Reported need for and access to oral health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted routine and preventive dental services until precautions could be implemented to limit virus transmission. Access to services for dental emergencies was maintained. The objective of this study was to describe the reported need for, access to, and receipt of oral health care in Canada during the first year of the pandemic.

Where do 15- to -17-year-olds in Canada get their sexual health information?

Background: Sexual health education delivered in school, provided by parents, or provided by other formal sources has been associated most closely with increased rates of condom use and improvements in many other sexual risk behaviours. Friends and the internet are other information sources, although quality and accuracy are not always as high. Nationally representative Canadian data about where adolescents obtain their sexual health information are lacking.

Using the Severity of Dependence Scale to examine cannabis consumers with impaired control in Canada.

Background: The 2018 Cannabis Act legalizing the production, sale, and use of cannabis for non-medical purposes renewed interest in the importance of ongoing and more detailed monitoring of cannabis consumption and consequences. Some cannabis users will experience impaired control over their use of cannabis, putting them at risk for cannabis use disorder (CUD, sometimes called addiction) and other harms. Including the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) in the annual Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) would allow for monitoring of one of the more harmful consequences of cannabis use in the post-legalization period.

Correlates of vaping among adolescents in Canada.

Background: Vaping is more prevalent among younger than older Canadians. While vaping is less harmful than combustible tobacco, it is not without health risk.

Data And Methods: Data from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth were used to estimate vaping prevalence.

Looking back from 2020, how cannabis use and related behaviours changed in Canada.

Background: The Canadian government legalized non-medical cannabis use by adults in October 2018 to minimize associated harms and redirect profits from criminals. In October 2019, a wider array of products, including edibles, was legalized, with entry into the legal market beginning in December.

Data And Methods: Three quarters (the first quarters of 2018 and 2019 and the fourth quarter of 2020) of the National Cannabis Survey were used to examine changes in cannabis use (overall use and daily or almost daily (DAD) use), consumption methods, products and sources.

Association of Severe Trauma With Work and Earnings in a National Cohort in Canada.

Importance: Traumatic injury disproportionately affects adults of working age. The ability to work and earn income is a key patient-centered outcome. The association of severe injury with work and earnings appears to be unknown.

Sexual behaviours, condom use and other contraceptive methods among 15- to 24-year-olds in Canada.

Background: Sexual and reproductive health are key issues for adolescents and young adults. Detailed national Canadian data about sexual behaviours, condom use and other contraceptive use by youth are lacking.

Data And Methods: Data from the 2015/2016 Canadian Community Health Survey were used to examine sexual behaviours, condom and other contraceptive use, and reasons for non-use by selected characteristics.

What has changed since cannabis was legalized?

Background: The Canadian government legalized non-medical cannabis use by adults in October 2018 in order to minimize associated harms and re-direct profits from criminals.

Data And Methods: Seven quarters of (NCS) data were combined into two groups: pre- and post-legalization periods - to examine changes in: cannabis use (overall, daily or almost daily (DAD)), source of product, driving after consumption and riding in a vehicle with a driver who had consumed.

Results: By 2019, overall cannabis use had increased (16.

Effects of Cardiovascular Health Shocks on Spouses' Work and Earnings: A National Study.

Background: Acute health shocks can reduce the ability to work and earn among working-age survivors. The full economic impact includes labor market effects on spouses/partners, but there is a knowledge gap in this area.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess how 3 common health shocks, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiac arrest, influence work and earnings of spouses aged 35-61 years.

Analysis of trends in the prevalence of cannabis use and related metrics in Canada.

Background: The Canadian federal government legalized non-medical cannabis use by adults in October 2018. Ongoing monitoring of the effects of the change is needed because uncertainty remains about the impact of the legislation on cannabis use behaviours and whether the impact will affect some more than others.

Data And Methods: Data from the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey and the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey were used to examine longer-term (historical) rates of use during 2004 to 2017.

Effects of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health events on work and earnings: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: Survivors of acute health events can experience lasting reductions in functional status and quality of life, as well as reduced ability to work and earn income. We aimed to assess the effect of acute myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac arrest and stroke on work and earning among working-age people.

Methods: For this retrospective cohort study, we used the Canadian Hospitalization and Taxation Database, which contains linked hospital and income tax data, from 2005 to 2013 to perform difference-in-difference analyses.

Prevalence and correlates of non-medical only compared to self-defined medical and non-medical cannabis use, Canada, 2015.

Background: The Canadian federal government has committed to legalizing non-medical cannabis use by adults in 2018. Medical use was legalized in 2001; however, not all people reporting medical use have medical authorization. To prepare for monitoring the effects of the policy change, a greater understanding of the prevalence of cannabis use and the characteristics of all cannabis users is needed.

Analysis of trends in the prevalence of cannabis use in Canada, 1985 to 2015.

Background: The Canadian federal government has committed to legalize, regulate, and restrict non-medical cannabis use by adults in 2018. To prepare for monitoring the health, social and economic impacts of this policy change, a greater understanding of the long-term trends in the prevalence of cannabis use in Canada is needed.

Data And Methods: Nine national surveys of the household population collected information about cannabis use during the period from 1985 through 2015.

Nutritional risk, hospitalization and mortality among community-dwelling Canadians aged 65 or older.

Background: Nutritional risk has been associated with various negative health outcomes among older people. Limited longitudinal research has examined the relationship between nutritional risk and hospitalization and death in community-dwelling older people.

Data And Methods: Data from the 2008/2009 Canadian Community Health Survey-Healthy Aging (CCHS-HA) linked to the Discharge Abstract Database and the Canadian Mortality Database were used to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk among seniors and examine its relationship with acute care hospitalization and death during the 25- to 36-month period following the CCHS-HA interview.

High use of acute care hospital services at age 50 or older.

Background: A small fraction of the population accounts for a disproportionate share of health care spending and resources. Linking data from health surveys with hospital and death records offers an opportunity to examine high use of acute care in more depth than is possible with administrative data alone.

Data And Methods: Data for 62,675 respondents to three cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey were linked to the Discharge Abstract Database and the Canadian Mortality Database.

Acute care hospitalization by Aboriginal identity, Canada, 2006 through 2008.

Background: National data about acute care hospitalization of Aboriginal people are scarce. This study addresses that information gap by describing patterns of hospitalization by Aboriginal identity for leading diagnoses for all provinces and territories except Quebec.

Data And Methods: The 2006 Census was linked to the 2006/2007-to-2008/2009 Discharge Abstract Database, which contains hospital records from all acute care facilities in Canada (excluding Quebec).

Oral contraceptive use among women aged 15 to 49: Results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Background: Oral contraceptives (OCs) have been available in Canada for over 50 years and are the most commonly used method of reversible contraception. OCs have evolved over time, with decreasing estrogen doses, new progestins, and different dosing regimens. Detailed data about OCs use among Canadian women are lacking.

Linking 2006 Census and hospital data in Canada.

Background: Record linkage is commonly used in health research to fill data gaps. This study summarizes the linkage of the 2006 Census of Population (excluding Quebec) to hospital data from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD).

Data And Methods: Hierarchical deterministic exact matching was employed to link 2006 Census and DAD (2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009) data, based on linkage keys derived from three variables common to both files-date of birth, postal code and sex.

Prevalence and correlates of marijuana use in Canada, 2012.

Based on data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey--Mental Health, past-year and lifetime marijuana use among the household population aged 15 or older in the 10 provinces was examined. In 2012, 42.5% of the population reported having ever used marijuana, and 12.

Two approaches to linking census and hospital data.

Background: This study compares registry and non-registry approaches to linking 2006 Census of Population data for Manitoba and Ontario to hospital data from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD).

Data And Methods: Using a probabilistic linkage, the registry approach linked the census data to provincial health insurance registries, followed by a deterministic linkage to the DAD based on health insurance number (HIN). The non-registry approach used hierarchical deterministic exact matching based on three variables common to both files to link census data to the DAD.

Prescription medication use by Canadians aged 6 to 79.

Based on data from the 2007 to 2009 and 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey, this article provides national information about prescription medication use among community-dwelling Canadians. An estimated 41% of 6- to 79-year-olds who lived in private households reported taking at least one prescription medication in the past two days (current use). Generally, prescription drug use was higher among females and among people in poorer health, and increased with age.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections: Results from the 2007 to 2009 and 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus infections can lead to liver failure, liver cancer, and death. In Canada, prevalence studies of HBV and HCV have been limited to regional and special populations.

Data And Methods: Data are from cycles 1 (2007 to 2009) and 2 (2009 to 2011) of the Canadian Health Measures.

Validation of an index to estimate the prevalence of frailty among community-dwelling seniors.

Background: This study validates cut-points for a frailty index (FI) to identify seniors at risk of a hospital-related event and estimates the number of frail seniors living in the community. The FI developed by Rockwood and Mitnitski defines levels of frailty based on scores of 0 to 1.0.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and herpes simplex virus type 2: Results from the 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

Background: Chlamydia, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, and genital herpes, caused by simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), are common sexually transmitted infections. Their prevalence has been estimated in selected populations, but overall prevalence in Canada is not known.

Data And Methods: Data are from the 2009 to 2011 Canadian Health Measures Survey.