Disparities in self-reported healthcare access for airways disease in British Columbia, Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Insights from a survey co-developed with people living with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Patients' perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their access to asthma and COPD healthcare could inform better, more equitable care delivery. We demonstrate this topic using British Columbia (BC), Canada, where the impact of the pandemic has not been described. We co-designed a cross-sectional survey with patient partners and administered it to a convenience sample of people living with asthma and COPD in BC between September 2020 and March 2021.

The First Step First Bite Program: guidance to increase physical activity and daily intake of low-glycemic index foods.

Practical lifestyle interventions are needed to help people with type 2 diabetes increase their physical activity and follow nutrition therapy guidelines. This study examined whether combining instructions to walk more and to eat more low-glycemic index (GI) foods (First Step First Bite Program) improved hemoglobin A1c and anthropometric and cardiovascular health outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes vs the First Step Program (instruction only on walking). Subjects were randomly assigned to the First Step Program or First Step First Bite Program (n=22 in each group) and attended four weekly group meetings with minimal follow-up during weeks 5 to 16.