scholarly journals Evidence synthesis - The opioid crisis in Canada: a national perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 224-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Belzak ◽  
Jessica Halverson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Opioid Crisis ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
Reported Data

Introduction This review provides a national summary of what is currently known about the Canadian opioid crisis with respect to opioid-related deaths and harms and potential risk factors as of December 2017. Methods We reviewed all public-facing opioid-related surveillance or epidemiological reports published by provincial and territorial ministries of health and chief coroners’ or medical examiners’ offices. In addition, we reviewed publications from federal partners and reports and articles published prior to December 2017. We synthesized the evidence by comparing provincial and territorial opioid-related mortality and morbidity rates with the national rates to look for regional trends. Results The opioid crisis has affected every region of the country, although some jurisdictions have been impacted more than others. As of 2016, apparent opioid-related deaths and hospitalization rates were highest in the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta and in both Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Nationally, most apparent opioid-related deaths occurred among males; individuals between 30 and 39 years of age accounted for the greatest proportion. Current evidence suggests regional age and sex differences with respect to health outcomes, especially when synthetic opioids are involved. However, differences between data collection methods and reporting requirements may impact the interpretation and comparability of reported data. Conclusion This report identifies gaps in evidence and areas for further investigation to improve our understanding of the national opioid crisis. The Public Health Agency of Canada will continue to work closely with the provinces, territories and national partners to further refine and standardize national data collection, conduct special studies and expand information-sharing to improve the evidence needed to inform public health action and prevent opioid-related deaths and harms.

Journaling among home care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A promising method for qualitative data collection

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110648
Author(s):  
Julia I Bandini ◽  
Julia Rollison ◽  
Jason Etchegaray
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Home Care Workers

Qualitative methods that capture individual lived experiences throughout rapidly changing circumstances are particularly important during public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic has put home care workers at risk as they provide vital services in homes to individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities. Using a 6-week journaling process in which we enrolled participants at different points, we sought to examine experiences of home care workers ( n = 47) in the United States in New York and Michigan during April–July 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our methods for data collection and analysis were guided by a general qualitative approach as we aimed to examine the weekly perspectives and lived experiences of home care workers. We asked individuals to respond to our journaling prompts weekly to capture their reflections in “real time.” To better understand home care workers’ perspectives on journaling and the broader external context in which they provided care, we triangulated our data with interviews with home care workers ( n = 19) and home health agency representatives ( n = 9). We explored the feasibility of a rolling journaling process during an unprecedented public health emergency, characterized by rapid changes and uncertainty in day-to-day life, and reflect on lessons learned to guide future research on journaling for data collection, particularly for marginalized workers during public health crises, when events are evolving rapidly.

A Comprehensive Approach to Addressing the Opioid Crisis

2019 ◽  
pp. 171-180
Author(s):  
Michael R. Fraser ◽  
Mark Levine
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Social Service Agencies ◽  
Treatment Providers ◽  
Opioid Crisis ◽  
The Many ◽  
Data Broker

An effective public health response to the opioid crisis includes understanding the many different contributors to the crisis and the need for a comprehensive versus piecemeal approach to addressing it. In this chapter, the authors add to prior work that describes the essential elements of a comprehensive response to the opioid crisis. Building on their commentary published in 2018, the authors state that there is a need to propel the governmental public health agency response well beyond its traditional role as data broker and convener of primarily health care partners toward a more contemporary and much-needed focus on the primary prevention of opioid misuse and addiction that forges new ground with social service agencies, employment and housing programs, law enforcement and corrections, addiction treatment providers and substance abuse prevention agencies, and many other sectors equally engaged in ending the opioid crisis.

scholarly journals Provincial implementation supports for socio-demographic data collection during COVID-19 in Ontario’s public health system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samiya Abdi ◽  
Caroline Bennett-AbuAyyash ◽  
Liane MacDonald ◽  
Karin Hohenadel ◽  
Karen O. Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Data Entry ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Regulatory Change ◽  
Marginalized Communities ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
Equity Principles

Abstract Setting The Ontario government implemented a regulatory change to mandate the collection of socio-demographic (SD) data for individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. This change was informed by evidence of COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on marginalized communities and calls for broader collection of SD data. Given the scarcity of similar efforts, there is a significant knowledge gap around implementing standardized SD data collection in public health settings. Intervention Public Health Ontario provided collaborative support for the implementation of SD data collection, grounded in health equity principles, evidence, and best practices. We supported the addition of SD fields in Ontario’s COVID-19 data collection systems, issued data entry guidance, hosted webinars for training and learning exchange, and published a resource to support the data collection process. The current focus is on building sustainability and quality improvement through continued engagement of public health units. Outcomes By November 28, 2020, almost 80% of COVID-19 cases had information recorded for at least one SD question (individual questions, range 46.8–67.0%). We hosted three webinars for the field, and the data collection resource was viewed almost 650 times. Practitioners continue to express needs for support on applying equity principles to data analysis and interpretation, and community engagement on data collection and use. Implications Sharing knowledge on responsive implementation supports in collaboration with the field and using current evidence and guidance will strengthen public health practice for SD data collection. Laying this groundwork will also improve the likelihood of success and sustainability of these equity-focused efforts.

scholarly journals What are Systematic Reviews?

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Jack Nunn ◽  
Steven Chang
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Environmental Interventions

Systematic reviews are a type of review that uses repeatable analytical methods to collect secondary data and analyse it. Systematic reviews are a type of evidence synthesis which formulate research questions that are broad or narrow in scope, and identify and synthesize data that directly relate to the systematic review question. While some people might associate ‘systematic review’ with 'meta-analysis', there are multiple kinds of review which can be defined as ‘systematic’ which do not involve a meta-analysis. Some systematic reviews critically appraise research studies, and synthesize findings qualitatively or quantitatively. Systematic reviews are often designed to provide an exhaustive summary of current evidence relevant to a research question. For example, systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials are an important way of informing evidence-based medicine, and a review of existing studies is often quicker and cheaper than embarking on a new study. While systematic reviews are often applied in the biomedical or healthcare context, they can be used in other areas where an assessment of a precisely defined subject would be helpful. Systematic reviews may examine clinical tests, public health interventions, environmental interventions, social interventions, adverse effects, qualitative evidence syntheses, methodological reviews, policy reviews, and economic evaluations. An understanding of systematic reviews and how to implement them in practice is highly recommended for professionals involved in the delivery of health care, public health and public policy.

scholarly journals An analytic perspective of a mixed methods study during humanitarian crises in South Sudan: translating facility- and community-based newborn guidelines into practice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira Sami ◽  
Ribka Amsalu ◽  
Alexander Dimiti ◽  
Debra Jackson ◽  
Kemish Kenneth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Study Team

Abstract Background: The civil war in 2016 led to mass displacement in Juba that rapidly spread to other regions of the country. Access to health care was limited because of attacks against health facilities and workers and pregnant women and newborns were among the most vulnerable. Translation of newborn guidelines into public health practice, particularly during periods of on-going violence, are not well studied during humanitarian emergencies. During 2016 to 2017, we assessed the feasibility of delivering a package of community- and facility-based newborn health interventions in displaced person camps to understand implementation outcomes. This case study describes the methodology for conducting a mixed methods study during periods of sudden violence.Discussion: Challenges unique to conducting research in South Sudan included violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers that required research partners to modify study plans on an ongoing basis to ensure staff and patient safety. South Sudan faced devastating cholera and measles outbreaks that shifted programmatic priorities. Costs associated with traveling study staff and transporting equipment kept rising due to hyperinflation and, after the July 2016 violence, the study team was unable to convene in Juba for some months to conduct refresher trainings or monitor data collection. Strategies used to address these challenges were: collaborating with non-research partners to identify operational solutions; maintaining a locally-based study team; maintaining flexible budgets and timelines; using mobile data collection to conduct timely data entry and remote quality checks; and utilizing a cascade approach for training field staff. Conclusions: The study provides lessons that are applicable to other humanitarian settings including the need for flexible research methods, budgets and timelines; innovative training and supervision; and a local team from the study sites with careful consideration of sociopolitical factors that impact their access and safety. Engagement of national and local stakeholders can ensure health services and data collection continue and findings translate to public health action, even in contexts facing severe and unpredictable insecurity. Word count: 314/350

scholarly journals An analytic perspective of a mixed methods study during humanitarian crises in South Sudan: translating facility- and community-based newborn guidelines into practice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira Sami ◽  
Ribka Amsalu ◽  
Alexander Dimiti ◽  
Debra Jackson ◽  
Kemish Kenneth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Public Health Action

Abstract Background: In South Sudan, civil war worsened in 2016 leading to massive displacement in Juba that rapidly spread to other regions of the country. Access to health care is sparse due to attacks on health facilities and workers; pregnant women and newborns are amongst the most vulnerable in this context. The feasibility of implementing a new package of community- and facility-based newborn health interventions was assessed in displaced person camps during periods of sudden violence from 2016 to 2017. The case study aimed to understand implementation research outcomes such as acceptability, adoption, and other factors influencing implementation.Discussion: Countries with the highest neonatal mortality have recently experienced humanitarian emergencies and the translation of newborn guidelines into public health practice, particularly during periods of on-going violence, are not well understood or operationalized in these contexts. Unique challenges to conducting research in South Sudan included violent attacks against health facilities and workers that required implementing partners to modify modes of service delivery on an ongoing basis to ensure staff and patient safety. South Sudan faced devastating outbreaks such as a cholera and measles that shifted response priorities and then a new wave of displacement due to conflict resulted in staff relocation. Costs associated with transporting study staff and equipment kept rising due to hyperinflation, and study co-investigators were unable to return to South Sudan for some months following the July 2016 violence to conduct refresher trainings or monitor data collection. Strategies used to address these challenges were: collaborating with diverse partners to identify creative solutions; hiring locally-based research staff; maintaining flexible budgets and timelines; using mobile data collection to conduct timely data entry and remote quality checks; and utilizing a cascade training approach to train field researchers. Conclusions: The study provides lessons that are applicable to similar humanitarian settings, including the need for adaptable research methods, flexible budgets, innovative training, remote supervision, local researchers, and careful consideration of sociopolitical factors that impact access and safety of research staff. Engagement of community stakeholders can ensure data collection and interventions continue and findings translate to public health action, even in contexts facing extreme and unpredictable insecurity.

scholarly journals P062: The feasibility of pertussis immunization in a Canadian emergency department

CJEM ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
pp. S79-S79 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Hansen ◽  
A. K. Sibley ◽  
M. MacSwain ◽  
H. Morrison ◽  
C. Rowswell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vaccination Rates ◽  
Tdap Vaccine ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Triage Time

Introduction: Despite clear health benefits, and Public Health Agency of Canada recommendations, vaccination rates among Canadian adults are low. Frequent patient contacts, wait times, and the availability of trained staff make the emergency department (ED) a potential location to target specific populations and administer vaccinations. We evaluated the feasibility of two strategies to administer the Tdap vaccine to adult patients presenting to a single referral ED. Methods: Two immunization strategies and a control group were randomly ordered from one to three. Data collection for group one started on study day one with data collection for groups two and three on study days two and three respectively. This sequence was repeated over 15 consecutive weekdays (Monday-Friday, 0730-1530), evenly assigning each group to 5 different days. On intervention days, adult patients were screened during the triage process for eligibility to receive the Tdap vaccine. An ED based (EDB) strategy offered patients vaccination during that visit. The second strategy offered eligible patients a public health referral (PHR) to receive the vaccine at a later date. On all study days, patient triage times (TT), as well as markers of ED efficiency (number of patient registrations, time to physician, length of stay, left without being seen, number of admissions, number of boarded patients) were recorded. Results: The primary outcome, the proportion of eligible adults immunized, was significantly higher at 66% (n=81) for the EDB strategy (228 screened, 122 eligible), compared with 21% (n=20) for the PHR strategy (217 screened, 94 eligible; x2 (2, n=216)=43.41, p<0.00001). In addition, 10 participants in the PHR group received a second vaccine (Pneumococcal (7), Influenza (2), Human Papillomavirus (1)). Reasons for vaccine ineligibility included having an up-to-date Tdap (EDB n=47 (21%), PHR n=46 (21%)) and being considered in too much distress by the triage nurse (EDB n=26 (11%), PHR n=19 (9%)). Triage time was less for the control group (M=5:55 [mins:secs], SD=2:48) than for the EDB (M=6:47, SD=3:12) and PHR (M=7:25, SD=2:45) strategies. Conclusion: An ED based screening and immunization strategy was highly effective in providing eligible adult patients with the Tdap vaccine. A resulting small increase in triage time was not clinically significant. Further studies are required to generalize these results.

scholarly journals The development of national indicators for the surveillance of osteoporosis in Canada

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. LeMessurier ◽  
S. O’Donnell ◽  
P. Walsh ◽  
L. McRae ◽  
C. Bancej ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Majority Vote ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Public ◽  
Core Set ◽  
The Face

Introduction The Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with bone health and osteoporosis experts from across Canada (n = 12), selected a core set of indicators for the public health surveillance of osteoporosis using a formal consensus process. Methods A literature review identified candidate indicators that were subsequently categorized into an osteoporosis-specific indicator framework. A survey was then administered to obtain expert opinion on the indicators’ public health importance. Indicators that scored less than 3 on a Likert scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) were excluded from further consideration. Subsequently, a majority vote on the remaining indicators’ level of public health importance was sought during a face-to-face meeting. Results The literature yielded 111 indicators, and 88 were selected for further consideration via the survey. At the face-to-face meeting, more than half the experts considered 39 indicators to be important from the public health perspective. Conclusion This core set of indicators will serve to inform the development of new data sources and the integration, analysis and interpretation of existing data into surveillance products for the purpose of public health action.

National Cancer Registry. Significance of a reliable database in the implementation of the required structural changes of oncologic care in Hungary

2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (36) ◽  
pp. 1415-1420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miklós Kásler ◽  
Szabolcs Ottó ◽  
Olimpia Sólyom
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Cancer Registry ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Cancer Data ◽  
National Cancer Registry ◽  
International Importance ◽  
History Of

The authors summarize the basic objectives and scope of the Hungarian Cancer Registry. They review more than 100-year history of the national cancer database and its effects on current cancer data collection activities, which is outstanding in Europe. The compilation deals with the development of information technology, covers points of principle and practical issues such as parallel display and evaluation of mortality and morbidity statistics and their national and international importance concerning public health. The authors underline that reliable data collection and services of the National Cancer Registry are important for the society because they are public health issues with a critical importance for a better understanding of risk factors, prevention and patient care. Restructuring and European harmonization of the Hungarian cancer system are inevitable using a reliable information exchange and service, taking into account national specificities and international requirements. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(36), 1415–1420.

scholarly journals An analytic perspective of a mixed methods study during humanitarian crises in South Sudan: translating facility- and community-based newborn guidelines into practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira Sami ◽  
Ribka Amsalu ◽  
Alexander Dimiti ◽  
Debra Jackson ◽  
Kemish Kenneth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
South Sudan ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Study Team

Abstract Background In South Sudan, the civil war in 2016 led to mass displacement in Juba that rapidly spread to other regions of the country. Access to health care was limited because of attacks against health facilities and workers and pregnant women and newborns were among the most vulnerable. Translation of newborn guidelines into public health practice, particularly during periods of on-going violence, are not well studied during humanitarian emergencies. During 2016 to 2017, we assessed the delivery of a package of community- and facility-based newborn health interventions in displaced person camps to understand implementation outcomes. This case analysis describes the challenges encountered and mitigating strategies employed during the conduct of an original research study. Discussion Challenges unique to conducting research in South Sudan included violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers that required research partners to modify study plans on an ongoing basis to ensure staff and patient safety. South Sudan faced devastating cholera and measles outbreaks that shifted programmatic priorities. Costs associated with traveling study staff and transporting equipment kept rising due to hyperinflation and, after the July 2016 violence, the study team was unable to convene in Juba for some months to conduct refresher trainings or monitor data collection. Strategies used to address these challenges were: collaborating with non-research partners to identify operational solutions; maintaining a locally-based study team; maintaining flexible budgets and timelines; using mobile data collection to conduct timely data entry and remote quality checks; and utilizing a cascade approach for training field staff. Conclusions The case analysis provides lessons that are applicable to other humanitarian settings including the need for flexible research methods, budgets and timelines; innovative training and supervision; and a local research team with careful consideration of sociopolitical factors that impact their access and safety. Engagement of national and local stakeholders can ensure health services and data collection continue and findings translate to public health action, even in contexts facing severe and unpredictable insecurity.

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