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The Chronic Disease Prevention Survey measures the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of policy influencers (decision makers in government, schools, media, and other large organizations) and the general public about different policy options that could be used to help prevent chronic disease and support mental health.

The survey collects a variety information from respondents, such as:

  • Views on the causes of chronic disease
  • Perspectives on health promotion
  • Responsibility for health promotion policies and programs
  • Contact with advocacy coalitions and lobbyists
  • Support for healthy public policies

It also asks them to gauge their support of public policies related to:

  • Healthy eating
  • Physical activity
  • Tobacco
  • Alcohol
  • Substance Misuse (2019 forward)
  • Mental Health (2019 forward)

The information that we have collected in the Chronic Disease Prevention Survey has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and also used to advocate for healthy public policies across Canada.

Overview of completed surveys by year, jurisdictions and target populations.

Year Target Population Jurisdiction(s)
General Public Policy Influencer Alberta Manitoba Northwest Territories Quebec
2009
2010
2011
2014
2015
2016
2017
2019
2021

The current project team for the Health, Prevention, and Policy Environments (HAPPEN), 2018-2023

  • Dr. Candace Nykiforuk,  School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Nominated Principal Investigator)
  • Kate Chidester, Heart & Stroke Foundation (Knowledge User, Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Dr. Kim Raine, School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Dr. Ian Colman, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa (Co-Investigator)
  • Dr. Elaine Hyshka, School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Co-Investigator)
  • Dr. Katerina Maximova, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital (Co-Investigator)
  • Dr. Cameron Wild, School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Co-Investigator)
  • Jennifer Ann Brown (nee McGetrick), School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Student)

The most recent wave of data collection for Alberta and Manitoba was fielded in early 2021.

  • Curtin, K.D., Thomson, M., Hyshka, E., Colman, I., Wild, T.C., Belon, A.P., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2024). Assessing support for substance use policies among the general public and policy influencers in two Canadian provinces. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-024-00622-w 
  • Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Thomson, M., Curtin, K.D., Colman, I., Wild, T. C., & Hyshka, E. (2024). Assessing support for mental health policies among policy influencers and the general public in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 18, 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-024-00624-y
  • Molner, B., Curtin, K.D., Kongats, K., Brown, J.A., Thomson, M., Atkey, K., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2022). Policy influencer support for active transportation policy in two Canadian provinces: Implications for advocacy. Journal of Transport and Health, 28:101537. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101537
  • Curtin, K. D., Thomson, M., & Nykiforuk, C. I. J. (2021). Who or what is to blame? Examining sociodemographic relationships to beliefs about causes, control, and responsibility for cancer and chronic disease prevention in Alberta, Canada. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1–12.
  • Kongats, K., McGetrick, J.A., Raine, K.D., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2020). Policy influencer and general public support for proposed alcohol healthy public policy options in Alberta and Quebec, Canada. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 81(1): 47-57. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2020.81.47
  • Kongats, K., McGetrick, J.A., Raine, K.D., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2020). Using the intervention ladder to examine policy influencer and general public support for potential tobacco control policies in Alberta and Quebec. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 40(2): 47-57 https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.2.03
  • McGetrick, J.A., Kongats, K., Raine, K.D., Voyer, C., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2019). Healthy public policy options to promote physical activity for chronic disease prevention: understanding Canadian policy influencer and general public preferences. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Epub 2019:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2018-0020
  • Kongats, K., McGetrick, J.A., Raine, K.D., Voyer, C., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2019). Assessing general public and policy influencer support for healthy public policies to promote healthy eating at the population level in two Canadian provinces. Public Health Nutrition, 22(8):1492-1502. https://doi.org/1017/S1368980018004068
  • Nykiforuk, C.I.J., McGetrick, J.A., Raine, K.D. & Wild, C.T. (2019). Advocacy coalition impacts on healthy public policy-oriented learning in Alberta, Canada (2009–2016): A difference-in-differences analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 220, 31-40. Full text available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953618305896?via%3Dihub 
  • McGetrick, J.A., Raine, K.D., Wild, T.C., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2018) Advancing strategies for agenda setting by health policy coalitions: a network analysis of the Canadian Chronic Disease Prevention Survey. Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives (JHC: IP), 34(11):1303-1312. Epub 2018 Jun 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1484267
  • Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Wild, T.C., & Raine, K.D. (2014). Cancer beliefs and prevention policies: comparing Canadian decision-maker and general population views. Cancer Causes and Control, 25(12), 1683-1696. doi: 10.1007/s10552-014-0474-3. Epub 2014 Oct 16. PubMed PMID: 25319013
  • Raine, K.D., Nykiforuk C.I.J., Vu-Nguyen, K., Nieuwendyk, L., VanSpronsen, E., Reed, S., & Wild, T.C. (2014). Understanding key influencers’ knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about healthy public policy change for obesity prevention. Obesity (Silver Spring), 22(11), 2426-2433. doi: 10.1002/oby.20860. Epub 2014 Aug 6. PubMed PMID: 25131938
  • 2018-2023 Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • 2016-2021 Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions
  • 2014-2019 Applied Public Health Chair (Nykiforuk), Canadian Institutes of Health Research in partnership with Public Health Agency of Canada and Alberta Innovates: Health Solutions
  • 2016-2017 Canadian Institutes of Health Research
  • 2014-2016 Coalitions Linking Actions and Science for Prevention Grant, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (through the POWER UP! – Policy Opportunity Windows – Engaging Research Uptake in Practice project)
  • 2009-2011 Alberta Cancer Board – Population Health Innovative Intervention Fund

Project Categories

Our Approach
Community Based and Population Health Interventions Natural Experiments and Government-led Population-health Interventions Innovative Interdisciplinary Methods Healthy Public Policy Collaborate and Engage with Partners
Research Program Areas
Community Environments Public Policy and Well-being Play Chronic Disease Prevention