COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey, Canadian (CCAHS) – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023

Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and well-being of Canadians is an important step toward Canada’s recovery. To support this goal, Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have partnered to conduct a follow-up to the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023).

The data from this survey will be combined with data from cycle 2 of the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey, which was conducted between April and August 2022, to produce the evidence needed for informed decision-making.

The follow-up will collect updated information about your health. The questions will touch on changes in vaccination status, reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 and impact on daily life, health conditions and the use of health care services.

Collection periods:

May 23, 2023 to June 12, 2023

Collection methods:

Electronic questionnaire

Survey participation:
Voluntary

  • Block Information Confidentiality

    Authority and Confidentiality

    Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.

  • Block Information on Data sharing agreements and record linkage

    Data sharing agreements and record linkage

    Data sharing agreements

    To avoid duplication of surveys, Statistics Canada may enter into agreements to share the data from this survey and from the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey you previously completed, including name, address, telephone number and health card number, with provincial and territorial ministries of health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. For Quebec residents, Statistics Canada may also enter into an agreement with the Institut de la statistique du Québec to share the same information.

    The Institut de la statistique du Québec and provincial ministries of health may make this data available to local health authorities. Local health authorities will not receive any identifiers.

    Record linkage

    To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the response burden, Statistics Canada will combine the information you provide with the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) – Cycle 2. Statistics Canada may also combine the information you provide with other survey or administrative data sources.

  • Block Information on Topics covered in the survey

    Topics covered in the survey

    This survey asks questions about

    • Changes in vaccination status;
    • Reinfection with the virus that cause COVID-19;
    • Symptoms of COVID-19 and impact on daily life;
    • Health conditions;
    • Use of health care services.

  • Block Information on Published data

    Published data

    Statistics Canada publishes the results of its surveys in many formats. To find all the documents related to this survey, follow the links below and type the name of the survey in the search engine located at the left of your screen to filter the results.

    Data: You will find tables, profiles of a community or region, thematic maps, public use microdata files, and data visualization tools.

    Analysis: You will have direct access to Stats in brief (e.g., releases from The Daily, fact sheets), articles and reports, and journals and periodicals.

  • Block Information on Survey-specific questions

    Survey-specific questions

    What is the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023?

    The Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023 is an electronic questionnaire that aims to collect information on changes in vaccination against COVID-19, reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 and impact on daily life, health conditions and the use of health care services.

    This survey is limited to participants from the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) cycle 2 who provided a valid email address while responding to the survey. The survey is administered through an electronic (online) questionnaire.

    What are the objectives of the follow-up questionnaire?

    Developed in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the follow-up questionnaire aims to collect information about the prevalence of persistent health problems and symptoms following COVID-19. The purpose is to gather information on changes in vaccination against COVID-19, reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19 and impact on daily life, health conditions and the use of health care services.

    Why should I participate in the follow-up questionnaire?

    By participating in this follow-up questionnaire, respondents play an important role in:

    • understanding the health of Canadians
    • understanding the COVID-19 pandemic and its ongoing impacts to health
    • supporting the deployment of health services that help all Canadians

    Even if you do not think you have been exposed to COVID-19, your participation is important as it will provide useful information about the virus that causes COVID-19, and insight into the overall health of Canadians. Questionnaire results will be used to develop programs and services to respond to needs related to the pandemic recovery.

    Do I have to take part in this survey?

    Your participation in this survey is voluntary. However, your participation will help to ensure that questionnaire results are complete.

    Health is an important part of everyone’s life. It is crucial that we have participation from a wide range of Canadians, including those in good health.

    The data we collect from you and other participants will provide policy makers, provincial and territorial health departments, researchers and health professionals with a comprehensive source of information to assist them in addressing the health needs of all Canadians, now and in the future.

    Can I choose not to answer certain questions?

    Yes. Even after having agreed to participate in the survey, you may choose not to answer specific questions you find sensitive or where you feel uncomfortable providing a response.

    I (think I) have had COVID-19 more than once. How should I answer the questions in this survey related to COVID-19?

    Please read the questions very carefully before answering and consider all your experience with COVID-19 as it relates to the question.

    For example, if a question asks about a confirmed infection (an infection with a positive test result), answer the question considering everything you have experienced related to any confirmed infection you have had.

    Where can I find out more about the questionnaire?

    For more information on the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey – Follow-up Questionnaire, 2023, please visit: Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS). For additional questions, call us at 1-866-498-8518 or 1-866-753-7083 (TTY). You can also email us at: statcan.ccahs-ecsac.statcan@statcan.gc.ca.

    Does Statistics Canada report my results to public health authorities or other government departments?

    Under the Statistics Act, individuals’ information is collected, used and disseminated for statistical purposes only. Statistics Canada is prohibited in this legislation from disclosing personal information to any government, police agency or court of law, for any other purpose, without explicitly asking respondents for their consent in the survey itself.

    What is data linkage?

    Statistics Canada may combine the information you provided to this survey with your health data from your provincial health department, health registries or other recognized health organizations. This is known as data linkage and is only done for statistical purposes and to improve health research. Findings from projects based on linkage could be used by governments in health promotion and to monitor, evaluate and change policies related to health care and the use of health services. We will not provide your information to provincial and territorial health departments and any linkages would be conducted by Statistics Canada staff and access limited to a need-to-know basis.

    For this follow-up questionnaire, we will link your information with its parent survey, the Canadian COVID-19 Antibody and Health Survey (CCAHS) – Cycle 2. This will reduce the number of questions that are asked as part of the follow-up.

    Will Statistics Canada share my data?

    If you provided your consent, Statistics Canada will share your data with Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and provincial and territorial ministries of health under the data sharing agreements. The information shared will be used for statistical and research purposes only.

    Only postal codes and questionnaire responses would be shared with federal partners, and identifiers may only be shared with provincial and territorial partners upon request.

    Statistics Canada is also authorized by law to share information with another organization that wants to collect similar information to avoid duplication after obtaining the participants’ consent. Participants are informed at the time of collection of organizations that wish to have questionnaire responses and the purpose for which they want it. Participants may always decline any sharing request, in which case Statistics Canada will not share your information.

    How will the data be used?

    Objective statistical information is vital to researchers, analysts, and decision-makers across Canada. Results of this survey could be used by:

    • Parliament and other policy makers, to track major initiatives, set priorities for prevention and research programs, and evaluate policy and program outcomes
    • Epidemiologists, biomedical and health service researchers, to understand trends in diseases and the relationship of observed risk factors to diseases
    • Public health professionals, to track preventable illnesses and evaluate the impact of prevention and intervention programs
    • Advocacy groups, to raise awareness and assist in their surveillance of health issues such as heart disease, lung disease and health disparities.

    Will the information provided remain confidential?

    This survey is conducted under the authority of the Statistics Act, which ensures that the information you provide will be kept confidential. We do not release any information that could identify you or any member of your household unless you gave your consent or as permitted by the act.

    It is a priority for the agency to protect information provided by the participants, because it is a fundamental part of the trust established between Statistics Canada and the participants of our surveys.

    How will Statistics Canada safeguard the confidentiality of my information?

    The Statistics Act ensures that any information you provide to us remains strictly confidential. Statistics Canada goes to extraordinary lengths to protect you. No unauthorized persons outside of Statistics Canada will ever be permitted to see your individual responses.

    • All employees of Statistics Canada are under oath, meaning they are subject to severe penalties including prosecution if they do not safeguard your confidentiality.
    • Personal information obtained by Statistics Canada from surveys is never released. All publications and other releases are carefully reviewed from this point of view.
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