New Brunswick Health regions

Question

I have a researcher hoping to get population numbers by language for New Brunswick Health Regions. I’m able to find a list of localities included in the different health regions by going to the health profile page for NB (http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/health-sante/82-228/search-recherche/lst/page.cfm?Lang=E&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=13), by selecting a region, and then by clicking on “Hierarchy”. Is there a more straight forward way to access this data?

Geographical codes instead of names would be especially useful. Is there a list of subdivision codes by health region for NB? Or do the health regions actually completely correspond to census divisions in NB? Here’s the map of the 2011 Health Regions for NB: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-583-x/2011001/article/11480-eng.pdf

Answer

The census tables from the 2006 and 2001 censuses are at the following page: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-402-x/2011001/cen-eng.htm. They are in B20/20 format.

2006 Census Statistics By Health Regions - Which Source to Use?

Question:

I have run into a problem checking 2006 Census stats by health regions across two different sources.

Which source should we use? For example …

Population by health region	Census Indicator Profile, 2006 table 109-0300 CANSIM	2006 Community Profiles http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E
Eastern Regional IHA-Integrated Health Authority Network (Newfoundland and Labrador)	290,945	293,682
Zone 6, (Nova Scotia)	387,935	391,639
Region 1 (New Brunswick)	188,355	191,860
Region 2 (New Brunswick)	167,765	169,765

Many thanks for any help or background information.

Answer



The total population figures in the CANSIM table are based on 20% data while the population counts in the 2006 Community Profiles are based on 100% data (notes from the products follow). I spoke with Michel and he explained that 20% data, from the long form, excludes residents of institutions and that the researcher can decide which is most appropriate for him/her in this case.

Air Pollution Data

Question

I've got a student who's looking for 2006 air pollution data (PM10, carbon monoxide, etc.) at the health region level. Something tells me that kind of information probably isn't collected by health region. I've found a few sites that have region data available, the Ontario Air Quality Index and CASA Data (Alberta) for example, but nothing national.

Does anyone know of other possible sources?

Answer

Our contacts in our Environment Accounts and Statistics Division have provided the following suggestions in response to your question:

"Health Canada has done a lot of work linking ambient air quality data to different geographies. We have also been involved in the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) inititative for the national ambient air qualtiy indicators, but these are not specifically linked to health regions.

The approach I suggest is to use the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) data (available for download from the Environment Canada website). This can be combined via the Lat-Long coordinates for the sites with the health region geography in a geographical information systems (GIS) application. This would work for ambient air quality analysis.

If it is emissions that are the focus, then the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) is the main source of information. Since 2002, emissions of criteria air contaminants have been included in the NPRI. The inventory has emissions by facility, and the facilities are geo coded. This too could be coded to health regions with the appropriate GIS application. "

Air Pollution Data

Question

I've got a student who's looking for 2006 air pollution data (PM10, carbon monoxide, etc.) at the health region level. Something tells me that kind of information probably isn't collected by health region. I've found a few sites that have region data available, the Ontario Air Quality Index and CASA Data (Alberta) for example, but nothing national.

Does anyone know of other possible sources?

Answer

Our contacts in our Environment Accounts and Statistics Division have provided the following suggestions in response to your question:

"Health Canada has done a lot of work linking ambient air quality data to different geographies. We have also been involved in the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) inititative for the national ambient air quality indicators, but these are not specifically linked to health regions.

The approach I suggest is to use the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) data (available for download from the Environment Canada website). This can be combined via the Lat-Long coordinates for the sites with the health region geography in a geographical information systems (GIS) application. This would work for ambient air quality analysis.

If it is emissions that are the focus, then the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) is the main source of information. Since 2002, emissions of criteria air contaminants have been included in the NPRI. The inventory has emissions by facility, and the facilities are geo coded. This too could be coded to health regions with the appropriate GIS application. "

CCHS 4.1 and patient satisfaction and utilzation questions by health region

Question

My question: Will a user be able to obtain data on patient satisfaction and utilization questions by health region from CCHS 4.1?
We are hopeful because the sample size has grown to 65,000 (this was a problem two years ago).

See: Sampling This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

To provide reliable estimates to the 121 health regions (HRs), a sample of 65,000 respondents is required on an annual basis. A multi-stage sample allocation strategy gives relatively equal importance to the HRs and the provinces. In the first step, the sample is allocated among the provinces according to the size of their respective populations and the number of HRs they contained. Each province's sample is then allocated among its HRs proportionally to the square root of the population in each HR. (excerpt from:
http://www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SurvId=3226&SurvVer=1&InstaId=15282&InstaVer=4&SDDS=3226&lang=en&db=IMDB&dbg=f&adm=8&dis=2
)

However, after looking at the questionnaire we are cautiously optimistic:
(http://www.statcan.ca/english/sdds/instrument/3226_Q1_V4_E.pdf)
Optional Content section, specifically page 268, Appendix 2, the patient satisfaction topics are only covered off by a few jurisdictions (at least according to this table).

CCHS 3.1 provided patient satisfaction data by province, and every province participated which may be why there is confusion now.

Answer

Here is the response from the author division regarding your question on patient satisfaction and utilization questions by health region from CCHS 2007:

"Patient satisfaction (PAS): Was asked out of a sub-sample of respondents in the 10 provinces. Selected as optional by Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Therefore, only provincial/territorial estimates are possible. However, this module was also selected as optional module by Ontario and Saskatchewan. Health region (HR) level estimates are possible for these 2 provinces only, where sample size allows.

Utilisation: if you are referring to the Access to health care services module (ACC): this was also asked as a subsample to the 10 provinces only. Not asked and not selected by none of the Territories. Selected as optional module by New-Brunswick and Ontario. HR level estimates possible for these 2 provinces only, where sample size allows.

Utilisation: if you are referring to the Health Care Utilization module (HCU): This module is part of Core content and therefore asked of everybody. HR level estimates are then possible, of course where sample size allows."

I hope this answers your question. Please note that CCHS 2007 is effectively CCHS 4.1, but they have dropped the Cycle number from the name in favour of the year.

2006 Census Data by Health Region

Question

A researcher wants to find data by Health Region and Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN). The 2001 Profile table in Beyond 20/20 format was found here:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-402-XIE/2006001/census.htm

He wants to know when the equivalent table for 2006 will be available.

Answer

If you go into 2006 Community Profiles and search for a place name (such as Toronto) one of the options that comes up is the Health Region (or LHIN in Ontario).

Maybe Stats Canada could somehow make it more obvious that Health Regions are an option.

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-221-XIE/2008001/profiles-en.htm

Military Base Hospitals & Health Regions

Question

I have a researcher using health indicators for Health Region 3557 Renfrew County and District Health Unit who would like to confirm if this includes, as it does geographically, the Petawawa base hospital?

Answer

If you are using the health indicators from STC, it provides health information related to the population in that Health Region. This is information from respondents at the household level so it does not include information from the Petawawa base hospital. This is excluded from the universe.

If you are using health indicators provided from CIHI, it provides information from the Health sector and institutions such as Petawawa base hospital would be included.

Health Region Boundary Files

Question

A researcher at UBC is looking for health region boundary files dating back to 1994. I searched very thoroughly I think, and could find the 2000 CD-ROM and the 2003 Health regions boundaries and correspondence with census geography, available for free on the Statistics Canada website. Are there any more - did I miss anything?

As a fallback I recommended she contact BC Stats for the BC regions. But I am curious to know whether Statistics Canada has anything earlier than 2000.

Answer

The HR 2000 product on CD-ROM was the first, at least produced by Statistics Canada. I think the advice to follow-up with the province is worthwhile, to find out about earlier files. Certainly the health regions in some provinces existed back in '94, but it would take some research to determine if the boundaries of that vintage were reflected in the HR 2000 product. There have been numerous boundary changes and complete regional restructuring across the provinces over the past 10 years.