients from 1992 onwards, by five-year age-groups and sex for all Canadian provinces and territories.

The Cancer Survival Statistics tables provide site-specific five-year observed and relative survival estimates for cases diagnosed from 1992 onwards. In addition to age-specific and age-standardized national (excl. Quebec) estimates, all ages (15 to 99 years) and age-standardized provincial estimates are available.

The Cancer Record is a newsletter for cancer registries in Canada. Its purpose is to improve the quality and consistency of data submitted to the CCR.

The compendium of Canadian Cancer Registry procedures manuals set out the rules for reporting cancer data to the CCR for all provincial and territorial cancer registries.

Links are also provided to other Statistics Canada data on cancer. The health regions cancer rates are part of the Health Indicators. The Comparable Health Indicators present information on health status and health system performance, including cancer incidence age-standardized cancer.

Description:

The Internet publication, Mental Health and Well-being, from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) provides cross-sectional estimates at provincial and national levels. Topics include the prevalence of various mental disorders (depression, mania, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia), mental health problems (alcohol and illicit drug dependence, gambling, suicide, eating trouble) and access to and use of mental health care services in the past 12 months.

The survey also collects information on many determinants and correlates of mental health such as socio-demographic information, income, stress, medication use and social support.

Data were collected from close to 37,000 respondents, aged 15 or older, residing in households in each province.

Description:

The main objective of the 2002 Youth Smoking Survey (YSS) is to provide current information on the smoking behaviour of students in grades 5 to 9 (in Quebec primary school grades 5 and 6 and secondary school grades 1 to 3), and to measure changes that occurred since the last time the survey was conducted in 1994. Additionally, the 2002 survey collected basic data on alcohol and drug use by students in grades 7 to 9 (in Quebec secondary 1 to 3). Results of the Youth Smoking Survey will help with the evaluation of anti-smoking and anti-drug use programs, as well as with the development of new programs.

Description:

The Joint Canada/United States Survey of Health is a collaborative project undertaken by Statistics Canada and the National Center for Health Statistics of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the first survey that asks a common set of questions to approximately 3,500 Canadians and 5,200 U.S. residents about their health status and access to health care services. The analytical report in this publication compares Canadians and U.S. residents on a broad range of health dimensions including self-perceived health, chronic conditions, functional status, life-style factors such as smoking and obesity, health care utilization and satisfaction with health care services. A public use microdata file (PUMF) has been prepared from the survey, and is available for free download in this publication. The PUMF comes with complete documentation, including a data dictionary, a user guide and a document explaining how the derived variables were created. "Bootstrap" weights for variance calculation are also provided for free download.

Description:

The Cancer Survival Statistics tables provide site-specific five-year observed and relative survival estimates for cases diagnosed from 1992 onwards. In addition to age-specific and age-standardized national (excl. Quebec) estimates, all ages (15 to 99 years) and age-standardized provincial estimates are available.

Description:

The annual Cancer Incidence in Canada tables provide information on the number of new cases and rates of cancer tumours and patients from 1992 onwards by five-year age-groups and sex for all Canadian provinces and territories as well as information on the primary ICD-O-3 sites of cancer.

Description:

The 2001 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) is a post-censal survey of adults and children whose everyday activities are limited because of a condition or health problem. A sample of those persons who answered 'Yes' to the 2001 Census disability filter questions were included in the PALS survey population. Approximately 35, 000 adults (aged 15 and over) and 8,000 children (aged 0 to 14) living in private or collective households in the 10 provinces were selected to participate in the survey. Persons living in institutions, on Indian reserves, and in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut were excluded from the survey. The data were collected after the 2001 Census, in the fall of 2001.

These tables contain data on the educational attainment, labour force activity and income of adults with and without disabilities.

Description:

This report presents evidence that literacy is an overlooked socio-economic factor that is an important determinant of health among senior citizens.

Description:

The contributors to this book examine two broad themes related to the well-being of Canadian youth. First, they document the nature of the labour market facing young adults and how it has changed since they early 1970s. Second, the autors examine how families, communities, and the public sector influence some of the ways in which children become successful and self-reliant adults. The motivation for bringing these essays together has to do with the increasing importance of child well-being in public discourse and the development of public policy. The major message to emerge is that the future of Canada's children is both a good news, and a bad news story. Labour markets have changed dramatically, and on average it is now more difficult to obtain a strong foothold that will lead to increasing prosperity. Many young Canadians, however, are well prepared by their family and community backgrounds to deal with these new challenges, and as young parents are in a position to pass this heritage on their children. However, this has not been challenges in getting ahead in life. A companion volume published in February of 1998 by Statistics Canada called Government Finances and Generational Equity examines the operation of government taxes and transfers from a generational perspective, focusing on the conduct of fiscal policy and the relative status of individuals in successive generations.

Description:

The primary goal of this chapter is to improve our understanding of the roles that family structure and low-income play in the determination of psychiatric disorders, poor school performance, and social problems among Canadian children. While there is broad agreement that environmental factors have an impact on these outcomes, until recently there has been little or no Canadian data with which to assess the importance of socio-economic factors in determining the incidence and severity of such problems.

Description:

In this chapter, we assess the family's role in determining the acquisition of higher education and literacy. More specifically, our objective is to relate individual educational attainment, literacy abilities, and labour market characteristics to parental educational and labour market attributes. We compare different age cohorts and thereby examine relationships between parents and children over more than one generation.

Description:

Socio-economic status - as measured by income, education and occupation - is a complex phenomenon used to describe social inequities. It is well known that people in lower socioeconomic categories experience higher mortality rates and poorer health than those further up the social ladder. In addition, differences in health by socio-economic status are most pronounced in early and late mid- life. However, it is not clearly understood why this is so.

Description:

This paper considers some of the conceptual and practical issues pertinent to measuring the pros and cons of health research.

Description: This article provides an overview of patients who were hospitalized in 1993/94 because of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and projects how many AMI patients there could be in the future.

Description: Thia article analyzes trends in melanoma incidence and mortality rates. Information on sun exposure supplements these statistics.

Description: This article examines the association between maternal education, smoking and other risk factors and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births.

Description:

This article examines differences in fetal and infant mortality by maternal education in the province of Quebec, where the rates are among the lowest in Canada.

Description: The data will be used by Health Canada, the Health Promotion Directorate as well as Researchers for alcohol and other drug use in Canada. Information will be used to inform the decision making and program planning efforts of policy makers, practitioners and researchers.

Description: The main purpose of this survey is to collect data to monitor cigarette smoking in Canada and attempt to measure the effect of cigarette price reductions on smoking behaviour.

Description: The results from this survey will be used to develop new programs to educate and inform the public, and to determine the need for new services.

Description: The main objective of the survey is to provide continual and reliable data on tobacco, alcohol and drug use and related issues, with the primary focus on 15 to 24 year olds.

Description: The two primary objectives of the General Social Survey (GSS) are: to gather data on social trends in order to monitor changes in the living conditions and well being of Canadians over time; and to provide information on specific social policy issues of current or emerging interest. The purpose of this survey is to provide a snapshot of the lives of caregivers and care receivers in today's Canada.

Description: The objective of the survey was to provide information on the experiences of respondents in using some selected health care services. The survey focused on two main topics: waiting for specialized services for a new illness or condition and access to basic health care.

Description: The NPHS Health Institutions Component survey data support national level estimates only.

Description: The National Population Health Survey (NPHS) collects information related to the health of the Canadian population and related socio-demographic information.

Description: The purpose of the Canadian Community Health Survey - Mental Health (CCHS - Mental Health) is to collect information about mental health status, access to and perceived need for formal and informal services and supports, functioning and disability, and covariates.

Description: The Maternity Experiences Survey (MES) is the first Canadian survey devoted to pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum experiences. It is a core project of the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System of the Public Health Agency of Canada who sponsored this survey.