Keeping Pace

1. Keeping Pace The Health Information Prescription Project Keeping Pace

2. The Roman Army expected its soldiers to march 25 miles a day. They set the standard for what is now considered a pace. In Grey Bruce, we are trying to set a new standard. Keeping Pace

3. Who are we? Grey Bruce Rural Community Partnership for Resource Exchange for Health Living • Grey Bruce Health Unit • Grey Bruce District Stroke Centre • Grey and Bruce Libraries • Grey Bruce Health Services Health Sciences Library • Regional Diabetes Program • Recreation Centres • Ontario Early Years • Parks Canada • Bruce Trail Keeping Pace

4. Library Pedometer Lending Program The process began with the pedometer program. Keeping Pace

5. Library Pedometer Program • Based on a model developed by Ottawa Public Health Unit • 31 libraries participating – 100% • 2 pedometers in each library • Borrow like a library book Keeping Pace

6. Benefits Increase interest in physical activity More books on physical activity accessed Increased membership Challenges Late returns Lack of understanding of equipment function Extra work Lack of storage space Library Pedometer Program Keeping Pace

7. Library Pedometer Program Enhancements • Increase number of pedometers to decrease waiting time • Libraries becoming informed health information hubs Keeping Pace

8. Library Pedometer Lending Program • Based on the success of the Pedometer program in the public library system, it was decided that this might be a good way to introduce selected medical information Keeping Pace

9. Health Information Prescription The aim of the program was to provide a consistent, reliable and understandable selection of information regarding stroke easily accessible to the general public. Keeping Pace

10. Method The method chosen was to place selected resources (books – web sites) in the public library system to give easy access to information regarding stroke Keeping Pace

11. Background • Why Stroke? • Why Grey and Bruce? • Why now? Keeping Pace

12. Why Stroke? • Estimated that 4.1% of Canadians over 65 years of age (approximately 300,000 individuals) currently live with the effects of stroke. • Between 2000 and 2010, the number of strokes in Ontario will have increased by 9%. Keeping Pace

13. Why Grey and Bruce? • In 2000-2001, 496 individuals were hospitalized for stroke or transient ischemic attacks in the Grey and Bruce counties. It is estimated that another 473 individuals had a stroke or transient ischemic attack but were not admitted to hospital. Keeping Pace

14. Why Grey and Bruce? • The population is more elderly than most areas • Many seniors live in rural area or hamlets • Public transport is essentially non-existent • Public libraries are wide spread, convenient and trusted. Keeping Pace

15. Why Grey and Bruce? • Grey Bruce Health Services was designated as a District Stroke Centre (DSC) for Grey and Bruce Counties in the spring of 2002. The District Stroke Centre is a component of the Ontario Stroke Strategy. Keeping Pace

16. District Stroke Centres District Stroke Centres provide care to stroke patients at all points in the spectrum of stroke care – promotion, prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and “return to the community”. Keeping Pace

17. Stroke and Community Increasingly the emphasis is on the return to the community and rehabilitation of the client in the community Keeping Pace

18. Healthy Living and Community • The successful uptake of healthy living concepts needs to be at the individual and community level. • Health information and motivational tools empower people to consider behaviour change to improve their health. Keeping Pace

19. Why now? Various programs have money and mandate! • Ontario Stroke System, • Ministry of Health Promotion • Ontario’s Rural Plan • Active 2010 • Regional Diabetes Program Keeping Pace

20. Budget • We received 3000$ and used it to purchase book sets which were placed in each of libraries. • The book titles: • Stroke . A Comprehensive Guide to “Brain Attacks” • Stroke and the Family: A New Guide, 1st Edition • Stroke for Dummies Keeping Pace

21. Health Prescription Project – The Journey Begins…The Original Proposal • Would allow individuals to access health information at their local library • Would allow health professionals to recommend credible information including websites to the individual. • Would allow consistency in the message Keeping Pace

22. Objectives • To allow patients/clients to access appropriate stroke and stroke prevention information close to home. • To assist the libraries in obtaining and dispensing appropriate information on stroke and stroke prevention both in print and on the web. • To ensure information dispensed is consistent and available across each community. • To strengthen the relationship between community libraries and DSC programs and GBHS Health Sciences Library Keeping Pace

23. Evidence We decided to chose the information prescription approach on the basis of: • Literature Search • Paediatric Experience • Webinar with Don Buchanan following his presentation at OLA Conference • Internet use • Library pedometer project Keeping Pace

24. Process Discussion Paper and feedback Health Unit Expresses Interest to Partner First Contact Meeting Information Packages Keeping Pace

25. Health Information Prescription Activities: • Develop the prescription • Develop a relationship between GBHS Health Sciences Library and the community libraries • Disseminate the books and prescriptions • Develop an evaluations framework Keeping Pace

26. The Prescription • Instruction • Suggested Resources • Special Requests • Books • Websites Keeping Pace

27. Statistics • As yet no definite results. • Hard to measure who is taking and using the materials • How does one measure the outcomes • Sustainability Keeping Pace

28. Problems • We needed to be mindful of time stresses placed on the libraries\cataloguing - Record keeping • Communication • Did the material fit within the collections policy of the organizations? • Were we setting a precedent for other groups? Keeping Pace

29. Resource Exchange Library Pedometer Project Stepping out on the Bruce Trail Project Health Information Prescription Project Falling into Step Collaborated with 2 other projects to form Grey Bruce Rural Community Partnership for Resource Exchange for Healthy Living Keeping Pace

30. Stepping Out on the Bruce Trail Keeping Pace

31. Stepping Out on the Bruce Trail • Virtual Walk of the Bruce Trail • 480 km End to End • 10,000 steps = 8 km • Two months to complete • Competition and prizes Keeping Pace

32. Stepping Out on the Bruce Trail • Pilot just finished • Two school boards and the Dental Association • 1,300 people participated • Now expanded to the public and workplaces • As of Friday – 500 teams of 4 people Keeping Pace

33. Time lines Phase I(May 2005 to January 2006) Local Program Assessment Phase II(February to October 2006) Incorporation of Evidence Development of Evaluation Protocol Phase III(November 2006 to March 2007) Implementation Keeping Pace

34. Outcomes • Increased use of motivational tools to improve physical activity • Increase in number residents using community partners for health information. • Strengthened relationships with community partners • Increased community responsibility for healthy living • Increase in number of participating community partners Keeping Pace

35. Conclusion When you change your attitude, You change your behaviour. When you change your behaviour, You change your performance. When you change your performance, You change your life! , Keeping Pace

36. Questions? Keeping Pace

37. PresentersKeeping Pace Mary Solomon, Grey Bruce District Stroke Centre Coordinator, Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound msolomon@gbhs.on.ca Lynda Bumstead, RD Program Manager Chronic Disease Prevention Grey Bruce Health Unit, Owen Sound lbumstead@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca Elyse Pike, Health Sciences Librarian Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound Library@gbhs.on.ca Keeping Pace