Executive Summary

Algoma Public Health serves a vast area in northeastern Ontario, with an estimated population of 112,764 people. This is expected to increase by 2026.

Health is shaped by a broad range of factors such as personal, social, economic, and environmental. Some groups of people face greater health challenges due to these factors. In Algoma, recent data highlights disparities in income, higher-education, and food insecurity. Addressing these disparities requires interventions focused on improving social and economic conditions to enhance overall health outcomes.

• In Algoma, the pregnancy rate is higher than in Ontario, with challenges such as lower uptake of prenatal folic acid and prenatal education for families, and higher substance use during pregnancy. Addressing these challenges is important for fetal development and ensuring healthy starts for children.
  
  
  
• Starting from early childhood and continuing throughout life, parental guidance and accurate sexual health information contribute to healthy relationships and reproductive health. Algoma youth engaging in sexual activity reported higher condom use than the provincial average. Promoting safe sex, proper use of contraception, and awareness of STIs is essential. Accessing reliable sources of information help people make informed decisions, supporting both individual health and public health efforts.
  
  
  
• Vaccination is a crucial public health tool that saves lives, prevents the spread of diseases, and reduces healthcare costs. Routine vaccination rates during the pandemic decreased in Algoma. Algoma Public Health is working to improve this by offering catch-up clinics for school-aged children and supporting community healthcare providers to immunize their patients. Vaccination remains important throughout adulthood, especially for pregnant women and seniors.
  
  
  
• With gaps in vaccination, diseases like pneumococcal disease and pertussis have seen increasing rates in Algoma. Along with vaccination, infection control practices, and effective treatment have helped control many infectious diseases. Algoma Public Health monitors food and waterborne illnesses for effective management and prevention.
  
  
  
• In Algoma, alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and toxic drug use rates are high. Harm reduction supports aim to minimize the health risks. Stigma around substance use is a barrier to accessing supports. Recent data highlights a significant increase in toxic drug-related harms, highlighting the need for continued and collaborative community supports.
  
  
  
• Algoma’s unintentional injury (e.g., falls, motor vehicle collisions) and intentional (e.g., assault, self-harm) injury-related harms remain high. Strategies to reduce these include enhancing safety measures, reducing alcohol and substance use, and improving mental health support.
  
  
  
• Recent data on mental health shows high overall life-satisfaction rates, but significant mental health concerns among the youth in Algoma. Factors such as stress, financial insecurity, and limited access to care are key influences. Emphasis on positive childhood experiences and accessible support will help improve long-term outcomes.
  
  
  
• Despite being preventable, dental issues like tooth loss and gum disease are prevalent in Algoma. Community water fluoridation and increased dental insurance coverage can improve oral health outcomes.
  
  
  
• Algoma has higher rates of chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart diseases, and diabetes. We can improve these rates by creating healthy environments, decreasing smoking and alcohol consumption and increasing access to cancer screening and healthcare.
  
  
  
• Active lifestyles and nutritious diets reduce chronic disease risks across all life stages. Algoma data shows low fruit and vegetable consumption. Physical activity levels across all age groups in Algoma are below recommended guidelines, though youth participation in organized sports is high. People in Algoma could benefit from decreased screen time and improved sleep quality.
  
  
  
• Algoma Public Health uses a Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) to evaluate potential public health hazards. Recent emergency responses include managing the COVID-19 pandemic. APH also monitors climate-related hazards like air quality and extreme temperatures, adjusting strategies to protect community health.
  
  
  
• Algoma Public Health plays an important role in identifying trends in population health, disparities, and opportunities for community collaboration to improve health. This report is a vital tool for public health, community partners, and the public, offering insights and opportunities for further inquiry that can shape our collective efforts to achieve health for all.

Message from the Acting Medical Officer of Health

You can’t take action on a problem without understanding it. This is why assessing the health of communities is a core function of public health. Collecting and assessing this information doesn’t only tell us what problems threaten our health, but it can tell us the extent of the problem and give us crucial clues as to how to improve it. At Algoma Public Health, we routinely monitor health trends and alert community partners, key stakeholders, and the general public as they arise. This timely data is important, but often the numbers don’t always tell the whole story.

I use the word story intentionally. Behind every data point lies a person’s story. You can add these stories together to generate a statistic, but it’s important not to lose sight of why we aggregated that data in the first place: If we understand the trends affecting our health, we can collaborate to increase our health, which is the most important and valued resource any person has.

The story of health in Algoma has certainly been a challenging one since our last Community Health Profile. In that time, we saw the biggest global pandemic in over a century. The pandemic brought immense suffering; not just to those who were ill or who have died, but to all of us who had to make significant sacrifices to keep everyone safe. Through this sadness, we also saw remarkable community resiliency. Communities came together to care for one another in incredible ways which inspires me still to this day.

While the pandemic brought about unprecedented challenges, we continue to face significant health challenges including the ongoing opioid crisis and the many ways that the social determinants of health can work against our health in the North. Our hope is that the information in this profile will help empower our community partners to do what they do best; come together to improve the lives of all of us in Algoma. This data, this collection of stories, is just the beginning and we at APH look forward to working with our communities to improve our health together.

Dr. John Tuinema
Acting Medical Officer of Health