Introduction: People living with HIV (PLWH) and/or who inject drugs may experience lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods: A validated algorithm was applied to population-based, linked administrative datasets in the British Columbia COVID-19 Cohort (BCC19C) to ascertain HIV status and create a population of PLWH and matched HIV-negative individuals. The study population was limited to individuals who received an RT-PCR laboratory test for SARS-CoV-2 between 15 December 2020 and 21 November 2021 in BC, Canada.
Objective: To examine the risk of hospitalization within 14 days of COVID-19 diagnosis among people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV-negative individuals who had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods: We used Cox proportional hazard models to compare the relative risk of hospitalization in PLWH and HIV-negative individuals. Then, we used propensity score weighting to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors and comorbid conditions on risk of hospitalization.
Background: Though heart failure patients benefit from multidisciplinary care in heart function clinics (HFCs), utilization is suboptimal and inequitable. This study investigated factors influencing referral and patient access to HFCs from multiple stakeholders' perspectives, namely policy-makers (PM), providers at HFCs and patients.
Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of Ontario stakeholders were conducted between February-June 2020 and July-December 2022 (paused due to pandemic) via Teams.
Objectives: We estimated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection among people living with HIV (PLWH) and compared the estimates with a matched HIV-negative cohort.
Methods: We used the British Columbia COVID-19 Cohort, a population-based data platform, which integrates COVID-19 data on SARS-CoV-2 tests, laboratory-confirmed cases, and immunizations with provincial health services data. The vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated with a test-negative design using the multivariable logistic regression.
Purpose: This study sought to (1) evaluate the perceived effectiveness of an early childhood cancer warning signs and symptoms (EWSS) training intervention on health care worker (HCW) knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice; (2) evaluate the ease of implementation of training received, including potential barriers and facilitators; and (3) provide insights into program improvements for future iterations of the intervention.
Method: Using a qualitative descriptive study design, we conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 23 purposively sampled Ghanaian HCW recipients of the EWSS training intervention. We undertook iterative thematic analysis of data concurrently with interviews and used a modified version of the theoretical framework of acceptability to guide the evaluation of the training intervention.
Objective: Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity in China and around the world. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) effectively mitigates this burden; however, utilization is low. CR barriers in China have not been well characterized; this study sought to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the CR Barriers Scale in Chinese/Mandarin (CRBS-C/M).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In China, there has been a precipitous increase in the number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) conducted. We sought to characterize the clinical and psychosocial trajectory of PCI patients from the time of procedure through 6 months post, and correlates of adverse cardiovascular events (ACEs).
Methods: In this prospective, observational study, patients from 2 hospitals in Shanghai, China were assessed.
Background: Hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW), which incorporates measures of waist circumference and levels of triglyceride in blood, could act as an early-stage predictor to identify the individuals at high-risk for subclinical atherosclerosis. Previous studies have explored the cross-sectional association between HTGW and atherosclerosis; however, understanding how this association might change over time is necessary. This study will assess the association between HTGW with 5-year subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale, Aim, And Objectives: Heart failure (HF) clinics are highly effective, yet not optimally utilized. A realist review was performed to identify contexts (eg, health system characteristics, clinic capacity, and siting) and underlying mechanisms (eg, referring provider knowledge of clinics and referral criteria, barriers in disadvantaged patients) that influence utilization (provider referral [ie, of all appropriate and no inappropriate patients] and access [ie, patient attends ≥1 visit]) of HF clinics.
Methods: Following an initial scoping search and field observation in a HF clinic, we developed an initial program theory in conjunction with our expert panel, which included patient partners.
South Asian children and parents have been shown to have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) relative to white individuals. To design interventions aimed at addressing the comparatively higher burden in South Asians, a better understanding of attitudes and perspectives regarding CVD-associated behaviors is needed. As a result, we sought to understand knowledge about CVD risk in both children and parents, and attitudes toward physical activity and diet in both the children and parents, including potential cultural influences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: We sought to explore various correlates of blood pressure (BP) and hypertension, and to identify the most important aggregate combination of correlates for BP in South Asian children.
Design: Cross-sectional study SETTING: Community-based recruitment in two Canadian cities PARTICIPANTS: South Asian children (n=762) provided a range of physiological, lifestyle and social variables. BP was assessed using an automated device.
Objective: Given the South Asian phenotype of higher body fat at similar body mass index (BMI) relative to Caucasians, we sought to explore the association between prominent adiposity indicators with blood pressure (BP) and hypertension, to compare the accuracy of these indicators in estimating hypertension, and to provide cut-off values associated with adverse hypertension risk in South Asian children.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Community-based recruitment in two Canadian cities (Hamilton and Surrey).
North American food bank use has risen dramatically since the 1980s, and over 850,000 Canadians were estimated to have visited a food bank monthly in 2015. Food banks serve multiple roles in communities, ranging from 'emergency responses' to individualized and short-term experiences of hunger, to 'chronic' supports as part of long-term subsistence strategies. This study used a mixed-methods design to examine the spectrum of food bank user experiences in a large urban context, as part of a community-based project aiming to envision a redesign of the food bank to contribute to broader community food security outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: We aimed at exploring the relationship between baseline insulin and glucose and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in a multi-ethnic cohort.
Methods: Males and females (n = 797) of European, Chinese, South Asian and Aboriginal origin were assessed as part of the Multicultural Community Health Assessment Trial (MCHAT) study for socio-demographics, smoking status, fasting insulin and glucose at baseline. IMT, plaque area and total area were assessed after 5 years.