Life habits

Legalization of Non-medical Cannabis: A Public Health Approach to Regulation

Cannabis is the most commonly consumed illegal substance. The current system of prohibition and its sanctions do not prevent the use of this substance. The most recent data indicate that about 15% of the Québec population report having used cannabis in the past 12 months. More than half of those who have used cannabis report having used it less than once a month. Those who use it weekly or daily represent about a quarter of cannabis users. Cannabis is not an ordinary product. It carries…
Research report, study and analysis

Obesity and Overweight: What Are the Economic Impacts in Québec?

Analyses of the economic burdens related to various health issues affecting a population makes it possible to compare their relative significance. By documenting the costs linked to the use of health services and to productivity losses among individuals with health issues, these studies are invaluable to the decision makers who determine health priorities. 

Studies on the economic burden of obesity and overweight carried out in Canada and other industrialized…

Synthesis and summary

Innovative Courses of Action Pertaining to “Illicit” Psychoactive Substances

This report is the result of a mandate from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) [Québec’s ministry of health and social services] to produce a knowledge synthesis focused on nine courses of action which pertain to “illicit” psychoactive substances and which have not been implemented, or have been implemented only on a limited scale or as a pilot project in Québec.

The nine courses of action are:

Education programs for overdose prevention and management…
Research report, study and analysis

Preventing Intentional OTC Drug Overdoses

Each year in Québec, approximately 174 people commit suicide by drug overdose, of which at least 15 are the result of over-the-counter (OTC) drug overdoses. A substantial number of suicides and suicide attempts by overdose involve more than one substance. The number of suicides by OTC medication is under-estimated, since in cases where several drugs have been ingested, only the substance that is presumed to have caused the death is considered when determining the most likely cause of death…
Scientific advisory

The Diet of Québec First Nations and Inuit Peoples

The diet of Québec’s First Nations and Inuit has changed significantly in a few decades. It passed from a diet based on local natural resources to a mixed diet or one relying exclusively on commercial food. When adding a sedentary lifestyle and the social conditions of many families and communities, the commercially-based diet, which is high in refined sugars, trans fat, and sodium and low in essential nutrients, contributes to chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular…
Monitoring report

The Food Environment Around Public Schools and the Consumption of Junk Food for Lunch by Québec Secondary School Students

In Québec, more than half (52%) of secondary school students had not eaten junk food for lunch during the week preceding the study, while a little less than half (48%) had eaten junk food for lunch one or more times. Close to 40% of students in Québec public secondary schools have access to at least two fast-food restaurants within 750 metres. Consumption of junk food two or more times per week is associated with obesity and other negative health measures among young people. The…
Research report, study and analysis

Being active to stay fit ... mentally!

Mental health promotion and common mental disorder prevention interventions may apply several well-recognized strategies. Noteworthy among them are strategies that foster the development of public policies and the creation of supportive environments for mental health, that strengthen community action and that support the acquisition of personal skills. These interventions can be global, focusing on several key determinants of mental health, or they can be specific, focusing on only one of…

Synthesis and summary

The Economic Consequences Associated With Obesity and Overweight in Québec: Costs Tied to Hospitalization and Medical Consultations

Over the past 40 years, industrialized countries have undergone social and economic changes that have increased the risk of developing chronic diseases within the population. The increasingly sedentary nature of work, a decrease in physical activity due to reliance on automobiles and to urban sprawl and more sedentary recreational activities have all contributed to an ongoing reduction in levels of physical activity.

To this can be added the major changes the food…

Research report, study and analysis

Binge Drinking Among Youth in Québec: Portrait and Evolution from 2000 to 2012

Alcohol use and the many social and health issues associated with it are public health concerns. The impact of alcohol depends primarily on the total volume of alcohol consumed and the pattern of drinking, particularly drinking a large quantity on a single occasion (WHO, 2009).

This work has allowed us to develop a current profile of binge drinking among youth in Québec who drink alcohol and to examine the trends and changes over time in this consumption pattern from 2000 to 2012.…

Synthesis and summary

Electronic Cigarette Use Among Secondary School Students in Québec: 2012-2013

Electronic cigarettes are new devices with which users mimic the gestures and produce the feeling of smoking without exposing themselves to the toxic by-products of tobacco combustion. While many experts consider them to be a less harmful alternative for smokers' health than conventional cigarettes, others are concerned that they could renormalize smoking and provide a gateway to conventional cigarettes for young people.

This study is one of the first to assess electronic cigarette…

Research report, study and analysis