Publications by authors named "Jennifer R Donnan"
Legalization of non-medical cannabis in Canada was intended to protect youth health and safety by limiting access and raising awareness of safety and risks. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore youths' perceptions of their cannabis health literacy and future educational needs. A convenience sample of youth aged 13 to 18 residing in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada who may or may not have consumed cannabis were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Canada pioneered the non-medical legalization of cannabis production and sales, witnessing substantial growth in the regulated market over the last five years, post-legalization. However, persistent barriers hinder many consumers from transitioning to the legal market, necessitating a nuanced understanding of their behaviors for targeted policy interventions. This study aims to improve understanding of cannabis consumers' unregulated purchase decisions in British Columbia (B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To explore the experiences and perspectives of community pharmacists regarding their roles during the closure stage (ie, March to May 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada.
Design: This qualitative case study included a document analysis and semistructured interviews with community pharmacists who provided direct patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document analysis was used to develop a chronology that informed the interviews.
Introduction: Substance use is common among youth which can adversely affect youth health. Despite the legalization of cannabis in Canada and much of the United States, there is a lack of harm reduction cannabis education in schools. In addition, educators may not feel prepared to teach students about cannabis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: With the legalization of cannabis in Canada, consumers are presented with numerous purchase options. Licensed retailers are limited by the Cannabis Act and provincial regulations with respect to offering sales, advertising, location, maximum quantities, and information sharing in an effort to protect public health and safety. The degree these policies influence consumer purchase behavior will help inform regulatory refinement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The legalization of cannabis in Canada in 2018 raised concerns about its effects on youth, highlighting the need for effective cannabis education to promote harm reduction and minimize negative health outcomes.
- - This study aimed to categorize Canadian cannabis education resources for young people (ages 9-18) and their adults through a social-ecological framework, identifying influences at different levels: micro (youth-focused resources), meso (resources for adults interacting with youth), and macro (community and healthcare resources).
- - Although 60 resources were identified, issues related to accessibility, quality, and cultural considerations were noted, suggesting that there's a need for improved, evidence-based cannabis education that emphasizes harm reduction for youth.
Background: Emerging adults (EAs) have the highest rates of cannabis consumption in Canada and are vulnerable to the potential impacts of frequent cannabis consumption. This study assessed EAs' perceived risk of cannabis consumption across multiple domains of potential harm based on the age (14-year-old, 21-year-old, or 28-year-old) and sex (male or female) of the vignette character, time-point (pre- or post-legalization), and participant's gender.
Methods: Secondary analyses were conducted on data from a pre-legalization study and post-legalization replication.
Objective: Cannabis was legalized for nonmedical use in Canada in 2018. However, with a long-established illegal market, it is important to understand cannabis consumers' preferences in order to create a market that encourages purchasing cannabis through legalized channels.
Method: A survey including a discrete choice experiment was conducted to estimate preference weights for seven attributes of dried flower cannabis purchases (price, packaging, moisture level, potency, product recommendations, package information, and regulation by Health Canada).
Background: Phase two of cannabis legalisation in Canada brought cannabis vaping products to the market. This decision was controversial due to an outbreak of vaping cannabis use-associated lung injury. This resulted in three provinces banning the sale of cannabis vaping products causing inequitable access.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cannabis legalization is intended to protect the public from potential harm by restricting access and promoting greater awareness of cannabis-related risks. Youth are at a greater risk for experiencing road-related harms due to their own or others' use of cannabis. This qualitative research explored youths' perceptions about cannabis and road safety.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Increased access to legalized non-medical cannabis has led to growing concern over the potential adverse health impacts of cannabis consumption among youth and emerging adults. This study explored emerging adult perceptions of cannabis consumption and if perceptions changed based on the age and sex of the cannabis consumer.
Methods: Canadian emerging adults between the ages of 18 and 25 years (N = 1,424, Mean = 21.
Objectives: To estimate the strength of preferences, relative importance and trade-offs that patients with type 2 diabetes make between characteristics of antihyperglycemic medications.
Methods: We conducted a discrete choice experiment with a sample of Canadians with type 2 diabetes. Respondents completed 14 choice tasks and choose between 2 hypothetical drug alternatives, described by 8 characteristics (cost, efficacy, life expectancy, risk of macrovascular event, risk of microvascular event, risk of severe hypoglycemia, risk of minor side effects and risk of rare but serious side effects).
Objective: To estimate the association between the use of sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and postmarket harms as identified by drug regulatory agencies.
Design: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT). Six large databases were searched from inception to May 2018.
Background: The sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel group of drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We investigated whether there is a dose-response relation between SGLT2 inhibitors and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients with type 2 diabetes, relative to other diabetes therapies or placebo.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Although the glucose lowering effect of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors is well established, several potential serious acute safety concerns have been raised including acute kidney injury, respiratory tract infections, and acute pancreatitis. Using the UK-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), we identified initiators (365-day washout period) of DPP4 inhibitors and relevant comparators including initiators of sulfonylureas, metformin, thiazolidinediones, and insulin between January 2007 and January 2016 to quantify the association between DPP4 inhibitors and three acute health events - acute kidney injury, respiratory tract infections, and acute pancreatitis. The associations between drug and study outcomes were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for deciles of high-dimensional propensity scores and number of additional glucose lowering agents.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To identify and describe clinical drug data sources that have the potential to serve as a repository of information for developing drug knowledge translation products.
Methods: Two reviewers independently screened citations from PubMed and Embase, websites from the web search engine Google, and references from selected journals. Publicly licensed or non-proprietary data sources containing clinical drug information accessible in a machine-readable format were eligible.
Aims: Mixed evidence exists for the effect of incretin-based therapies on osteoporosis in type-2 diabetes. Therefore, we conducted a cohort study to determine the association between dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and common osteoporotic "fragility fractures" (upper extremity, hip, spine).
Methods: The UK-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink was used to identify adults without prior fractures receiving a new anti-diabetic drug or a new type-2 diabetes diagnosis between 2007 and 2016.
Background: An increased understanding of the genetic basis of disease creates a demand for personalized medicine and more genetic testing for diagnosis and treatment. The objective was to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness per life-month gained of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) genotyping to guide doses of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) compared to enzymatic testing and standard weight-based dosing.
Procedure: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted from a health care system perspective comparing costs and consequences over 3 months.
Background: An increased understanding of the genetic basis of disease creates a demand for personalized medicine and more accurate testing for diagnosis and treatment. Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) plays an important role in the metabolism of thiopurine drugs used in pediatric leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The objective was to review the literature systematically to ascertain the performance characteristics of current genotype and enzymatic testing technologies for TPMT.
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