2019 Health Check-Up!
Message from the Commissioner & Medical Officer of Health
I am pleased and proud to present our 2019 Durham Health Check-Up! which highlights our successes and summarizes our achievements to show the reach of our efforts.
The release of the 2019 Health Check-Up! was delayed due to Durham Region Health Department’s (DRHD) limited capacity for engaging in regular programming and reporting activities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire Health Department has been actively engaged in COVID-19 response activities since March 2020, including case management and contact tracing; communications; inspections and investigations; issuing instructions and orders; surveillance; and, testing support. A snapshot of our team’s COVID-19 response activities is provided in the #PublicHealthProtects Infographic which is updated regularly and available on durham.ca/novelcoronavirus. Plans to restore our regular services and reporting will be adjusted based on our capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At DRHD, our job is to protect and promote the health of Durham Region residents through the delivery of public health and paramedics programs and services. Our workforce includes dedicated staff with varied and diverse expertise, including paramedics, public health nurses, public health inspectors, dental assistants and hygienists, family visitors, infant and child development consultants, epidemiologists, and tobacco enforcement officers, just to name a few. Our programs are also supported by the important work of our administrative support staff, graphics designers, and community development, internet and resource coordinators, policy analysts and privacy officers. Together, our team works with community partners to promote and protect the health of Durham residents, prevent infectious diseases, and investigate occupational and environmental health hazards. We are here to answer questions about public health issues, including questions related to disease prevention, health protection or general health concerns.
Robert Kyle, BSc, MD, MHSc, CCFP, FRCPC, FACPM
Key Health Department Achievements
Paramedics provided 443,840 hours of emergency response
6,214 reports of infectious diseases investigated
Provided 7,495 home visits to at-risk families
Collaborated with 72 schools to promote active and sustainable school travel
Oral health screening provided to 25,773 students
Durham Health Connection Line Calls
- Immunization (7,250)
- Healthy Families (5,046)
- Food Safety (1,754)
- Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control - Health Protection (1,670)
- Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control - Population Health (1,461)
- Healthy Living (1,066)
- Healthy Environments (738)
- General (657)
- Drinking Water (534)
- Smoke-Free Ontario Act /Cannabis (338)
- General Health Protection (204)
- Sewage Systems (192)
- Recreational Water (72)
- Child Care (7)
Administration |
Administrative Services Goal: To provide effective and efficient support to all Durham Region Health Department divisions, programs and services that help to enhance the delivery of the Ontario Public Health Standards and to meet all requirements of internal and extensionernal customers.
Community & Resource Development Goal: To provide support to all Durham Region Health Department divisions, programs and services, helping to enhance compliance with Ontario Public Health Standards.
Privacy & Information Security Goal: To provide effective and efficient privacy and information security support to all Durham Region Health Department divisions, programs and services that help to enhance compliance with applicable privacy and public health related legislation, information security standards and information management best practices.
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Health Analytics, Research & Policy |
Goals:
Population Health Assessment: Public health practice responds effectively to current and evolving conditions and contributes to the public’s health and well-being with programs and services that are informed by the population’s health status, including social determinants of health and health inequities. Health Equity: Public health practice results in decreased health inequities such that everyone has equal opportunities for optimal health and can attain their full health potential without disadvantage due to social position or other socially determined circumstances. Effective Public Health Practice: Public health practice is transparent, responsive to current and emerging evidence, and emphasizes continuous quality improvement.
New surveillance systems present timely health data for public health actionPublic health surveillance involves the ongoing collection, analysis and interpretation of health data that is used and shared to improve the health of communities. Health information can: serve as an early warning system for public health emergencies; track progress towards specific goals; monitor health problems; and identify priorities for decision-making and public health action.
1) The Durham Region Opioid Information System (DROIS)DROIS provides the latest opioid-related statistics by tracking and updating information on a weekly, monthly and annual basis, including:
Durham Region Health Department (DRHD) and the Durham Region Opioid Task Force use DROIS to address the increasing number of opioid overdoses. DROIS is available online by visiting durham.ca/opioidstats. To subscribe for email notifications when new information is posted, click the “Receive email updates” button at the bottom of the DROIS page. 2. The Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System (RRFSS) Data ExplorerRRFSS is an ongoing phone survey of Durham Region adults that collects information on health behaviours, conditions and determinants of health. The Data Explorer tool takes a modern approach to public health surveillance by using a web-based application to view RRFSS results. The tool tracks information related to:
The RRFSS tool is also capable of exploring health data by five categories, including age, gender, income, municipality and time trends. RRFSS data is updated annually, and new indicators are added as they become available. The Data Explorer is available at rrfss.durham.ca or via DRHD health statistics page: durham.ca/healthstats. |
Health Protection |
Emergency Management Goal: To enable consistent and effective management of emergency situations.
Food Safety Goal: To prevent or reduce the burden of food-borne illness and support the implementation and enforcement of the Healthy Menu Choices Act, 2015.
Healthy Environments Goal: To prevent or reduce the burden of illness from health hazards in the physical environment.
Ontario Building Code - Part 8 (Sewage Systems) Goal: To prevent diseases in humans and contamination of the physical environment due to on-site private sewage systems.
Safe Water Goal: To prevent or reduce the burden of water-borne illness related to drinking water and to prevent or reduce the burden of water-borne illness and injury related to recreational water use.
Check&Go! disclosure program – easy access to health inspection resultsDurham Region Health Department continues to make it easier for area residents to access health inspection results through the Check&GO! disclosure program. Check&GO! consists of on-site signage at establishments and online postings of health inspection results, confirmed infection prevention and control lapses, complaints and legal activities. Check&Go! displays inspection results and legal activities for:
The Check&GO! disclosure program meets and exceeds the Ontario Public Health Standards’ requirement for transparency. |
Healthy Families |
Durham Health Connection Line Goal: To ensure Durham Region residents have access to health information and counselling and referral to appropriate resources on health issues as outlined in the Ontario Public Health Standards.
Health Connection Line - Your access to Durham’s public health services
In 2019, Durham Region Health Department worked towards harmonizing call centers for three divisions: Population Health, Health Protection and Oral Health. Prior to harmonizing the call centers, each division promoted its own call centre and contact number. With the new harmonized line, all public health inquiries are directed to one phone number and brand. That means, clients only need to know one number to reach a public health nurse, public health inspector or an oral health team member. The DHCL team is available to assist clients with a variety of inquiries, including how to interpret well water test results, what immunizations a child needs or answer questions about the new Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program. The new DHCL phone numbers are:
The harmonized call centre was officially launched in January 2020. Existing Population Health, Health Protection and Oral Health phone numbers continue to operate during a transitional period to ensure that clients can access public health services without disruption. Child and Youth, Prenatal and Newborn, and Healthy Babies Healthy Children Goal: To achieve optimal preconception, pregnancy, newborn, child, youth, parental and family health.
Infant & Child Development Goal: To enhance the growth and development of children, including those with a developmental disability and/or risk of developmental delay by partnering with families to provide support, information and early intervention services.
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Healthy Living |
Chronic Disease Prevention Goal: To reduce the burden of chronic diseases of public health importance* and improve well-being. *Chronic diseases of public health importance include, but are not limited to, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, intermediate health states (such as metabolic syndrome and prediabetes), hypertension, dementia, mental illness and addictions.
Vaping: an emerging and serious health trend
Since vaping is a relatively new trend, the health effects are uncertain. However, evidence shows that long-term exposure to vapour products may be harmful to health in the following ways:
Local health data show that vaping among youth in Durham Region is an emerging trend. In a 2016 to 2017 survey, five per cent of elementary students and 17 per cent of secondary students reported smoking e-cigarettes within the past year (OSDUHS, 2016-2017). Further, 13 per cent of elementary students and nine per cent of secondary students felt there is no risk of harming themselves physically (OSHUHS, 2016-2017). In 2019, DRHD accomplished the following in response to the emerging vape trend and associated health concerns:
Prevention of Injury and Substance Misuse Goal: To reduce the burden of preventable injuries and substance use.
School Health Goal: To achieve optimal health of children and youth in schools through partnership and collaboration with school boards and schools.
New Vision Screening Program - Visual health care for all SK students
In Ontario, statistics show that:
In 2018, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care mandated boards of health to ensure all senior kindergarten (SK) students receive vision screening in the school setting annually. Requirements for the new program are outlined in the Child Visual Health and Vision Screening Protocol, 2018. In 2019, DRHD rolled out the new vision screening program to SK students with public health nurses (PHN). PHNs identify vision problems which may otherwise go unnoticed. Between January and June 2019, PHNs screened SK students at publicly funded schools and interested private schools. Program activities included:
Regardless of test results, it is recommended that all children see their local optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam, which is free annually for all OHIP-covered children up to 19-years old. PHNs continue to work with school communities to promote the health and well-being of children in Durham Region with the new SK vision screening program. Oral Health Goal: To enable all children in Durham Region to attain and sustain optimal oral health and development potential, and to support adults who require assistance in accessing oral health information and services.
New program offers free dental care to low-income seniors
Services provided through the program include:
To enroll in the program, individuals can get an application form online or by contacting DRHD to receive a form through the mail. Applications must be approved by the Ministry of Health prior to booking an appointment. Program eligibility is determined based on the below criteria:
In late December 2019, the DRHD Oral Health Clinic opened its doors to its first OSDCP clients, and in that month, staff saw 9 clients and called 175 seniors on the waitlist to help them get application forms. With 4,000 clients expected to participate in the new seniors’ program, DRHD received approval from Regional Council to relocate and expand the Oral Health Clinic. It is anticipated that the new clinic will open its doors in late summer or early fall of 2021. Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 Goal: To ensure that tobacco, e-cigarette vendors and other organizations that are subject to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 comply with the Act and to restrict youth access to tobacco products and e-cigarettes.
Conducted 3,091 inspections and re-inspections of all known tobacco retailers in compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, including youth access inspections (laying 42 charges) and display and promotion inspections (laying 25 charges). Smoke and Vape By-Law - Protecting residents from second-hand smoke exposureDurham Region Health Department (DRHD) is making it easier for residents to avoid involuntary exposure to second-hand smoke in public spaces and workplaces. The Regional Smoke and Vape by-law (28-2019) was adopted on April 24, 2019, which expanded the number of places where smoking or vaping substances, including cannabis, is prohibited.
These additional restrictions protect the health of Durham Region residents by reducing exposure to harmful second-hand smoke and vapour which are linked to chronic diseases and other adverse health conditions. Smoking and vaping cannabis was included in the by-law as cannabis smoke contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco. DRHD posted signs in prohibited locations to inform the public of the new restrictions and will continue to work with municipalities and other community partners to provide education and awareness. |
Infectious Diseases |
Immunization Goal: To reduce or eliminate the burden of vaccine preventable diseases through immunization.
Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control - Health Protection Goal: To reduce the burden of communicable diseases and other infectious diseases of public health importance.
Infectious Diseases Prevention & Control - Population Health Goal: To reduce the burden of communicable diseases and other infectious diseases of public health importance.
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Paramedic Services |
Goal: To deliver a quality Paramedic Services system that is responsive to client needs and to reduce mortality and morbidity related to illness and injury through the provision of pre-hospital advanced life support procedures. Primary program delivery is through the Region of Durham Paramedic Services with assistance from the Central Ambulance Communications Centre and local fire department tiered response programs.
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Quality Assurance & Improvement |
Goal: To ensure that programs and services meet requirements as articulated in policies, standards and legislation and to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided to Durham Region clients.
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2019 Financial Information |
2019 Expenditures
Total $105,879,267 2019 Revenues
Total $105,879,267 |
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