State of Public Health in Canada, 2012

The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2012

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Introduction

• Why a report on the state of public health in Canada?
• The goals of the report
• What this report is about
• What does the report cover?

This report, the Chief Public Health Officer’s fifth on the state of public health in Canada, focuses on how sex and gender influence public health and the health status of Canadians.

Why a report on the state of public health in Canada?

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) has a legislated responsibility to report annually to the Minister of Health and to Parliament on the state of public health.^Footnote1 (See the textbox “The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada”) The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the position of Canada’s CPHO were established in 2004 to help protect and improve the health and safety of all Canadians.^{Footnote1-Footnote3} In 2006, the Public Health Agency of Canada Act confirmed the Agency as a legal entity and further clarified the roles of the CPHO and the Agency.^Footnote1 (See the textbox “The role of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer.”)/.../

Public health is defined as the organized efforts of society to keep people healthy and prevent injury, illness and premature death. It is the combination of programs, services and policies that protect and promote health.^Footnote4