Institut national de santé publique du Québec Developing Knowledge, Sharing Information The Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) is a government organization founded in 1998 to improve the coordination, development and use of expertise in public health. Its creation involved uniting the province's principal public health laboratories and centres of expertise and transferring and assigning staff from a number of regional public health departments and from the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux.

Recent publications November 1 , 2006 Interval cancer in women following a normal initial mammogram in the Quebec Breast Cancer Screening Program in 1998-2000 October 25, 2006 Preventing obesity: an overview of programs, action plans, strategies and policies on food and nutrition July 12, 2006 Québec Collaborating Centre for Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention - Activity Report 2005 May 24, 2006 Infectious diseases surveillance among injection drug users - Epidemiology of HIV from 1995 to 2004 - Epidemiology of HCV from 2003 to 2004 May 24, 2006 Infectious diseases surveillance among injection drug users - Epidemiology of HCV from 1997 to 2003 - A retrospective look

Mission To support the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and the regional boards in executing their public health mission. To manage the laboratories and centres in Québec which offer expertise in public health, namely: Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec. Centre d'expertise en dépistage. Centre de toxicologie du Québec.

General duties To see to the development, up-dating, dissemination and implementation of knowledge in the field of public health. To develop and promote research in public health, working together with research and funding organizations. To inform the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux of the impact of public policies on the population's state of health. To inform the population on its state of health and welfare, emerging problems, their determinants and effective means to prevent or solve these problems. To work together with universities in preparing and up-dating public health training programs and in implementing continued training programs. To promote national and international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge concerning public health.

Preferential clients The ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. Regional boards and their public health departments.

Administration The members of the Board of Directors are drawn from the health network, the education sector and various socio-economic sectors. The Institute acts jointly with departmental and regional public health officials. The staff is assigned to a number of sites throughout Québec.

Type of activities Specialized advice and assistance Expert notices in crises or emergencies; Public health recommendations; Program assessments. Specialized laboratories Laboratory analyses in microbiology, toxicology and physical chemistry; Development of new techniques and analyses; Screening for breast cancer in remote areas and for occupational deafness and lung disease; Reportable disease outbreak surveillance; Monitoring of side effects following an immunization; Support for the development and management of information systems; International Comparison Program covering toxicology laboratories. Research Population health surveillance; Specific health problem surveillance; Studies on emerging health problems; Identification of the most effective and efficient interventions; Development and validation of public health intervention indicators and tools. Information Emergency telephone response for poisonings; Information for the general public; Experts for media interviews; Specialized publications; Bulletins designed for professionals; Specialized documentary services. Training Teaching and training positions; Seminars, symposiums; Continued training; Improvement of basic public health training. International cooperation Exchange and sharing of knowledge within Canada and abroad; Referral of requests for international cooperation.

Sectors of activity Développement des individus et des communautés : Individual development and adjustment Safety and prevention of trauma Community development Life styles. Systèmes de soins et services : Centre d'expertise en dépistage Service organization Chronic diseases Risques biologiques, environnementaux et occupationnels : Control, prevention and monitoring of infectious diseases Immunization Diseases transmitted through blood: STDs and HIV/AIDs Occupational health Health and the environment Toxicologie humaine Centre de toxicologie du Québec Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec Planification, recherche et innovation : Health study and surveillance Training Research International Cooperation