Exploring the Alberta Health Services COVID-19 provincial public health integrated outbreak prevention, preparedness, management, and response interventions to support congregate and communal living sites in Alberta.

Setting: On March 17, 2020, a state of public health emergency was declared in Alberta under the Public Health Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Congregate and communal living sites were environments with a high risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID-19. Consequently, provincial efforts to prevent and manage COVID-19 were required and prioritized.

Meeting case investigation and contact tracing needs during COVID-19 in Alberta: the development and implementation of the Alberta Health Services Pod Partnership Model.

Setting: In Alberta, a small team of specialized public health experts typically complete case investigation and contact tracing. High COVID-19 case counts and a shortage of trained public health professionals required a rapid and significant adaptation of staffing models to meet the population's needs.

Intervention: A tiered, interdisciplinary staffing model, based on those in critical care, was developed, piloted, and implemented in the Alberta Health Services' Communicable Disease Control department in late 2020 to complete case investigation and contact tracing.

African immigrant views of HIV service needs: gendered perspectives.

This qualitative, community-based research study explored the influence of gender on community perceptions of HIV/AIDS service needs among African immigrant men and women in Calgary, Canada. A total of 41 key informant participants (24 male, 17 female) from 14 sub-Saharan countries completed individual, semi-structured interviews. Thematic interview analysis results produced four themes directly related to HIV and gender, including different sexual standards for men and women, condom use, infidelity, and the need for dialogue between partners on sex and HIV.