Thunder Bay residents to be part of national health survey

Five hundred Thunder Bay residents will be among 5700 people selected at random across the country to participate in a national health survey being conducted by Statistics Canada.

In Thunder Bay, the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) will begin on June 16.

The first phase of the two-part survey involves an in-home interview with the selected individuals, Statistics Canada said in a news release. They will be asked questions about, among other things, nutrition, alcohol and tobacco consumption, medical history, and level of physical activity.

In the second phase, participants must go to a mobile clinic, temporarily located in the parking lot of the TownPlace Suites Marriott in Thunder Bay, to undergo a number of tests.

At the mobile clinic, the release says, health professionals employed by Statistics Canada will take participants' physical health measures, including height, weight and waist and hip circumference.

The specialists will also do tests to measure blood pressure, respiratory function and hearing. Finally, urine and blood samples will be collected to assess participants' cardiovascular health, nutritional status, and exposure to environmental contaminants.

Accurate portrait

The CHMS helps provide an accurate portrait of the health of Canadians, with various health-care stakeholders, including professionals, researchers and public health planners, using the data to adapt programs and services to the population's needs, Statistics Canada says.

As well, national organizations such as the Canadian Red Cross and the Heart and Stroke Foundation have shown their support for the survey, the release says.

The CHMS is conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, which guarantees that all the information provided by participants remains confidential.

Statistics Canada has been conducting the CHMS, in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, since 2007.