Population Health
What is Population Health?
The health of a population depends on many things, including
- early childhood development
- education, employment and working conditions
- access to adequate food and housing, income and income distribution
- support from family and friends
While health services are essential, they represent only one set of factors that affect health.
Population health uses multiple strategies in prevention, protection, and health promotion to achieve greater health for the population as a whole.
Population health activities also address inequities within populations. Some groups are less healthy than the population-at-large for a number of reasons, such as poverty, exposure to environmental risks and low health literacy.
Population health initiatives are based on evidence that the interventions used have been proven effective. Here is an example of a multi-pronged population health approach to preventing bicycle injuries.
- Lobby government to pass and enforce legislation to wear bike helmets
- Work with the media to raise public awareness about causes of bike injuries
- Enlist educators to teach school children how to ride safely
- Enlist citizens to advocate for better bike trails, wider shoulders on roads, and effective street lighting
Interior Health is committed to supporting health and wellness for the population of this region.
Reports & Plans:
Link to:
Contact: Population Health Information & Referral
Ruth Shirley, Administrative Support
Nelson Health Centre
333 Victoria St, 2nd Floor
Nelson BC V1L 4K3
Toll-free: 1-888-305-4456
Phone: 250-505-7219
Fax: 250-505-7211
Email: Population.Health@interiorhealth.ca
