Synthesis and summary

Today, the links between poverty and health are well-established (Phipps, 2003) and the resulting inequalities in health have proven to be persistent (Whitehead & Dahlgren, 2007). Indeed, the population groups with the worst health status are materially underprivileged and socially excluded (De Koninck et al., 2008), leading many analysts to single out poverty as one of the primary…

Today, the links between poverty and health are well-established (Phipps, 2003) and the resulting inequalities in health have proven to be persistent (Whitehead & Dahlgren, 2007). Indeed, the population groups with the worst health status are materially underprivileged and socially excluded (De Koninck et al., 2008), leading many analysts to single out poverty as one of the primary…

Public health actors are increasingly being called upon to base their decisions on the best available knowledge. Various knowledge translation strategies have therefore been proposed as a means of drawing together the world of research with that of decision making (Mitton et al., 2007).

Yet, knowledge translation still faces many challenges: research is not always valued as…

Public policies of various governmental sectors can influence, directly or indirectly, the health of the population. Whether they be policies related to transportation, environment, income, education, child-care, or social housing, these can all impact the determinants of health. As a consequence, decision makers are increasingly being called to adopt healthy public policies; that is, policies…

The most common definition of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is the one set forth by the European Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999 in what is known as the “Gothenburg consensus paper.” HIA is presented as “a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, program or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population, and the…

Deliberative processes such as citizens’ juries, consensus conferences, or deliberative polls are increasingly used to engage citizens and stakeholders about challenging public health issues for the purposes of informing policymaking (Abelson, 2009; Scutchfield, Hall, & Ireson, 2006). Yet, there is a paucity of research evidence about the effectiveness of deliberative processes in real…

The built environment has an influence on lifestyle and body weight

Physical activity is promoted through:

• More walkable neighbourhoods
• The presence of sidewalks, walking paths, and bike paths
• A substantial presence of recreational and sports infrastructure including parks, pools, playgrounds, and sports clubs.

Healthy eating…

Alcohol consumption is a public health issue because it causes many health and social harms:

• Alcohol consumption is associated with deaths, chronic diseases, cancers, injuries, violence, mental health problems, addiction and social problems.
• In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that alcohol was the third leading risk factor for mortality and…

Speaking to the First Nations of Québec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission's 2007-2017 Blueprint, this review provides valuable information to guide the development of research on First Nations and Inuit.

Between 2008 and 2009, both the First Nations of Québec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission (FNQLHSSC) and the Institut national de santé publique du…

Since 2000, the resurgence of syphilis in Québec has led to increased screening and resulted in a greater number of reported cases, particularly in the Montréal area. To meet the growing demand for laboratory testing, some medical diagnostic laboratories have introduced an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test into their syphilis detection algorithm. This situation raised concerns among general…