Resources
This (growing) curated list of resources includes legislation, reference material and informational resources relating to the what and how of my role as a health professional. These resources assisted and guided my understanding and reflections on each of the sectioned themes; I hope they support your learning and engage your thoughts too. Included are peer-reviewed articles, credible websites, news articles, videos, publicly published reports, and more. Be curious and click away!
Future directions in health
This position statement from the Canadian Public Health Association (2021) provides valuable context and recommendations on the scope and various levels within our society which should take action to improve mental wellness through a public health approach.
Canadian Public Health Association. (2021). A Public Health Approach to Population Mental Wellness. https://www.cpha.ca/public-health-approach-population-mental-wellness
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This guide by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) reviews two psychosocial factors for those employees specific to health care; Psychological Self-Care and Protection from Moral Distress. The MHCC highlights results from a survey that was completed by 982 participants in 2022 which explored barriers and facilitators to health care worker and health team well-being.
Grady, C., Chênevert, D., & Coderre-Ball, A. (2022). Exploring Two Psychosocial Factors for Health-Care Workers: Support for psychological self-care and protection from moral distress in the workplace: Facilitators and barriers. Mental Health Commission of Canada. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/exploring-two-psychosocial-factors-for-health-care-workers/
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This report from the Mental Health Commission of Canada spotlights their results from both an employee and employer targeted survey which asks about coverage and whether psychological services needs are met through employer sponsored extended health benefits. Which are an important benefits for many Canadians who rely on extended health benefits for financial coverage to access medications and services, such as those for mental health supports.
Mental health Commission of Canada, & Canadian Psychological Association. (2022). Extended mental health benefits in Canadian workplaces: Employee and employer perspectives. https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/extended-mental-health-benefits-in-canadian-workplaces-employee-and-employer-perspectives/
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In this qualitative review the authors looked at 20 guidelines for the prevention, management and detection of mental health problems in the workplace. Overall, authors recommend that effective guidelines should focus more on mental health protection and illness prevention, and include tangible tools to implement. Interestingly, the highest scoring guideline in all categories was that from Canada; Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace Standards.
Workplace mental health: An international review of guidelines. (2017). Preventive Medicine, 101, 213–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.03.017
With the common theme being mental health and the workplace, this short list of resources touches on topics relating to the role and impact that employers and the workplace have on mental health care moving forward. This includes factors within the workplace which impact psychological health, guidelines for evaluating mental health efforts and the importance of comprehensive mental health benefits.
Vulnerable populations
Focusing on Indigenous peoples of Canada with frameworks and models in mind. These are helpful to conceptualize the barriers that Indigenous peoples face to equitable access and quality of health services.
The latter three resources are on poverty in Canada, and the impact that poverty has on health outcomes.
In a report from the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (2022) a framework is outlined which is cited by the authors as a strategy to improve both the health system for Indigenous Peoples and the experience of the care which they receive. Which would ultimately leading to better health outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Johnson, H., & Sutherland, J. (2022). A conceptual framework for Indigenous cultural safety measurement. National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous health. https://www.nccih.ca/495/A_conceptual_framework_for_Indigenous_cultural_safety_measurement.nccih?id=10375
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This fact sheet from the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health (2019) highlights issues and barriers when it comes to the accessibility, availability and acceptability of health care services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada. This report ends on a hopeful note of strategies to improve access for Indigenous Peoples to receive quality health care.
National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. (2019). Access to health services as a social determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Métis health. https://www.nccih.ca/docs/determinants/FS-AccessHealthServicesSDOH-2019-EN.pdf
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In a review by Richmond & Cook (2016) the authors review the current lack of, and future need, for public policy at various levels to adequately support the health care needs of Indigenous Peoples of Canada. This includes a need for community based research and fostering Indigenous self-determination through community engagement, as means to fill the many gaps in needs.
Richmond, C. A. M., & Cook, C. (2016). Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy. Public Health Reviews, 37(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-016-0016-5
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The hub of from Alberta Health Services, Healthier Together program (n.d.) is devoted to information on Financial Strain in Alberta. This includes a short video and infographic to capture the importance of this topic.
Alberta Health Services, Healthier Together. (n.d.). Impact of financial strain on wellness. Government of Alberta. https://financialwellness.healthiertogether.ca/
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From Ontario, this 2016 report provides some interesting analysis between the association of risk factors such as smoking, fruit/vegetable consumption and physical inactivity compared between most poor and the most rich among the provincial population.
Health quality Ontario. (2016). Income and Health: Opportunities to achieve health equity in Ontario. http://www.hqontario.ca/portals/0/documents/system-performance/health-equity-report-en.pdf
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This academic article provides a valuable analysis of the consequences of poverty on children in Canada. This includes higher rates of adverse birth outcomes, asthma, overweight and obesity, injuries, poor mental health and difficulty learning. In addition to child poverty is associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing adverse health outcomes as adults as well.
Gupta, R. P.-S., de Wit, M. L., & McKeown, D. (2007). The impact of poverty on the current and future health status of children. Paediatrics & Child Health, 12(8), 667–672. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2528796/
Chronic disease prevention and management
The spotlight for these resources is on the chronic condition of heart disease and how the workplace can have an impact on risk for heart disease. Included is a peer reviewed article, surveillance tool to find rates of heart and other chronic illnesses and an infographic.
In this study by Nowrouzi-Kia, et al., they reviewed data from the Canadian Community Health Survey from 2001-2014 to look for associations between cardiovascular disease and three job risks; number of hours worked per week, physical job demands, and type of occupation. Their results found trends, sometimes with statistical significance for the last two indicators (2018).
Nowrouzi-Kia, B., Li, A. K. C., Nguyen, C., & Casole, J. (2018). Heart Disease and Occupational Risk Factors in the Canadian Population: An Exploratory Study Using the Canadian Community Health Survey. Safety and Health at Work, 9(2), 144–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2017.07.008
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The Canadian Chronic Disease Indicators Data Tool (2021) provides a number of different variables to get quick data points on various determinants of health and health outcomes of Canadians. For example, I searched Behavioral Risk and Protective Factors > Nutrition to see various demographics for the outcome of fruit and vegetables consumption. I can anticipate this tool being very helpful to get data points on various areas of health, or to look at a specific population.
Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada. (2021). Canadian Chronic Disease Indicators Data Tool, 2021 Edition. Public Health Infobase. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/ccdi/data-tool/?Dom=1
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This infographic from the Public Health Agency of Canada provides a brief overview on the broad impact that heart disease has on Canadians.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Heart disease in Canada [Infographic]. Retrieved November 3, 2022 from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/heart-disease-canada.html
Multi-level approaches to health
Though many resources are available on various models of health the resources for this theme are centered around ecological models of health, with one study on how to view employee mental health through this multi-level framework.
This article reviews studies on health promotion initiatives published in one journal, Health Education & Behavior from 1998 through 2008 to determine which social ecological level they are targeting, the intervention setting, and the behavioral topic of health.
Golden, S. D., & Earp, J. A. L. (2012). Social Ecological Approaches to Individuals and Their Contexts: Twenty Years of Health Education & Behavior Health Promotion Interventions. Health Education & Behavior, 39(3), 364–372. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198111418634
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This study by Martin et al. (2016), concluded with the advantages of a multi-level approach to interventions for employee mental health by organizations. They analyzed this through the lens of micro-, meso-, and macro-levels.
Martin, A., Karanika-Murray, M., Biron, C., & Sanderson, K. (2016). The Psychosocial Work Environment, Employee Mental Health and Organizational Interventions: Improving Research and Practice by Taking a Multilevel Approach: Employee Mental Health: A Multilevel Approach. Stress and Health, 32(3), 201–215. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2593
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From a branch of the CDC, this site includes a number of topics for Models and Frameworks for the Practice of Community Engagement (2015), which includes the Social Ecological Model of Health. This site captured my interest because they first explain the benefits of the social ecological model to support health promotion strategies by recognizing the various levels of that contribute to health and engage communities to have an upstream impact.
CDC/ATSDR. (2015, June 25). Chapter 1: Models and Frameworks | Principles of Community Engagement | ATSDR. Principles of Community Engagement. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/communityengagement/pce_models.html
Determinants of health
These resources are a great starting point for anyone looking to start diving into the big picture of the many, many dimensions which impact health called the determinants of health.
This landing page offers a high level overview of the programs offered by the provincial health authority in my province which touch on various determinants of health.
Alberta Health Services. (n.d.). Population Health Promotion Program. Retrieved October 14, 2022 from https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/service.aspx?Id=3677
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In plain language and simple terms this resource helps to explain what the determinants of health are and how they impact the health outcomes of Canadians.
Canadian Public Health Association. (n.d.) What are the social determinants of health?. Retrieved October 14, 2022 from https://www.cpha.ca/what-are-social-determinants-health
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In this 2021 study researchers tested different messaging with Ontario residents about the social determinants of health. Their goal was to improve public understanding of the social and economic factors which impact health inequities, because public interest can drive government (and thus policy) action.
Churchill, E., Shankardass, K., Perrella, A. M. L., Lofters, A., Quiñonez, C., Brooks, L., Wilson, D., & Kirst, M. (2021). Effectiveness of Narrative Messaging Styles about the Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequities in Ontario, Canada. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), 10881. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010881
Defining health
Common language and understanding of terms is an important step to evaluating and pursuing any health intervention. Here are a number of resources which assisted me in broadening my understanding of what health is.
This website provides valuable perspective to answering questions about how wellbeing public health and health promotion, as well as how it can be an indicator of both individual and population level wellbeing.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, October 31). Well-Being Concepts | HRQOL | CDC. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/wellbeing.htm
In this study the authors seek to redefine health to include an often overlooked factor, economic or financial wellbeing. This alongside the additional following components as they would include to define health; physical (biological), mental (intellectual), emotional (psychological), and social (societal) wellbeing.
Oleribe, O. O., Ukwedeh, O., Burstow, N. J., Gomaa, A. I., Sonderup, M. W., Cook, N., Waked, I., Spearman, W., & Taylor-Robinson, S. D. (2018). Health: redefined. The Pan African Medical Journal, 30, 292. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.292.15436
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This article is particularly interesting for its perspective on the differences and value for the definitions of wellness and health. The other notes that wellness includes the component of a persons psychology state.
Stoewen, D. L. (2015). Health and wellness. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 56(9), 983–984. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4535518/
This website provides a credible overview on what the field of health promotion is, and the fundamental predeterminant factors to health.
World Health Organization. (1986). Ottawa charter for health promotion. https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/first-global-conference
Professionalism and regulatory bodies
As a professional looking to gain a virtual identity and a registered health professional in Alberta there are important guidelines, regulations and considerations as I grow my online presence. Check out the resources for what has assisted me in grounding my steps in this ePortfolio process.
The handbook from my professional regulatory body was helpful to remind me of my professional obligations as I began reflecting on my online presence a health professional.
College of Dietitians of Alberta. (2021). Professional Practice Handbook. https://collegeofdietitians.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Professional-Practice-Handbook-for-Dietitians-in-Alberta-4.2021.pdf
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These guidelines were valuable to review and reflect upon as I set up my ePortfolio and began crafting my blog posts.
College of Dietitians of Alberta. (2010, November). Social Media Practice Guidelines. https://collegeofdietitians.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Social-Media-Practice-Guidelines-November-2020.pdf
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This regulation from my provincial government is important to review and understand the scope and obligations for all registered health professionals in the province.
Government of Alberta. (2012, September 17). Health Professions Act. https://kings-printer.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=H07.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779740772
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As a professional working in the field of health promotion, these guidelines on health promotion competencies are helpful to keep in check on my professional practice and skills to strive and uphold.
Health Promotion Canada. (2015). The Pan-Canadian Health Promoter Competencies and Glossary. https://www.healthpromotioncanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2015-HPComp-CompletePackage3-new-logo.pdf