Publications by authors named "Jessica J Wong"

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergies (FA) are closely linked manifestations of atopic disease, sharing immunological pathways that contribute to their chronicity and mutual exacerbation. However, the long-term impact of FA on AD remains incompletely understood. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed 8015 children from the Pediatric Eczema Elective Registry (PEER), exploring the relationship between FA status as an exposure and AD control as an outcome at enrollment, as well as AD persistence as another outcome over 10 years.

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Background: Despite increases in musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in Canada, evidence suggests utilization of chiropractic services has remained relatively stable over time. Understanding the extent to which chiropractors are consulted and factors associated with their utilization may suggest factors related to accessing care. We assessed the change in prevalence and characteristics of Canadians seeking chiropractic care across two time periods 2001-2010 and 2015-2018.

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Introduction: Individuals with participation and activity limitations face important healthcare challenges.

Objectives: We investigated healthcare utilization and characteristics of Canadians living with participation and activity limitations between 2001 and 2010.

Methods: We pooled data from 5 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2001-2010 CCHS).

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Although low back pain (LBP) may persist or recur over time, few studies have evaluated the individual course of LBP over a long-term period, particularly among older adults. Based on data from the longitudinal Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study, we aimed to identify and describe different LBP trajectories in older men and characterize members in each trajectory group. A total of 5 976 community-dwelling men (mean age = 74.

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Background: A significant proportion of children and adolescents experience back pain. However, a comprehensive systematic review on the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions is lacking.

Objectives: To evaluate benefits and harms of rehabilitation interventions for non-specific low back pain (LBP) or thoracic spine pain in the pediatric population.

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Introduction: Understanding healthcare utilization by Canadians with back problems informs healthcare planning nationally.

Research Question: What is the prevalence of utilization of healthcare providers (medical doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists, nurses), and associated characteristics among Canadians with chronic back problems (2001-2016)?

Material And Methods: This population-based study used Canadian Community Health Survey data (2001-2016) restricted to respondents with chronic back problems (aged ≥12 years). We used self-reported consultation with healthcare providers (medical doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists, nurses) from 2001-2010, and self-reported regular healthcare provider from 2015-2016.

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Introduction: The effectiveness of post-surgical rehabilitation following lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery is unclear.

Research Question: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of rehabilitation interventions initiated within three months post-surgery for adults treated surgically for LDH.

Material And Methods: This systematic review searched seven databases from inception to November 2023.

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Some patients with back pain contribute disproportionately to high healthcare costs; however, characteristics of high-cost users with back pain are not well defined. We described high-cost healthcare users based on total costs among a population-based cohort of adults with back pain within the Ontario government's single-payer health system across sociodemographic, health, and behavioural characteristics. We conducted a population-based cohort study of Ontario adult (aged 18 years or older) respondents of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) with back pain (2003-2012), linked to administrative data (n = 36,605; weighted n = 2,076,937, representative of Ontario).

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Rehabilitation providers and policymakers need valid evidence to make informed decisions about the healthcare needs of the population. Whenever possible, these decisions should be informed by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, there are circumstances when evidence needs to be generated rapidly, or when RCTs are not ethical or feasible.

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Objective: This study aimed to describe the characteristics associated with unmet rehabilitation needs in a sample of Canadians with long-term health conditions or disabilities during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: We used data from the Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians Living With Long-Term Conditions and Disabilities, a national cross-sectional survey with 13,487 respondents. Unmet needs were defined as needing rehabilitation (ie, physiotherapy/massage/chiropractic, speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling services, or support groups) but not receiving due to the pandemic.

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Background: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12-item survey (WHODAS-12) is a questionnaire developed by the WHO to measure functioning across health conditions, cultures, and settings. WHODAS-12 consists of a subset of the 36 items of WHODAS-2.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of education and advice for adults suffering from chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) to inform WHO guidelines.
  • After reviewing over 2,500 studies, 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, indicating that education/advice can improve pain, function, and quality of life compared to no intervention.
  • Despite these improvements, the evidence supporting these benefits is considered to be of very low certainty, highlighting the need for further research.
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Chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) is a prevalent and disabling condition that often requires rehabilitation interventions to improve function and alleviate pain. This paper aims to advance future research, including systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), on CPLBP management. We provide methodological and reporting recommendations derived from our conducted systematic reviews, offering practical guidance for conducting robust research on the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions for CPLBP.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and risks of needling therapies (NT) for adults with chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) to guide WHO clinical guidelines.
  • After examining 1831 articles, 37 randomized controlled trials were included, revealing low certainty in evidence and minimal differences between NT and other treatments across most measures.
  • NT showed some positive effects on health-related quality of life and pain reduction at different time points, especially compared to no intervention and usual care, although overall, the evidence was not strong.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the effectiveness and potential drawbacks of structured exercise programs for adults suffering from chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP), to help shape WHO clinical guidelines.* -
  • Researchers analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on different structured exercise programs, comparing them to placebos, usual care, or no treatment, ultimately synthesizing data from 13 RCTs with low or unclear bias.* -
  • The findings indicate that structured exercise likely leads to a reduction in pain and functional limitations for adults with CPLBP, with moderate certainty supporting the benefits of various exercise types such as aerobic exercise, Pilates, and motor control exercises.*
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Purpose: To evaluate benefits and harms of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for chronic primary low back pain (CPLBP) in adults to inform a World Health Organization (WHO) standard clinical guideline.

Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from various electronic databases from July 1, 2007 to March 9, 2022. Eligible RCTs targeted TENS compared to placebo/sham, usual care, no intervention, or interventions with isolated TENS effects (i.

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As commissioned by the WHO, we updated and expanded the scope of four systematic reviews to inform its (in development) clinical practice guideline for the management of CPLBP in adults, including older adults. Methodological details and results of each review are described in the respective articles in this series. In the last article of this series, we discuss methodological considerations, clinical implications and recommendations for future research.

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Background: Chiropractors use a variety of therapeutic interventions in clinical practice. How the selection of interventions differs across musculoskeletal regions or with different patient and provider characteristics is currently unclear. This study aimed to describe how frequently different interventions are used for patients presenting for chiropractic care, and patient and provider characteristics associated with intervention selection.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the prevalence of unmet rehabilitation needs among Canadians with long-term conditions or disabilities during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • A survey was conducted with 13,487 participants aged 15 and older from various Canadian provinces and territories.
  • Findings revealed that nearly 50% of participants reported unmet rehabilitation needs, with younger individuals (15-49 years) and females experiencing higher rates compared to older males, indicating a significant gap in rehabilitation care during the pandemic.
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Background: Adults with back pain commonly consult chiropractors, but the impact of chiropractic use on medical utilization and costs within the Canadian health system is unclear. We assessed the association between chiropractic utilization and subsequent medical healthcare utilization and costs in a population-based cohort of Ontario adults with back pain.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study that included Ontario adult respondents of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) with back pain from 2003 to 2010 (n = 29,475), followed up to 2018.

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This study examined the association between physiotherapy utilization and subsequent medical healthcare utilization and costs in a population-based sample of adults with back pain in Ontario. We conducted a population-based cohort study of Ontario respondents with back pain (≥18 years) of the Canadian Community Health Survey 2003 to 2010 cycles, linked to health administrative data up to 2018. Physiotherapy utilization was defined as self-reported consultation with a physiotherapist in the past 12 months.

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Article Synopsis
  • A systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the prevalence of self-reported post-concussion symptoms (PCS) and disability in adults after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), finding mixed results across 43 studies.
  • At 3-6 months post-injury, approximately 31.3% reported PCS using a lenient definition, and 54.0% experienced disability, with a notable difference between those with mTBI and orthopedic injuries.
  • The review suggests that while nearly one in three adults may experience mild PCS, the true prevalence could be closer to one in six when accounting for bias due to participant drop-out, indicating a need for more robust studies.
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Knowledge of the pre-rehabilitation generic status of functioning in individuals with low back pain is necessary to understand the clinical utility of rehabilitation care. We conducted a scoping review to describe the pre-rehabilitation functioning status of persons with nonspecific low back pain using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)-36 or WHODAS-12. We searched multiple databases from 2010 to 2021 for studies reporting pre-rehabilitation scores using WHODAS in persons with low back pain.

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Objective: To determine the measurement properties and minimal important change (MIC) of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) short (12 questions) and full (36 questions) versions in persons with nonspecific low back pain (LBP).

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Objective: To update the systematic review from the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration and to evaluate the effectiveness of multimodal rehabilitation interventions for the management of adults with cervical radiculopathy.

Study Design: Systematic review and best-evidence synthesis.

Methods: Eligible studies (from January 2013 to June 2020) were critically appraised using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and Risk of Bias 2.

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