"They think you're trying to get the drug": Qualitative investigation of chronic pain patients' health care experiences during the opioid overdose epidemic in Canada.

: The opioid overdose epidemic has led health care providers to increased vigilance for opioid-related risks in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). Media have conveyed stigmatizing representations of opioid analgesics. This study aimed to understand how the opioid overdose epidemic has impacted health care experiences among people living with CNCP in two Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Quebec).

Chronic pain experience and health inequities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: qualitative findings from the chronic pain & COVID-19 pan-Canadian study.

Background: Chronic pain affects about 20 % of the Canadian population and can lead to physical, psychological and social vulnerabilities. However, this condition remains poorly recognized and undertreated. During 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily living and health care systems, the situation of people with chronic pain has drawn little public attention.

Impact of the Opioid Epidemic and Associated Prescribing Restrictions on People Who Live With Chronic Noncancer Pain in Canada.

Objectives: Little is known about the consequences of the opioid epidemic on people living with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). This study examined this issue in people who lived in the most impacted province by opioid overdoses in Canada (British Columbia [BC]) or one of the least impacted (Quebec [QC]), and examined the factors associated with opioid use.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in adults living in BC (N=304) and QC (N=1071) who reported CNCP (≥3 months) and completed an online questionnaire that was tailored to their opioid status.

Commercial Tobacco Retailing in Tribal Jurisdictions: A Field Study.

Our objective was to provide data contrasting commercial tobacco retailing in Tribal versus non-Tribal jurisdictions, in 3 states. These data may be relevant for US Food and Drug Administration regulation of Tribal retailing. With Tribal permission, observations were made on commercial tobacco advertising, product variety, pricing, and retail concept for stores within and just outside Tribal jurisdictions in areas of Arizona (AZ), California (CA), and Oklahoma (OK).

Conversations About Opioids: Impact of the Opioid Overdose Epidemic on Social Interactions for People Who Live With Chronic Pain.

The objective of this study was to understand the impact of the opioid overdose epidemic on the social lives of people suffering from chronic pain, focusing on interactions within their personal and professional circles. The study was based on 22 in-depth interviews with people living with chronic pain in Canada. Using thematic analysis, we documented three main impacts of the opioid overdose epidemic: (a) increased worries of people in pain and their families regarding the dangers of opioids; (b) prejudices, stigma, and discrimination faced during conversations about opioids; and (c) stigma management attempts, which include self-advocacy and concealment of opioid use.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pharmacological, physical, and psychological treatments of pain: findings from the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study.

Introduction: Multimodal treatment is recognized as the optimal paradigm for the management of chronic pain (CP). Careful balance between pharmacological and physical/psychological approaches is thus desirable but can be easily disrupted.

Objectives: This study aimed at exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacological and physical/psychological treatments of CP.

A cross-sectional study of pain status and psychological distress among individuals living with chronic pain: the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including individuals with chronic pain. We examined associations between geographical variations in COVID-19 infection rates, stress and pain severity, and investigated factors associated with changes in pain status and psychological distress among individuals living with chronic pain during the pandemic.

Methods: This investigation is part of a larger initiative, the Chronic Pain & COVID-19 Pan-Canadian Study, which adopted a cross-sectional observational design.

Towards health equity for people experiencing chronic pain and social marginalization.

Objective: For people who experience social inequities and structural violence, pain and related care are inexorably linked to experiences of injustice and stigma. The purpose of this study was to examine in greater depth the experiences of pain and discrimination and stigma across diverse marginalized communities in order to recommend equity-oriented healthcare approaches.

Methods: This community-based qualitative study reports on four focus groups that included 36 people living with pain.

Effect of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act on casino admissions and revenue.

Objective: As part of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, smoking on the gambling floors of all commercial casinos in Illinois became prohibited. This study examined the effects of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act on casino admissions per-capita and real per-capita adjusted gross receipts using 18 years of data (10 years before and 8 years after the Illinois law went into effect).

Methods: We employed a difference-in-difference regression technique using monthly data for the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri and control for numerous determinants expected to affect casino admissions and revenue.

Advancing smoke-free policy adoption on the Navajo Nation.

Background: Comprehensive smoke-free laws are effective at protecting non-smokers and reducing tobacco use, yet they are not widely adopted by tribal governments.

Methods: A series of smoke-free policy initiatives on the Navajo Nation, beginning in 2008, were reviewed to identify key issues, successes and setbacks.

Results: It has been essential that proposed policies acknowledge the Navajo people's spiritual use of nát'oh, a sacred plant used for gift-giving, medicinal purposes and traditional ceremonies, while simultaneously discouraging a secular use of commercial tobacco.

Mapping tobacco quitlines in North America: signaling pathways to improve treatment.

Objectives: This study was designed to better understand how the network of quitlines in the North American Quitline Consortium (NAQC) interact and share new knowledge on quitline practices.

Methods: Network relationship data were collected from all 63 publicly funded quitlines in North America, including information sharing, partner trust, and reputation.

Results: There was a strong tendency for US and Canadian quitlines to seek information from other quitlines in the same country, with few seeking information from quitlines from the other country.

Building knowledge integration systems for evidence-informed decisions.

Purpose: This paper aims to describe methods and models designed to build a comprehensive, integrative framework to guide the research to policy and practice cycle in health care.

Design/methodology/approach: Current models of science are summarised, identifying specific challenges they create for knowledge to action (KTA). Alternative models for KTA are outlined to illustrate how researchers and decision makers can work together to fit the KTA model to specific problems and contexts.

Health promotion dissemination and systems thinking: towards an integrative model.

Objective: To help close the gap between health promotion research and practice by using systems thinking.

Methods: We reviewed 3 national US tobacco control initiatives and a project (ISIS) that had introduced systems thinking to tobacco control, speculating on ways in which systems thinking may add value to health promotion dissemination and implementation in general.

Results: The diversity of disciplines involved in tobacco control have created disconnection in the field; systems thinking is necessary to increase the impact of strategies.