How has my Health my Community data been used in the past?
City of Vancouver
The Healthy City Strategy is a City of Vancouver (COV) long term plan focused on creating a city that has healthier children and families, increased health and wellbeing for vulnerable populations, and livable environments now and in the future. The MHMC data is used to inform many of the indicators of the Healthy City Strategy and helps staff understand what areas need further attention, what policies need to be updated and where more resources are needed in order to move the plan forward.
COV has a long history of initiatives which have focused on enhancing the health and wellbeing of the people who live, work and play in Vancouver. COV staff used the data collected in the first MHMC survey to support many city-wide policies and programs.
City of New Westminster
The City of New Westminster has been using MHMC data to understand how connected citizens feel within their community, to explore the link between physical activity and social connectedness, and to inform initiatives to create a more walkable city. Initiatives include Walk30 Burnaby New West, a walking challenge designed to motivate people to walk more, increase wellness, and make connections to the local community.
HandyDART
HandyDART used the MHMC data to better understand how their services was being used, determine service gaps in Metro Vancouver and the demographics; geography and health related concerns of their users. As a result, HandyDART was able to adjust service routes and service to better accommodate their users. For example, HandyDART learned that Maple Ridge residents were having difficulty securing transportation within and out of their community so extra resources were assigned to this community.
HandyDART is a door-to-door, shared ride service for passengers with physical or cognitive disabilities who are unable to use conventional public transit without assistance in the Metro Vancouver region.
Fraser Health and the Hope and Area Healthy Communities Partnership
In 2016, Fraser Health partnered with the District of Hope and Communities of the Fraser Canyon, through the Hope and Area Healthy Communities Partnership, to identify and support community based actions and strategies to improve overall health and well-being of residents. The community used the data from the MHMC survey to examine the current community health status, highlight health inequities, identify modifiable risk factors and determine community based strategies that could positively impact individual and community health. The data helped with planning for programs and services to address key health indicators and risk factors, including smoking reduction, physical activity, food security, senior’s connectedness and mental health.
Vancouver Division of Family Practice
The Vancouver Division of Family Practice used the MHMC data to create indicators to develop a needs and gap analysis to inform the GP For Me Initiative and to inform the development of their Patient Medical Home pilot projects.
The Vancouver Division of Family Practice is the largest provincial division with a membership of more than 1,000 family doctors that represents 92% of the practicing family doctors in Vancouver. It operates as a not-for-profit society funded by the Government of British Columbia and Doctors of BC, and works in partnership with various health authorities and organizations to improve the primary care system in Vancouver for the benefit of patients and members alike.
The Tri-Cities Healthier Communities Partnership
In 2018, Fraser Health presented the MHMC data around alcohol use to the Tri-Cities Healthier Communities Partnership (TC HCP) in order to engage the TC HCP in discussion around alcohol harm reduction and opportunities to protect health and promote wellbeing and encourage application for a community alcohol dialogue grant. As a result, the TC HCP supported a joint grant application for the Tri-Cities Community Services Cooperative and the Fraser Northwest Division of Family Practice, and will be conducting alcohol dialogues within the Tri-Cities communities this year.