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New publications in English

  • August-14-17
    Knowledge Synthesis of Relevant Spheres of Action for Promoting the Mental Health of Young Adults

    The Institut national de santé publique du Québec has been mandated to prepare a knowledge synthesis for the Direction générale de la santé publique of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux on reference points underpinning actions to enhance mental health, on life situations encountered during the passage to adulthood and the resources that can have a positive effect on the mental health, and on the relevant spheres of action to promote mental health in young adults. To do this, a literature review from scientific literature and from grey literature was conducted.

    This allowed the identification of four reference points: looking at mental health as a concept distinct from mental disorders, focusing on helping each and every person reach their potential by building on their strengths instead of focusing on their problems, addressing the social determinants of mental health and their distribution, and adopting a life-course approach.

    The literature...

  • August-02-17
    Framework of Values to Support Ethical Analysis of Public Health Actions

    The literature in public health ethics and other key documents exhibit a wide variety of values that offer many potential guides for assessing or orienting action. Among these many values, which ones are most relevant for conducting ethical analysis of public health actions? And are they valid for all public health interventions, or only some? How are these values defined?

    This Framework of Values to Support Ethical Analysis of Public Health Actions was produced precisely to address these questions, some of which were clearly expressed by members of the Table de coordination nationale de santé publique (TCNSP) [A public health coordination body for Québec]. The values proposed here were selected based on not only research reported in the public health ethics literature, but also the experience of the Comité d’éthique de santé publique (CESP) [public health ethics committee], as well as the committee’s discussions with the members of the TCNSP. These values, in our view,...

  • July-04-17
    Risk Assessment: Emergence and Vector-borne Transmission of Zika Virus in Québec

    • Zika virus emerged in the Americas in 2015 and has since expanded its geographical range significantly. Currently, the virus is transmitted locally in 35 countries of the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

    • Zika virus infection is benign: 70 to 80% of patients have no symptoms, whereas 20% have a fever and rash accompanied by arthralgia and myalgia, conjunctivitis, headache, retro-orbital pain and fatigue.

    • Zika virus infection can cause neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome.

    • Zika virus infection during pregnancy causes congenital defects, including newborn microcephaly.

    • Zika virus infection is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes: in America, Ae. aegypti is the primary vector and Ae. albopictus is a potential vector. These vectors are currently absent in Québec.

    • Zika virus needs a threshold...