The Chief Public Health Officer’s report on the state of public health in Canada. Influencing health - The importance of sex and gender
This is the fifth, mandated, theme-based annual report published by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada; it focuses on sex- and gender-rooted health inequalities and what can be done to address them. The report elaborates on the definitions of “sex” as biological characteristics, and “gender” as socially and culturally constructed roles. Dozens of graphs and tables present Canadian statistics on the interplay between the social determinants and health, with a focus on how sex and gender affect health across age, income and cultural background.
The report is organized into three sections: 1) the state of public health in Canada; 2) sex, gender and the health of Canadians; and 3) a path forward. Section 1 provides a demographic profile of the physical, mental, and sexual health of Canadians, and how these relate to a range of socio-economic determinants of health. Section 2 describes how sex and gender interact with other determinants of health to increase inequalities, and highlights examples of successful efforts to incorporate sex and gender awareness into public health research, policies and programs. Section 3 sets priority areas for action, and identifies strategies to better incorporate sex and gender into public health policy and practice.
In his preface to the report, Dr. David Butler-Jones offers a quote from science fiction writer William Gibson: “The future has already arrived. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.” The report notes that while the overall health of Canadians is improving, this trend is not true for everyone.
Use this resource to:
• Find data describing the health of Canadians, across many determinants, in 2011
• Understand how sex and gender affect mental, physical and sexual health
• Develop sex- and gender-sensitive criteria for policy and program development and implementation
• Provide a rationale for sex and gender-focused public health interventions
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2012). The Chief Public Health Officer’s report on the state of public health in Canada, 2012: influencing health – the importance of sex and gender (Catalogue No. HP2-10/2012E). Ottawa, ON: Public Health Agency of Canada.
Tags: Sex & gender, Public Health Agency of Canada, Document, Report / Document