Healthy Canadians

Having accurate and up-to-date health data is essential for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to make decisions that keep people in Canada healthy. We use health data to promote healthy living, prevent and manage chronic and infectious diseases, respond to health emergencies, prepare for future public health threats, and assess and improve how our health systems are working. Host Megan Beahan is joined by Chris Allison, PHAC's Chief Data Officer and Director General, Centre for Data Management, Innovation and Analytics, and Elizabeth Toller, Director General of Health Canada's Health Care Strategies. They explore what health data is, how it's shared and break down some misconceptions. Learn more: Public health data - Canada.ca Working with partners to modernize public health data - Canada.ca Working together to improve health care in Canada: Overview - Canada.ca FPT Communique: Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Ministers' and Ministers Responsible for Mental Health and Addiction - Canada.ca

Toys are a part of everyday life for a lot of people in Canada, and it’s important to make smart and safe choices when choosing the right toy for the kids in your life.  Host Megan Beahan is joined by Ashley Artelle, Compliance and Enforcement Advisor with Health Canada’s Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch. They chat about what to watch for with the toys our kids play with, share important safety tips, and talk about Health Canada's role in toy safety.  Learn more: Toy safety – Canada.ca Magnet safety – Canada.ca Battery safety: Button batteries – Canada.ca Advanced search – Recalls, advisories and safety alerts – Canada.ca Water beads may pose life-threatening risks to young children - Canada.ca

We love our pets. They are part of the family. But they can sometimes spread bacteria that could cause illnesses. This week on the podcast, we learn about enteric illness and how our pets can spread them. Host Megan Beahen welcomes Anne-Marie Lowe, Manager of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Outbreak Assessment and Detection Team. Their conversation aims to raise awareness about how bacteria can spread and what you can do to protect yourself and your animal companions. Learn more: Public Health Notices - Canada.ca  Pet food and treats - Canada.ca  Pet food safety - Canada.ca  Raw pet food safety - Canada.ca  Salmonella and Reptiles - Canada.ca  Pets: Healthy animals, healthy people - Canada.ca  Reptiles and amphibians: Healthy animals, healthy people - Canada.ca  Rodents: Healthy animals, healthy people - Canada.ca 

Many people may not realize they have syphilis. Symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed, so regular testing is important if you are sexually active. Rates of syphilis and congenital syphilis are on the rise in Canada. Host Megan Beahen sits down with Dr. Jared Bullard, Director General of Medical and Scientific Affairs at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory, and an Associate Professor and Section Head of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, for a conversation about syphilis symptoms, testing, treatment and the importance of normalizing sexual health practices. Learn more: Syphilis cases are on the rise in Canada - Canada.ca  Syphilis: Symptoms and treatment - Canada.ca  Syphilis: Infection during pregnancy - Canada.ca  Syphilis: Prevention and risks - Canada.ca  Syphilis: Awareness resources - Canada.ca  A preventable public health crisis: Diagnosing and Managing Congenital Syphilis | Canadian Paediatric Society  Syphilis – Sex & U 

Cosmetics are a part of just about everyone's daily life. From the soap and shampoo in your shower, to putting on deodorant, skin cream and make up products –these are all cosmetics.  Host Megan Beahen is joined by Nibal Saikali, Senior Regulatory Policy and Risk Management Advisor with Health Canada, to talk about cosmetic safety. They chat about what to check for on product labels, share handy safety tips, and talk about what to do if you have a bad reaction.  Cosmetic safety - Canada.ca  Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist: Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients - Canada.ca  Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist - Canada.ca  Report an incident involving a consumer product or cosmetic: overview - Canada.ca  Find recalls, advisories and safety alerts - Canada.ca 

Concussions can happen when you take a hit to your head, neck, face or even your body. They cause changes in the way you think and feel. One of the tricky things about concussions is that they can’t be seen and diagnosed on routine image scans. The good news is there have been big advances in our understanding of concussions and advice for those who have one.  Host Megan Beahen welcomes neuroscientist Dr. Ryan D’Arcy, Co-Founder of HealthTech Connex Inc., and Stephanie Cowle, Director of Knowledge Translation at Parachute, a Canadian charity dedicated to injury prevention. They discuss new research and tools to detect and treat concussions, recovery and preventing repeat injuries. Concussion: Symptoms and treatment - Canada.ca  Concussion: Prevention and risks - Canada.ca  HealthTech Connex - How's Your Brain Doing Today?  Parachute – Preventing Injuries. Saving Lives.  Concussion resources - Canada.ca  Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging Research Initiative - CIHR  Concussion in Sport - Canada.ca  After a concussion: Return-to-school strategy 

Advance care planning is something you can do while you are healthy and continue to do after a diagnosis of a serious illness. In part two of our two-part series on serious illness and palliative care, we focus on the importance of planning ahead and navigating the sometimes difficult conversations that come with it. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman welcome back Dr. Samantha Winemaker, Palliative Care Physician, Associate Professor at McMaster University and Hsien Seow, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care, Professor at McMaster University. Learn more: Palliative care: Overview: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-services-benefits/palliative-care.html Advance Care Planning Canada: https://www.advancecareplanning.ca/ My Grief: https://www.mygrief.ca/ Kids Grief: https://www.kidsgrief.ca/ Youth Grief: https://youthgrief.ca/

Every day, we are exposed to chemicals and pollutants - in our air, food and water. There are chemical substances in the products we use at work, at home and at play. While chemicals play an essential role in our daily lives, some chemical substances can negatively affect our health and the environment if poorly managed. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Tyler Pollock, PhD, Scientist with the Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau at Health Canada, to discuss lesser-known facts about environmental chemicals and contaminants. They chat about the chemicals that surround us, potential exposures, and how this all comes into play in our day-to-day lives. About the Canadian Biomonitoring Dashboard: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/biomonitoring/about.html Risk assessment of chemical substances: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/chemical-substances/canada-approach-chemicals/risk-assessment.html Environmental Contaminants: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/environmental-contaminants.html Exposure and health effects of chemicals: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-effects-chemical-exposure.html Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Chemicals: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-environmental-chemicals.html Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS): https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/survey/household/5071 MIREC - A research study on early life exposure to environmental chemicals: https://www.mirec-canada.ca/en/ Northern Contaminants Program: https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/northern-contaminants-program

The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline provides moments of connection that create hope, support recovery and save lives. Their vision is a Canada where suicide is prevented because everyone can access help when they need it the most. In Part Two of our two-part series on the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, we explore the service, walk you through what happens when you call or text and talk about the importance of eliminating the stigma around reaching out for help. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman welcome back Dr. Allison Crawford PhD, MD, Chief Medical Officer, 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, and Aaron, a 9-8-8 responder. A heads up before you listen that this episode deals with potentially sensitive subject-matter around suicide and mental health. Please find resources linked below, if you or someone you care about needs support. If your safety is at risk, call 911 right away. Get Help Here: Mental health support: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/campaigns/get-help-here.html?utm_campaign=not-applicable&utm_medium=vanity-url&utm_source=canada-ca_mentalhealth 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline: https://988.ca/ The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health | CAMH: https://www.camh.ca/ Hope for Wellness Helpline: https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ Get support with these mental health resources - Kids Help Phone: https://kidshelpphone.ca/

Most of us have eaten something that just didn’t sit right. This is why food safety is so important – and we all have a role to play. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Dr. Sandeep Tamber, Research Scientist, with Health Canada’s Food and Nutrition Directorate, to talk about food safety and foodborne illnesses in Canada. Join us to learn more about food safety best practices and practical tips to help you avoid food-borne illness. Learn more: Food safety (https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/food-safety.html) Food safety and you (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/food-safety-you.html) Food safety for vulnerable populations (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-safety-vulnerable-populations/food-safety-vulnerable-populations.html) Safe cooking temperatures  (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html) Safe food storage (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-food-storage.html) Food and drinking water safety in an emergency (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-drinking-water-safe-emergency.html) Food safety education: Overview (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/education.html)

Most people in Canada are exposed to air pollution every day while inside and outside their homes. Air pollution comes from a variety of sources, and even at low levels, has an impact on human health. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Angelos Anastasopolos, PhD, Scientist with the Water and Air Quality Bureau at Health Canada. They explore how air quality can affect our health and what we can do about it.  Learn more: Air pollution and air quality in Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/airquality/air-pollution-quality-canada-index.html Wildfire smoke, air quality and your health: Overview: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/healthy-living/environment/air-quality/wildfire-smoke.html Outdoor air pollution and health: Overview: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/outdoor-pollution-health.html Traffic and air quality: Driving change through research: https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/blogs/science-health/traffic-and-air-quality-driving-change-through-research Breathing easy in port cities: reducing the impact of marine shipping pollution: https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/blogs/science-health/breathing-easy-port-cities-reducing-impact-marine-shipping-pollution Greater Toronto Hamilton Area Transportation Strategy for air quality: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/greater-toronto-hamilton-area-transporation-strategy.html Health impacts of traffic-related air pollution in Canada (PDF, 4.2 MB): https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/sc-hc/H144-91-2022-eng.pdf Exposure to traffic-related air pollution in Canada: An assessment of population proximity to roadways (PDF, 2.2 MB): https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2022/sc-hc/H144-99-2022-eng.pdf

The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is a safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you are thinking about suicide, or you’re worried about someone else, you can call or text 9-8-8 toll free. In Part One of our two-part series on the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, we talk about what it is, how it works and who it’s there to help. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman speak with Dr. Allison Crawford PhD, MD, Chief Medical Officer, 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, and Aaron, a 9-8-8 responder. A heads up before you listen that this episode deals with potentially sensitive subject-matter around suicide and mental health. Please find resources linked below, if you or someone you care about needs support. If your safety is at risk, call 911 right away. Get Help Here: Mental health support https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/campaigns/get-help-here.html?utm_campaign=not-applicable&utm_medium=vanity-url&utm_source=canada-ca_mentalhealth 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline https://988.ca/ The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health | CAMH https://www.camh.ca/ Hope for Wellness Helpline https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/ Get support with these mental health resources - Kids Help Phone https://kidshelpphone.ca/

Infectious diseases, pathogens (living things that cause disease) and vectors (living things that spread disease) are sensitive to changes in the environment and climate. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman chat with Dr. Nick Ogden, Director of the Public Health Risk Sciences Division with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory. Using ticks and Lyme disease as a case study, this episode explores the impacts that climate change is having on the infectious disease landscape in Canada. ⁠Infectious diseases and climate change Lyme disease: Symptoms and treatment Lyme disease video: How to properly remove a tick Poster: Top 10 tick hiding spots on your body Poster: Protect your pets from ticks and Lyme disease Health of Canadians in a Changing Climate: Chapter 6 – Infectious Diseases The National Microbiology Laboratory helps to bring modified Lyme disease testing techniques to Canada: Blog

Palliative care is a holistic approach that treats a person with serious illness of any age, and in any setting. In Part One of our two-part series on serious illness and palliative care we address some misconceptions around palliative care and shed light on what a palliative approach to care looks like in practice. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman chat with Dr. Samantha Winemaker, Palliative Care Physician, Associate Professor at McMaster University and Hsien Seow, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care, Professor at McMaster University. Learn more below. Palliative care: Overview: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-services-benefits/palliative-care.html Palliative care can help improve quality of life: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health/campaigns/palliative-care.html Fact sheet: What to do when facing a serious illness: 3 sets of questions to ask your health care team: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-system-services/what-do-when-facing-serious-illness-3-sets-questions-ask-your-health-care-team.html Waiting Room Revolution: https://www.waitingroomrevolution.com/ Canadian Directory of Hospice Palliative Care Services: https://www.chpca.ca/listings/ Infographic: Explore the full spectrum of palliative care: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-system-services/infographic-explore-full-spectrum-palliative-care.html Caregiving and palliative care resource list: https://www.chpca.ca/resource/caregiving-palliative-care-resource-list/ Advance care planning resources: https://www.advancecareplanning.ca/

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Mark Morrissey, a behavioural scientist with the Public Health Agency of Canada. Mark and Megan discuss how we can effectively talk about potentially sensitive health topics using a behavioural science approach. Learn more: https://impact.canada.ca/en/behavioural-science

Host, Madeline Poplett, speaks with Lisette Dufour, Senior Oral Health Advisor with Health Canada and dental hygienist, about the surprising links between oral health and our overall health. Learn more: Canada Dental Care Plan: Do you qualify: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/qualify.html Dental and oral health: https://canada.ca/en/services/health/healthy-living/dental-oral.html Taking care of your teeth and mouth: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/taking-care-your-teeth-mouth.html

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Lisette Dufour, Senior Oral Health Advisor and a dental hygienist with more that 40 years of experience. Lisette and Megan talk about the importance of a healthy mouth throughout our lifetime. Learn more about: Canadian Dental Care Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html Oral health: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/topics/oral-health.html Canada Dental Benefit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/dental-benefit.html

Host, Madeline Poplett, and Adrian Betts, Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region, talk about HIV self test kits and the importance of knowing your status. Learn more: HIV Self-testing: https://www.catie.ca/hiv-self-testing-0 Where to? Connecting with people with HIV, Hepatitis C, sexual health and harm reduction service: https://whereto.catie.ca/ HIV Testing: Everything you need to know: https://www.catie.ca/client-publication/hiv-testing-everything-you-need-to-know

Thanks to the advances in HIV science over the last decades, people living with HIV who are on medication and maintain an undetectable amount of virus in their blood can lead a long, healthy life without the fear of passing HIV to their sexual partner. This is the powerful message behind “Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)”. In this episode of the Healthy Canadians podcast, host Megan Beahen speaks with Adrian Betts, Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region, and Claudette Cardinal, Peer Indigenous Research Associate of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, about how the life-changing science on Undetectable = Untransmittable has transformed what it means to live and love with HIV. Learn more: HIV and AIDS Awareness Resources: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/hiv-aids/awareness-resources.html The AIDS Committee of Durham Region: https://www.aidsdurham.com/ British Columbia Center for Excellence in HIV / AIDS: https://www.bccfe.ca/

Host, Madeline Poplett, speaks with Anna-Louise Crago, Senior Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada, about the link between sexually transmitted and blood borne infections and antimicrobial resistance. Learn more: STBBI prevention guide: Treatment and follow-up: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/infectious-diseases/sexual-health-sexually-transmitted-infections/canadian-guidelines/stbbi-prevention-guide/treatment-follow-up.html#a2.2 STBBI prevention guide: Screening and diagnostic testing: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/infectious-diseases/sexual-health-sexually-transmitted-infections/canadian-guidelines/stbbi-prevention-guide/screening-diagnostic-testing.html

Host, Megan Beahen, speaks with Anna-Louise Crago, Senior Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada, about antimicrobial resistance, how it affects all of us, and what we can do to reduce its impacts. Learn more about: Antibiotic resistance: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/about-antibiotic-resistance.html Antibiotic resistance research and surveillance: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/antibiotic-resistance-research-surveillance.html Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/drugs-health-products/pan-canadian-action-plan-antimicrobial-resistance.html

Host, Madeline Poplett, sits down with Kelley Bush, Manager of Radon Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement with Health Canada, to talk about radon and its relationship with climate change. More info: Radon gas survey in homes built after 2000: Halifax region https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-risks-safety/radon-gas-survey-homes-built-after-2000-halifax-region.html

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Kelley Bush, Manager of Radon Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement with Health Canada, to talk about radon in our homes, the risks and the solutions. Learn more about: Radon: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon.html Testing your home for radon: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/testing-your-home.html Radon map - Percentage of homes with high levels in Canada: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/datalab/radon-blog.html#map

Here's what's to come for Season 1.