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 About Us
Created in 1998, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) is an expertise and reference centre in public health. Our goal is to advance knowledge and propose cross-sectoral strategies and endeavours that will improve the state of health and well-being of Quebecers.
Our experts come from fields as distinct as applied science, health sciences, social sciences and humanities, and work with the health care network as well as educational and research milieus to develop and pool public health knowledge and skills.
MISSION
Our mission is to support the ministre de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec, regional public health authorities and health and social services institutions in carrying out their public health responsibilities, by offering our expertise and specialized laboratory and screening services.
We also work with other stakeholders, such as other government departments and agencies, the educational and research milieus, other Canadian and international public health organizations, Aboriginal communities, the private sector and the general public.
More specificaly, we focus on:
- developing knowledge and helping to monitor the public’s health and well-being and its determinants;
- developing new knowledge and approaches in health promotion, prevention and protection;
- promoting the development of public health research and innovation;
- providing opinions, expertise and advice;
- evaluating the effects of public health policy on Quebecers;
- making public health expertise available through ongoing training activities;
- ensuring screening services;
- ensuring laboratory services, particularly microbiology and toxicology;
- ensuring support in quality maintenance;
- promoting the transfer and sharing of knowledge and international collaboration;
- participating in updating and developing the Programme national de santé publique du Québec (Quebec National Health Program).
FUNCTIONS
Our services are grouped according to six major functions. Each of these functions allows us to offer specific products and services in various fields of expertise and areas of activity.
- Expertise and Advice
The Institute, given its constitution and its community of researchers and multidisciplinary experts, provides a number of services from the perspective of help in decision making, that aim to provide recommendations on various public health issues depending on the available fields of expertise and the level of specialization sought.
- Information
For the Institute, the goal of advancing knowledge is achieved by sharing public health knowledge and through ongoing communication, adapted to the needs of various audiences.
Infocentre de santé publique du Québec (Québec Public Health Infocentre)
The Institute contributes to the management of public health information by launching and operating a collective information infrastructure available to all those working in the health system, linked with strategic public health information systems.
- Training
In collaboration with universities and professional associations working in public health, the Institute develops and offers ongoing training programs, helping ensure the development and maintenance of skills in this field. It also helps develop and update public health courses at the undergraduate, master’s and PhD levels.
- Research, Evaluation and Innovation
The Institute contributes to developing, updating, transferring and applying public health knowledge. As such, it develops innovative methods to improve the quality of services offered and helps advance research. The Institute also anticipates emerging problems that may present a risk or threat to public health.
- International Collaboration
As an expertise and reference centre, the Institute establishes links with various organizations at both the Canadian and international levels in order to promote cooperation and sharing of public health knowledge.
- Laboratory and Screening
Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec (LSPQ) (Québec Public Health Laboratory)
The LSPQ acts as the provincial reference laboratory in microbiology and quality assurance. Its containment level 3 laboratory is able to respond to emergencies generated by suspect packages or emerging or resurging pathogens.
Laboratoire de toxicologie (Toxicology Laboratory)
It provides specialized analytic services in toxicology and management of international quality assurance programs.
Screening
The Institute offers some clinical screening services using mobile units, particularly in audiology and pulmonary radiology exams in the workplace as well as mammographies to support the health network in outlying regions.
EXPERTISE AND REFERENCE
The varied and complex requests we receive and handle cover these 10 main fields of expertise.
- Development, Adaptation and Social Integration
This field of expertise deals with an array of psychosocial and health problems using approaches that focus on personal and community development.
- Lifestyles and Chronic Illnesses
This field of expertise addresses individual factors and conditions related to various living environments to promote the adoption of healthy lifestyles and prevent chronic illnesses.
- Intentional and Unintentional Injuries
To promote safety and reduce injuries, this field of expertise favours an approach that aims to mobilize local communities, the adoption of public policies that promote safety and the development of expertise directed at seeking, implementing and evaluating
solutions.
- Occupational Health
In cooperation with numerous players working in the area of occupational health, this field of expertise addresses the risks associated with occupational illnesses, workplace health and the health condition of workers.
- Environmental Health and Human Toxicology
To reduce public exposure to harmful environmental agents, environmental health addresses the health problems and social repercussions of the environment, as well as developing effective intervention measures. Human toxicology aims to evaluate exposure to toxic substances and its impact on individuals and populations.
- Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
The field of expertise dealing with infectious diseases allows for the anticipation of emerging problems. It also permits interventions to be directed towards protecting the public from the spread of infections and eventual epidemics. Microbiology focuses on the study of micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.) that can affect health.
- Impact on the Well-being of Health and Social Service Systems
This field of expertise develops and builds upon knowledge regarding the organization of primary care services and programs to control chronic illnesses in relation to their impact on health.
- Impact of Public Policy on Health
To support and influence the adoption of healthy public policy, this field of expertise is devoted to the assessment of the effects and potential risks to health.
- Surveillance of the Health Status of the Population and its Determinants
By virtue of Article 34 of the Public Health Act, the Institute has received the mandate to monitor the state of health and well-being of the population. This mandate is guided by the provincial surveillance plans agreed upon by the Direction générale de la santé publique (Public Health Branch) of the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the regional public health directorates and the Institute.
- Aboriginal Health
In order to support partners concerned with the health and well-being of Aboriginal populations, we adapt and make the most of knowledge and skills from other fields of expertise and apply them to Aboriginal settings.
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