新闻稿
My Health My Community survey results released
Vancouver, BC – Even though every community in Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and Fraser Health (FH) beat the Canadian average for physical activity guidelines, as many as one in four residents are considered obese, a major risk factor for chronic disease onset. That’s one of the surprising findings from the My Health My Community survey results being released today.
- There is significant variation in self-reported physical and mental health across communities, with much of that variation likely due to differences in the underlying determinants of health
- Access to a family doctor varies across communities; however in areas where residents report having more chronic disease (e.g. diabetes) they also tend to have better access to family doctors.
- Opportunities exist to improve lifestyle behaviors including quitting smoking, eating healthy, exercising more, and drinking responsibly.
- Compact urban centres better support active transportation modes like walking and biking, as well as have access to more community services.
- Residents in rural communities tend to have a stronger sense of community belonging, and are a little better prepared for emergencies.
Quotes:
Dr. Jat Sandhu, Principal Investigator for My Health My Community and Regional Director of Public Health Surveillance, VCH:
Dr. Patricia Daly, Chief Medical Health Officer, VCH:
Dr. Victoria Lee, Chief Medical Health Officer, Fraser Health:
Mary Clare Zak, Managing Director of Social Policy and Projects, City of Vancouver:
Mayor Jack Froese, Township of Langley:
About My Health My Community:
My Health My Community, a partnership between Vancouver Coastal Health, Fraser Health and the eHealth Strategy Office at the University of British Columbia, reflects the goals of the Province’s Healthy Families BC strategy, which focuses on improving the health and wellness of British Columbians through programs that help address healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and fostering healthy communities.
All survey results can be viewed on the My Health My Community website at www.myhealthmycommunity.org.
About us:
VCH is responsible for the delivery of $3.4 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
Fraser Health provides a wide range of integrated health care services to more than 1.7 million people living in communities stretching from Burnaby to White Rock to Hope. Our quality health care services range from acute care hospitals to community-based residential, home health, mental health and public health services.
The eHealth Strategy Office carries out research, community engagement and educational activities to explore how modern information and communication technologies (e.g. mobile and web-based applications, etc.) can improve health care. Though there are several research groups in eHealth or Health Informatics in Canada and worldwide, the eHealth Strategy Office uniquely combines research and educational expertise in eHealth and community engagement projects.
CONTACT:
Tiffany Akins, Communications Leader
Vancouver Coastal Health
Phone: 604-708-5281
Cell: 604-319-7530
Email: tiffany.akins@vch.ca
Fraser Health media pager: 604-450-7881
