Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 16-31; doi:10.3390/ijerph120100016 OPEN ACCESS International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ISSN 1660-4601 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph Article Applying an Ecohealth Perspective in a State of the Environment Report: Experiences of a Local Public Health Unit in Canada Steven Lam 1,2,*, Alanna Leffley 2 and Donald C. Cole 3 1 Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada 2 Grey Bruce Health Unit, 101 17th St E, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 0A5, Canada; E-Mail:
[email protected] 3 Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada; E-Mail:
[email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +1-519-830-8202. Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou Received: 10 November 2014 / Accepted: 15 December 2014 / Published: 23 December 2014 Abstract: We applied an Ecohealth perspective into a State of the Environment report for Grey Bruce Health Unit and summarized environmental and health data relevant for public health practice. We aimed for comprehensiveness in our data compilation, including: standard media categories (e.g., air, water, land); and ecological indicators (e.g., vectors, forests, wetlands). Data sources included both primary (collected by an organization) and secondary (assembled by others). We organized indicators with the Driving forces-Pressure-State-Exposure-Effect-Action (DPSEEA) framework created by the World Health Organization. Indicators of air, water and land quality generally appeared to point towards a healthy state.