How is the health of French citizens in Saint Pierre and Miquelon?
Santé publique France has released the results of the 2020 Health Barometer survey conducted in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, the first health survey ever conducted in the territory. Nearly 1,000 people aged 18 to 85 were surveyed to learn about their health habits and behaviors.
surveys/studies
Public Health France Barometers
The Santé publique France Health Barometer: a survey of health-related behaviors, opinions, and knowledge designed to guide public health prevention and education policies.
The Santé publique France Barometers are national surveys that have been conducted among the general population for several years. They cover some thirty topics, such as smoking, nutrition, sleep, well-being, and vaccination practices.
These surveys provide valuable information on the health of the population. Conducted over time, they aim to track the main behaviors, attitudes, and perceptions of the French population. Conducted for the first time in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, the survey yielded information that had never been collected before.
What are the key findings of the survey?
The response rate was 63.8%, nearly 15 percentage points higher than that of a survey of the same duration conducted in mainland France, demonstrating the very positive reception the survey received from the archipelago’s population.
The prevalence of current smoking among 18- to 75-year-olds is 43.2% among men (vs. 33.0% in mainland France) and 35.3% among women (vs. 24.6%). This smoking prevalence, and particularly daily smoking, is significantly higher than in mainland France among men and women in the 18–54 age group.
The rate of people who had at least one episode of heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the past year stands at 46.6% (vs. 35.2%), with the highest rates among those aged 18–24 (84.6%) and 25–34 (74.9%). Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 26.3% (vs. 13.4%) reported at least 10 episodes of heavy episodic drinking (HED) in the past year, and 23.6% of 25- to 34-year-olds (vs. 9.0%).
Mental health issues are significant among young people, as 25.6% (vs. 11.7% in mainland France) of 18- to 24-year-olds reported at least one major depressive episode (MDE) in the year preceding the survey, and 19.2% (vs. 4.6%) stated they had suicidal thoughts during that period. Over the course of their lives, 11.8% (vs. 6.1%) of 18- to 24-year-olds have made at least one suicide attempt.
The prevalence of diabetes (8.8% among men vs. 7.9% in mainland France, and 8.0% among women vs. 3.7%) and of overweight/obesity (15.3% obesity among men vs. 13.2% in mainland France, and 17.7% among women vs. 13.8%) are also significant, especially among people aged 55 and older, for whom prevalence rates are much higher than those in mainland France.
Percentage distribution for the three health perception questions* in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and mainland France, by age, all genders
* 1) How is your overall health? 2) Do you have a chronic or long-term illness or health condition? 3) Have you been limited for at least 6 months by a health condition in activities that people usually do?
What will the results be used for?
Although preliminary, the results presented in this summary will be useful in helping to shape local public health policies. In particular, by identifying target populations, they will help define the actions needed to address these public health issues.
More broadly, and to evaluate the actions to be carried out at the local level, this survey could be repeated at regular intervals in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.
3 Questions for Dominik PASCAL, Director of the Territorial Health Administration
The Territorial Health Administration (ATS) is the equivalent of the regional health agencies in mainland France or in the overseas departments and territories. It is unique in that it is attached to the prefecture of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and is headed by a prefect. Our archipelago is located directly across the Atlantic from Brest, 4,000 km away as the crow flies.
The ATS’s responsibilities are essentially the same as those in mainland France. This involves organizing health monitoring and safety, often in coordination with the Ministry of Health but also with Newfoundland, which is just a few kilometers away.
We must define, fund, and evaluate preventive and health promotion initiatives.
We must also regulate, guide, and organize healthcare services in the territory, taking our specific circumstances into account. Examples include a single hospital with very few specialties available year-round and a separate health insurance system, independent of the CPAM.
First and foremost, we needed an objective and factual snapshot of the health status of people aged 18–75, as a great deal of unsubstantiated information was circulating.
Second, it is important to be able to tailor various national policies to the needs of our 6,000 residents. These results allow us to identify priorities.
Finally, the visit by Santé publique France to the “island” made it possible to compare the Barometer’s figures with the on-the-ground expertise of all healthcare professionals. The discussions were fruitful and helped identify areas for further work and create synergy.
Two key themes have been identified and will be priorities for action: cancer monitoring and the well-being of young people aged 10 to 18.
There was broad consensus that certain statistics convinced policymakers—such as the need to raise the price of tobacco.
Other initiatives are aimed at the medium and long term: exploring and utilizing data from the barometer not used in this summary, establishing a space for young people to gather, receive support, and be heard, advocating for school meal programs, strengthening the network of sentinel physicians, and monitoring trends in medical evacuations…
In short, this is a snapshot of a population that had never been studied before and that has given a real boost to prevention in a country where we are, after all, used to storms!
enquêtes/études
11 January 2023
Public Health France 2020 Health Barometer: Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. Initial descriptive findings
questionnaire
23 August 2021
