THUNDER BAY — Public health officials in Thunder Bay hope local residents will agree to participate in a voluntary health surveillance project.
It's part of a province-wide effort to gain insight into the public health needs of local communities.
Each month over the next 12 months, 100 area residents will be contacted at random on their landlines or cell phones.
Responses will also be collected through an online survey starting in October.
The project – known as the Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System – is led by the Institute for Social Research at York University.
Staff will ask participants about public health topics such as mental health, food access and physical activity.
All responses will remain anonymous and confidential.
According to the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, it will take about 15 minutes to complete the survey.
It says the information gathered will be used to guide decisions about public health programming and raise community awareness about important public health issues.
The data will also be compared with information that was on hand prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over time, the results may be shared with community partners to influence their own programs and services.
More information about the survey is available online.
