Health surveys

Understanding the health issues, attitudes and behaviours of Simcoe Muskoka residents is critical to planning effective public health programs and services. Community surveys are one way of gathering this information. The health unit is currently engaged in the following survey to measure the impact of our programs in the short term and to track changes in the health of Simcoe Muskoka residents over time.

Rapid Risk Factor Survey
Each month, 100 Simcoe County and 100 Muskoka District adults, 18 years of age and older, are randomly selected to participate in a telephone survey to collect information about lifestyle behaviors that may impact their health and the health of their families.

The health unit has been involved in a number of additonal surveys over the past few years. If you have questions about the results of the surveys please contact the health unit's epidemiologist.

Child Health Survey
The Simcoe County District Health Unit in partnership with the Simcoe County District School Board conducted a Child Health Survey in randomly selected elementary schools in the Simcoe County District School Board and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board during 2003.

Postpartum Infant Feeding Survey, 2002
The SCDHU has completed an Infant Feeding Survey with 500 mothers who gave birth in 2002. Mothers were surveyed at six weeks after their baby's birth, then again at six months after birth. The survey provides up-to-date county level data on infant feeding.

Child Health Survey

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit in partnership with the Simcoe County District School Board conducted a Child Health Survey in randomly selected elementary schools in the Simcoe County District School Board and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board during 2003.

The survey was designed to gather information about how schools, home and communities influence the eating and physical activity habits of children.
The results, based on information collected from more than 1,100 Grade 1 students, their families and their teachers, are similar to the national picture. Only half of Grade 1 children in our county meet the recommended 90 minutes of daily physical activity and the majority of the children may not be meeting the minimum nutrition recommendations.

Among the findings, the survey data indicates that children whose parents meet the recommended levels of daily physical activity are more likely to reach the recommended level too. As well, children's TV watching time is significantly related to a decrease in aerobic activity.

The Child Health Survey results are now being shared with community partners along with recommendations to make changes in five strategic areas: public policy, community action, supportive environments, personal skills and re-orienting health services - all of which can help families, schools and the community overcome barriers and build supports that make it easier for children to eat healthy foods and be active.

Click these links for more survey highlights or for the full survey report.

Return to top of page

CHS Process

The survey has three parts to it.

Part 1 will take place in April and May 2003 with health unit staff going to schools to measure the weight and height of participating Grade 1 children.

Part 2 is a followup telephone survey of these students' parents. The telephone survey will occur within two weeks of measuring. It will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and will be conducted by an experienced survey company on behalf of the health unit.

Part 3 is an interview with Grade 1 teachers to find out more about their students' physical activity time and computer usage at school.

The survey is confidential and anonymous. Information will be compiled to form a pool of data which contains no personal or individual identifiers, a procedure which abides by current privacy legislation in force throughout Ontario and represents standard operating practice within the public health research community.

It is being conducted by the health unit under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Section 5. The data will be used for purposes of program planning and service delivery only. Questions about the collection and use of this information should be directed to Christine Bushey, Manager of Healthy Lifestyles Program, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. 721-7330 Ext. 376.

This project is funded by Health Canada and Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Return to top of page

Postpartum Infant Feeding Survey, 2002

The SCDHU has completed an Infant Feeding Survey with 500 mothers who gave birth in 2002. Mothers were surveyed at six weeks after their baby's birth, then again at six months after birth. The survey provides up-to-date county level data on infant feeding.

Survey Results

• Two-thirds of women started to plan before pregnancy how they would feed their babies.
• 91% of mothers started out breastfeeding - a significant increase from 75% in 1991.
• 68% of mothers were breastfeeding baby at three months - a substantial increase from 38% in 1991.

Click here for more survey results...

Who was surveyed, and why?

• 500 mothers who gave birth in 2002 and lived in Simcoe County were surveyed about their infant feeding experience. The purpose of the survey was to provide up-to-date, county-level data on infant feeding. This study updates the last available information on local breastfeeding initiation and duration rates (dating from 1991) and provides new data on what influences local breastfeeding initiation and duration, including mothers' infant feeding plans, decisions and practices; family, social and community supports, barriers and services; and the relationship of breastfeeding to other infant feeding experiences and practices.
• One important job of the health unit is to collect accurate community data to improve understanding of local public health status and evaluate community health interventions. This data supports community programs to be more effective in improving the health of infants in Simcoe County.
• This project was made possible by the Simcoe County mothers who agreed to participate and by the support of local agencies committed to providing evidence-based, effective service to Simcoe County residents: Simcoe County hospitals, Midwives Grey-Simcoe, and the Simcoe County Board of Health. Partial funding was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Seven other Ontario health units also collaborated in developing the survey.

How were mothers surveyed?

• Mothers gave their voluntary consent to participate at hospital discharge, during a public health nurse follow-up call, or when asked by their midwife. Mothers were interviewed by telephone in two separate interviews, first at 6 weeks after birth, then again at 6 months after birth.
• The survey was confidential and anonymous. A professional survey company was contracted to conduct the interviews with mothers. This was undertaken in a respectful and confidential manner. The company provided the data results stripped of personal information to the health unit for planning and evaluation use, a procedure which abides by current privacy legislation in force throughout Ontario and represents standard operating practice within the public health research community.
• Mothers who chose not to participate for any reason, who were not Simcoe County residents, who could not speak English, or who did not have a telephone could not be included in the survey.

Are mothers surveyed representative of county mothers as a whole?

• Surveyed mothers provide a good quality, "cross-sectional" sample -- their survey results provide accurate insight about mothers in general in Simcoe County, and to some degree about different subgroups of mothers. Comparisons of different communities within the county are not possible.
• The consent process reached out to all resident mothers giving birth over a defined period in the county. The survey had a good overall response rate in comparison to similar surveys of this nature. The profile of survey participants is similar to best-available comparator community data, suggesting the survey is representative of mothers in Simcoe County -- on the basis of mother's age, education, household income, and prior birth experience (first-time mother or not).
• The survey was conducted by the health unit under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Section 5. The data will be used for purposes of program planning and service delivery related to infant and child health only. Questions about the collection and use of this information should be directed to: Bill Hutton, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, 15 Sperling Drive, Barrie, Ontario L4M 6K9, (705) 721-7330.

For additional information on the survey, contact:

Peggy Govers, manager Reproductive and Child Health Programs, at
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, 721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520

Appreciation is expressed to Simcoe County hospitals for their assistance with this survey.
This project was funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Return to top of page

Rapid Risk Factor Survey

Each month, 100 Simcoe County and 100 Muskoka District adults, 18 years of age and older, are randomly selected to participate in a telephone survey to collect information about lifestyle behaviors that may impact their health and the health of their families. The survey includes questions about smoking, immunization, use of car seats and bike helmets, WNv protection, reproductive health, use of Health Connection, and more.

The Institute for Social Research at York University is conducting the survey on behalf of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. The data will allow the health unit to improve the programs and services we provide.

Click Here for answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
For background information about the survey visit Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System