HEALTH MAY Reports May 15, 2013

Predictors of indoor BTEX concentrations Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and m-, p-xylenes and o-xylene (BTEX) are a group of in Canadian residences volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that originate from similar sources. Given the potential
by Amanda J. Wheeler, Suzy L. Wong, Cheryl Khoury and Jiping Zhu health implications of exposure to the BTEX components, it is important to determine levels in residential indoor air and to identify sources. This study is based on data from Statistics Canadas 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey which produced nationally representative estimates of levels of 84 VOCs, including the BTEX components.

Implementation of the indoor air component The presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air may have negative health of cycle 2 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey consequences, ranging from mild irritation to more severe illnesses. Indoor air data are
by Jennifer Patry-Parisien, Jiping Zhu and Suzy L. Wong

required to assess Canadian population exposure to these VOCs. Statistics Canadas 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) collected baseline data on levels of 84 VOCs in residential indoor air. This paper describes implementation of the indoor air component of the CHMS and presents information about response rates and results of field quality control samples.

HEALTH JUNE Reports June 17, 2013

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in type 2 diabetes: For insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), self-monitoring of Results of the 2011 Survey on Living with blood glucose (SMBG) may be vital in adjusting insulin dosages. For patients who do not Chronic Diseases in Canada use insulin, evidence supporting the use of SMBG is inconclusive. A broader examination
by Calypse B. Agborsangaya, Cynthia Robitaille, Peggy Dunbar, Marie-France Langlois, Lawrence A. Leiter, Sulan Dai, Catherine Pelletier and Jeffrey A. Johnson of the extent of SMBG is needed to inform discussions about its utility, and perhaps, to update Clinical Practice Guidelines. This study examines the prevalence, frequency and correlates of SMBG, based on 2,682 individuals aged 20 or older with T2DM who responded to the 2011 Survey on Living with Chronic Diseases in Canada.

Modelling risk factor information This study assesses the feasibility of using statistical modelling techniques to fill for linked census data: The case of smoking information gaps related to risk factors, specifically, smoking, in linked census data.
by Claudia Sanmartin, Philippe Fins, Saeeda Khan, Paul Peters, Michael Tjepkema, Julie Bernier and Rick Burnett Based on the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), predictive algorithms were developed to model smoking status using variables common to the CCHS and the 1991 long-form Census. The resulting smoking variable was validated by comparing the performance of modelled versus self-reported smoking status in predicting smokingrelated hospitalizations based on linked health survey and hospital data.

This schedule is subject to change. For more information about Health Reports, contact Janice Felman, Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, at HealthReports@statcan.gc.ca or 1-613-951-6446.

www.statcan.gc.ca/healthreports
Online subscriptions to Health Reports are free

OTHER HEALTH Articles

A case-control study of medium-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide pollution and hospitalization for stroke
by Julie Y.M. Johnson, Brian H. Rowe, Ryan W. Allen, Paul A. Peters and Paul J. Villeneuve
The authors of this study evaluated associations between highly spatially resolved estimates of ambient nitrogendioxide (NO2), a marker of traffic pollution, and emergency department visits for stroke in Edmonton, Canada. This was a case-control study with cases defined as those who presented to an Edmonton area hospital emergency department between 2007 and 2009 with an acute ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, or transient ischemic attack. Controls were patients who presented to the same emergency departments for lacerations, sprains, or strains. The study included 4,696 stroke (cases) and 37,723 injury patients (controls). For all strokes combined, there was no association with NO2. Namely, the odds ratio associated with an interquartile increase in NO2 was 1.01 (95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.94-1.08). No associations were evident for any of the stroke subtypes examined. When combined with earlier work in Edmonton, the findings suggest that dayto-day fluctuations in air pollution increase the risk of ischemic stroke during the summer season, while medium term exposures are unrelated to stroke risk. The findings for medium term exposure should be interpreted cautiously due to limited individual-level risk factor data. This article was published online on April 19, 2013 in the journal BMC Public Health and is available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/368 For more information, please contact Paul Peters at paul.a.peters@statcan.gc.ca or 1-613-951-0616.

Call for proposals for the biobank of the Canadian Health Measures Survey
From May 1 to June 30, 2013, Statistics Canada is inviting researchers to apply for access to blood, urine and DNA samples from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) for use in health studies. The biospecimens are available to any Canadian researcher that completes a review process and would benefit from a national population survey of about 5,600 participants per collection cycle. The CHMS collects key information relevant to the health of Canadians by means of direct physical measurements such as body composition, blood pressure, lung function and physical activity level. The survey also collects blood and urine samples to test for cardiovascular health, chronic and infectious diseases, nutritional status and environmental exposure. The biospecimens were collected over two cycles, from 2007 to 2009 and 2009 to 2011, and then stored long-term in a biobank at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. The CHMS has stored about 150,000 small test tubes of whole blood, blood fractions and urine from about 12,000 consenting survey participants aged 3 to 79. DNA samples were extracted and frozen for storage from about 6,500participants aged 14 and older. When applying for access to the CHMS biobank, interested researchers should provide a completed application form to use CHMS biospecimens and a condensed curriculum vitae. They should also submit evidence of an ethical review by a research ethics board, funding arrangements and a scientific peer review. Once the completed application form is received, Statistics Canada will conduct a feasibility review. If the application is deemed feasible, the CHMS Biobank Advisory Committee will review it and make a recommendation. Statistics Canadas Policy Committee will review this recommendation and make a final decision. For details about the application and review process, please visit the Biobank section of the CHMS website at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/survey-enquete/household-menages/5071g-eng.htm. For more information, please contact the CHMS biobank coordinator at chms-biobank@statcan.gc.ca.

Online subscriptions to Health Reports are free. Visit www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/4060782-eng.htm to subscribe. Follow Statistics Canada on Twitter and Facebook http://twitter.com/#!/StatCan_eng https://www.facebook.com/StatisticsCanada