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?