Project: Monitoring and Planning Youth Tobacco Control: Feasibility of Web-based Training for Public Health Service Providers

Health Infostructure Support Program

Background

The reduction of tobacco use among Canada's youth is one of the nation's top public health priorities. After many years of decline, the rates in youth smoking (daily and occasionally) have increased each year from 1990 to the present. In 1991, an estimated 41,000 to 45,000 Canadian deaths were attributable to tobacco use. The economic cost of smoking-attributable illness and premature death has been estimated between $10 billion and $15 billion. In Canada, a reduction of four percentage points in the prevalence of smoking could produce net savings of over $600 million annually, $100 million on health care alone.

Project Description

The primary objective of this project will be to provide a cross-Canada health infostructure for public health service providers responsible for implementing national and provincial tobacco reduction strategies, and researchers. The workshop will be hosted on the Child Health Research Network (CHRN) at the Centre for Community Child Health Research (CCCHR), at the University of British Columbia. The workshop is designed to promote the use of accessible, reliable, and consistent information in the planning efforts of public health service providers. The project will also determine the feasibility of using web-based intervention tools in support of the work of the public health service providers. A product would then be tested prior to use in a demonstration project.

Project Funding under HISP: $58,435.00

Project Management: University of British Columbia

For further information contact:

Dr. Chris Y. Lovato
University of British Columbia
2075 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6T 1Z1
Tel: (604) 875-2050
Fax: (604) 875-3569
lovato@interchange.ubc.ca