Publications by authors named "Cora Constantinescu"

Article Synopsis
  • Biologic therapies during pregnancy improve health outcomes for both mothers and their infants, but concerns exist regarding the safety of live vaccines for infants exposed to these treatments.
  • The study evaluated the immune systems of infants born to mothers with inflammatory bowel disease who were treated with various biologics and assessed the safety of administering the live rotavirus vaccine.
  • Results showed that despite the presence of biologic drugs in the infants' systems, their immune functions were normal, and no adverse effects were reported after the rotavirus vaccination.
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Background: Vaccine hesitancy is a significant threat to public health. Healthcare providers (HCPs) can address hesitancy during routine patient conversations; however, few multidisciplinary education tools exist for HCPs to learn to engage in vaccine discussion especially considering new vaccine technologies such as mRNA vaccines. The objectives of this study were to explore HCP learners' experiences with COVID-19 vaccine communication, and qualitatively evaluate an online learning module composed of virtual simulation games (VSGs) which utilize the PrOTCT Framework for HCP vaccine communication.

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Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity reactions. Infectious disease physicians and allergists in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network developed guidance for evaluating patients with adverse events following immunization (AEFI) including suspected hypersensitivity. This study evaluated management and adverse event recurrence following subsequent COVID-19 vaccinations.

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Objectives: Beginning early in the pandemic, there was a worldwide effort to develop effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Before and after the approval and implementation of vaccines, there were concerns about their need as well as their safety and rapid development. We explored child demographic characteristics and parental concerns to identify factors associated with the decision to vaccinate.

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Article Synopsis
  • Education initiatives for antimicrobial stewardship are most effective when they consider the psychosocial factors influencing prescribing behavior and the specific needs of multidisciplinary teams.
  • A mixed-methods study was conducted, combining quantitative audits and qualitative interviews, to identify barriers and facilitators related to antimicrobial prescribing among pediatric healthcare teams at a hospital in Canada.
  • The results revealed significant psychosocial barriers and facilitators impacting antimicrobial stewardship, leading to recommendations for tailored education addressing these issues among pediatric inpatient teams.
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Background: Although healthcare providers (HCPs) are the most trusted source of vaccine information, there is a paucity of easily accessible, multidisciplinary educational tools on vaccine communication for them. Virtual simulation games (VSGs) are innovative yet accessible and effective tools in healthcare education. The objectives of our study were to develop VSGs to increase HCP confidence and self-efficacy in vaccine communication, advocacy, and promotion, and evaluate the VSGs' effectiveness using a pre-post self-assessment pilot study.

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Background: Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are effective for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, this class of medications is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding based on animal data suggesting teratogenesis and recent reports of transmammary transfer after maternal ingestion, raising concerns for immune system development in babies exposed to these drugs.

Methods: We present the case of a patient with IBD treated with a JAK inhibitor who decided to continue the medication throughout her pregnancy and during breastfeeding.

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Introduction: Purpura fulminans in the neonatal population is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition complicated by thrombosis, resultant vital organ necrosis, and gangrene of the extremities. Considering the rapid evolution of the pathogenetic mechanism, an index of suspicion, early identification, and prompt intervention are imperative for improved outcomes. The majority of purpura fulminans cases have an infectious etiology, but it is essential to consider other congenital and acquired causes.

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Background: Pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI) is associated with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Objective: To determine the least-broad-spectrum oral antibiotic that would cover 80% of pathogens from lower (afebrile) and upper (febrile) UTIs in a Canadian pediatric emergency department (ED).

Methods: This retrospective case series involved children discharged from the ED between September 2020 and February 2021 with a diagnosis of UTI and collection of a sample for urinalysis that had growth on culture.

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Objectives: Individuals and healthcare providers may be uncertain about the safety of revaccination after an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). We identified factors associated with physician recommendation for revaccination and participant intention to be revaccinated among patients with adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) assessed in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network from 2013 to 2019.

Methods: This prospective observational study included patients assessed in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic Network from 2013 to 2019 for an AEFI who required additional doses of the vaccine temporally associated with their AEFI.

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Background: As Canada and other high-income countries continue to welcome newcomers, we aimed to 1) understand newcomer parents' attitudes towards routine-childhood vaccinations (RCVs), and 2) identify barriers newcomer parents face when accessing RCVs in Alberta, Canada.

Methods: Between July 6th-August 31st, 2022, we recruited participants from Alberta, Canada to participate in moderated focus group discussions. Inclusion criteria included parents who had lived in Canada for < 5 years with children < 18 years old.

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Article Synopsis
  • People with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases are advised to continue using biologic agents during pregnancy, though concerns about potential effects on infants have raised questions about the safety of live vaccines during the first year of life.
  • A study was conducted in Canada to determine if the live rotavirus vaccine could be safely administered to infants who were exposed to these biologic agents before birth, excluding those with other vaccination contraindications.
  • Out of 202 infants assessed from May 2017 to December 2021, 191 were enrolled, with the majority being exposed to agents like infliximab and adalimumab, and no significant adverse effects were reported from the vaccination after an 8-month follow-up
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Article Synopsis
  • - The Alberta Telestewardship Network (ATeleNet) aims to improve antimicrobial stewardship by connecting pharmacists and physicians across Alberta through virtual consultations, using secure video conferencing tools.
  • - A study was conducted with 33 pilot consultations to assess healthcare providers' experiences, revealing high satisfaction rates; most respondents found the system user-friendly and effective for communication.
  • - The initiative has prompted Alberta Health Services to prioritize virtual health strategies, focusing on enhancing access to specialists and collaborative care in acute settings, with plans to share evaluation results with stakeholders for future improvements.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to test how different persuasive messages could improve people's intentions to follow COVID-19 prevention behaviors like masking and physical distancing.
  • A randomized online experiment with Canadian adults showed that all types of persuasive appeals increased intentions to adhere to guidelines, with empathy appeals being the most effective.
  • The effectiveness of these appeals varied based on individuals' initial intentions, suggesting that public health campaigns should target those with lower motivation for better results.
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Introduction: Many families express hesitancy around immunizing their children against COVID-19. We sought to better understand the perspectives of vaccine hesitant caregivers, and develop targeted recommendations for health care workers and policymakers to engage in more effective vaccine discussions.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 23 caregivers recruited from a pediatric infectious diseases clinic, including a subset of patients referred to discuss vaccine hesitancy.

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Objectives: To estimate the risk of recurrence of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) upon revaccination and to determine among patients with suspected vaccine allergy whether allergy skin test positivity was associated with AEFI recurrence.

Study Design: This prospective observational study included patients assessed in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic Network from 2013 to 2019 with AEFIs who required revaccination with the vaccine temporally associated with their AEFI. Participants underwent standardized assessment and data collection.

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Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis primarily affecting children younger than 5 y of age that has been reported as an adverse event following immunization (AEFI). The Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT) conducts active surveillance for KD following immunization across Canada. We characterized KD cases reported to IMPACT between 2013 and 2018.

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Objectives: To understand Canadian's attitudes and current behaviours towards COVID-19 public health measures (PHM), vaccination and current public health messaging, to provide recommendations for a public health intervention.

Design: Ten focus groups were conducted with 2-7 participants/group in December 2020. Focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content and inductive thematic analysis.

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Background: There are concerns that vaccine hesitancy may impede COVID-19 vaccine rollout and prevent the achievement of herd immunity. Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite their availability.

Objective: We aimed to identify which people are more and less likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine and factors associated with vaccine hesitancy to inform public health messaging.

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Background: The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has brought vaccine hesitancy to the forefront in managing this pandemic. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is fundamentally different from that of other vaccines due to the new technologies being used, rapid development, and widespread global distribution. Attitudes on vaccines are largely driven by online information, particularly information on social media.

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Dupilumab is the only biologic therapy currently approved in Europe and the United States for severe atopic dermatitis in patients 6 years of age or older. Off-label use is rationalized in younger children with severe atopic dermatitis. Decisions about vaccination for children on dupilumab are complex and depend on both the child's current treatment and the type of vaccination required.

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Background: Public support of public health measures including physical distancing, masking, staying home while sick, avoiding crowded indoor spaces and contact tracing/exposure notification applications remains critical for reducing spread of COVID-19. The aim of our work was to understand current behaviours and attitudes towards public health measures as well as barriers individuals face in following public health measures. We also sought to identify attitudes persons have regarding a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons why they may not accept a vaccine.

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