The Impact of Linguistic Concordance and the Active Offer of French Language Services on Patient Satisfaction

Communication is essential to providing quality primary care. Linguistic concordance between patients and physicians has been linked to improved health outcomes and greater patient satisfaction. Although Canadian Francophones often struggle to access linguistics concordant health services, the concept of the active offer of French Language Services (FLS) has emerged as a means of ensuring the availability of such services and improving the francophone patient experience. However, the impact of language concordance and the active offer of FLS on patient satisfaction among Ontario Francophones remain largely unknown. Patient satisfaction surveys were collected as part of a continuing education program targeted at family physicians in Northeastern Ontario. Participating physicians distributed patient surveys consisting of select patient satisfaction questions from the Physicians Achievement Review (PAR) and select questions from the Active Offer of French Language Services in Minority Context Measure. Valid surveys were received from 235 patients. Just under half of these (44%) identified as Francophones, 62.6% had a French-speaking family physician; however, only 17.2% reported regularly speaking in French with their family physician. As hypothesized, there was a consistent tendency for Francophones who experience stronger linguistic concordance with their family physician to report higher satisfaction scores. Francophones who regularly speak French with their family physicians were more satisfied ( = 4.63) than those who rarely/never speak French ( = 4.29, F(1; 83) = 4.852; p < 0.05). There was also a statistically significant interaction between the patients' language of preference and the service language. Francophones who prefer French and regularly speak it with their family physician (linguistic concordance; adj= 4.82) were significantly more satisfied than those who prefer French yet rarely/never speak it (linguistic discordance; adj= 4.06, F(1; 75) = 11.950; p < 0.001). Furthermore, a positive correlation between patient satisfaction and the active offer was observed in Francophones (r = 0.49, p<0.001). The present findings provide evidence of the impact of linguistically adapted health care services on the satisfaction of Ontario Francophones and suggest that patient satisfaction may be improved through the active offer of FLS. A larger and more diverse sample is required to confirm these findings.

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Experience of Northern Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities

Undergraduate nursing programs are moving towards a service learning model in teaching nursing student cultural awareness. In this article, we discuss the nursing student experience in a university elective which immerses students in rural and remote Indigenous communities resulting in cultural consciousness. This service learning experience that students encountered promoted growth in nursing praxis, and fostered positive curriculum growth and community partnerships between the College and the Indigenous communities in which they visited. Students gained cultural consciousness and increased awareness, which is beneficial in their future nursing careers as they grow into better culturally competent care providers. Also discussed is the history and background of these Indigenous communities, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the First Nations Principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession). These topics are discussed in detail throughout the student experience as they respond to nurses’ professional standards, development of cultural competency and integrating calls to action in truth and reconciliation.

Ensuring the Success and Engagement of University Students in Times of Pandemic: The Issue of Mental Health

Research suggests that mental health problems that were on the rise prior to the pandemic in the post-secondary education sector have worsened. The rise of mental health problems on university campuses poses significant challenges because of the links between mental health and academic success, perseverance, and obtaining a university degree. This article has two objectives. The first is to present an update on mental health on university campuses, including prevalence rates, risk factors and the impact on academic performance. The second objective is to present strategies to address the challenges posed by mental health through examples and programs. The conclusion underscores the importance of governments investing in programs and resources to address this issue.

Reading Comprehension Abilities in the Anglophone Aging Population with Post-Secondary Education

Literacy skills such as reading comprehension are essential in order to understand written information and complete daily tasks. Low literacy skills are common in the aging population thus affecting quality of life, independence and social integration. Reading comprehension is a complex activity that requires processing at many different levels. According to Kintsch’s construction-integration model, three levels of representations of a text must be achieved in order to fully comprehend a text. Previous studies often considered the aging population as a single group and compared this group to young adults. However, few studies examined the variability in reading comprehension abilities within the aging population. Studies examining the variability in the construction of a situation model in older adults are even more scarce. The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of age on reading comprehension abilities at the surface model, text-based model and situation model in the aging population with high education level. Participants were recruited in northern Ontario and were grouped into three age intervals (60-69 years; 70-79 years; ≥ 80 years). Participants’ cognitive functions were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and health literacy was assessed using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA). Reading comprehension abilities were evaluated using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests - third edition (WRMT-III) as well as the Gray Oral Reading Test – fifth edition (GORT5). Results indicated no significant differences in performance of reading comprehension abilities among the three age groups at the surface level, text-based level, and situation model level of reading comprehension. These findings suggest no age-related effect on reading comprehension abilities in adults with high levels of education. The lack of differences observed may be explained by the absence of differences in cognitive functions between the three age groups as well as the high level of education which may have acted as a protective factor. Future studies should examine reading comprehension in Anglophone adults with lower levels of education to better understand whether education is a protective factor against a decline in reading comprehension abilities in the aging population.

Can Intentional Distractions Affect Endurance Performance Positively?

Distractions are often associated with negative outcomes however, distractions can also benefit people. Using the hypothesis of internal-external distractions in the competition for cue, this study examined the effects of an active (controlled) and passive (uncontrolled) distraction on three endurance tasks. Participants (N=42), aged 20 to 23 years were assigned to three groups. Tasks and conditions were counterbalanced across groups to minimize the residual effects of fatigue, learning an intervention and other confounding variables. Performance time, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion and perceived fatigue were measured. Results showed that active distraction significantly improved performance and lowered Rate of Perceived Exertion in one task. As expected, the active distraction group was the least accurate for estimating time spent. Passive distraction caused minimal performance change. More investigation is needed to understand why an active distraction only affected one trial. Future studies should delve into means for better understanding the hypothesis of competition for cue.

L'analyse de livres gradués (Escalire) par entremise du système d’analyse de texte par ordinateur (SATO)

Une série de livres gradués a été créée pour permettre aux élèves d’accéder à des livres correspondant à leurs habiletés en lecture (Éditions Passe-Temps, 2014). Cette série, nommée Escalire, contient 156 livres au total, qui sont répartis en 15 niveaux, soit de A à O. Cette échelle correspond aux niveaux établis par Fountas et Pinnell (2012). Cette série de livres gradués consiste en un programme d’intervention en lecture ciblant les élèves de la première à la quatrième année du cycle primaire. De tels programmes d’intervention en lecture peuvent mener l’élève vers l’acquisition et l’amélioration de la lecture en fonction de ses habiletés et son niveau scolaire. L’objectif de cette étude était de déterminer s’il y a corrélation entre les niveaux de lecture attribués aux livres de la série Escalire et le niveau de complexité indiqué par le système d’analyse de texte par ordinateur (SATO), pour ces mêmes livres. Les résultats ont démontré une corrélation modérée (r = 0.668, p < 0,001) et un pourcentage d’accord de 35,26 %. Somme toute, 95,51% des livres de la série Escalire se sont trouvés soit au niveau correspondant à l'échelle SATO ou à un niveau près (soit un niveau supérieur ou inférieur à ce qui a été proposé par SATO). Mots Clés : Escalire, livres gradués, échelle de lecture Fountas et Pinnell, niveau de complexité, SATO

La réduction des complications de macrosomie, de déchirure périnéale et de césarienne à l’accouchement par la pratique d’activités physiques : état de la recherche

In Canada, there are more than 350,000 childbirths per year (Statistics Canada, 2019). In the final phase of pregnancy, women can have a birth with or without complications (WHO, 2018; Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018). According to several researchers, physical activity in several cases helps prevent some of these complications (Public Health Ontario, 2015 ; Government du Québec, 2019). The present study aimed to determine whether physical activity plays a part in reducing the etiological factors of three delivery complications: macrosomia, perineal tears as well as caesarean section and, through this analysis, determine whether physical activity acts as a preventative measure. The results obtained underline the key preventative role of a physical activity intervention and of leisure with regard to macrosomia and caesarean section. As for the contribution of physical activity in reducing the risk of perineal tears, more research is needed to determine if its role is significant.

L’enseignement en mode synchrone des activités physiques et sportives dans un contexte de confinement.

Dans un contexte de confinement, jusqu’à quel point est-il possible d’enseigner en mode synchrone des apprentissages physiques, moteurs ou affectifs ? Une question fermée, dont les réponses étaient encodées sur une échelle de Lickert en quatre points a permis de mesurer la perception des acteurs sociaux engagés dans les développements physiques, moteurs et affectifs des participants. L’échantillon était composé de 102 acteurs sociaux sportifs, originaires du Maroc ou de l’Algérie âgés entre 9 et 64 ans. Les acteurs étaient des formateurs, des administrateurs, des pratiquants ou des parents. La question a fait l’objet d’une analyse de variance selon trois variables nominales (genre, statut, pays) et d’une corrélation de Pearson entre l’âge des acteurs sociaux et les trois types de développement souhaités. Il apparait que les développement physiques et affectifs sont perçus significativement plus difficile à évaluer par les acteurs sociaux marocains que par leurs homologues algériens. L’effet du genre n’est significatif que pour l’évaluation du développement affectif en faveur du genre féminin. Par contre, l’effet du statut de l’acteur social n’est significatif ni pour le développement physique, ni pour le développement moteur ni pour le développement affectif. Enfin, les ‘jeunes’ acteurs sociaux perçoivent moins difficile d’enseigner en mode synchrone les APS, mais la corrélation est plutôt faible (R= - 0,22*). Quelques hypothèses d’action sont envisagées pour faire face aux défis didactiques que posent ce type particulier d’enseignement en situation de confinement.

Underground workers who received aluminum dust prophylaxis and its personal impact

Background From 1943 to 1980, some underground gold and uranium workers in Ontario, Canada were required to inhale aluminum dust daily for silicosis prevention. This study explored the perceived personal impact of aluminum dust exposure for some Northeastern Ontario workers. Methods This qualitative descriptive study included 16 respondents who participated in individual semi-structured interviews. All respondents were Northeastern Ontario workers who were exposed to aluminum dust prophylaxis for at least one year. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Results Themes that emerged included: 1) compulsory exposure, 2) hesitancy to complain, 3) feelings of betrayal, and 4) concerns about health impact and dying. Conclusion Exposed workers perceived that their long-term health was impacted on a personal level. The results will contribute to the literature about workplace aluminum dust exposures and to better inform workers and companies about exposure impact and management of aluminum dust.

Opioid Crisis: A Qualitative Analysis of Financial Influences and Addiction

The province of Ontario is currently engaged in a public health crisis centered around the use of opioids. As the number of opioid-related harms continues to grow, reports have identified a need for further investigation and understanding of opioid use. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the differences in motives for opioid use amongst a diverse population. Data collection occurred by interviewing 14 participants at an Addictions Treatment Centre in Northern Ontario. Theoretical thematic analysis and an interpretive framework were used to analyze participants’ lived experiences with opioid use. Analysis of the results revealed the theme of financial influence in addiction and recovery. These insights are helpful in strengthening effective prevention and treatment strategies.