Taking Action for a Healthier New Brunswick
Advocacy
Heart failure is a serious and growing problem in Canada, putting a significant strain on people living with the condition, their families and healthcare systems according to a new Heart & Stroke report. It reveals that despite progress, navigating through siloed systems remains difficult and significant gaps still exist in diagnosis, treatment and support.
In New Brunswick, heart failure ranks 4th in the top reasons for hospital admissions. The aging population and the difficulty to access primary care for many patients are likely to increase these numbers in coming years. The action plan emphasizes an integrated approach to heart failure across Canada, including:
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integrated systems of care
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evidence-based care driven by high quality research
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access to specialized care
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coordinated and seamless transitions of care
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support for people living with heart failure and their families and caregivers
A New Brunswick Heart Failure Strategy
Advocacy Priorities
When someone has a stroke, the faster they get to medical care, the better their chances of survival and recovery. That’s why we’re working to make sure more Canadians recognize the signs of stroke and know what to do. The key is FAST, an awareness tool we developed with experts based on international best practices.
How You Can Help:
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Share FAST with family, friends, colleagues and coworkers
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Help anyone experiencing or witnessing a stroke to act FAST
Stroke Awareness
Advocacy Priorities
Smoking increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and premature death in Canada.
New Brunswick and other provinces have filed lawsuits against the tobacco industry seeking compensation for tobacco-related health care costs. We are urging our provincial government to ensure that any settlement include effective health measures, including that at least 10% of the proceeds of a settlement be allocated to an independent fund to reduce tobacco use, and that fundamental new controls be placed on tobacco companies as part of any settlement .
Use and addiction of e-cigarette products (vapes) among youth has also increased significantly in New Brunswick. Evidence indicates vaping can lead to increased risk of nicotine dependence resulting in a greater likelihood that youth who vape may also start smoking. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can damage the developing brain and impair memory, attention and increase impulsivity. Delaying the age when young people first experiment or begin using tobacco can reduce the risk that they transition to regular tobacco users and increase their chances of successfully quitting, if they do become regular users . Regulations on e-cigarette products are needed to protect youth.
How can you help:
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Let your elected officials know that you support prioritizing strong measures to reduce tobacco use in provincial settlement negotiations. Every letter sent by you and people you know helps in the fight against the tobacco industry. To learn more visit https://stopbigtobacco.ca/
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Show your support for stronger regulations and provincial legislation to keep e-cigarette products out of the hands of youth.
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Get support for yourself or for someone else to quit smoking. Find useful tools and resources to help quit: www.smokefreecurious.ca
Reduce Tobacco and Vaping use in New Brunswick
Advocacy Priorities
Advocacy Success Stories
Changing policy to create health supporting systems and environments is one of the many ways to promote health, save lives, and enhance recovery. Here are a few of the successes achieved by working together through advocacy to build healthier communities:
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Developed a Telestroke system that will link emergency department physicians to a neurologist anytime of the day to provide rapid assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients experiencing a stroke across the province.
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Created healthier and safer smoke-free public spaces in New Brunswick.
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Protected youth by removing flavoured vaping products from the market in New Brunswick.
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Worked with government to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in every school across the province to increase the chance of survival rates from cardiac arrest.
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Increased awareness of signs and symptoms of stroke among New Brunswickers through the FAST-Signs and Symptoms of Stroke campaign.
It is estimated that 700 sudden cardiac arrests occur in New Brunswick each year. It can happen to anyone, at any time when the heart suddenly stops beating. 8 in 10 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital walls, yet only 1 in 10 people survive.
Survival drops significantly for every minute without an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Yet, when AEDs are used in combination with CPR in the first few minutes, the chances of survival can increase to up to 75%. Therefore, quick access to an AED in the event of a cardiac arrest is critical for saving lives. Policy that requires AED’s to be placed in targeted public locations, has been shown to have positive health impacts within the community.
Heart & Stroke NB, along with partner provincial organizations, are supportive of a Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act for New Brunswick. Legislation of this nature will improve health outcomes, and establish life-saving resources, for New Brunswickers suffering from cardiac arrest. By regulating the placement and maintenance of AEDs in public spaces throughout the province and registering them with 911 services, we can ensure New Brunswickers that suffer cardiac arrest in public have the best chance of returning home.
How can you help:
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Encourage your workplace, local community center, or large public building (e.g. church, hall, grocery store) to install an AED and register it with the Public Access to Defibrillator Program
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Advocate for AED legislation that will ensure AEDs are available across the province and connected to the 911 system.
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Read Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada's Position Statement on Cardiac Arrest in Canada.
Ensuring Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are Available Province-Wide
Advocacy Priorities
1 in 5 New Brunswick Children, arrive at school from food insecure households. That's equivalent to 375 school buses!
New Brunswick needs a comprehensive school food program that is universal, and sufficiently funded with resources, staffing, and healthy nutritious foods.
In all other provinces, school food programs have been created because of evidence which clearly demonstrates the link between improving children’s access to healthy foods and improvements to childhood food insecurity, health, and education outcomes. In a province with high rates of childhood food insecurity, obesity, and low provincial testing, the need for a comprehensive school food program in New Brunswick is critical.
How you can help:
•Advocate for school food programming which meets best practice standards.
•Encourage & support schools to implement school food programs, nutrition policies, and nutrition-related education programs.
•Request access to nutrition expertise by a Registered Dietitian
A Comprehensive Provincial School Food Program
Advocacy Priorities
Why Advocate
Taking Action for a Healthier New Brunswick
It’s hard to believe that not that long ago locations like restaurants, hospitals and workplaces were not smoke-free. Today, through working together with government, organizations, health charities, healthcare providers, and individuals that believed in this cause, we now have better tobacco control legislation that protects us from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. This is the power of advocacy - when individuals untied by a cause come together to drive system change for a healthier New Brunswick.
Our Priorities
Working together we can advocate to create the conditions necessary for all New Brunswickers to live healthy lives - free of heart disease and stroke. By raising awareness on what impacts our heart and brain health, such as smoking, and unhealthy diets, as well as the required tools that can support health, like access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and smoke-free spaces.