Striving for excellence in primary prevention and knowledge translation, transfer, and exchange
Transferring knowledge that meets identified needs and reflects current, evidence-based information
Recognizing the diversity of Saskatchewan’s population and working with communities to exchange knowledge
Collaborating with stakeholders to build and promote authentic partnerships with integrity
Providing a healthy and effective work environment for employees focusing on integrity, commitment to the Prevention Institute’s vision, professionalism, responsibility, accountability, and teamwork
Working across jurisdictional boundaries to meet the needs of people and communities
Acknowledging the Prevention Institute’s place within Saskatchewan’s Treaties and seeking its appropriate role in reconciliation
What is Primary Prevention?
Primary prevention aims to prevent disabling conditions from occurring by eliminating or modifying risk factors that can occur before or during pregnancy or after birth. Primary prevention efforts to prevent disabilities are the responsibility of both society and individuals. It is important to recognize that not all disabling conditions are preventable.
How does Primary Prevention Work?
Sometimes, primary prevention is legislated. Smoking restrictions in public places, the removal of lead from paint, and the use of seat belts and child passenger restraints are examples of legislated primary prevention. Primary prevention is also addressed through health promotion, education, community-based programming, and other practices that enable individuals and families to get support and make decisions about their health.
Primary prevention efforts are based in evidence. Preventing disabling conditions in children can occur prior to pregnancy (preconception), during pregnancy (prenatal period), and in childhood. Some examples are:
Taking folic acid prior to and during pregnancy helps to prevent children from being born with neural tube defects.
Testing for and treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) helps to prevent transmission of the STI to the fetus.
Avoiding alcohol during pregnancy prevents Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Avoiding tobacco during pregnancy helps prevent low birth weight babies.
Immunizations prevent diseases like polio, measles, and whooping cough.
Vitamin D fortification of milk helps prevent rickets.
Proper use of child passenger restraints helps mitigate injury and death of an infant or child in the event of a car crash.
Promoting and supporting early childhood mental health improves long-term mental and physical health.
How does the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute Practice Primary Prevention?
The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute is committed to working collaboratively to promote primary prevention throughout the province. We share evidence-based information through print and web-based resources. We provide education and training on all of our areas of focus. We collaborate to help communities work towards primary prevention and meet their identified needs. Content experts and consumers of our information and training are involved to help us expand our programming.
What is a Disability?
“Disability” describes the impacts on individuals from impairment to their bodies’ function or structure, limitations to their ability to execute a task or action, or restrictions to their participation in life situations like school, work, or social life. Individuals can also be impacted by society’s view of their abilities.
Physical and social interventions can increase the opportunities of individuals, regardless of ability, to have a satisfying life.
The Prevention Institute gratefully acknowledges the support and guidance received from a number of dedicated Saskatchewan citizens who serve as community-at-large members.
The Government’s Early Years Plan (2016-2020) was developed ‘to make sure all Saskatchewan children get a good start in life’. This complements the Prevention Institute’s mission ‘to reduce the occurrence of disabling conditions in children’. The Government is represented at the Institute by Board Members from the Ministries of Health, Social Services, and Education.
The Kinsmen Foundation, through the proceeds of TeleMiracle, provides special needs equipment and access to medical assistance to Saskatchewan residents, groups, and health organizations to improve quality of life and independence.
SaskAbilities works with people of varying disabilities to enhance their independence and paticipation in the community through vocational, rehabilitation, and recreational services.
The University of Saskatchewan dedicates itself to excellence in research, teaching, and learning. The University of Saskatchewan is represented at the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute by academics from the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Education.
Program Funders
Saskatchewan Prevention Institute
Celebrating 25 Years
This video chronicles the founding and development of the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute. It includes information about corporate structure and funding, as well as past programming initiatives.
Striving for excellence in primary prevention and knowledge translation, transfer, and exchange
Transferring knowledge that meets identified needs and reflects current, evidence-based information
Recognizing the diversity of Saskatchewan’s population and working with communities to exchange knowledge
Collaborating with stakeholders to build and promote authentic partnerships with integrity
Providing a healthy and effective work environment for employees focusing on integrity, commitment to the Prevention Institute’s vision, professionalism, responsibility, accountability, and teamwork
Working across jurisdictional boundaries to meet the needs of people and communities
Acknowledging the Prevention Institute’s place within Saskatchewan’s Treaties and seeking its appropriate role in reconciliation
What is Primary Prevention?
Primary prevention aims to prevent disabling conditions from occurring by eliminating or modifying risk factors that can occur before or during pregnancy or after birth. Primary prevention efforts to prevent disabilities are the responsibility of both society and individuals. It is important to recognize that not all disabling conditions are preventable.
How does Primary Prevention Work?
Sometimes, primary prevention is legislated. Smoking restrictions in public places, the removal of lead from paint, and the use of seat belts and child passenger restraints are examples of legislated primary prevention. Primary prevention is also addressed through health promotion, education, community-based programming, and other practices that enable individuals and families to get support and make decisions about their health.
Primary prevention efforts are based in evidence. Preventing disabling conditions in children can occur prior to pregnancy (preconception), during pregnancy (prenatal period), and in childhood. Some examples are:
Taking folic acid prior to and during pregnancy helps to prevent children from being born with neural tube defects.
Testing for and treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) helps to prevent transmission of the STI to the fetus.
Avoiding alcohol during pregnancy prevents Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Avoiding tobacco during pregnancy helps prevent low birth weight babies.
Immunizations prevent diseases like polio, measles, and whooping cough.
Vitamin D fortification of milk helps prevent rickets.
Proper use of child passenger restraints helps mitigate injury and death of an infant or child in the event of a car crash.
Promoting and supporting early childhood mental health improves long-term mental and physical health.
How does the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute Practice Primary Prevention?
The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute is committed to working collaboratively to promote primary prevention throughout the province. We share evidence-based information through print and web-based resources. We provide education and training on all of our areas of focus. We collaborate to help communities work towards primary prevention and meet their identified needs. Content experts and consumers of our information and training are involved to help us expand our programming.
What is a Disability?
“Disability” describes the impacts on individuals from impairment to their bodies’ function or structure, limitations to their ability to execute a task or action, or restrictions to their participation in life situations like school, work, or social life. Individuals can also be impacted by society’s view of their abilities.
Physical and social interventions can increase the opportunities of individuals, regardless of ability, to have a satisfying life.
This video chronicles the founding and development of the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute. It includes information about corporate structure and funding, as well as past programming initiatives.
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Building a Healthy Foundation: Nutrition for Families
The Supporting Parents Webinar Series focuses on topics to help parents and caregivers learn how to create environments that help children thrive. These webinars can be used as part of parenting groups or can be used by parents and caregivers independently. Interactive activities are used to share strategies and tips to enhance capacity to raise healthy, safe, and happy children. A recording of the webinar content and activity instructions will be available after each event.
This webinar will discuss a common parenting concern: feeding a family and raising children who are happy, confident eaters. It will guide participants through a framework for creating lasting healthy eating habits for families. Common concerns discussed include: nutrition during pregnancy, developing a positive relationship with food, picky eating in children, and creating a balanced pattern of eating. This webinar includes interactive activities to begin practicing skills to build a healthy nutrition foundation.
Pieces of the Puzzle: - An Introduction to the Webinar Series and the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute
Children’s well-being depends on safe, nurturing environments with support, love, and consistent care. There are many pieces of the puzzle that are needed to help children thrive. This webinar highlights new and existing resources from the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute for service providers to support parents and caregivers. It includes information on the Supporting Parents Webinar Series and how these webinars can be used in parent programming. Interactive activities share strategies and tips to enhance capacity to raise healthy, safe, and happy children.
The Wonderful World of Parenting: Parenting Roles and Responsibilities
This interactive virtual session explores the various hats that parents and caregivers wear. Participants reflect on how they carry out and feel about their various roles and responsibilities. This session offers opportunities to understand why these roles are important, how responsibilities can be reframed, and why taking care of oneself is a crucial part of caring for others.
All children depend on the adults around them to provide safe, healthy environments to learn, grow, and develop new skills. This presentation supports parents and caregivers in preparing for each stage of child development to better predict and prevent injuries. Unintentional childhood injuries are predictable and preventable, yet they persist as a leading cause of hospitalization and death for children in Canada. By recognizing and addressing common hazards in a child’s environment, parents and caregivers can keep their children safe from life-altering injuries without any bubble wrap.
The Supporting Parents Webinar Series focuses on topics to help parents and caregivers learn how to create environments that help children thrive. These webinars can be used as part of parenting groups or can be used by parents and caregivers independently. Interactive activities are used to share strategies and tips to enhance capacity to raise healthy, safe, and happy children. A recording of the webinar content and activity instructions will be available after each event.
This interactive webinar includes an overview of brain development and stress awareness, and introduces participants to the book My Curious Brain, the My Curious Brain Resource Room, and the My Curious Brain User Guide. These fun and educational resources can be used by parents and caregivers to teach children about how the brain works, big emotions, and how to manage them. With greater awareness of stress and how the brain works, children and the adults in their lives can develop self-regulation skills and strategies to help them effectively deal with stressors.
