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Atlantic Region

Reducing health inequities by enhancing the development of

healthy Acadian and francophone communities in Atlantic Canada

June 1, 2008

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Objectives

• To increase awareness and knowledge

of the Acadian and francophone

population in Atlantic Canada• To share learnings on PHAC Atlantic’s

work to enhance the development of

healthy Acadian and francophone

communities in Atlantic Canada

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Overview

• About PHAC Atlantic • PHAC Atlantic’s involvement with the

Acadian and francophone population• Atlantic Canada’s Acadian and

francophone communities (ACAFC)• PHAC Atlantic’s Five-Year Action Plan• Learnings, progress and next steps

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About PHAC

Mission:• To promote and protect the health of

Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health

Vision:• Healthy Canadians and communities in

a healthier world

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PHAC Atlantic Region

Our main areas of work:

• Health promotion, injury / disease prevention

• Health emergency preparedness and response

Our regional structure and programs

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Key Activities: we contribute to…

• Community-based capacity building• Intersectoral collaboration• Public and professional education• Evaluation, Knowledge development

and exchange• Policy and program development

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PHAC Atlantic’s approach and involvement with Acadian and francophone communities:

• Population health, health determinants• Reduction of health disparities• Social inclusion, social justice • Marginalized populations• Acadian and francophone communities• Culture, linguistic minority status • Official Languages Act• Five-Year Action Plan

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Culture, language and minoritystatus as health determinants

“Some persons or groups may face additional health risks due to a socio-economic environment, which is largely determined by dominant cultural values that contribute to the perpetuation of conditions such as marginalization, stigmatization, loss or devaluation of language and culture and lack of access to culturally appropriate health care and services.” (PHAC Web site)

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Culture, language and minority status as health determinants

• Francophones living in a linguistic minority situation are more apt to indicate a lower health status than Anglophones living as a majority.

• Linguistic minority status also impacts on other health determinants, leading to health inequities. (L. Bouchard, U. of Ottawa, Nov. 2007)

• Bouchard recommends that linguistic minority status be included as a health determinant, to be sampled systematically by governments.

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About Atlantic Canada’s Acadian and Francophone Communities (ACAFC)

History:

• 1604 - 1754: Settlement, growth, politics• 1755 - 1763: Deportation and impacts• 1763 onward: Return from exile, challenges • Mid-1800’s to present: Collective action and

renaissance• 1960’s to present: Maritime and Canadian

legal context for OLMC• Info: www.acadie1755.ca www.rdee.ca• www.cma2009.ca www.snacadie.org

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Current ACAFC demographics

• About 275,000 Acadians or 12.2 % of Atlantic Canada population

• 28 % of Canada’s francophone Official Language minority community outside Quebec

• PEI: 5,135 (3.8 %) NS: 32,225 (3.6%) • NL: 1,935 (.4 %) NB: 235,130 (33 %)• Predominantly rural communities in

rural provinces

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Acadian Regions in the Atlantic

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Five-Year Action Plan to increase vitality of ACAFC

Methodology:

• Contracted with Institut canadien de

recherches en politiques et en administration

publique (ICRPAP)• Consulted with 65 A/F organizations and

stakeholders in 4 provinces• Final report, plan, draft evaluation framework• AMT approval, presentations, on Web site

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Learnings : Provincial ProfilesPopulation

ProfileNL

FR EN

PEIFR EN

NSFR EN

NBFR EN

Population Age:

19 years & under 14% 25% 16% 28% 13% 26% 22% 26%

65 years & older 16% 12% 22% 12% 19% 13% 13% 13%

Median Age (yrs) 45 38 48 37 46 38 40 37

Level of Education:

Less than 9 yrs 14% 15% 23% 10% 17% 9% 22% 9%

University degree 17% 9% 10% 11% 13% 14% 10% 12%

Unemployment rate 16% 22% 13% 13% 10% 11% 14% 12%

Language transfer

rate

63% n/a 53% n/a 46% n/a 10% n/a

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Reflexions on profiles• ACAFC contain fewer young people, more

seniors and an older population than anglophone communities (except NB)

• ACAFC have a higher rate of functional illiteracy (less than 9 years’ education) (except NL)

• Language transfer rate / loss of mother tongue a serious concern for ACAFC

• ACAFC have specific profiles, by province• Implications for health determinants, health

status, public health work

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Learnings: Primary needs of ACAFCs related to public health

NF-Lab PEI NS NB

1. Access to services

in French

1. Access to services

in French

1. Access to services in

French

1. Prevention, awareness

activities

2. Access to

francophone HR

2. Access to

resources, materials

in clear French

2. Access to resources,

materials in clear French

2. Initiatives targeting

specific groups (infants,

youth seniors)

3. Access to

resources, materials

in clear French

3. Access to project

funding

3. Prevention, aware-

ness activities

3. Access to resources,

materials in clear French

4. Strategies for

remote communities

4. Prevention,

awareness activities

4. Access to

francophone HR

4. Data on francophone

health

5. Initiatives

targeting specific

groups (infants,

youth)

5. Data on

francophone health

5. Strategies targeting

vulnerable groups:

(seniors, infants, youth

5. Access to services in

French

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Reflexions on needs identified in public health

• Access to services and resources in French• Access to plain-language spoken and written

information, adapted to A/F literacy levels• Access to information /initiatives on health

promotion, disease prevention• Access to research, databases on ACAFC

health status and determinants• Access to more and sustained project funding• Strategies to overcome geographic isolation

and dispersion

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Suggested methods for consulting ACAFC:

• Meeting with heads of A/F community

organizations, individually and in person, and

with current and potential partnering

stakeholders• Working with existing A/F networks to

circulate information & mobilize communities• Organizing regular provincial A/F health

forums

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Suggested methods for contributing to A/F development

• More funding to ACAFCs to carry out projects,

initiatives or events affecting public health• Producing, facilitating and distributing

research on A/F health• Proactive approach, developing programs

adapted to needs, realities of ACAFC

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Recommended PHAC Atlantic roles • Partner and facilitator of A/F community

development in public health awareness, knowledge, capacities

• Support for ACAFC-focused research and KD on health status, determinants

• Facilitate access to other funding sources, resources, support

• Adapt and promote programs to meet ACAFC needs

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PHAC Atlantic’s Five-Year Action Plan (2007-2012)6 Strategic Directions:• Awareness (in-house)• Consultations (external)• Communications• Coordination and liaison• Program and Service funding, delivery• Accountability

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Strategic Directions and Objectives

1. Awareness: Improve knowledge of PHAC Atlantic employees and management about ACAFC issues, needs and challenges related to public health

2. Consultations: Provide ongoing cooperation with ACAFC organizations in public health

3. Communications: Enhance communication between PHAC Atlantic and ACAFC

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Strategic Directions and Objectives

4. Coordination and liaison: Strengthen collaboration with other governmental and non-governmental bodies working in public health and ACAFC development

5. Program and Service funding & delivery: Enhance the abilities of ACAFC to promote public health

6. Accountability: Implement a process and tools to measure performance

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What works well to date

• AMT champions Official Languages• Regional OL committee, coordination• Contract with Research Institute• Yearly work plans & evaluation plan,

based on Five-Year Action Plan• Respect, work with AF recommendations • Build direct relationships, knowledge• Emerging collaborations• Build, use e-mail distribution list • Bilingual PHAC Atlantic Web site

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Five-Year Action Plan: Next steps

• 2nd annual work plan and evaluation activities• Staff resource kits • Regional A/F reference group • A/F Communications strategy• Plans & partnerships for provincial A/F health

forums • Plans & partnerships for ACAFC-focused

research on health status, determinants

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PHAC Atlantic’s Five-Year Action Plan to increase the vitality of Atlantic Canada’s Acadian and Francophone Communities(2007-2012)

Please see the Plan on our Web site @

atlantic.phac.gc.ca / Atlantique.aspc.gc.ca

Thank you for your interest! Questions ?