Public libraries are evolving, lending out more than just books and acting as hubs for innovative programming. One example in Canada is the rise of radon “Lending Library” programs that connect patrons to radon information and digital radon detectors. Beginning in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, there are now over 300 libraries that lend digital detectors across the country and more come on board regularly. The success of the radon program hinges on the unique role that libraries play in communities. Not only are libraries well-established, trusted sources of knowledge but more and more libraries are taking part in innovative public health initiatives. In some regions, patrons can borrow items such as CO2 and PM2.5 sensors, sun lamps, surgical recovery equipment and even mobility-aides for visitors. There is growing enthusiasm for more collaboration between librarians and public health professionals, in part as they address important issue such as access and health equity. This…
Presentations
The team at NCCEH regularly presents at environmental health events across Canada, in addition to organizing workshops and meetings on various topics. A select listing of our conference presentations and external webinars, as well as presentations from our Environmental Health Seminar Series are available here.
Presented by:
David McVea, Public Health Physician, Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control Jeffrey Trieu, Epidemiologist, BC Centre for Disease Control
Indoor radon is an important cause of lung cancer in British Columbia (BC), responsible for about 15% of lung cancer deaths. The risk of radon-attributable lung cancers varies across the province, however, depending on geological factors as well as housing characteristics. Accurately assessing the risk posed by residential radon in BC requires sufficient measurements taken from representative samples of homes in each region.
To support this work, as well as other policy and research efforts, the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has established the British Columbia Radon Data Repository (BCRDR), which houses over 14,000 anonymized indoor radon measurements from across the province, including over 11,000 from residences. Measurements are collected from federal,…
Evidence-informed decision-making seeks to incorporate both scientific or academic knowledge, as well as the practical knowledge of public health professionals. However, the use of scientific evidence is hindered by a number of factors, particularly the lack of an easy-to-use protocol to search, appraise and synthesize academic sources in a timely manner. In this document, we provide an overview of semi-systematic literature reviews as a way to incorporate scientific evidence into EIDM, and we provide a step-by-step protocol encompassing literature search, critical appraisal, and synthesizing new knowledge. The intent of this document is to both assist public health practitioners who wish to conduct their own reviews, as well as provide insight in to the literature review process at NCCEH.
Radon, an odorless, colourless, radioactive gas, is an established carcinogen and the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Radon poses a health risk for indoor environments, particularly in rooms on ground or basement levels where the gas can enter through cracks in the foundation. Health Canada has been measuring radon levels in homes and workplaces and elevated levels of radon have been identified in most regions of the country.
The following presentation focus on radon testing in First Nations communities. The first presentation details historical radon testing initiatives conducted with First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities across Canada. The second presentation provides an overview of a recent collaborative project, done in conjunction with the First Nations Health Authority, that tested radon in communities in the interior of British Columbia.
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speakers:Dr. Paul Belanger, Director, Knowledge Management, KFL&A Public HealthDr. Nancy VanStone, Research Associate, Knowledge Management, KFL&A Public Health
Abstract:A key need for climate change adaptation strategies is effective public health surveillance. Geographic Information System (GIS) applications are common tools for public health purposes. GIS technology provides visual tools—through the creation of computerized maps, graphs, and tables of geographic data—that can assist with problem solving and inform decision-making. KFL&A Public Health has developed and maintains a situational awareness tool, the Public Health Information Management System (PHIMS) that enables visualization and spatial analysis of environmental data with underlying…
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speaker: Dr. David Kaiser, Specialist Physician, Montreal Public Health
Abstract: Housing conditions are a fundamental determinant of health and one of the core targets of public health interventions in an urban context. However, surveillance data regarding housing conditions are largely absent at a local level in Canada. Since 2010, Montreal Public Health has carried out a number of studies aimed at generating data on a variety of housing-related issues - molds, bed bugs, cockroaches, upkeep & repair, essential services, affordability - their determinants, and impacts on health. In this webinar, we will briefly present some examples of local-level data from our most recent housing survey, carried out in 2017. We will discuss potential uses of such data,…
This presentation, originally delivered at the 2017 CIPHI Annual Education Conference in Richmond, BC, provides an overview of some basic risk communication principles as they pertain to cannabis legalization in Canada, and provides suggestions and examples for those shaping public health risk messaging.
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speaker: Leia Minaker, Assistant Professor, University of Waterloo
Abstract: Measurement of the food environment can be complex and depends on community context. In deciding which retail food environment measure to implement, three important criteria are worth considering: Relevance; Resources, and; Response. Relevance refers to whether the food environment measure is theoretically and empirically related to dietary or health outcomes. Resources considers the cost of undertaking the measurement. Response refers to the type of response that your measurement will elicit from decision makers in your community. Four specific types of responses to municipal retail food environments will be presented, including those related to urban and regional planning, transforming…
The BCCDC/NCCEH Environmental Health Seminar Series provides an opportunity for learning and knowledge exchange on a variety of environmental health topics. The seminars can be attended in-person or online.
Speaker: Dr. Trevor Hancock, Professor and Senior Scholar, University of Victoria
Abstract: As is the case with the social determinants of health, the environmental determinants of health are distributed inequitably based on income, ethnicity, age, geography, level of development and so on. In this presentation I will discuss various forms of environmental health inequity, ranging from the molecular to the global level, and the implications for communities, societies and public health and other health professionals.