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Study: Canadian Health Measures Survey
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In March 2007, Statistics Canada launched the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), the most comprehensive national survey using direct health measures ever conducted in Canada.
This report, a supplement to Statistics Canada's regular publication Health Reports, contains five articles explaining key facets of the CHMS.
These articles cover: the rationale and background of the survey; the pre-test conducted in the fall of 2004; the sampling strategy; the ethical, legal and social issues involved in a direct measures survey; and the operations and logistics of the mobile clinics.
The CHMS addresses important data gaps and limitations in current health information by collecting directly measured indicators of health and wellness from a representative sample of about 5,000 Canadians between the ages of 6 and 79.
The survey entails an in-home general health interview and a subsequent visit to a mobile clinic where direct physical measures are taken, including blood pressure, an oral health examination, and blood and urine specimens. These specimens will be used to assess indicators of chronic disease and nutritional status and to detect metals, such as lead and mercury, and environmental contaminants, such as PCBs and pesticides.
The information collected by the CHMS, which should be available in early 2010, will be used to establish national baseline data for a variety of important health indicators, ranging from obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular disease to infectious diseases. It will also provide insight into the fitness of the nation and the extent of undiagnosed disease among Canadians.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 5071.
The report, “Background Papers on the Canadian Health Measures Survey,” Vol. 18 (82-003-SIE, free), a supplement to Health Reports, is now available. A print version (82-003-SPE, $22) is also available.
For more information, contact Colleen Bolger (613-951-2232, colleen.bolger@statcan.gc.ca or chms-ecms@statcan.gc.ca), Physical Health Measures Division.
For more information about Health Reports, contact Christine Wright (613-951-1765; christine.wright@statcan.gc.ca), Health Information and Research Division.
