(613) 580-2424 ext/poste 28821 – Marc.Desjardins@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
|
OBJET :
|
MISE À JOUR DE LA STRATÉGIE DE PRÉVENTION DES
BLESSURES À LA TÊTE |
That the Community and Protective Services Committee receive
this report for information.
Que le Comité des
services communautaires et de protection prenne connaissance de ce rapport.
At its meeting of 7 May 2012, the Ottawa Board of Health carried a report from the Medical Officer of Health (ACS2012-OPH-HPDP-0004) and the following recommendations:
That the Board of Health for the City of Ottawa
Health Unit:
1. Receive
this report for information; and
2. That
the Chair of the Board of Health forward this report to the chair of Community
& Protective Services Committee for information
Accordingly, the Chair of the Community and Protective Services Committee has requested that this report come before the Committee for information.
This
report is for information therefore no consultation was required.
This item is citywide.
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
There are no risk management implications.
There are no additional financial implications associated with the approval of this report.
There are no accessibility implications with respect to this report.
There are no environmental
implications with respect to this report.
Document 1 - Report dated 7 May 2012 (ACS2012- OPH-HPDP-0004)
from the Medical Officer of Health
Staff in the City Clerk’s office will carry out any recommendations made by the Community and Protective Services Committee.
DOCUMENT 1
Report to/Rapport au :
Ottawa
Board of Health
Conseil de santé d’Ottawa
Monday, May 7,
2012/lundi le 7 mai, 2012
Submitted by/Soumis par :
Dr./Dr Isra Levy,
Medical Officer of Health/Médecin chef en santé publique
Contact
Person/Personne-ressource :
Sherry Nigro, Manager/Gestionnaire
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention/Promotion de la
santé et prévention des maladies
Ottawa Public Health/Santé
publique Ottawa
613-580-2424,
ext./poste 28971, sherry.nigro@ottawa.ca
|
ACS2012-OPH-HPDP-0004 |
|
SUBJECT: |
UPDATE ON THE HEAD INJURY PREVENTION
STRATEGY |
|
OBJET : |
MISE À JOUR DE LA
STRATÉGIE DE PRÉVENTION DES BLESSURES À LA TÊTE |
That the Board of
Health for the City of Ottawa Health Unit:
1.
Receive this report for information; and
2.
That the Chair of the Board of Health forward this
report to the chair of Community & Protective Services Committee for information
Que le
Conseil de santé de la circonscription sanitaire de la ville d’Ottawa :
1.
prenne connaissance du présent rapport à titre
d’information.
2.
la présidente du Conseil de santé transmet ce rapport
au président du Comité des services communautaires et de protection aux fins
d’information.
Background
The Community and Protective Services Committee on April 1, 2010 approved a comprehensive strategy to develop community-based interventions that raise awareness and promote helmet use among children and youth (ACS2010-COS-OPH-0001). Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to implement the strategy, in partnership with Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) and community stakeholders. The strategy includes:
a. Enhanced helmet promotion interventions across public health and recreation programming;
b. Community partnerships to make helmets more accessible to low-income families;
c. A youth engagement strategy
d. Engagement of community skating rink operators in the promotion of helmet use; and
e. Monitoring rates of youth helmet use over time to gauge effectiveness of the youth engagement strategy
OPH was directed to report on the results and progress of the youth engagement strategy one year after its full implementation.
DISCUSSION
Mandatory Helmet Use Policy
PRCS implemented a helmet use policy, (on January 1,
2012) that requires all users aged 10 and under, as well as weak or non-skaters
of any age, to wear a certified multi-impact helmet during all public skating
sessions at city of Ottawa indoor arenas.
OPH and PRCS promoted the new policy through rink
board signage, posters at indoor arenas, signage at outdoor rinks and bus
shelter advertising. In addition, indoor arena staff were provided with
educational material to help respond to public enquiries or concerns. OPH and
PRCS also promoted helmet use on the city’s ten major toboggan hills.
Attendance at public skating sessions was not
affected by the policy implementation. More people attended public
skating or shinny hockey at City of Ottawa indoor arenas in 2012 than in 2011.
Among children, preschoolers and toddlers combined (under the age of 12 and
therefore affected by the new policy), attendance increased from 9,347 in 2011
(January through March) to 10,915 in the same time period in 2012.
To ensure
helmets were accessible to all Ottawa residents, PRCS developed a partnership
with Reebok to provide a $10 discount on CCM hockey helmets. According to Reebok/CCM, an estimated 1,000 helmets
were sold.
Although outdoor rinks are not included in the
mandatory helmet policy, the risk of injury is still present. OPH partnered
with PRCS to work with outdoor rink operators who are volunteers within the
community that maintain their neighbourhood outdoor rink. OPH invited rink
operators to promote helmet usage by posting helmet signage at the outdoor
rinks, role modelling by wearing helmets themselves and encouraging parents to
wear helmets. Anecdotal feedback from rink operators, gathered at a post-season
event, was very positive.
Youth Engagement
OPH utilized social
media and the new helmet policy as opportunities to engage youth on helmet use.
OPH launched a Facebook “Like My Helmet” competition in fall 2011, in which youth were encouraged to post pictures of themselves in their helmet. Internet analytical reports revealed that over 1,600 youth were exposed to the contest, through Facebook ads, participants sharing their interactions on Facebook, and University of Ottawa promoting OPH’s Facebook page.
In addition, OPH, in partnership with PRCS at indoor arenas and the Rink of Dreams, and the National Capital Commission (NCC) on the Rideau Canal during Winterlude, launched “Get Caught Wearing a Helmet” campaign, which focused on helmet use while ice skating. The campaign was well received by PRCS who saw it as an opportunity to support the helmet policy for children aged 10 and under. Almost 300 youth were “caught” wearing a helmet and an additional 200 interacted with staff about the benefits of helmet use while ice skating. In addition, web promotion and signage at the Rink of Dreams strongly encouraged helmet use which was reinforced by supervisory staff on site.
Finally, OPH developed videos promoting youth to wear a helmet. The videos, Make it a Habit and Helmets are Always in Fashion, which were focus tested and approved by youth, are available online and are currently being shared with stakeholders to increase distribution. A partnership database is currently being established to help with the promotion of the next phase of the youth engagement strategy.
For
over nine years, the NCC and OPH have collaborated to provide the Helmet
Information & Fitting Tents at Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays and
Winterlude Skate Safe. The above two community base helmet programs have
expanded its initial reach of approximately 300 cyclists, in-line skaters and
ice-skaters to their current reach of 4,500.
This expanded reach is a result of an increase in community partnerships
and the addition of interactive activities.
Building on the partnership with NCC, OPH used the helmet
fitting event at Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays as the backdrop to hold the
first Canadian municipal “Helmet Day” proclamation on June 5, 2011. OPH
was the pioneer behind the event with support from Think First Ottawa, the NCC
and Mayor Jim Watson.
In addition, OPH, in partnership with Think First and Reebok/CCM,
developed promotional resources including a helmet brochure and a low-literacy
pamphlet (available in Arabic, Somali and Chinese), which includes instructions
and illustrations for bicycle and hockey helmet fitting illustrations. Last
year, PRCS and OPH disseminated resources to approximately 11,000 parents,
children and youth in schools and community events. OPH has also
promoted head injury prevention messages through community newspapers, Capital Parent magazine and established
social media networks.
The sponsorship with Reebok/CCM significantly contributed to increasing
access to affordable hockey helmets in support of the PRCS policy. There is
opportunity to continue this agreement during the next skating season.
PRCS have continued to enhance programs that provide children with free
equipment including helmets. The 2012 “I
Love to Skate” program provided 400 children and 30 youth with free skates,
helmets and skating lessons with funding from Canadian Tire Jumpstart and the
Sens Foundation. PRCS have also piloted a similar program, “I Love to Play Shinny
Hockey” that provided 50 youth with free hockey equipment including a
helmet. PRCS will also be piloting a summer program “I Love to Bike” that will provide free helmets, bikes, bells,
locks and lessons. OPH assist PRCS in
these programs by helping to identify the children who could best benefit from
these recreational programs.
OPH will continue to work with community organizations and local
retailers to explore opportunities for additional helmet provisions. Currently,
OPH is exploring new partnership opportunities with businesses and community
organizations involved in sales, rental or donation of helmets.
Monitoring Helmet Use
An observational study and survey was conducted to collect baseline data
on helmet use among children and youth at 10 indoor city arenas and at eight
city approved sledding hills.
OPH is now conducting seasonal helmet monitoring. This winter, OPH, PRCS
and Think First Ottawa pooled efforts to collect data on helmet use on the
Rideau Canal and at City of Ottawa indoor public skating sessions. Staff and
volunteers utilized a standard observation tool to track the estimated number
of people skating with or without a helmet. A report will be available in May
2013.
Next Steps
Plans are being implemented for the spring/fall and winter 2012 seasons.
New opportunities and partnerships are helping generate creative ideas to
advance the issue of head injury prevention.
OPH staff will enhance youth engagement through several initiatives:
·
Launch the “Adopt
a Helmet” social media campaign that includes a video and blog promoting helmet
use
·
Work with helmet
retailers to distribute key messages about helmet use and physical activity.
·
Participate in
the Mayor’s Youth Summit to promote the “Adopt a Helmet” campaign.
OPH and
PRCS will continue to enhance brain injury prevention efforts by:
·
Enhancing
partnerships to carry out monitoring of youth helmet use and compare seasonal
data on an annual basis.
·
Measuring the
readiness of the general public, especially youth, to wear a helmet following
OPH and PRCS interventions.
·
Increase access
to CAN-Bike program for children through community organizations in priority
neighbourhoods.
·
Focus integration efforts to profile
helmet safety in Safer Roads Ottawa activities as well as in active transportation
promotions that are occurring over several City departments.
·
Continue to
support programs that increase access to helmets for children, i.e., I Love to
Bike and I Love to Skate.
·
Partner with
Vélo Fest organizer to promote “Helmet Day” – OPH is mobilizing retailers to
offer significant discounts on helmets and PRCS is promoting the CAN-Bike
program.
·
Plan new
initiatives with outdoor rink operators for the 2012-2013 season.
·
Engage NCC to
expand distribution helmet use signage at toboggan hills.
·
Explore
partnership opportunities with Ottawa Paramedic Services.
Community partnerships were ignited through a community
helmet consultation process ever held in Ottawa in November 2010. Thirty eight stakeholders and local youth
responded to our call to join efforts to address the incidence of child and
youth head injuries. National associations, hospitals, university programs,
community based organizations, school boards and multicultural groups generated
recommendations after identifying current helmet promotion practices and gaps.
Positive ripple effects following the consultations have been reported to OPH staff. For example, the Ottawa Hospital has since enhanced their P.A.R.T.Y. program to include helmet activities that resonate with youth. Young participants are sensitized to the seriousness of head injuries and how they can occur during mundane daily activities such as riding a bicycle.
OPH also forged a relationship with the Director of the Neurotrauma Impact Lab at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Hoshizaki has provided consultation services on community inquiries and insight into the helmet manufacturing sector.
This report will be shared with partners such as Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services and Think First.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal impediments to receiving the information in this
report.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial implications to this report.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no technology implications associated with this report.
Ottawa Public
Health will continue to consult with all relevant City Department, including
Legal Counsel in the City Clerk and Solicitor Department, with respect to all
head injury prevention and helmet safety promotion activities, initiatives,
programs and strategies.