Ancillary Meeting: Public Health Agency of Canada, The Challenges of Emerging Public Health Issues
“Is it or isn’t it?” The Challenges of Emerging Public Health Issues Some of the key challenges to public health at all levels are the timely identification and understanding of what and when a trend or odd event(s) might be identified as a possible emerging public or population health issue or threat. This session will provide a round table setting for discussions and idea generation relating to how public health ‘action’ decisions can best be informed and made. Some examples of possible emerging public health issues (e.g. disease conditions related to climate change, e-cigarettes, mental health) and how they were identified will help to prompt the dialogue. The session is intended to appeal to those who are interested in more effective connections between science, policy and decision making in public health. Dr. Victoria Edge is a Manager with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Population Health Assessment and Scenarios Team (PHAST). She is leading our processes to identify and provide salient evidence on Emerging Public Health Issues (EPHI) to PHAC Senior Management. As part of the Strategic Planning, Policy and International Affairs Branch, PHAST is a strong scientific team that is well positioned to help reduce the ‘science to policy gap’ by informing, engaging and supporting PHAC’s public health issues.