Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem advised today that many activities are planned throughout the Island to observe Canada Health Day and Sneaker Day, Friday May 12.
Eastern Kings Health staff and residents are participating in a poker walk throughout Souris. Participants pick up poker cards at various locations, and the walkers with the best poker hands have a chance to win lobster, scallops or a month at the gym.
Provincial government employees in Charlottetown are also taking part in a poker walk around Victoria Park. The day represents the official launch of the SummerActive campaign by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. The campaign promotes practical opportunities to increase physical activity at work, and as part of daily living.
PEI Public Health Nurses in partnership with highway safety officials are conducting random roadside checks of child safety seats.
Health Information Resource Centre staff are hosting a public information display at the Confederation Court Mall, and East Prince Health staff are making information on healthy child development available through local media. The theme of Canada Health Day is "Healthy Beginnings: Child Health in the New Millennium."
In keeping with the theme, Minister Ballem released a comprehensive report on a recent review of prenatal and postnatal services in Prince Edward Island. He advised that the review was one of the most comprehensive ones ever done in this area. More than 750 of the 1500 women who delivered a child in 1998 were interviewed, as well as health care staff and community representatives.
"The results of the review are an excellent snapshot of how we are doing, and how we can improve services to parents and newborns," said the minister. "As a result, we have taken action in several areas, for example we have eliminated fees for prenatal classes, introduced new self-help smoking cessation programs for pregnant women, and initiated partnerships to increase breastfeeding rates in the province."
The study looked at easily measured factors such as birth weight, family size and the use of public health nursing services. For the first time, the study provides information on other relevant factors such as the quality of coverage of public health nursing services, gaps in services and supports, and how to best reach parents and children earlier and when support is most needed.
Of the women interviewed, 69 percent attended prenatal classes, and 71 percent of them rated the classes as good or very good. 97 percent of women were contacted by a public health nurse after their baby was born, and 91 percent responded that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the service.
75 percent of women breastfed or tried to breastfeed. 89 percent said they made the decision to do so for the health of the baby, and 15 percent said it was for the benefits of bonding. If formula was introduced during the baby's first week, the mother was 21 times more likely not to breastfeed past the third month. Of the women who chose not to breastfeed, 33 percent indicated that either they or their partner were not comfortable with breastfeeding.
The rate of low birth weight babies among women interviewed was 4 percent. Women who smoked or were exposed to second hand smoke were three times more likely to have a low birth weight baby, and four times more likely to have a premature baby. 48 percent of the women who smoked and attended prenatal classes quit smoking during their pregnancy, compared to only 24 percent of women who smoked and did not attend classes.
The report is available to the public on the PEI government website at www.gov.pe.ca/hss