Approaches to Using Products from the Canadian Community Health Survey

1. Approaches to Using Products from the Canadian Community Health Survey Vince Gray and Sylvie Lafortune Laurentian University & University of Western Ontario DLI National Training Day May 30, 2011

2. Brief background to the CCHS Tips and tools for finding and using the CCHS Overview

3. Background on CCHS • Launched in 2000 as part of the Health Information Roadmap Initiative • Includes partners at federal, provincial and health regions levels => content & collection changes are constant! • Superseded the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) cross-sectional component For background and progress reports, see the Health Information Roadmap Initiative webpage on the Canadian Institute for Health Information website

4. Background on CCHS • Persons aged 12 years and older living in private dwellings in the 10 provinces and 3 territories, self or proxy-reported • Considerable evolution since launch, with major redesign in 2007 • Provides data at Health Region level of geographic detail • Survey consists of core components, and components selected by provinces & HRs

5. Objectives until 2005 Provide timely and reliable estimates of health status health care utilization health determinants Gather data at the sub-provincial levels of geography Revised objectives after 2005 Support health surveillance programs at nat/prov/reg levels Timely release of data easily accessible to diverse community of users Include rapid response option to address emerging issues Support health research on small populations and rare characteristics Purpose of CCHS

6. • Alcohol • Chronic conditions • Exposure to second-hand smoke • Fruit and vegetable consumption • General health • Health care utilization • Height and weight • Injuries • Mammography • Maternal experiences • PAP smear test • Physical activities • Restriction of activities • Smoking • Two-week disability • Income • Socio-demographic characteristics • Administration • Labour Force (short form) Core content topics

7. First tool:The Daily • The most public and current of information sources

8. Searching The Daily • Can use abbreviation (e.g., CCHS) in search box

9. The Daily results • If sort by date, most recent appear first

10. Why use The Daily • Can provide ‘answers’ – e.g., information about Canadians suffering chronic pain

11. Why else to use The Daily • Articles may provide links to more detailed publications for further investigation

12. Second tool: CANSIM • The Daily provides reports; CANSIM provides aggregated data

13. Accessing CANSIM: by survey • Can browse the list of surveys, and pick out CCHS from the list

14. CANSIM: by survey results • All tables with aggregated data derived from the survey are displayed

15. CANSIM selection results • Once select a table, it’s easiest to go live

16. CANSIM data retrieval • The ‘answer’ –osteoporosis among ‘young’ female seniors in Quebec and BC

17. Accessing CANSIM: searching • More likely used, since users don’t know source of answers: look for ‘chronic pain’

18. CANSIM search results • No indication whether CCHS or other source – the user probably doesn’t care

19. CANSIM table • Health region may be a giveaway for CCHS, but also used for Cancer Registry

20. CANSIM results • So, Ontario looks to have more chronic pain than Canada; Grey Bruce less, but?

21. CANSIM results: B20/20 • Can download entire file as Beyond 20/20, and use locally

22. CANSIM in B20/20 • Default when come into the system is top characteristic of each concept

23. CANSIM in B20/20 • Manipulate rows and columns to get the desired information on screen

24. CANSIM results: B20/20 • Can graph results, right click, and save to a file for inclusion in reports

25. CANSIM results: B20/20 • Can save an extract or the entire file as Beyond 20/20 or other format (e.g., .xls), and use locally

26. Third tool: Health Indicators • Points to data from various sources • Provides access to aggregated data

27. Health Indicators • Single access point to jointly agreed upon comparable indicators for country

28. Health Indicators • Type of data being provided identified in listing of tables

29. Don’t forget other departments! • Canadian Institute for Health Research • www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca, 448 results • Research Profile: How does keeping the peace affect a soldier's peace of mind? • Parliament of Canada • www.parl.gc.ca, 416 results • The Obesity Epidemic in Canada • Public Health Agency of Canada • www.phac-aspc.gc.ca, 340 results • What is the Impact of Sleep Apnea on Canadians? • Health Canada • www.hc-sc.gc.ca, 183 results • Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2, Nutrition (2004). A Guide to Accessing and Interpreting the Data

30. And more … • Canadian Armed Forces • www.forces.gc.ca, 42 results • Statistics Canada CF Mental Health Survey: A "Milestone“ • Veteran’s Affairs • www.vac-acc.gc.ca, 18 results • Backgrounder: Veterans Affairs Canada Mental Health Strategy: Psychological Injuries and the Canadian Military • Citizenship and Immigration Canada • www.cic.gc.ca, 3 results • Health Status and Social Capital of Recent Immigrants in Canada

31. How to find these? • Use Google advanced search

32. Summary of tools to date • Provide access to reports and aggregated data tables • Can provide ‘answers’ to questions • What if the question isn’t easily answered with a ready-made table?

33. Tools for access to microdata • Five tools provide access to microdata • DLI FTP Site and/or Nesstar server • <odesi> - Nesstar-based, to be opened for subscription by Ontario colleges and non-Ontario universities • Equinox – joint UWO and CREPUQ initiative with subscribers from every province • SDA – run by University of Toronto • Research Data Centre program

34. DLI FTP site • Access limited to DLI contact or designate • Download entire file, documentation, and syntax files (as available) • Receive file as received by Data Liberation Initiative unit – in whatever format(s) (raw data, SPSS system file, B20/20, etc.)

35. DLI Nesstar server • Access limited to DLI contact or designate • Files loaded in parallel in English and French – use one or the other • Due to access limitations, provides alternate download site allowing export of system or portable files

36. http://www62.statcan.ca/webview/

37. <odesi> • Access limited to Ontario universities • Access being expanded to offer subscriptions to other Canadian DLI member institutions • Interface and data files in parallel systems in English & French – use one or the other

38. http://odesi.ca • Access is available to individual users based on IP authentication for institution, may wish to use all features of Nesstar • Download complete file • Subset file (select variables and/or values) • Analyze data

39. Equinox • Access provided through subscription, some files available to all users • Interface and data files in parallel in English and French – flip between languages • Mirror site under development in Quebec

40. http://equinox.uwo.ca • Access is available to individual users based on IP authentication for institution • Download complete file • Subset file (select variables and/or values) • No analysis capability in system

41. <odesi> and Equinox • Rather artificial from a user’s point of view knowing that they want to use a particular file (e.g., CCHS) • Are more likely to discover they want to use a file based on the contents of it • E.g., what data files contain questions on osteoporosis?

42. A final access point • A user wants to look at osteoporosis among immigrants by place of birth

43. Custom tabs and the Master file • PUMF records only two responses in variable SDCGCBG – “Canada” and “Other” • Custom tabulations possible: Client Custom Support (613-951-1746, hd-ds@statcan.gc.ca) • Direct users to the master data file at their Research Data Centre or to Remote Access (613-951-1653, cchs-escc@statcan.gc.ca)

44. Analysis & Interpretation • As indicated before, will largely depend on local resources and policy • Do you have one or more trained statistical consultants to assist users with questions about either analysis or interpretation?