TOPO 2017, A SURVEY ON THE HEALTH OF YOUNG MONTREALERS IN GRADE 6

1. TOPO 2017, what is it?

TOPO 2017 is a large study of grade 6 elementary students in Montréal schools. It addresses various themes that are central to young people’s lives such as lifestyle habits, physical and emotional health, life at school, bullying, family life and school retention.

TOPO 2017 is the second part of the Survey Program on the Health of Montrealers conducted by Direction régionale de santé publique. The first part of the survey was carried out in 2012, and 11,000 people answered it. Those results were used to produce a portrait of chronic diseases and their determinants in Montréal.

To see the results, go to www.santemontreal.qc.ca/externe/topo/  

2. What is it for?

In Montréal, the most recent survey on the health of elementary school students dates back 15 years. New knowledge is needed to build a more complete and up-to-date portrait. The goal of the TOPO 2017 survey is to shed light on young people’s realities to better guide interventions and foster school success. 

3. Who are the participants? 

There are two surveys taking place at the same time: one with grade 6 elementary students in all French and English public and private schools on the island of Montreal; the other with the children’s parents, who will be asked to fill out the survey on the Web or by telephone.

4. Why a study on grade 6 students? 

Grade 6 is an important transition period. It marks the shift from childhood to adolescence and the end of elementary school. At that age, a number of elements that influence school success and health are already in place, but it is still possible to take action to improve the current and future health of young people.

5. Where, when and how?

Our teams will be going to the schools between February and April 2017. Students will fill out the questionnaire in class on tablets. It takes about 20 minutes to complete and requires students’ attention for a maximum of one class period.

Parents can fill out the questionnaire online at: www.dsp.santemontreal.qc.ca/topoenglish.html or by telephone with one of our interviewers at : 514 375-2432

6. Can the results be linked to the sudents?

No. Participation for both children and parents is completely confidential. Neither the children’s nor the parents’ names appear on the questionnaires, which are linked to codes stored and protected by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur. Once data collection is complete, personal data is deleted so that only anonymous results are kept.

The goal of the study is to produce a portrait of grade 6 students as a group. Published results will focus on the children as a group and not on individuals. Questionnaires will be treated anonymously and collectively. No information that can identify a child or parent will be disclosed or published, in accordance with privacy legislation.

To see our privacy policy, go to www.dsp.santemontreal.qc.ca/topoenglish/confidentiality.html

7. What is the methodology?

The TOPO survey of grade 6 students is a census-like survey, that is, all children in grade 6 are invited to take part. This type of data collection is statistically very powerful and produces results that are much finer, on a geographic scale, than other types of surveys.

The survey frame is a list, compiled by the Ministère de l'Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEES), of all grade 6 students registered in public and private schools that follow the Ministère’s education program. The survey frame is accessible because of an agreement between the MEES and the director of public health for Montréal, in accordance with the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information (L.R.Q., c. A-2.1).

8. Who will use the results?

Schools, school boards and anyone working with young people will find the results of the TOPO 2017 survey useful. Summary profiles will be released to help with interventions and decision making. For example, here is a list of partners who will use TOPO 2017 results so they can better plan their activities and promote young people’s health:

  • Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys
  • Commission scolaire de Montréal
  • English Montréal School Board
  • Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l’Île
  • Lester B. Pearson School Board
  • Fédération des établissements d’enseignement privé (FÉEP)
  • Québec en forme
  • Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation
  • City of Montréal
  • Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur

9. About us - How to contact us?

The Direction régionale de santé publique is a department of Québec’s health and social services network. Its mission is to protect and improve the health of the population through a variety of interventions. It is the director of public health’s responsibility to disseminate information about the population’s health and influences on health.

Visit the director of public health’s Website at www.dsp.santemontreal.qc.ca/

For more information about TOPO 2017, call us at:

514-528-2400, ext. 3578

You can also email us at info@topomtl.ca  

I AM A PARENT AND I WANT TO PARTICIPATE

1. How can I participate?

You can fill out the questionnaire online or by telephone. In either case, you will need your secure access code. You will find the code in the letter we sent you. It is in the top right corner of the letter.

To fill out the questionnaire on the Web, go to www.dsp.santemontreal.qc.ca/topoenglish.html

Click on "I’m a parent and I want to participate" and enter your secure access code. You will then be able to answer the questionnaire.

To participate by telephone, call our interviewers at 514 375-2432. Have your secure access code on hand.

2. I don't have a secure access code. How can I get one?

The code is in the letter we sent you. You need the code to ensure your participation in the study is confidential.

If you don’t have your secure access code, call us at 514 375-2432.

3. What are the topics covered in the study?

For children, the topics are diet, physical activity, sleep, use of new technologies, living environments, physical and emotional health problems, social life and bullying. The questions are taken from other studies carried out with children of the same age.

The questions for parents cover children’s living conditions and state of health, as well as the parent’s role in educational support.

4. I'm trying to log on to the questionnaire and I'm getting an error message. What should I do? 

Here is a list of possible solutions to try if you are having trouble logging on:

1) Make sure you’ve entered your secure access code correctly.
2) Close the active window and wait at least 20 minutes before trying to log on again.
3) Call technical support at 514 375-2432.

5. I made a mistake and would like to correct one of my answers. Can I change it?

Yes. You can go back and change an answer in section, as long as you haven’t clicked on SEND at the end of the questionnaire. Once validated, questionnaire answers can no longer be changed.

6. Can I stop filling out the questionnaire and finish it later?

Yes. You can stop at any point and come back to it later, whenever it’s convenient for you.

For security purposes, if you take more than 20 minutes to answer a question, you will be automatically logged out. In this case, you will have to leave the questionnaire page and wait at least 20 minutes before reconnecting.

7. I had a technical problem and couldn't finish the questionnaire. What should I do?

You can log in again with your secure access code and complete the rest of the questionnaire. The only version that will be considered is the one you send once you’ve finished answering it.

8. Do I have to participate?

No. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary. Your child can be taken out of the study at your request, or choose not to participate when the interviewers come to the classroom even if you haven’t asked that he or she not participate.

However, we hope that as many children as possible take part. When you voluntarily answer the questionnaire, you are contributing to the quality of the survey, since it helps produce a more complete profile.

If you don’t want your child to participate in TOPO 2017, call us as soon as possible at: 

514-528-2400, ext. 3578

Please have your secure access code on hand and we will make sure that the name of your child is not on the list and that he or she doesn’t take part in the survey at school.

I AM ON THE SCHOOL STAFF

1. What's involved for school staff?

Our teams take care of everything! Teachers and other staff members aren’t expected to do anything special. A resource person at school will inform teachers of the date and time the interviewers are scheduled to come to their classrooms. The data collection team are there for a maximum of one class period.

2. How will data be collected in class?

Our teams are going to the schools between February and April 2017. Students fill out the questionnaire in class on tablets. It takes about 20 minutes to answer the questions, and requires students’ attention for a maximum of one class period.

3. Some parents have questions or are refusing to let their child participate in the survey. What should I say to them?

Participation in the survey is completely voluntary. Parents who refuse to let their child participate in TOPO must contact us as quickly as possible by calling:

(514) 528-2400, ext. 3578 

4. How can I access the results?

Summary profiles of TOPO 2017 results will be quickly released. They will be available by territorial division to make it easier for stakeholders in the field to carry out interventions.

Results will also be posted on www.dsp.santemontreal.qc.ca/topomtl.html in the winter of 2018.

  

Résultats de l'enquête TOPO réalisée en 2012