About this publication

Since its beginning in 1994, the National Population Health Survey NPHS) has been providing unique information on the health of Canadians by responding to the need for information on health dynamics. The NPHS is a longitudinal survey with a sample of 17,276 individuals spread out in the ten provinces across Canada. Every two years, these same individuals provide current and in-depth information on their physical and mental health status, use of health care services, physical activities, life at workplace and social environment. Over the years of follow-up, the data have shown how a wide range of factors can contribute to improve or deteriorate health.

Whereas data collected from people at a single point in time provides a snapshot, NPHS longitudinal data reveals the transitions towards good or bad health. The richness of NPHS’s data is that it also allows evaluation of the relationships between socio-economic and demographic characteristics of individuals with their health status and its evolution over time.

Up to now, the Internet Publication, Healthy today, healthy tomorrow? Findings from the National Population Health Survey, has released a total of two articles based on data collected from the same respondents every two years between 1994/95 and 2002/03. The first article, “A Step Forward, a Step Back: Smoking Cessation and Relapse,” published November 24, 2004, follows the path of smokers who are trying to quit. As it reveals, quitting is a long and arduous process involving many relapses.

A step forward, a step back: smoking cessation and relapse
Issue information (November 24, 2004)

The second article of the series was published February 23, 2005 and is entitled Dynamics of Immigrants’ Health in Canada: Evidence from the National Population Health Survey. It compares the health status of the Canadian-born population to that of immigrants and it examines how that status evolves in relation to certain characteristics.

Dynamics of Immigrants' Health in Canada: Evidence from the National Population Health Survey (February 23^rd, 2005)

Two more articles will soon be published. The article on healthy aging will cover healthy aging at different stages in life. Finally, the last article will study the circumstances that could contribute towards obesity.

One of the key features of this publication is to have links to new longitudinal Cansim tables and to other articles which use NPHS longitudinal data in one location only. Additional information about the survey and access to the data is also provided.