Talking with School Principals

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to meet with school principals in our region.  Education is a determinant of health and as we have been talking with people, education is something that is brought up again and again.  People recognize the importance of educating children about personal health practices.  They also see that linkages between Eastern Health and the Eastern School District need to be very strong.

People talk about the importance of the school system and, in particular, how nutrition and physical activity habits can be influenced within the school system.   A number of people also talk about the role that children have in teaching parents/guardians about positive health practices.

Chatting with the Rural Secretariat

Last week, we had a focus group session with Rural Secretariat (Bonavista-Clarenville) members.  There are nine Rural Secretariat Regional Councils in the province.  People were appointed to the councils from an open nomination process.  The mandate of the Rural Secretariat is to:

•  Promote the well-being of all regions of Newfoundland and Labrador through a comprehensive and coordinated approach to economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects of regional development.
• Act as the focal point for the provincial government to work with local and regional partners to build strong and dynamic regions and communities.
• Ensure that regional concerns are considered throughout the provincial government and promoted at the federal level.
• Carry out research and analysis of economic and social issues affecting all regions of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Help communities and regions identify and take advantage of growth opportunities

 While not all members of the Rural Secretariat (Bonavista-Clarenville) were in attendance, we had a good session discussing the health, strengths and issues of our communities.  The people who sit around the table are very active in their communities and have good insight into the issues facing communities.

Blog of the Week!

Exciting news!  Our blog is Blog of the Week as proclaimed by Newfoundland and Labrador Blogroll!  What a great honour!

Speaking with the Ministerial Association in Bonavista Area

Ministerial Associations are great groups to speak with about communities and the health of communities.  They have a handle on the communities they serve and the people they minister to.  Yesterday, we held our first focus group with a Ministerial Association.  It was a great session - lots of opinions, questions and fun!

One of the strengths the group talked about is the strong sense of community.  They used the recent ice storm on the Bonavista Peninsulas as evidence of the ability of people to pull together in times of need.

Telephone Survey Begins

As part of the needs assessment, Eastern Health has begun a telephone survey of residents in the area.  We hope to get 1,000 surveys completed as part of our research.  The questions asked in the survey have to do with the use of health services; satisfaction levels of services; navigating the health and community services system; and community strengths and issues. The survey is about 20 minutes long and if callers call at an inconvenient time, participants can re-schedule for another time.  The survey began Monday, March 22 and response to date has been fairly high. 

A Focus on the Workplace

A few days ago, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador marked the one-year anniversary of the Cougar helicopter tragedy.  Seventeen people lost their lives when they were en route to their jobs on an oil platform.  This province is no stranger to workplace accidents.  Our history is based on the fishery, one of the most dangerous occupations in the world.  

The discussion of workplace health and safety is an important one.  Increasingly, there is more emphasis on it.  Typically, the focus is on physical health and well-being, however, we are starting to see an increased emphasis on workplace mental health and well-being.  The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety has a number of podcasts available for free at any time.  Once of them as to do with workplace mental health and well-being.  They're great resources and speak to the importance of employment and workplace conditions as a determinant of health.

Is Your Community an Inclusive Community?

The Paralympic Games are ongoing in Vancouver.  In addition to their athletic prowess, the athletes' stories of resilience are awe-inspiring.  These athletes have worked extremely hard to make it to the top of their sport. 

When you look around your community, do you think about how people with disabilities get around?  Is it easy to get into the post office?  Are the aisles in stores wide enough?   Are the curbs to sidewalks lowered for easy wheelchair access?    These are the sorts of questions that we need to ask ourselves in order to be an inclusive community.  Being an inclusive community means making an effort for all to be a part of the community.  Take note of your community.  How inclusive is it?

Acknowledging Education Week

This is Education Week in Newfoundland and Labrador.  It offers the opportunity to reflect on the importance of education for people of all ages.  During our key informant interviews for the needs assessment, education comes up as an important factor. 

People with low levels of education suffer poorer health and well-being. Compared to non-graduates, high school graduates:

- use preventative medical services 11% more frequently
- make 2% fewer multiple visits to doctors
- have 23% better knowledge of health behaviours
- have 13% better general health status
- have 26% better family functioning (Federal, Provincial and Territorial Advisory Committee on Population Health, 1999).

So, Happy Education Week!  Embrace the opportunity to learn!

Happy International Woman's Day!

March 8 is International Women's Day.  When it comes to health, does gender matter?  Absolutely!

Men and women have different health issues and can be affected in different ways by the same issue.  For example, research shows that heart disease affects women differently than men.

Culturally, women are more likely to be victims of sexual or physical violence than men.  Women are more likely to live in poverty or to be single parents.  All of these factors can have a negative impact on someone's health.  Often, careers tend to be more male- or female-dominated.  Men and women may earn different wages for the same work which can impact on income.

On the other hand, women have longer life expectancy than men and usually build stronger support networks.

Think about your community.  How do gender difference affect the health of people in your community?

Talking Transportation

Today's weather is pretty windy and wet.  Given the geography of this region, it prompts discussion on the importance of transportation to ensuring healthy communities.  Physical environment is one of the determinants of health and transportation is one aspect of our physical environment.

This region does not have public transportation which can certainly be a barrier to getting access to services.

The need for good, safe roads is also important as people need to be safe as they travel and the roads get us to the services that we need.

Or may be if communities were designed differently, we could avoid the use of cars and be able to bike or walk places which would have an impact on our health.  This can also lead to a discussion about the pollution caused by cars and trucks and the impact that that pollution has on our health.

A Different Route to Health:  Implications of Transport Policies is a great article which summarizes the importance of transportation on our health.

Speaking with the College of the North Atlantic

One of the key informants identified for our needs assessment is the College of the North Atlantic.  In this region, there are two campuses:  Clarenville and Bonavista.  The College has been asked to participate in the needs assessment process based on their knowledge of education as a determinant of health as well as their knowledge of the youth population.

In addition to their educational role, the College also plays a role in social supports.  Many of their Continuing Education courses bring people together who may not otherwise know each other.

Education contributes to health by giving people knowledge and skills for problem solving, and helps provide a sense of control over their life. It increases opportunities for jobs and income security, and job satisfaction. It improves people's ability to access and understand information to help keep them healthy.

According to Census 2006, 33.7% of people 18 to 64 years of age in the Discovery Zone do not have a high school diploma compared to 25.1% of people in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.  About 8.1% of people aged 25 to 54 had a Bachelor's Degree or higher in 2006 compared to 15.1% in the province.  About 79.1% of people 25 to 34 years of age in the Discovery Zone had at least a high school diploma. This compares to 85.4% in the entire province and 89.1% for Canada.

Welcome, Advisory Committee

Our Advisory Committee for the Community Health Needs Assessment of the Discovery Zone had its first meeting today. 

Members of the committee are:  (back - left to right)  Bernice Clements, Camilla O'Shea, Gerald Giles, Rev. Don Stiles, Cal Cole; (front - left to right) Barbara Ann Humby, Janet Fisher (Eastern Health), Susan Khaladkar, Lisa Browne (Eastern Health).  Missing from the photo are Daphne Smith and Wayne Miller (Eastern Health).

Our first meeting was an opportunity to introduce everyone and to have a discussion about the determinants of health from the region's perspective.  This committee will meet every six weeks during the needs assessment process.

Happy Nutrition Month!

Did you know that March is Nutrition Month?  The theme this month is Celebrate Food...From Field to Table.  The Dietitians of Canada have a great website that is a tremendous resource to people.  It offers everything from games to recipes to nutrition challenges.  Also included on the website is the Eating + Activity Tracker (EATracker).  EATracker assesses your food choices and provides personalized feedback on your total intake of energy (calories) and essential nutrients.  This is then compared to what is recommended for your age, gender, and activity level. It also determines your body mass index (BMI) and provides information to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.  Check it out!  Healthy eating and physical activity are key determinants of health!