Effectiveness of sequential bilateral repetitive transcranial stimulation versus bilateral theta burst stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant depression (BEAT-D): a randomized non-inferiority clinical trial.

Background: Bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (BL-rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is effective for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Owing to a shorter treatment time, bilateral theta burst stimulation (BL-TBS) can be more efficient protocol. The non-inferiority of BL-TBS to BL-rTMS was established in late-life TRD; however, this has not been determined in adults of other age groups.

Deep learning model meets community-based surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis.

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) case surveillance is pivotal for the early detection of potential poliovirus, particularly in endemic countries such as Ethiopia. The community-based surveillance system implemented in Ethiopia has significantly improved AFP surveillance. However, challenges like delayed detection and disorganized communication persist.

An umbrella review on how digital health intervention co-design is conducted and described.

Co-design has been suggested to improve intervention effectiveness and sustainability. However, digital health intervention co-design is inconsistently reported. This umbrella review aims to synthesize what is known about co-design of digital health interventions.

Developing a transition workshop for adolescents with sickle cell disease.

Background: The transfer from paediatric to adult care presents a significant challenge for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with sickle cell disease (SCD). Disease self-management skills have been recognized as important mediators of poor health outcomes, but transition-related skills such as scheduling appointments and understanding the shift in health care responsibilities remain under taught in the healthcare system. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) study was to (1) understand the areas of disease self-management that AYA patients felt underprepared for, and (2) design and evaluate an educational program addressing the top unmet skills.

Building a research agenda on preventing and addressing sexual assault and intimate partner violence against trans people: a two-stage priority-setting exercise.

Background: Transgender (trans) people experience high rates of sexual assault (SA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) and seldom receive the care and supports they need post-victimization. However, there is little to no research that aids in the development or improvement of related interventions. We undertook a study to build a novel Canadian research agenda on SA/IPV against trans people to guide future work and address these profound gaps in knowledge.

Medical chart-reported alcohol consumption, substance use, and mental health issues in association with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) nonadherence among gay, bisexual, and other men-who-have-sex-with-men.

Background: Although some evidence suggests that alcohol, substance use, and mental health issues diminish adherence to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among gay, bisexual, and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (gbMSM), findings are somewhat inconsistent and have primarily derived from studies involving non-random samples. Medical chart extraction can provide unique insight by in part surmounting sampling-related limitations, as data for entire PrEP clinic populations can be examined. Our investigation entailed comprehensive chart extraction to assess the extent to which chart-reported alcohol, substance use, and mental health issues were associated with chart-reported PrEP nonadherence.

Perceived usability and acceptability of the My-Hip Fracture risk communication tool from the perspective of academic clinicians.

Objective: We evaluated the usability and acceptability of My-Hip Fracture (My-HF), a web application that assists providers in delivering individualized prognostic information to patients hospitalized for hip fracture (HF).

Methods: We observed a sample of 16 clinicians as they navigated My-HF. We then administered a structured questionnaire and conducted semi-structured interviews to explore participants' opinions about the app's content and the feasibility of incorporating the app into clinical workflows.

Barriers to integration of health and equity into urban design policies in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Although there is extensive literature on the impact of urban design on health, little is known about the barriers to integrating health into urban design policies. As cities increasingly lead efforts to improve health equity and population health, understanding the perspectives and experiences of municipal actors on health and equity is essential. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 stakeholders engaged with urban design policy- and decision-making at the City of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Implementation science research priorities for Universal Health Coverage:Methodological lessons from the design and implementation of a multi-country modified Delphi study.

Delphi studies are rapidly gaining prominence in global health research. However, researchers' modifications to the Delphi method are often not well-described or justified, limiting opportunities to systematically learn from these studies when the methods are applied to other topics and settings. This paper aims to describe an approach to implementing a modified Delphi study and reflect on the research process in the context of a multi-country study of implementation science research priorities to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Facilitators and challenges in collaboration between public health units and faith-based organizations to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence in Ontario.

Background: Equitable access to vaccination remains a concern, particularly among population groups made structurally vulnerable. These population groups reflect the diversity of communities that are confronted with structural barriers caused by systemic racism and oppression and result in them experiencing suffer disadvantage and discrimination based on citizenship, race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, spiritual beliefs, and/or gender identity. In Canada, Ontario public health units (PHUs) engage with faith-based organizations (FBOs) to improve vaccine confidence among populations made structurally vulnerable.

Uncovering Mental Health Profiles of Workers with a Physically Disabling Injury or Illness Using the Complete State Mental Health Framework.

Background: Complete mental health encompasses both mental illness (MI) symptoms and positive mental health (PMH). Distinct profiles of MI and PMH have not been explored among injured workers. This study describes latent mental health profiles among workers with a disabling physical work injury/illness and identifies differences in sociodemographic and return-to-work factors, health correlates, and disability claim duration and cost between profiles.

Thriving Beyond Adversity: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study Using a Strength-Based Approach Depicts Indigenous Adolescents with Less Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Had Fewer Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs).

Improving social and emotional well-being (SEWB) among Indigenous adolescents is crucial. Since neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are common in Indigenous people and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are important contributors to negative health outcomes throughout the lifespan, we investigated whether limited ACE exposure is associated with reduced risk of NDDs in Australian Indigenous teens using the data from multiple waves (Wave 1 to Wave 9, and Wave 11) of the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC). We also examined the role of other protective factors, such as Indigenous cultural identity and school connectedness, against NDDs.

The epidemiology of low back pain in chiropractors and chiropractic students: a systematic review of the literature.

Background: Chiropractors and chiropractic students commonly report low back pain (LBP). However, the burden of LBP in this occupational group has not been synthesized in the literature. This systematic review aims to describe the epidemiology of LBP in chiropractors and chiropractic students.

Willingness of population health survey participants to provide personal health information and biological samples.

Background: Biological sample collection and data linkage can expand the utility of population health surveys. The present study investigates factors associated with population health survey respondents' willingness to provide biological samples and personal health information.

Methods: Using data from the 2019 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor survey (n = 2,827), we examined participants' willingness to provide blood samples, saliva samples, probabilistic linkage, and direct linkage with personal health information.

Neuronal viability/astrocyte activity ratio in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as a biomarker of Alzheimer's dementia: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and myo-inositol (mI) are neurometabolites reflecting neuronal viability and astrocyte activity, respectively. These are quantified using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and may be biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD). Our objectives were: 1) Compare dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) NAA and mI levels between AD and cognitively healthy control participants (HC) 2) assess if NAA/mI ratio can distinguish groups, and 3) explore the relationship between metabolites and cognition.

Dietary changes among people practicing Meatless Monday: A cross-sectional study.

Background: High meat consumption negatively impacts human and planetary health. Meatless Monday (MM) is a widely known public health initiative that promotes healthy and sustainable diets by encouraging people to eliminate meat for one day each week.

Objectives: This study investigated whether exposure to MM, through practicing MM and receiving the MM e-newsletter, is associated with reduced meat intake on days other than Mondays.

Estimates of intra-cluster correlation coefficients from 2018 USA Medicare data to inform the design of cluster randomized trials in Alzheimer's and related dementias.

Background: Cluster randomized trials (CRTs) are increasingly important for evaluating interventions embedded in health care systems. An essential parameter in sample size calculation to detect both overall and heterogeneous treatment effects for CRTs is the intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC) of both outcome and covariates of interest. However, obtaining advance estimates for the ICC can be challenging.

The decriminalization of illicit drugs in British Columbia: a national evaluation protocol.

Background: On January 31st, 2023, the province of British Columbia (BC), Canada, was granted a federal exemption allowing adults (aged 18 +) to possess up to 2.5 g of select illicit drugs. The exemption will be in place for three years (2023-2026), marking the first formal decriminalization of illicit drug policy reform in Canada.

Living Dead: Trans Cooperations with Mad Necropolitics and the Mad Trans Coalitions that Might Replace Them.

Trans subjectivities continue to be included in major compendia of mental illness, despite recent moves to depathologize "cross-gender identification." Regardless, the inclusion of "gender dysphoria" is often framed as a formal mechanism to support access to gender affirming care as transgender subjectivities are re-conceptualized as part of sex/gender diversity and away from madness. The latter permits trans individuals to evade sanist oppressions.

Exploring assisted dying policies for mature minors: A cross jurisdiction comparison of the Netherlands, Belgium & Canada.

Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) was decriminalized in Canada in 2016 for individuals 18 years or older who met eligibility criteria. Currently, individuals younger than 18 years are legally permitted to access an assisted death in the Netherlands and Belgium, but not in Canada. To-date, no work has compared factors shaping the policy processes and outcomes in these three countries.

Inequities in sleep duration and quality among adolescents in Canada.

Background: Several recent global events may have impacted adolescent sleep and exacerbated pre-existing disparities by social positions (i.e., social roles, identity or sociodemographic factors, and/or group memberships that are associated with power and oppression due to the structures and processes in a given society at given time).