At local, regional, and provincial levels, the surveys measured the populations’ perceptions of risk, the acceptability of the public health response and recovery measures, and the broader impacts of the pandemic. Over 580,000 British Columbians completed at least one of the two surveys. These timely data were critical to informing public health response to the pandemic in our province, and we’re thrilled to share that the research methods have been published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health.

We are committed to funding projects supported by evidence, and rooted in health equity. The Social Determinants of Health Model was used to inform SPEAK survey questions, allowing for valuable insight into the health equity needs of our population. Some of the results of the two SPEAK surveys showed that families with children, young adults, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have been most impacted by the pandemic. 

With the support of generous donors and partners, we have played a critical role in supporting BC’s COVID-19 public health response. Our newest campaign Your Health, Our Commitment is about applying lessons learned during the pandemic and capitalizing on new opportunities to prepare for emerging and future emergencies.

It’s about supporting recovery efforts and strengthening BC’s public health system to be ready for new threats.
It’s about mobilizing public health research findings for evidence-based and solution-oriented practice, policy, and decision-making.
It’s about identifying and delivering long-term solutions to address systemic inequities.

We invite you to learn more about Your Health, Our Commitment and how you can be a part of supporting BC through this next phase.

Once again, we’re thrilled by the publication of the SPEAK 1 and SPEAK 2 survey methods, we’re proud to fund this critical research, and through Your Health, Our Commitment, we’re energized as we think about rebuilding and reimagining a healthier and more equitable future for all. We hope you’ll be a part of this important next phase for our province.

The post Building on Lessons Learned: COVID-19 SPEAK 1 & 2 Survey Update appeared first on Pacific Public Health Foundation.

The post Newsletter #37: November 2022 appeared first on Pacific Public Health Foundation.

We know that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have not been equally distributed; older and younger adults have been disproportionately impacted, as well as people who already experience health inequities, intersecting inequities, and broader systemic inequities.

The pandemic has had vast and lasting impacts on us all and it has greatly exacerbated existing inequities for those already made vulnerable due to systemic barriers. It has shown us where we need to provide better, stronger public health solutions. We have much work to do to recover and address the societal consequences of the pandemic, and protect everyone in BC as we begin to live safely and thoughtfully with the current state.

We are committed to prioritizing BC’s recovery, addressing the societal consequences of the pandemic, and supporting BC through this next phase through our newest campaign, Your Health, Our Commitment.

Since February 2020, we’re proud to be playing an important role in supporting BC’s COVID-19 public health response. Over the past few years, thanks to our donors and partners, we’re supporting: population health monitoring critical for decision-making that is grounded in experiences; vaccine research, including vaccine effectiveness and helping to build vaccine confidence; key tools such as wastewater testing; and much more.

From understanding how the virus mutates and spreads, to the rapid development of novel vaccines, we’ve learned so much about the science of COVID-19, and we’re in a much different place than we were a few years ago. At the same time, we’ve also learned quite a bit about the societal aspects of the pandemic as well.

Just as we were able to come together in early 2020 in response to the pandemic, it’s time to mobilize again to rebuild, reimagine, and recover. Together, we can design a stronger, healthier, more equitable future. This is our commitment to your health.

Through Your Health, Our Commitment, we will keep working with our partners and donors to support BC in preparing for, and responding to, threats to the health of our communities now and into the future.

You can be a part of this next phase, too. By donating to Your Health, Our Commitment, you join a community of donors, public health organizations, government, academics, health practitioners, and other funders to foster healthy communities and strengthen our responses for the future.

A gift to Your Health, Our Commitment will:

• support research and people;
• address the long-term negative societal and health impacts of the pandemic;
• provide critical public health solutions for capacities and infrastructure;
• translate knowledge to action in practice and policy;
• bolster collaboration across the public health sector;
• mobilize evidence-based information to increase public knowledge; and
• enable us to direct funding in a responsive, and nimble way as we continue to deal with the flux of our times.

We invite you to join us with a donation to Your Health, Our Commitment and help us support pandemic recovery, strengthen public health, and build resilient communities for all.

The post Your Health, Our Commitment: Our New Campaign to Support Pandemic Recovery, Strengthen Public Health, and Build Resilient Communities For All appeared first on Pacific Public Health Foundation.