scholarly journals Examining the relationship between food insecurity and causes of injury in Canadian adults and adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Men ◽  
Marcelo L. Urquia ◽  
Valerie Tarasuk

Abstract Background Food insecurity, as an indicator of socioeconomic disadvantages and a determinant of health, may be associated with injury by increasing risk exposure and hampering risk mitigation. We examined the association between food insecurity and common causes of injury in the general population. Methods Linking the Canadian Community Health Survey 2005–2017 to National Ambulatory Care Reporting System 2003–2017, this retrospective cohort study estimated incidence of injury-related emergency department (ED) visits by food insecurity status among 212,300 individuals 12 years and above in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Alberta, adjusting for prior ED visits, lifestyle, and sociodemographic characteristics including income. Results Compared to those in food-secure households, individuals from moderately and severely food-insecure households had 1.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.25) and 1.35 (95% CI 1.24–1.48) times higher incidence rate of ED visits due to injury, respectively, after confounders adjustment. The association was observed across sex and age groups. Severe food insecurity was associated with intentional injuries (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] 1.81; 95% CI 1.29–2.53) including self-harm (aRR 1.87; 95% CI 1.03–3.40) and violence (aRR 1.79; 95% CI 1.19–2.67) as well as non-intentional injuries (aRR 1.34; 95% CI 1.22–1.46) including fall (aRR 1.43; 95% CI 1.24–1.65), medical complication (aRR 1.39; 95% CI 1.06–1.82), being struck by objects (aRR 1.43; 95% CI 1.07–1.91), overexertion (aRR 1.31; 95% CI 1.04–1.66), animal bite or sting (aRR 1.60; 95% CI 1.08–2.36), skin piercing (aRR 1.80; 95% CI 1.21–2.66), and poisoning (aRR 1.65; 95% CI 1.05–2.59). Moderate food insecurity was associated with more injuries from violence (aRR 1.56; 95% CI 1.09–2.21), falls (aRR 1.22; 95% CI 1.08–1.37), being struck (aRR 1.20; 95% CI 1.01–1.43), and overexertion (aRR 1.25; 95% CI 1.04–1.50). Moderate and severe food insecurity were associated with falls on stairs and being struck in non-sports settings but not with falls on same level or being struck during sports. Food insecurity was not related to transport injuries. Conclusions Health inequity by food insecurity status extends beyond diseases into differential risk of injury, warranting policy intervention. Researchers and policymakers need to address food insecurity as a social determinant of injury to improve health equity.

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Xue Feng Hu ◽  
Hing Man Chan

Fish and seafood are excellent sources of nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, and selenium. The aims of this study were to examine the pattern of seafood consumption among Canadians and determine their contribution to intakes of energy and nutrients. Day-1 24-h dietary recalls data collected from a national survey, the Canadian Community Health Survey—Nutrition in 2004 and 2015, were used to estimate food and nutrient intakes among Canadians. Seafood was classified according to the Bureau of Nutritional Sciences food list. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the consumption rate and the average consumption amount of seafood by different age groups and sociodemographic characteristics. Population ratios were used to assess the contribution of seafood to the total intake of energy and nutrients. The overall consumption rate of seafood was around 17%, and the rate was similar between males and females, and slightly higher in 2015 (17.71%) compared to 2004 (16.38%). The average portion size is approximately 100 g, which translates into a ≈36 kg annual intake among the consumers and ≈6.2 kg per capita consumption. Adults (especially 30 years and above), Asians, individuals who were married, and with post-secondary education were more likely to consume seafood. Salmon, tuna, shrimp, cod, and crab were the most frequently consumed seafood in Canada, the consumption rate of which all increased from 2004 to 2015. Seafood provided up to 75% of n-3 PUFAs, 18% of Vitamin D, 19% Vitamin B12, 6% of niacin, and 4% of Vitamin B6 from all food sources. Seafood consumers had a healthier diet, as seafood consumption was related to a higher intake of key nutrients and a lower intake of total sugar and saturated fatty acids. Therefore, fish consumption should be promoted among Canadians.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga ◽  
Yujiro Sano ◽  
Isaac Bayor ◽  
Joseph Asumah Braimah ◽  
Abraham Marshall Nunbogu ◽  
...  

Abstract Food insecurity among elderly people is a major public health concern due to its association with several health conditions. Despite growing research and implementation of diverse income-based policy measures, food insecurity among elderly people remains a major policy issue in Canada. Additional research could inform food policy beyond strategies that target improving the financial resources of elderly people. Drawing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 24,930), we explored the correlates of food insecurity among older adults using negative log-log logistic regression techniques. Our findings show that certain categories of elderly people are more prone to food insecurity. These segments include seniors who are visible minorities (OR = 1.29, p < 0.01), live alone (OR = 1.13, p < 0.05), have a very weak sense of community belonging (OR = 1.40, p < 0.001), in poor physical health (OR = 1.20, p < 0.01), and those in lower age and income categories. These findings corroborate previous studies that demonstrate that food insecurity among elderly people is a complex phenomenon influenced by diverse socio-economic factors. In Canada, food security policies targeted at elderly people have largely prioritised poverty alleviation through income support programmes. While these programmes can improve the purchasing power of elderly people, they may not be sufficient in ensuring food security. There is a need to embrace and further investigate an integrated approach that pays attention to other contextual socio-economic dynamics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 397-397
Author(s):  
Hee Yun Lee ◽  
Eun Young Choi ◽  
Jieun Song ◽  
Jamie Gajos ◽  
Yan Luo

Abstract Opioid overdose risk is particularly high in immigrant communities partly due to limited English proficiency (Guarino et al., 2015). Previous studies reported that social determinants of health (SDH) have been associated with risk for opioid overdose (Dasgupta et al., 2018). The current study examines the association between SDH and literacy of opioid overdose risk among the immigrant population living in a rural area. Specifically, we examine the association in various age groups including young adults (aged 20 to 34), middle-aged (aged 35 to 49), and older adults (ages 50 to 75). Data were drawn from a sample of Korean American immigrants residing in rural Alabama (N=225). The participants administered the Brief Opioid Knowledge (BOOK) Questionnaire (Dunn et al., 2016). Multiple regression analyses were conducted for three age groups to identify predictors of opioid literacy. Overall, older adults had lower levels of opioid literacy relative to their younger counterparts. Among young adults, low English proficiency, more chronic conditions, and greater depressive symptoms were significant predictors of limited opioid literacy. For the middle-aged adults, lower levels of health literacy and more pain symptoms were associated with limited opioid literacy. Among older adults, women, those with higher English proficiency, and lower health literacy had lower levels of opioid literacy. The findings demonstrated a greater vulnerability of older immigrants to limited opioid literacy. Different predictors based on SDH of limited opioid literacy across age groups have implications for tailored health promotion strategies to reduce opioid overdose risk.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhinav J Appukutty ◽  
Lesli E Skolarus ◽  
Mellanie V Springer ◽  
William J Meurer ◽  
James F Burke

Introduction: Stroke incidence is reportedly increasing in younger adults. While increasing vascular risk factor prevalence has been suggested as a cause, the reasons for rising stroke incidence in the young are not clear. We explored several alternate explanations: trends in neurologically-focused emergency department (ED) visits, differential diagnostic classification of stroke and TIA over time, and changes in the use of advanced imaging in young and older adults. Methods: We performed a retrospective, serial, cross-sectional study on a nationally representative sample of all ED visits in the United States to quantify changes in patterns of neurologically-focused ED visits, stroke and TIA diagnoses, and rates of MRI utilization for young (18 – 44 years) and older (65+ years) adults over a 17-year period (1995 – 2000; 2005 – 2015) using National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) data. Results: In young adults, 0.4% (95% CI 0.3% – 0.5%) of neurologically-focused ED visits resulted in a primary diagnosis of stroke vs. 6.8% (95% CI 6.2% – 7.5%) for older adults. In both populations, the incidence of neurologically-focused ED visits has increased over time (+111/100,000 population/year, 95% CI +94 – +130 in the young vs. +70/100,000 population/year, 95% CI +34 – +108 in older adults). There was no evidence of differential classification of TIA to stroke over time (OR 1.001 per year, 95% CI 0.926 – 1.083 in the young; OR 1.003 per year, 95% CI 0.982 – 1.026 in older adults) and no evidence of disproportionate rise in MRI utilization for neurologically-focused ED visits in the young (OR 1.057 per year, 95% CI 1.028 – 1.086 in the young; OR 1.095 per year, 95% CI 1.066 – 1.125 in older adults). Conclusions: If the specificity of stroke diagnosis amongst ED visits is similar amongst young and older populations, then the combination of data observed here, including (1) a lower prior probability of stroke diagnoses in the young and (2) an increasing trend in neurologically-focused ED visits in both age groups, suggests that false positive diagnoses will increase over time, with a faster rise in the young compared to older adults. These data suggest a potential explanation that may contribute to higher stroke incidence in the young and merits further scrutiny.


Author(s):  
Zheng Haolan ◽  
Isabella M. Campbell ◽  
Wayne C.W. Giang*

Using phones while walking has been a factor that has led to accidents and injuries. However, few studies have analyzed the propensity of injuries due to distracted walking for different age groups and in different types of walking environments. This study aims to examine the number of emergency department (ED) visits due to distracted walking across different age groups and walking environments using a publicly available dataset, the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. The results suggest that there were an estimated 29140 distracted walking injuries between the years 2011-2019. Individuals between 11 and 20 years old had the most injuries, followed by 21 to 30, and 31 to 40. Furthermore, the proportion of estimated injuries that occurred in different walking environments differed across age groups. Safety-orient interventions for future research for stairs and home environments were also recommended in the present study.


CJEM ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (05) ◽  
pp. 323-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Heiber ◽  
W.Y. Wendy Lou

ABSTRACTObjectives:To examine the effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on visits to a community hospital emergency department (ED) during the early stage of the Toronto outbreak in 2003 and for the same period in 2004. We focused on visits for respiratory illness (SARS-like symptoms) and different age groups.Methods:This study is a retrospective review of ED discharge diagnoses obtained from a computerized database, examining the 4-week period starting March 28 for the years 2001-2004. We obtained the discharge diagnosis, age and visit date for each ED patient during the relevant time intervals, then compared visit data from 2003 and 2004 with a baseline derived from the average number of visits during 2001 and 2002. We constructed groupings based on age and respiratory-illness symptoms.Results:During the SARS outbreak in 2003, ED visits declined by 21% (95% confidence interval [CI], 18%–24%) over the 4-week study period. The greatest reduction was for combined infant and toddler visits (69%; 95% CI, 58%–79%); these did not recover the following year. However, during the SARS outbreak there was a large increase in the number of visits for respiratory illnesses in adults (61%; 95% CI, 46%–75%) and in teenagers (132%; 95% CI, 82%–182%).Conclusions:During the SARS outbreak, total ED visits fell. The relative decline was most notable for infants and toddlers. By contrast, there was an increase in respiratory illness–related visits for adults and teenagers. In 2004, the year following the SARS outbreak, visit patterns shifted toward baseline levels, but ED visits by infants and toddlers remained depressed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shubham Kumar ◽  
Anjali Bansal ◽  
Neha Shri ◽  
Nayan Jyoti Nath ◽  
Divya Dosaya

Abstract Background Food Insecurity (FI) is a crucial social determinant of health, independent of other socioeconomic factors, as inadequate food resources create a threat to physical and mental health especially among older person. The present study explores the associations between FI and cognitive ability among the aged population in India. Methods To measure the cognitive functioning we have used two proxies, word recall and computational problem. Descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression was used to understand the prevalence of word recall and computational problem by food security and some selected sociodemographic parameters. All the results were reported at 95% confidence interval. Results We have used the data from the first wave of longitudinal ageing study of India (LASI), with a sample of 31,464 older persons 60 years and above. The study identified that 17 and 5% of the older population in India experiencing computational and word recall problem, respectively. It was found that respondents from food secure households were 14% less likely to have word recall problems [AOR:0.86, 95% CI:0.31–0.98], and 55% likely to have computational problems [AOR:0.45, 95% CI:0.29–0.70]. We also found poor cognitive functioning among those experiencing disability, severe ADL, and IADL. Further, factors such as age, education, marital status, working status, health related factors were the major contributors to the cognitive functioning in older adults. Conclusion This study suggest that food insecurity is associated with a lower level of cognition among the elderly in India, which highlight the need of food policy and interventional strategies to address food insecurity, especially among the individuals belonging to lower wealth quintiles. Furthermore, increasing the coverage of food distribution may also help to decrease the burden of disease for the at most risk population. Also, there is a need for specific programs and policies that improve the availability of nutritious food among elderly.


2005 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 213-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J Cox ◽  
Nancy Yu ◽  
Tracie O Afifi ◽  
Robert Ladouceur

Objective: The 1990s saw widespread expansion of new forms of legalized gambling involving video lottery terminals (VLTs) in community settings (that is, in bars and restaurant lounges) and permanent casinos in several Canadian provinces. To date, there has never been a national survey of gambling problems with representative interprovincial data. Using a new survey, we sought to compare prevalence figures across the 10 Canadian provinces. Method: Using the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, we investigated the current 12-month prevalence of gambling problems in the Canadian Community Health Survey: Cycle 1.2—Mental Health and Well-Being, in which a random sample of 34 770 community-dwelling respondents aged 15 years and over were interviewed. The response rate was 77%. The data are representative at the provincial level and were compared with the availability of VLTs per 1000 population and with the presence of permanent casinos for each province. Results: Manitoba (2.9%) and Saskatchewan (also 2.9%) had the highest prevalence of gambling problems (specifically, moderate and severe problem levels combined). These 2 provinces had significantly higher levels than the 2 provinces with the lowest prevalence of gambling problems: Quebec (1.7%) and New Brunswick (1.5%). Conclusions: The 12-month prevalence of gambling problems in Canada was 2.0%, with interprovincial variability. The highest prevalence emerged in areas with high concentrations of VLTs in the community combined with permanent casinos. These findings support earlier predictions that the rapid and prolific expansion of new forms of legalized gambling in many regions of the country would be associated with a considerable public health cost.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Devan Tchir ◽  
Marwa Farag ◽  
Michael Szafron

Introduction: The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is used in Canada to detect prostate cancer (PCa) despite mixed recommendations. Complications arising from false-positives are common, posing as a cancer-screening concern. This work estimates some Canadian rates of PSA screening and identifies men at increased odds for PSA screening. Methods: The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) from 2009/10 (Atlantic Canada; ATL), 2011/2012 (Ontario; ON), and 2013/2014 (Quebec; QC) were used. Lifetime and recent PSA screening with confidence intervals were constructed to estimate PSA screening in ATL, ON, and QC. Two logistic regression models (for men <50 and ≥50 years of age) were used to determine associations between factors and lifetime PSA screening. Results: PSA screening rates have increased in most age groups for ATL, ON, and QC since 2000/2001. Factors positively associated with lifetime PSA screening in men of all ages were: having a digital rectal exam, having a regular doctor, and having a colorectal exam. Fruit and vegetables consumption and non-smoking status were positively associated with lifetime PSA screening in men <50 years of age. High income and the presence of chronic health conditions were positively associated with lifetime PSA screening in men ≥50 years of age. Conclusions: PSA screening rates have generally increased since 2000/2001 in Canada. Physician-related factors play a role in men at all ages, while different factors are associated in men <50 years of age and men ≥50 years of age. Limitations include the generalizability to all of Canada and the potential for recall bias.


Author(s):  
Monideepa B. Becerra ◽  
Benjamin J. Becerra

Food insecurity is a major social determinant of health and an assessment of how it may impact college students’ mental health is imperative, as well as differential associations by self-identified gender. A cross-sectional survey was used among college students of a mid-size minority-serving institution with a final sample size of 302 participants aged 18 years or above. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regressions were conducted, by gender, to assess the role of food insecurity (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) six-item questionnaire), on mental health outcomes (Kessler-6 scale and self-perception). All the statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS version 24 (IBM, Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA) with an alpha less than 0.05 used to denote significance. Among those with food insecurity, the odds of reporting psychological distress (odds ratio (OR) = 3.645, p < 0.05) and an average to very poor self-perceived mental health status (OR = 2.687, p <0.05) were higher compared to their food-secure counterparts, with the results consistent in a gender-specific analysis as well. Compared to men, however, women had higher odds of psychological distress (OR = 2.280, p < 0.05), as well as reporting average to very poor self-perceived mental health statuses (OR = 2.700, p < 0.05). Among women, any alcohol use in the past 12 months (OR = 2.505, p < 0.05) and a low self-perceived physical health status (OR = 3.601, p < 0.05) were associated with an average to very poor self-perceived mental health status. Among men, a low perceived physical health status was associated with higher odds of psychological distress (OR = 3.477, p < 0.05). The results of our study highlight that food insecurity should be considered a social determinant of mental health wellbeing. In addition, gender-specific trends in mental health highlight the need for targeted interventions for prevention and treatment.


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