Our activities
The Population and Public Health (PPH) Surveillance program engages in the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data about demography, socio-economic status, health status, and chronic diseases, as well as their protective and risk factors, among British Columbians.
We work closely with the Ministry of Health, PHSA-wide programs, the BC Observatory for Population and Public Health, regional health authorities, community partners and universities, enhancing provincial surveillance capacity through collaboration and partnership.
PPH
Surveillance works closely with partners at the Ministry of Health, regional
health authorities, and community organizations to create standardized data,
tools, and resources that support community health across the province. We
support our partners from health, education, other sectors, and communities to
use these tools and resources in informing their local-level planning and
decision-making.
BC Community Health Data Website
The BC Community Health Data website contains a collection of data tools to support health care planning, policies and programs that are responsive to a community's needs. These include community health profiles, and health database
Rasali D, Fong D. (2019).
PPH Surveillance undertook a project to support the integration of data into the community health planning process in British Columbia. Details of this project were published in the Evidence-Informed Decision Making (EIDM) Casebook (Issue 3) by the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools.
BC Index of Multiple Deprivation (BCIMD)
We previously developed social and material deprivation indexes for BC based on Pampalon index methodology using CensusPlus 2011 data. In 2021, we developed the British Columbia Index of Multiple Deprivation (BCIMD) using Statistics Canada's Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) methodology based on Census 2016 data.
Relova S, Joffres Y, Rasali D, Zhang LR, McKee G, Janjua N. (February 2022).
The British Columbia Index of Multiple Deprivation (BCIMD) provides area-based measures of multiple deprivation to examine social inequities across 218 Community Health Service Areas (CHSAs) in British Columbia. The Index comprises four dimensions: residential instability, economic dependency, ethno-cultural composition and situational vulnerability.
Health promotion evaluation
Evaluation
is an integral component of health promotion for ensuring effective program
implementation at the community level. PPH Surveillance has been involved in
coordinating and providing leadership in evaluation of various provincial
healthy living programs, such as Healthy Communities and Healthy Schools in BC.
Comorbidities and Multimorbidities
This project seeks to collect, analyze, and present distribution patterns and other relevant descriptive statistics on comorbidities and multimorbidities affecting BC residents to help inform health care strategies.
Rasali DP, Li C, Rose C. (May 2020).
PPH Surveillance introduced an indicator measuring multimorbidity prevalence in individuals living with two or more chronic conditions from a list of 16 chronic diseases listed in chronic disease registries. The indicator is intended for use in health surveillance on a periodic basis to support management and prevention of chronic diseases in BC.
PPH Surveillance conducts surveillance and applied research on chronic disease risk factors to assess their burden on chronic diseases across BC populations. We also network with public health professionals across Canada actively in this area.
Krueger H, Koot JM, Rasali DP, Gustin SE, Pennock M. (April 2016).
Prevalence rates of excess weight, tobacco smoking and physical inactivity vary substantially by geographical region within British Columbia (B.C.). The purpose of this study is to determine the potential reduction in economic burden in B.C. if all regions in the province achieved prevalence rates of these three risk factors equivalent to those of the region with the lowest rates.
Various aspects of the health of the population are reported using health indicators, including health equity indicators. Health indicators are quantifiable measures for describing health status, determinants of health, and health system performance.
Priority Health Equity Indicators reporting: We led
and facilitated the development of a suite of priority health equity indicators
that will support stakeholders’ efforts in improving, monitoring, and measuring
equity work in BC.
COVID-19 SES Analysis Working Group: We coordinate
the COVID-19 Socioeconomic Status (SES) Analysis Working Group which provides
support of the BCCDC’s work investigating the relationship between
socioeconomic status and COVID-19.
Rasali, D., Kao, D., Fong, D, Qiyam, L. (November 2019).
This report presents the rates of preventable and treatable premature mortality for the province and
covers the data for the period from 2009 to 2013. These indicators provide a way to measure the extent
of inequities in the province and show patterns of inequalities within geographic, demographic and
socio-economic stratifiers.
Rasali DP, Li C, Mak S, Rose C, Janjua N, Patrick D. (September 2021).
This study aims to assess the relationship of the proportions of neighbourhood demographic factors with COVID-19 incidence in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia (BC).
Zhang LR, Rasali DP, Woods R, Sam J, Kan L. (September 2020).
A collaboration of the Provincial Health Services Authority's (PHSA's) programs, the BCCDC's Population and Public Health, and BC Cancer examined the 30-month breast cancer screening participation rate of BC women aged 50 to 69 years using data from the BC Cancer Breast Screening Mammography.
Zandy M, Zhang LR, Kao D, Rajabali F, Turcotte K, Zheng A, Oakey M, Smolina K, Pike I, Rasali DP. (February 2019).
The association between health outcomes and socioeconomic status (SES) has been widely documented, and mortality due to unintentional injuries continues to rank among the leading causes of death among British Columbians. This paper quantified the SES-related disparities in the mortality burden of three British Columbia's provincial injury prevention priority areas: falls among seniors, transport injury, and youth suicide.
PPH Surveillance provides data analytic support to the Food Security program of the BCCDC's Population and Public Health.
Food security indicators: In
2016, we supported the Population and Public Health program with the
identification of food security indicators to measure and monitor variations
and trends in food security across the province using national, provincial,
regional and local level data. The indicators are intended to inform policy and
practice by demonstrating the current state of food security/household food
insecurity in B.C., reflecting the impact of food security initiatives and
highlighting where gaps exist and further work is needed to improve food
security. The indicators can also contribute to program planning, internal
performance management and evaluation.
Food costing: Food
costing involves estimating the average monthly cost of a nutritionally
adequate, balanced diet in BC based on the National Nutritious Basket (NNFB) to
assess food affordability and provide insight into the effects of household
food insecurity on individuals and families. This activity is conducted on a
bi-annual basis.
Reports on Food Security Indicators, Food Costing and other food security surveillance projects can be found on the Food Security Program page.
The PPH Surveillance team has coordinated and contributed to analysis to the BCCDC's project, Examining the Societal Consequences of the COVID-19 Response.
PPH Surveillance conducts or participates in research regularly on emerging issues of population and public health research in collaboration with academic institutions, mainly the University of British Columbia (UBC), the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV).
Health Promotion Complex Systems Approach Mapping: A research project currently underway in collaboration with UBC, funded by Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) and BCCDC under the Health Systems Impact Fellowship (HSIF) Program. Population health physical activity will be the focus in this research aimed at identifying leverage points for strengthening coordinated intersectoral action for health promotion in British Columbia (ongoing).
Move the North: A research collaboration with the UNBC and the UBC focussing on the development of community-partnered research and scoping of physical activity in rural, remote and Northern communities (successfully completed)
Monitoring and Evaluation of Health in the Northern Resource Development: A tripartite research collaboration among PHSA, UNBC and Northern Health on monitoring health and the social determinants of health related to resource extraction and development across Northern BC (successfully completed).
Collaborating in CIHR funded research "Effects of COVID-19 on South Asian Mothers and Families in British Columbia" with the UFV (ongoing).
Buse CG, Cornish K, Parkes MW, Harder H, Fumerton R, Rasali DP, Li C, Oke B, Loewen D, Aalhus M. (2018).
The purpose of this report is to provide clarity on identifying and selecting health and social determinants of health indicators related to resource extraction and development. It is a This report is the product of a collaboration between researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia, and staff from both Northern Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority.
