You are invited to participate in SPEAK 3, the latest population health survey for British Columbians. We want to know how you’re doing. You’ll be asked questions such as:
How is your health and mental wellbeing?
Do you feel connected to your community?
Are your healthcare needs being met?
Our Foundation is pleased to have funded SPEAK 1, 2, and now 3. Much work has happened and continues to develop from the first two survey results, including:
- a SPEAK manuscript (a publication of the research methods for SPEAK 1 & 2);
- BCCDC COVID-19 Young Adult Task Force Report (a report on the impact the pandemic has had on the health and wellbeing of young adults aged 18-29) and recovery priorities for supporting people in this age group);
- monitoring and reporting on the societal consequences of the pandemic (to understand how COVID-19 response measures affected individuals and communities in BC);
- and much more.
SPEAK 1 was the largest population health survey in Canada at the time with nearly 400,000 participants. It provided critical information on how British Columbians were doing during the pandemic, and how to better protect all people in our province from serious illness. Our funding supported the creation of an interactive dashboard, allowing anyone the opportunity to dig into the data and learn more about the health and wellbeing of their community and other communities across the province.
SPEAK 2 was the second iteration of the survey. It focused on recovery, learning, and supporting as we looked ahead to post-pandemic plans. Like SPEAK 1, an interactive dashboard was developed that included data from participants who shared their experiences one year into the pandemic. These data helped to inform priorities, identify what supports were needed, and assisted BC in learning from the past and preparing for the future.
Take the BC SPEAK 3 Survey here.
SPEAK 3 is another opportunity to tell us what you need in order to help protect and promote the health and wellbeing of yourself, your loved ones, and your community. It not only covers your physical and mental health experiences, but also invites you to share about your social and economic wellbeing, and your experiences with extreme weather and other impacts of climate change.
As health equity is at the heart of all of our work, it’s especially important that we hear from groups that have been disproportionally impacted by the pandemic. These include racialized communities, people living in rural parts of the province, people with children and young adults in their lives, men aged 18-34, people aged 75 and older, and those with lower incomes and education. We must ensure all voices and experiences are heard and captured. Sharing, encouraging, or assisting those you know in these specific populations will greatly help us learn how to meet their needs and improve health equity in our province.
Thank you for your commitment to public health, and the health and wellbeing of all who call British Columbia their home.
There are other ways we invite you to support as well. As a public health charity, we have opportunities for you to donate specifically to projects that strengthen BC’s public health system, mobilize public health research findings, and identify and deliver long-term solutions to address systemic inequities. Your gift will help build resilient communities for all. Donate today.
*SPEAK= acronym for Survey on Population Experiences, Action, and Knowledge
