Built environment change for injury prevention: insights from public health professionals across public health units in Ontario, Canada.

Background: Road-related injuries and deaths are among the most significant and avoidable public health problems in Canada. Modifications to the built environment (BE) can reduce injury rates for vulnerable road users (VRUs) and other priority populations who experience disproportionate risk. This paper highlights public health professionals' experiences working in injury prevention across Ontario public health units (PHUs) navigating barriers and facilitators to BE change.

Exploring Factors Contributing to the Implementation of Ontario's Healthy Kids Community Challenge: Surveys and Key Stakeholder Interviews with Program Providers.

(1) Background: To explore factors contributing to the Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) program implementation; (2) Methods: Data were collected through a quantitative survey (n = 124) and in-depth telephone interviews (n = 16) with program providers. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis using NVivo; (3) Results: Provincial funding and in-kind support from community partners were key. Initiatives were feasible to implement, and key messages were well-received by communities.

Secondary School Nutrition Policy Compliance in Ontario and Alberta, Canada: A Follow-Up Study Examining Vending Machine Data from the COMPASS Study.

(1) Objective: To longitudinally assess food and beverages sold in vending machines in secondary schools (grades 9-12) participating in the COMPASS study (2015/2016 and 2018/2019) and (2) to examine if patterns and trends observed in previous years (2012/2013 to 2014/2015) are consistent with lack of policy compliance in Ontario and Alberta, Canada. (2) Methods: Policy compliance was assessed through comparing nutritional information on drink (e.g.

Using EMRALD to assess baseline body mass index among children living within and outside communities participating in the Ontario, Canada Healthy Kids Community Challenge.

Objectives: The Healthy Kids Community Challenge is a large-scale, centrally-coordinated, community-based intervention in Ontario, Canada that promotes healthy behaviours towards improving healthy weights among children. With the goal of exploring tools available to evaluators, we leveraged electronic medical records from primary care physicians to assess child weights prior to launch of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge. This study compares the baseline (i.

Parents' Perceived Barriers to Accessing Sports and Recreation Facilities in Ontario, Canada: Exploring the Relationships between Income, Neighbourhood Deprivation, and Community.

Sports and recreation facilities provide places where children can be physically active. Previous research has shown that availability is often worse in lower-socioeconomic status (SES) areas, yet others have found inverse relationships, no relationships, or mixed findings. Since children's health behaviours are influenced by their parents, it is important to understand parents' perceived barriers to accessing sports and recreation facilities.

Exploring the Concern about Food Allergies among Secondary School and University Students in Ontario, Canada: A Descriptive Analysis.

Our objective was to explore the perceived risk of food allergies among students in Ontario, Canada. We analyzed blinding questions ("I am concerned about food allergies"; "food allergies are currently a big threat to my health") from three existing food safety surveys, given to high school and university undergraduate students ( = 3,451) circa February 2015, using descriptive analysis, and explored how concern related to demographics and self-reported cooking ability using linear regression. Overall, high school students were neutral in their concern, although Food and Nutrition students specifically were significantly less concerned ( = 0.

Exploring parent-reported barriers to supporting their child's health behaviors: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Parents can influence the health behaviors of their children by engaging in supportive behaviors (e.g., playing outside with their child, limiting recreational screen time).

Compliance with school nutrition policies in Ontario and Alberta: An assessment of secondary school vending machine data from the COMPASS study.

Objectives: We investigated the extent to which a sample of Ontario and Alberta secondary schools are being compliant with their respective provincial nutrition policies, in terms of the food and beverages sold in vending machines.

Methods: This observational study used objective data on drinks and snacks from vending machines, collected over three years of the COMPASS study (2012/2013-2014/2015 school years). Drink (e.

Eczema in early childhood, sociodemographic factors and lifestyle habits are associated with food allergy: a nested case-control study.

Background: Studies suggest an increase in food allergy prevalence over the last decade, but the contributing factors remain unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the most common food allergies and atopic history, sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle habits.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested within the SPAACE study (Surveying Prevalence of Food Allergy in All Canadian Environments) – a cross-Canada, random telephone survey.

Prevalence and predictors of food allergy in Canada: a focus on vulnerable populations.

Background: Studies suggest that individuals of low education and/or income, new Canadians (immigrated <10 years ago), and individuals of Aboriginal identity may have fewer food allergies than the general population. However, given the difficulty in recruiting such populations (hereafter referred to as vulnerable populations), by using conventional survey methodologies, the prevalence of food allergy among these populations in Canada has not been estimated.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of food allergy among vulnerable populations in Canada, to compare with the nonvulnerable populations and to identify demographic characteristics predictive of food allergy.

"We don't have such a thing, that you may be allergic": Newcomers' understandings of food allergies in Canada.

Food allergies are emerging as important public health risks in Canada, affecting 3-4% of adults and 6-7% of children. Despite much lower prevalence rates among recent immigrants (i.e.

Waiting for a specialist consultation for a new condition in Ontario: impacts on patients' lives.

As leading barriers to specialist care, wait times are at the forefront of the Canadian healthcare policy agenda. However, knowledge is limited about how wait times affect patients' lives. We utilized the 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey to examine the experience of patients requiring a consultation with a medical specialist for a new condition.

Frames, claims and audiences: Construction of food allergies in the Canadian media.

Food allergies are newly emerging health risks, and some evidence indicates that their prevalence is increasing. Public perception, however, is that the prevalence of food allergies is much greater than systematic estimates suggest. As food allergies increasingly permeate everyday life, this paper explores how associated risks are constructed through the mass media.

Access granted! barriers endure: determinants of difficulties accessing specialist care when required in Ontario, Canada.

Background: In the Canadian context, health care services are governed by the Canada Health Act, which ensures that primary care doctors, specialists, hospitals and dental surgeries are covered through provincial health insurance plans. This ensures access to medically necessary health care services for all Canadians regardless of ability to pay. Despite this important piece of legislation, research has shown persistent inequalities in access between and within socio-demographic groups, and geographic areas.

Exploring the Determinants of the Perceived Risk of Food Allergies in Canada.

Food allergies are emerging health risks in much of the Western world, and some evidence suggests prevalence is increasing. Despite lacking scientific consensus around prevalence and management, policies and regulations are being implemented in public spaces (e.g.

Realizing neighbourhood potential? The role of the availability of health care services on contact with a primary care physician.

Access to health services research has traditionally focused on demographic, socioeconomic, and need-based factors, resulting in a relative lack of knowledge regarding place-based determinants. Further, much of what we know comes from international, national, and regional study. This study analyzes survey data (n=1635) to explore the relationship between neighbourhood-level potential access (i.

A population-based study on peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, and sesame allergy prevalence in Canada.

Background: Recent studies suggest an increased prevalence of food-induced allergy and an increased incidence of food-related anaphylaxis. However, prevalence estimates of food allergies vary considerably between studies.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, and sesame allergy in Canada.

Weighing the importance of neighbourhood: a multilevel exploration of the determinants of overweight and obesity.

Overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in many countries, including Canada. In addition to becoming critical public health challenges in and of themselves, they represent major risk factors for chronic disease and disability (e.g.