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Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU), supported by Public Health Ontario, led a multi-phase research initiative to examine the association between alcohol availability and public service use. This PHO Rounds will present two projects that use changes in alcohol availability to better understand the growing burden of alcohol-related harm on emergency services in this region. Two natural experiments were evaluated:

• Sunday/Monday closures of a local LCBO store beginning in 2022
• The July 2024 province-wide LCBO strike 

Using regression and time series models, the analyses assessed impacts on police and emergency medical services calls and alcohol-attributable emergency room visits. This work highlights the critical role of public health leadership in multi-sectoral data integration, analysis, and evidence-informed policy.

Intended Audience: Researchers, public health professionals with interest in alcohol use, data analysts, epidemiologists in public health.

By the end of this event, participants will be able to:

• Identify potential contributors to alcohol-related harms in rural communities.
• Develop strategies to evaluate natural public health experiments.
• Describe how alcohol availability may impact emergency service use.

Dr. Kit Young Hoon, MBBS, MPH MSc, FRCPC (she/her) is the Medical Officer of Health for Northwestern Health Unit and was appointed to the role in 2014. Dr. Young Hoon is a Public Health and Preventative Medicine Specialist certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and was trained at McMaster University. Dr. Young Hoon also holds a Master of Science from McMaster in addition to her Master of Public Health from Lakehead University. She has worked for public health units in Hamilton, Toronto, Niagara Region, and Waterloo Region, and has also worked clinically in Ontario, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Young Hoon is happy to call Kenora home and enjoys spending time with her family and participating in community events.


Justin Thielman, MSc is an Epidemiologist Lead on the Data Science & Analytics team at Public Health Ontario, where he supports a wide range of analytical projects with an emphasis on chronic disease and injury prevention. His recent work has focused on alcohol use and alcohol‑related harms, collaborating with partners at Public Health Ontario, Ontario Health, and health units across the province, including Northwestern Health Unit.

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Public Health Ontario Grand Rounds are a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). In order to receive written documentation for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, please check “Yes” beside the question “Do you require CME credits?” on the registration form.

College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Affiliate Members may count RCPSC credits toward their Mainpro+ credit requirements. All other CFPC members may claim up to 50 Certified credits per cycle for participation in RCPSC MOC Section 1 accredited activities.

PHO Grand Rounds are also approved by the Council of Professional Experience for professional development hours (PDHs) for members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).

For more information or for a record of registration for other Continuing Education purposes, please contact events@oahpp.ca

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or events@oahpp.ca.