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An innovative national health survey
The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) collects physical measures from Canadians aged 1 to 79 across the country. Data from this survey will:
- provide Canadians with accurate and comprehensive information on the health of the population
- highlight current issues and identify future challenges to health and health care
- provide researchers and health professionals with an important source of data not available elsewhere.
Participate to help make a difference!
By participating in the CHMS, you will provide quality information that will help guide future research, health care policies and public health programs that will benefit you and your family for years to come.
Why participate in this survey?
By participating in this survey you will receive:
- your test results, which provide more information about your health than you would get from a regular doctor's and dentist's visit
- $150 to cover expenses to travel to the mobile examination centre (MEC) ($300 if two people in the household are selected).
What we have learned so far
Statistics Canada has conducted the CHMS in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada since 2007. The survey's latest results (2015-2019) highlighted several facts regarding health issues, such as:
- In 2017, just over 8 in 10 Canadians had bisphenol A (BPA) detected in their urine. Bisphenol A is found in some types of plastic containers. However, most Canadians were exposed to low levels that are not thought to pose a health risk.
- 3 in 10 adults with high blood pressure were unaware of their condition.
- 1 in 2 males with high blood cholesterol were diagnosed and controlled with medication. This was significantly higher than the proportion of females (1 in 3).
- 1 in 2 boys and 1 in 4 girls aged 5 to 17 met the recommendation of an average of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
- Today, less than 1% of Canadians have blood lead levels above the Canadian blood lead intervention level. This proportion was 27% just 30 years ago.
Your participation is important
While this is a voluntary survey, you have been randomly selected to represent others in your community. By participating in our survey, you will be representing up to 6,000 other Canadians whose demographic characteristics are similar to yours. Your participation in the CHMS is essential to help provide us with the most accurate, reliable results possible.
A two-step process
Step one: An in-home interview
A Statistics Canada interviewer will visit you at your home and provide you with information on the survey. The interviewer will then ask you a series of questions on the following topics:
- General health
- Level of physical activity
- Nutrition
- Medication use.
One or two people per household will be selected to participate in the survey. Each interview will last approximately one hour.
Step two: A visit to the mobile examination centre
Once the in-home interview has been completed, we will make an appointment for you at the CHMS mobile examination centre (MEC) at a convenient time for you. Measures to comply with local COVID-19 public health guidance will be in place.
This temporary MEC will be set up in or near your community. The MEC has been designed to ensure comfort, safety and privacy.
At the MEC, trained and certified health specialists will:
- take your physical measurements, including height and weight
- administer a series of tests to assess your blood pressure, muscle and bone health
- collect saliva, blood and urine samples, which will then be analyzed to evaluate the state of your cardiovascular health, your nutritional status, your exposure to environmental contaminants (e.g., lead), and chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes).
- A dentist will assess your oral health (teeth, gums, tongue) free of charge.
The MEC appointment will take approximately two hours, depending on your age.
At the end of your MEC visit, we will provide you with a report of your physical measure results, which are available immediately. The report includes the results of your oral exam, which you can take to you dentist, if necessary.
After your visit to the MEC
With your consent, the interviewer will return to your home to collect a tap water sample. This sample will be analyzed for the presence of fluoride and metals.
We will ask you to wear a physical activity monitor for seven days following your MEC visit. It will record data about your physical activity patterns and body movements throughout this period.
We will also ask you to provide a second urine sample. Collecting the two samples (one at the MEC; the other in the week following your visit to the MEC) will help us to obtain more accurate results.
We will provide prepaid packaging to return the activity monitor and the urine sample.
Six to seven months after your visit to the MEC, if you gave your consent, we will send you a final report of your results for many of the tests that were administered.
The tests are not intended to be used as diagnoses. However, if you have any questions about your results, we encourage you to take the report to your doctor or health care professional for further follow-up.
Our priorities: Safety and confidentiality
- Statistics Canada takes every precaution to ensure the safety of survey participants.
- Data and samples are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, which guarantees that all your personal information remains confidential and secure.
- Your data are also protected under the Privacy Act of Canada.
To ensure that the CHMS meets the highest ethical standards, we consulted with federal and provincial privacy commissioners, as well as a research ethics board.
- No measurements will be taken and no tests will be carried out without your consent.
- To ensure anonymity, the results will be published in aggregate form, meaning that any information you provide will be combined with those of other participants and published as averages, totals or proportions.
- We do not release any information that could identify you or any member of your household.
Support from health organizations and associations
The CHMS has received the support of many key Canadian health organizations, including the following:
- Canadian Public Health Association
- Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
- Canadian Association of Optometrists
- ParticipACTION
- Hypertension Canada
- Osteoporosis Canada
- College of Family Physicians of Canada
- Best Start Resource Centre
- World Health Organization
- Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology
- Obesity Canada
- Red Cross
- Canadian Medical Association
- Canadian Dental Hygienists Association
- Canadian Dental Association
Participate in the Canadian Health Measures Survey… because your health matters!
Contact us
Toll-free number: 1-888-253-1087
Email address: chms-ecms@statcan.gc.ca
TTY: 1-866-753-7083
Web page: Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)