HEALTH PROTECTION DIVISION

Report to the Board of Directors
2007 February 08

CHRONIC DISEASE AND INJURY PREVENTION

Tobacco
Driven To Quit 2007 - The Driven to Quit challenge launched on January 22, 2007 and will be open for registration until February 23, 2007.  With the acceptance of the Health Unit’s request for proposal to the Canadian Cancer Society for additional contest advertising funds, there have been local advertisements in the Windsor Star and Pennysaver in addition to the standard provincial media buys.  We are hopeful that the contest will be as successful as it was last year in helping people in our community to quit smoking.
 
Stop Study Sessions - From March 6-8, 2007, the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in partnership with the Health Unit will be hosting a series of stop study sessions using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (i.e. nicotine gum, patch or inhaler) to help residents of Windsor-Essex quit smoking.  The half-day workshops are open to the general public and screening and registration will take place through the Tobacco Hotline.  Participants that are eligible for the study will attend a two to three hour session to learn about cessation techniques and tips and upon completion will receive a free 10 week supply of NRT products.  Participants will be asked to take part in follow-up reporting performed by CAMH staff during the 10 weeks and report on their outcomes.

Enforcement - Tobacco enforcement staff members at the Health Unit are continuing efforts to ensure compliance with all aspects of the legislation.  Recently, key areas of officer focus have been workplaces and vehicles as they visit a number of establishments in the community to educate and inform employers and proprietors of the requirements under the Act. Additionally, officers continue to conduct weekly vendor enforcement checks through our test shopping program to the approximately 600 tobacco vendors in our community. As of January 30, 2006 a total of two Part I charges (both for the illegal sale of tobacco to a minor) have been laid. (Charges in 2006 totaled 103 Part I, and four Part III.)

Recently there has been a great amount of media coverage concerning smoking shelters in casinos, bars and restaurants, and legions.  To clarify the situation, statements from the Ministry of Health Promotion on this issue are as follows:
• The Smoke-Free Ontario Act does not permit any exemptions for smoking rooms at any casino or gaming facility in Ontario.
• Stand-alone bars or restaurants are permitted to allow smoking in an outdoor area that is not covered by a roof.  Therefore, a shelter with a roof would be prohibited at a bar or restaurant.
• Any gaming facility, like any workplace that does not have a primary business of food and beverage service, may choose to have a smoking shelter, provided it has no more than a roof and two walls, and is not located adjacent to a food and/or beverage service operation.

With regard to smoking shelters in legion halls and social clubs, these places are to be assessed on an individual basis by the Health Unit to determine their primary business and based on that, whether or not they are allowed to have a smoking shelter.  A formal request has been made to the Ministry of Health Promotion for specific guidelines and assessment criteria for determining whether or not a place such as a Legion or “Social Club” should be considered a food and beverage business or a business that has food and beverage service ancillary to it’s primary business.  Once this information is received, enforcement officers will be proactively visiting these establishments to assess their status and provide education and support as necessary.

Nutrition
Losing Weight…the Healthy Weigh (6 Month Follow-Up Session) - On January 23, 2007, the graduates of the March 2006 Working Toward Wellness at DCCI Losing Weight…the healthy weigh program met to reaffirm their commitment to a healthier lifestyle.  A total of 30 past participants were welcomed back with a presentation that highlighted easy, quick, and healthy cooking.  Everyone was treated to a cooking demonstration that featured a meatless meal and a five minute healthy dessert.  Although the main objective of the follow-up session was to motivate the participants to continue with their weight loss goals, the get together also provided an opportunity to obtain long-term weight and waist circumference measurements, along with other behavioral and cognitive indicators.  After the completion of the 12-week program, the class achieved an average weight loss of 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and an average decrease in waist circumference of 3 inches (8 cm).  At this six-month follow-up session, the average weight loss remained at 10 pounds (4.5 kg) and the decrease in waist circumference had increased to 5 inches (13 cm).  These results are extremely positive as it indicates that the participants are maintaining the weight loss over the long term.  Currently, a proposal is being submitted to the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research to receive a grant that will assist in the adaptation of the Losing Weight…the healthy weigh to an e health program.

Nutrition Month – March 2007 - The local coalition of Registered Dietitians of Windsor-Essex County met on January 12, 2007 to plan the area events for this year’s upcoming Nutrition Month campaign.  In 2007, Dietitians of Canada want Canadians to re-discover the pleasures and benefits of cooking with the launch of their newest cookbook “Simply Great Food”.  Due to our fast-paced lives, families are less likely to spend mealtimes together.  Home-cooked meals are becoming a thing of the past as cooking skills and time spent in the kitchen decline. With the increase in obesity and chronic diseases, National Nutrition Month is a great way for dietitians to encourage healthy lifestyles and healthy families via quick and simple meals.  Nutrition Month will kick off with a mall display at the Devonshire Mall, Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4, 2007.  This will be an opportunity to promote area events and Losing Weight…the healthy weigh classes, which are planned to commence this spring.  Copies of Dietitians of Canada’s cookbook have been purchased.  Cooking demos and grocery store tours will also be available for community members to attend. 

Workplace Health
Working Toward Wellness Health Issues Newsletter - Think Smart: Injuries Aren’t Accidents is the name of our current workplace wellness newsletter and initiative going out to approximately 250 workplaces in Windsor-Essex County at the beginning of February.  The newsletter and other resources focus on tips and information to help people avoid injury at home, behind the wheel, and out and about in our community.  It aims to help Windsor-Essex County residents to stay focused, stay safe, and stay alive.

Windsor-Essex Walks at Work Resource - The Windsor-Essex Walks at Work resource is being updated and re-launched at workplaces this spring.  With financial assistance from Health-Action Windsor Essex, the first 12 workplaces to request the resource will receive up to 10 free high-quality pedometers to distribute to walking group members as an incentive.  The newly revised and enhanced resource will contain a leader guide, a participant guide, and a promotional poster.

Physical Activity Promotion
Physical Activity and the Early Years Workshop - In partnership with the Teen Health Centre, a workshop was held on January 23, 2007 for day care providers and those who work with children 0–6 years of age.  This full-day workshop involved lecture and active sessions.  Participants were taught how to integrate physical activity into their curriculums and were informed of current physical activity statistics and recommended guidelines for this age group.  Each participant was provided with a physical activity kit for use at their facility.

Active Transportation Committee - City and County - The Windsor-Essex County Active Living Coalition is seeking to create an active transportation city council committee that would address issues of cycling, multi-use trail development and sidewalk development in the City of Windsor.  For these same issues in Essex County, a partnership is being formed between the WECALC and ERCA (among other partners) to proceed with a regional trails strategy.

Health Action Windsor-Essex - Health Action Windsor-Essex is celebrating its Annual General Meeting on February 22nd.  The event includes highlights of programs conducted in 2006, the awarding of the Health Action Hero awards and two excellent speakers.  The speakers are Peter Goodhand, Chief Executive Officer for the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division and Rocco Rossi, Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.  Each speaker will be addressing the past, present and future prevention activities of their respective organizations.  Gord Smith, Chair of the Health Action Windsor-Essex coalition, would like to invite all board members to the 2007 Annual General Meeting.  It will be held February 22nd from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. in the Marconi Room at the Caboto Club.  A healthy lunch will be provided.  To register, please contact Meghan Toews at 519-258-2146, ext. 3100 or by email at mtoews@wechealthunit.org.

Donation of Bicycle Racks - Health Action has donated 22 bicycle racks, complete with donor plaques, which read, “Donated by Health Action Windsor-Essex: Supporting Healthy Living in Your Community” to the following workplaces in Windsor-Essex County: Town of LaSalle – 6; Municipality of Leamington – 4; Greater Essex County District School Board – 4; Leamington District Memorial Hospital – 2; Windsor Regional Hospital – 2; Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital – 1; YMCA of Windsor and Essex County – 2; General Motors-Windsor Transmission Plant – 1.  Providing these bicycle racks is an important step in promoting and supporting active commuting and recreational cycling in the community.

INFECTIOUS DISEASE CONTROL

Tuberculosis - The TB team is currently monitoring seven active cases of TB in the community.
In addition, they are screening between 40-50 new clients each week through the TB School Screening clinics.  Clinics are also being offered in the Leamington office once a month.

Vaccine Preventable - The Health Unit offered additional on-site appointments for individuals requesting the flu vaccine.  As well, the team will be returning to the elementary schools next week to administer the second Hepatitis B vaccine to Grade 7 students.

Infectious Disease - Respiratory outbreaks are being monitored in four long term care facilities in Windsor and Essex County with Influenza A being confirmed in one facility.  In addition, the team is following two enteric outbreaks in long term care settings.  This number was accurate to January 31, 2007.

HEALTH INSPECTION

The year 2006 was a very busy year for the Health Inspection Department. In addition to the over 4,500 food safety inspections and 300 Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) audits, we also conducted more than 500 re-inspections.  Over 700 individuals from the community participated in our certified food handlers training courses.

In addition, the Health Unit received 74 reports of adverse water with 55 of these resulting in Boil Water Advisories.  During a 12-week period last summer, Health Inspection tested nine public beaches, taking more than 530 samples.  This resulted in beaches being posted 32 times and on three occasions an order to close was issued.

The Health Inspection Department is also responsible for the regular inspection of more than 1,000 facilities for infection control purposes along with ensuring public safety at 154 public pools and spas.

CLINICAL SERVICES

Sexual Health Clinic - The Sexual Health Clinic is preparing to offer the new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, to clinic clients.  This vaccine is indicated for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26 for the prevention of infection caused by the human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Currently the vaccine is not provincially funded and will be provided as a cost recovery service.

Dental Program - Dental screening continues in the schools.  The Ministry requires that the Dental Indices Survey be completed for 400 children aged 7 and 400 children aged 13 in the 2006-2007 school year.  To date, the survey has been completed for 37% of the total target population.

Year-end stats for 2006 show that 960 children were eligible for the CINOT program as screened at one of the Health Unit clinics.  This does not include those eligible as identified through the School Screening program.  In addition, 1,352 children received topical fluoride application in the clinics, which is part of the preventive services offered through the CINOT program.

Travel Clinic - The Travel clinic is currently booking in March for first assessments.  A total of 25 yellow fever vaccines were administered in January alone. 

Respectfully submitted,

Deb Bennett, Director