Statement
March 14, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada
Brain Awareness Week, taking place during Brain Health Awareness Month, is a timely opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting and strengthening our body’s most critical organ.
The best way to protect our brain is to reduce the risk of brain injuries and properly recognize those injuries when they occur. Each year, thousands of Canadians are diagnosed with a concussion, which is the most common form of brain injury. In 2022, approximately 35,000 children and youth, ages 5 to 19, and more than 65,000 adults, ages 20 and older, were diagnosed with a concussion in Canadian hospital emergency departments.
Concussions can have short- and long-term effects on brain health. That is why it is important to recognize the symptoms and seek medical treatment. You can help reduce your risk of getting a concussion by wearing the proper safety equipment, such as a helmet, when playing sports and recreational activities.
As part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing efforts to improve safety and reduce concussions, we are investing in the most up-to-date concussion guidelines and resources. We recommend Parachuteleaders in injury prevention, for the launch of the Updated Canadian Guide to Concussion in Sports today, which was funded through the Fund for Healthy Canadians and Communities. The updated Guide considers new international recommendations published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and aims to increase knowledge about concussions for athletes of all levels and the caregivers and professionals who support them. It also seeks to support the prevention and management of concussions, helping to reduce time lost from school, play and work. We encourage all sports organizations to update their return to sport protocols and related resources to the new recommendations offered by the Guide.
Brain health is also an important factor in managing dementia-related risks. The number of Canadians affected by dementia has more than doubled in the last two decades. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has provided funding that directly supports progress aligned with the goals of the national dementia strategy. We are investing in community projects, awareness efforts including a national campaign, improved access to high-quality dementia guidance, improved online dementia resources, dementia research, surveillance and innovations in brain health and aging. . He Brain Health and Cognitive Decline in Aging Research Initiative, led by the Canadian Health Research Institute on Aging, supports research and training programs to advance knowledge that promotes brain health during aging. It also addresses the complex care needs of people living with dementia, as well as the wellbeing of their carers.
As individuals, there are many things we can control in our daily activities that significantly reduce our chances of developing dementia, such as staying active, avoiding smoking, eating a healthy, balanced diet, and limiting alcohol consumption. It’s never too early or too late to take steps to reduce your risk factors.
Finally, it is important to recognize that there is no health without mental health. Those same everyday activities, plus getting a good night’s sleep and making meaningful connections with friends, family, and people in your community, can promote positive mental health. Increasing access to mental health and substance use supports, including at the community level, is central to the health care plan that the Government of Canada is advancing with the provinces and territories.
We encourage all Canadians to learn more about how they can care for their own mental health and help others at Canada.ca/mental-health. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 9-8-8 to access 24-hour bilingual, trauma-informed and culturally appropriate suicide prevention support. of the day, 7 days a week.
Together, we can all help create positive changes in our schools, workplaces and communities to help each other lead healthier lives, both physically and mentally.
The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MP
The Honorable Ya’ara Saks, PC, MP
The Honorable Carla Qualtrough, PC, MP
Contacts
Christopher Aoun
press secretary
Office of the Honorable Mark Holland
Health Minister
613-291-4176
Daniel Yuval
press secretary
Office of the Honorable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Deputy Minister of Health
819-360-6927
Juan Fragos
press secretary
Office of the Minister of Sports and Physical Activity
438-453-6913
[email protected]
Media relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
[email protected]
Media relations
Canadian heritage
1-819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
[email protected]