Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Mistrust and Receipt in British Columbia, Canada: Population Survey.

Background: Racialized populations in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Higher vaccine hesitancy has been reported among racial and ethnic minorities in some of these countries. In the United Kingdom, for example, higher vaccine hesitancy has been observed among the South Asian population and Black compared with the White population, and this has been attributed to lack of trust in government due to historical and ongoing racism and discrimination.

Prospective, clinical comparison of self-collected throat-bilateral nares swabs and saline gargle compared to health care provider collected nasopharyngeal swabs among symptomatic outpatients with potential SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: In British Columbia (BC), self-collected saline gargle (SG) is the only alternative to health care provider (HCP)-collected nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs to detect SARS-CoV-2 in an outpatient setting by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, some individuals cannot perform a SG. Our study aimed to assess combined throat-bilateral nares (TN) swabbing as a swab-based alternative.

Risk of non-medical drug overdose following prescription of opioids post-injury: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: There has been increasing scrutiny of opioid prescribing following injury because of concerns that prescribed opioids may contribute to addiction and overdose. This study aimed to better understand the relationship between injury, opioids prescribed before and after injury, and non-medical drug poisoning.

Data And Methods: Working age (15 to 65 years old) residents of British Columbia's Fraser Health region with an injury that involved an emergency department visit were included.

Evaluation of a Public Health Referral System to Re-Engage Individuals Living With HIV Who Have Interrupted Antiretroviral Therapy in British Columbia, Canada.

Background: In 2016, the British Columbia HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program modified its prescriber alert system for antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruptions to include referrals to regional public health nursing teams for direct outreach support for those who remain off treatment for 4 months or longer. We evaluated clinically relevant outcomes of this Re-Engagement and Engagement in Treatment for Antiretroviral Interrupted and Naïve populations (RETAIN) initiative, in comparison to previous time-periods.

Methods: We analyzed ART interruptions triggering alerts in pre-RETAIN (July 2013-April 2016) and post-RETAIN periods (May 2016-October 2017) with follow-up continuing until October 2018.

Spatial-Temporal Epidemiology of the Syphilis Epidemic in Relation to Neighborhood-Level Structural Factors in British Columbia, 2005-2016.

Background: Spatial clusters of syphilis have been observed within several jurisdictions globally; however, the degree to which they are predicted by the spatial distributions of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) and testing remains unknown. We sought to describe the spatial-temporal epidemiology of infectious syphilis and identify associations between neighborhood-level factors and rates of syphilis, in British Columbia, Canada.

Methods: We used ArcGIS to map infectious syphilis cases among men (2005 to 2016), SaTScan to detect areas with significantly elevated rates of syphilis, and spatial regression to identify associations between neighborhood-level factors and rates of syphilis.

Measuring the impact of a mandatory province-wide vaccinate-or-mask policy on healthcare worker absenteeism in British Columbia, Canada.

Objectives: Vaccinate-or-mask (VOM) policies aim to improve influenza vaccine coverage among healthcare workers (HCW) and reduce influenza-related illness among patients and staff. In 2012, British Columbia (BC) implemented a province-wide VOM influenza prevention policy. This study describes an evaluation of policy impacts on HCW absenteeism rates from before to after policy implementation.

Measuring the impact of influenza vaccination on healthcare worker absenteeism in the context of a province-wide mandatory vaccinate-or-mask policy.

Objectives: In 2012, British Columbia (BC) implemented a province-wide vaccinate-or-mask influenza prevention policy for healthcare workers (HCWs) with the aim of improving HCW coverage, and reducing illness in patients and staff. We assess post-policy impacts of HCW vaccination status on their absenteeism.

Methods: We matched individual HCW payroll data from December 1, 2012 to March 31, 2017 with annually self-reported vaccination status for BC health authority employees to assess sick rates (sick time as a proportion of sick time and productive time).

A population-based approach to integrated healthcare delivery: a scoping review of clinical care and public health collaboration.

Background: A population-based approach to healthcare goes beyond the traditional biomedical model and addresses the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration in promoting health of communities. By establishing partnerships across primary care (PC) and public health (PH) sectors in particular, healthcare organizations can address local health needs of populations and improve health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to map a series of interventions from the empirical literature that facilitate PC-PH collaboration and develop a resource for healthcare organizations to self-evaluate their clinical practices and identify opportunities for collaboration with PH.

Modelling the combined impact of interventions in averting deaths during a synthetic-opioid overdose epidemic.

Background And Aims: The province of British Columbia (BC) Canada has experienced a rapid increase in illicit drug overdoses and deaths during the last 4 years, with a provincial emergency declared in April 2016. These deaths have been driven primarily by the introduction of synthetic opioids into the illicit opioid supply. This study aimed to measure the combined impact of large-scale opioid overdose interventions implemented in BC between April 2016 and December 2017 on the number of deaths averted.

Opening Canada's first Health Canada-approved supervised consumption sites.

Setting: In response to the opioid overdose crisis, a Public Health Emergency was declared in British Columbia (BC) in April 2016. There were 1448 deaths in BC in 2017 (30.1 deaths per 100,000 individuals).

Validity of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Patient Safety Indicators and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Hospital-acquired Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital-acquired Conditions (HACs) are increasingly being used for pay-for-performance and public reporting despite concerns over their validity. Given the potential for these measures to misinform patients, misclassify hospitals, and misapply financial and reputational harm to hospitals, these need to be rigorously evaluated. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess PSI and HAC measure validity.

Long-term bladder drainage: Suprapubic catheter versus other methods: a scoping review.

Aims: The purpose of this scoping review was to examine research activity comparing suprapubic catheterization to any other method of chronic bladder emptying such as intermittent and indwelling catheterization in adults in relation to complications, patient satisfaction, and health-related quality of life (QoL).

Methods: A search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and OVID) was performed 1950-May 2012 using the search terms, singly or combined: suprapubic, catheter, long term, effectiveness, urinary, health promotion, incontinence, retention, QoL, and evidence based. All research designs were included.

Incidence and predictors of gastrocutaneous fistula in the pediatric patient.

Background/Purpose. To determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of repair of gastrocutaneous fistulae (GCF) in pediatric patients. Methods.

Attention and reach-to-grasp movements in Parkinson's disease.

The role of attention in grasping movements directed at common objects has not been examined in Parkinson's disease (PD), though these movements are critical to activities of daily living. Our primary objective was to determine whether patients with PD demonstrate automaticity in grasping movements directed toward common objects. Automaticity is assumed when tasks can be performed with little or no interference from concurrent tasks.