Project to Identify Asthma Determinants Associated with Housing

Have you received an invitation to participate?

Complete the survey before March 31, 2026

Take part in a survey on the influence of housing on health! This survey from the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) and the Montérégie Regional Public Health Department aims to better understand how your environment may influence your respiratory health.

Project objectives

The project seeks to identify certain housing conditions or lifestyle habits that may cause:

  • Asthma symptoms
  • Other respiratory problems

Project description

Some areas of Montérégie have a higher number of people living with asthma compared to the rest of Québec. Populations in these areas may be more exposed to:

  • Secondhand smoke
  • Moisture in housing
  • Pets
  • Pests such as cockroaches
  • Pollution

The project will help determine whether these issues pose health risks for residents of the affected areas.

Target population

You may complete the survey even if you do not have asthma.

You must also:

  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Live in Sorel-Tracy, Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, or Salaberry-de-Valleyfield

Your participation matters

Your answers will help the Montérégie Public Health Department better understand how housing conditions may affect residents’ health. They will also support the identification of appropriate and targeted interventions.

The more participants there are, the more reliable and representative the survey results will be.

Participation rewards

6 participation prizes will be drawn at the end of the survey:

  • 2 for Sorel-Tracy
  • 2 for Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
  • 2 for Salaberry-de-Valleyfield

Winners may choose from various $100 gift cards for:

  • A basket of local groceries
  • A cultural activity
  • An outdoor activity

The draw will be held on June 15, 2026, at the INSPQ offices (190, boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, Québec, H2P 1E2).

Winners will receive an email during the week of June 15, 2026.

Completing the survey by mail or by phone

If you cannot respond online, you may:

  • Request a paper questionnaire by email: [email protected];
  • Return the completed paper questionnaire using prepaid return mail

It is not possible to complete the survey by phone.

Personal information

Some survey questions relate to information such as:

  • Level of education
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Income
  • Number of people living in your household

This information will help determine which groups are more affected by asthma or other respiratory issues.

Be assured that:

  • Your information will be treated confidentially
  • It will not be possible to identify you or your family situation
  • Only general results will be published

Your participation is voluntary. You may stop answering at any time. By completing the survey, you provide your consent to participate in this project.

Use of the data

Survey data will be analyzed to meet the project objectives described above. Only project team members will have access to them. The team will then produce a report for the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) in 2026. 

The Montérégie Regional Public Health Department may share some results with partners, such as representatives of the affected municipalities. This would help identify and apply concrete solutions to support individuals and groups affected by respiratory problems. 

Data will be stored for 3 years on secure servers of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre, after which they will be destroyed.

Questions or concerns?

You can send any questions or concerns to: [email protected]. A project team member will reply as soon as possible.

Support resources

If some survey questions raise concerns related to your situation, the following resources may be helpful. utiles.

For housing issues:

For health issues:

  • Info-Santé/Info-Social at 811
  • Your family doctor

 

Last updated: