approaches to using products from the canadian community health survey vince gray and sylvie...
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Approaches to Using Products from the Canadian Community
Health Survey
Vince Gray and Sylvie LafortuneLaurentian University & University of Western Ontario
DLI National Training DayMay 30, 2011
Overview
• Brief background to the CCHS
• Tips and tools for finding and using the CCHS
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• Superseded the National Population Health Survey (NPHS) cross-sectional component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
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
Purpose of CCHSObjectives 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
Core content topics
• 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)
First tool:The Daily• The most public and current of information
sources
Searching The Daily• Can use abbreviation (e.g., CCHS) in
search box
The Daily results• If sort by date, most recent appear first
Why use The Daily• Can provide ‘answers’ – e.g., information
about Canadians suffering chronic pain
Why else to use The Daily• Articles may provide links to more detailed
publications for further investigation
Second tool: CANSIM• The Daily provides reports; CANSIM
provides aggregated data
Accessing CANSIM: by survey• Can browse the list of surveys, and pick
out CCHS from the list
CANSIM: by survey results• All tables with aggregated data derived
from the survey are displayed
CANSIM selection results• Once select a table, it’s easiest to go live
CANSIM data retrieval• The ‘answer’ –osteoporosis among ‘young’
female seniors in Quebec and BC
Accessing CANSIM: searching• More likely used, since users don’t know
source of answers: look for ‘chronic pain’
CANSIM search results• No indication whether CCHS or other
source – the user probably doesn’t care
CANSIM table• Health region may be a giveaway for
CCHS, but also used for Cancer Registry
CANSIM results• So, Ontario looks to have more chronic
pain than Canada; Grey Bruce less, but?
CANSIM results: B20/20• Can download entire file as Beyond 20/20,
and use locally
CANSIM in B20/20• Default when come into the system is top
characteristic of each concept
CANSIM in B20/20• Manipulate rows and columns to get the
desired information on screen
CANSIM results: B20/20• Can graph results, right click, and save to
a file for inclusion in reports
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
Third tool: Health Indicators• Points to data from various sources• Provides access to aggregated data
Health Indicators• Single access point to jointly agreed upon
comparable indicators for country
Health Indicators• Type of data being provided identified in
listing of tables
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
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
How to find these?
• Use Google advanced search
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?
Tools for access to microdata• Five tools provide access to microdata
1. DLI FTP Site and/or Nesstar server
2. <odesi> - Nesstar-based, to be opened for subscription by Ontario colleges and non-Ontario universities
3. Equinox – joint UWO and CREPUQ initiative with subscribers from every province
4. SDA – run by University of Toronto
5. Research Data Centre program
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.)
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
http://www62.statcan.ca/webview/
<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
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
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
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
<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?
A final access point
• A user wants to look at osteoporosis among immigrants by place of birth
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, [email protected])
• Direct users to the master data file at their Research Data Centre or to Remote Access (613-951-1653, [email protected])
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?