Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada

Volume 32, Supplement 1, 2012, Abstracts presented at the 7th World Alliance for Risk Factor Surveillance (WARFS) Global Conference

Preface to the 7th World Alliance for Risk Factor Surveillance Global Conference Abstracts

https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.32.S1.01

The 7th World Alliance for Risk Factor Surveillance (WARFS) Global Conference, hosted by the Public Health Agency of Canada, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from October 16 to 19, 2011. Previous WARFS conferences were held in USA (1999), Finland (2001), Australia (2003), Uruguay (2005) and Italy (2007, 2009).

WARFS is a global working group on surveillance under the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE ) It supports the development of risk factor surveillance as a tool for evidence-based public health, acknowledging the importance of this source of information to inform, monitor and evaluate disease prevention and health promotion policies and programs. More information on WARFS can be found at: www.iuhpe.org/?page=497&lang=en

The theme of the 2011 Global Conference was the role of surveillance in the promotion of health. The Global Conference had 146 registered participants, making it the second most attended WARFS conference in its history. Over the three days, participants attended oral and poster presentations from 30 countries. The conference would not have been possible without the hard work of the International Scientific Committee¹ and the Local Organizing Committee.²

To highlight the importance and the significance of this conference at an international level, Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada (CDIC) is pleased to publish this supplementary issue, which contains 70 abstracts presented at the 7th WARFS Global Conference.

In the spirit the Global Conference, this collection of abstracts brings together surveillance material on risk factors, chronic diseases, infectious diseases and injuries from around the world. By making these abstracts widely available, CDIC hopes to further the conference objectives through a continued dialogue between those interested in linking risk factor surveillance to health promotion.

Michelle Tracy, MA, Managing Editor, Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada

Bernard C. K. Choi, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Public Health Agency of Canada; Chair, Local Organizing Committee, WARFS 2011 Global Conference

References

1. International Scientific Committee

Stefano Campostrini (Co-Chair) - University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Italy

David McQueen (Co-Chair) - International Union for Health Promotion and Education, USA

Thomas Abel - University of Bern, Switzerland

Ali Artaman - Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario, Canada

Deborah Baldwin - Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Lina Balluz - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

Susan Bondy - University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Canada

Chee Yeong Chng - Health Promotion Board, Singapore

Bernard Choi - Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Sara Debenedetti - International Union for Health Promotion and Education, France

Mary Lou Decou - Canadian Alliance for Regional Risk Factor Surveillance, Canada

Kim Elmslie - Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Vivian Lin - International Union for Health Promotion and Education, Australia

Ahalya Mahendra - Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Dan Otchere - Canadian Alliance for Regional Risk Factor Surveillance, Canada

Louise Pelletier - Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Laura Rosella - Public Health Ontario, Canada

Gamil Shahein - Canadian Alliance for Regional Risk Factor Surveillance, Canada

Sylvie Stachenko - University of Alberta, Canada

Anne Taylor - University of Adelaide, Australia

Juan Zevallos - Americas' Network for Chronic Disease Surveillance, USA

2. Local Organizing Committee

Bernard Choi (Chair) - Public Health Agency of Canada (Chronic Disease), Canada

Paul Fleiszer (Co-Chair) - Toronto Public Health, Canada

Ruth Sanderson (Co-Chair) - Public Health Ontario, Canada

Randy Adams - Public Health Agency of Canada (Health Promotion), Canada

Ali Artaman - Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario, Canada

Deborah Baldwin - Public Health Agency of Canada (Chronic Disease), Canada

Susan Bondy - University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Canada

Gregory Butler - Public Health Agency of Canada (Health Promotion), Canada

Denise Canso - Association of Public Health Epidemiologists in Ontario, Canada

Marcel Dubois - Health Canada (First Nations and Inuit Health), Canada

Corey Green - Health Canada (First Nations and Inuit Health), Canada

Judith Lapierre - Public Health Agency of Canada (Health Promotion), Canada

Carly Leggett - CancerCare Manitoba, Canada

Ahalya Mahendra - Public Health Agency of Canada (Regional Office), Canada

Emma Moore - Public Health Agency of Canada (International Affairs), Canada

Adam Probert - Health Canada (Tobacco), Canada

Michelle Policarpio - Public Health Ontario, Canada

Michael Ruta - Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services, Canada

Beth Theis - CancerCare Ontario, Canada

David Wilkinson - Public Health Agency of Canada (Infectious Disease), Canada

Joëlle Zeitouny - Health Canada (Nutrition), Canada

Kate Zhang - Public Health Agency of Canada (Regional Office), Canada