Research report, study and analysis

A series of field trials were completed to inter-compare ground deposition from ground and aerial sprays of Fyfanon® ULV adulticide and to compare these results with others predicted by AGDISP. A ground cold-aerosol generator (Clarke GRIZZLY) was used in wind conditions ranging from 3.6 to 12.4 kph. Deposit samples (fiberglass filters) were taken at 10 m intervals to 500 m downwind. Collocated at alternate sites, the spray cloud at 1.4 m height was characterized using rotating 3 mm rods to…

Interval cancers are cancers that are diagnosed during the interval between a negative screen and the subsequent screen. The rate of interval cancers is a performance indicator in the terms of reference of the Quebec Breast Cancer Screening Program (PQDCS). The PQDCS terms of reference do not set a standard for interval cancer rates, but the Evaluation Indicators Working Group, which monitors breast cancer screening programs in Canada, has determined that the rate of interval cancers should…

The Cree community of Oujé-Bougoumou is located approximately 60 kilometres west of Chibougamau and comprises 622 residents. There was, for this community, a potential exposure to toxic substances derived from tailings residues left behind from mining operations in the mid 1950s.

Confronted with this potential exposure, the Grand Council of the Crees commissioned an environmental contamination study, which was conducted by Christopher L. Covel from CL COVEL PG LLC and Roger D.…

The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is likely to cause what is considered the most frequent preventable birth defect. This defect is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is a complex problem closely related to alcoholism and substance abuse among women. Described for the first time some 35 years ago, this syndrome has since been the subject of many studies conducted for the purpose of providing insight into its specific nature, documenting its prevalence or identifying ways to prevent…

For a number of years now, the rural areas of industrialized countries have been going through a major crisis. They are experiencing a massive population exodus, primarily of young people, and are losing a considerable number of jobs, primarily to cities and major metropolitan areas. Some authors even go so far as to talk about the “slow death” of rural communities. Yet in Quebec and the rest of Canada, a significant portion of the population—roughly one in five persons—currently lives in…

Under the auspices of the Comité aviseur sur l'amiante au Québec (asbestos advisory committee), the sub-committee on the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases reviewed the available epidemiological data on these diseases in Quebec. The sub-committee also conducted various studies to fill in certain gaps identified during the analysis of available data. 

The findings that have been summarized here show a statistically significant increase in the incidence of mesothelioma of…

In 1997, in light of international developments with respect to asbestos, particularly after its banning in France and the ensuing controversy, the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) set up a Comité aviseur sur l'amiante (asbestos advisory committee). The aim of this committee was to make recommendations about appropriate measures to inform the public and to protect public health.

The mandate of the Comité aviseur sur l'amiante (exposure measurement) consisted in…

Cancer registries are essential tools for monitoring cancer. There are four main components to the quality of this type of registry: completeness, validity of data, timeliness of access to data, and range of data available.

Completeness refers to the ability of a cancer registry to identify and register all new cancer cases diagnosed within a population. Completeness can vary considerably from one place to another, because of variations in resources and data collection methods, or…

In May 2002, in cooperation with the Ministère de la Santé et Services sociaux, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) published survival tables for the four main cancer sites—lung, breast (female), colorectal, and prostate—for cases reported to the Quebec Cancer Registry (QCR) in 1992. These cases were used to calculate the relative survival probability five years after diagnosis.

The study was designed to measure the quality of the incidence and mortality data…

In April 2000, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux mandated the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) to coordinate the production of a scientific report on the health risks associated with the indoor presence of moulds. To accomplish this mission, a Task Force was created, primarily composed of representatives of the public health network, especially the environmental health and occupational health sectors.

This document is a summary of the scientific…