Alcohol, a leading cause of death and disability in Canada and internationally, is causally associated with over 200 chronic and acute health harms. The high burden of alcohol-attributable harm is disproportionately experienced across population subgroups, leading to inequities in alcohol use and harm. Differential exposure and vulnerability to alcohol are two mechanisms leading to inequities in alcohol harm, for example by socioeconomic status and sex and gender. During this Rounds session, presenters will highlight emerging Canadian research examining how these concepts improve our understanding of the internationally established alcohol harm paradox, whereby individuals with lower socioeconomic status experience disproportionately greater alcohol-attributable harm than individuals with high socioeconomic status, despite similar or less alcohol use. Presenters will also highlight the importance of understanding the heterogeneous impacts of population-level alcohol policies in different subgroups, including a recent analysis of the impact of selling alcohol in grocery stores in Ontario, Canada.
Intended audience: Public Health Unit (PHU) staff working in substance use, researchers, Medical Officers of Health (MOH) and Assistant Medical Officer of Health (AMOH), Ontario Health and Ministry of Health staff working in substance use policy areas.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe how the concepts of differential exposure and vulnerability to alcohol relate to alcohol inequities
- Explain emerging research trends related to socioeconomic inequities in alcohol use and harm in Canada
- Discuss the potential of population-level alcohol polices for reducing social inequities in alcohol harm
Upcoming Sessions
This five-part series will provide an overview on alcohol risk and policy in Ontario, with a focus on epidemiological data and policies that may impact public health response.
Part 1 (Jan 30) Alcohol Risk and Policy: Inequities in alcohol use and harm
Part 2 (February 22) Alcohol Risk and Policy: Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE) 3.0 - Ontario Results
Part 3 (February 27) Alcohol Risk and Policy: Epidemiology and outcomes of alcohol-associated liver disease in adolescents and young adults
Part 4 (April 23) Alcohol Risk and Policy: Impacts of alcohol container labels - a systematic review
Part 5 (May 14) Alcohol Risk and Policy: Minimum legal drinking age – an underrated alcohol control policy
Presenter(s): Brendan Smith and Naomi Schwartz
Dr. Brendan Smith, PhD, is a Scientist at Public Health Ontario in the department of Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Dr. Smith’s primary research interests focus on the application of epidemiological methods to estimate the health equity impacts of population health interventions. Most recently, his work has focused on estimating the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies to reduce social inequities in alcohol use and harm.
Dr. Naomi Schwartz, PhD, is an Epidemiologist Lead at Public Health Ontario in the department of Health Promotion, Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. She holds an MPH in Epidemiology from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a PhD in Geography from the University of Toronto. Naomi's current research focuses on the social determinants of health, and alcohol and cannabis use and harms.
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.
Accreditation
Public Health Ontario Rounds are a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). In order to receive written documentation for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, please check “Yes” beside the question “Do you require CME credits?” on the registration form.
College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Affiliate Members may count RCPSC credits toward their Mainpro+ credit requirements. All other CFPC members may claim up to 50 Certified credits per cycle for participation in RCPSC MOC Section 1 accredited activities.
PHO Rounds are also approved by the Council of Professional Experience for professional development hours (PDHs) for members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).
For more information or for a record of registration for other Continuing Education purposes, please contact capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.
Accessibility
Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.
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