Journal articles on the topic 'Urban gardens – Canada – Databases'
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1
Rice, Peter. "Restoration of a Wildlife Sanctuary in an Urban Setting." Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 17, no. 1 (January 1, 1991): 21–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1991.006.
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The Royal Botanical Gardens' Board has adopted a primary policy objective for Cootes Paradise: to manage the area as an urban wildlife sanctuary and to promote strategies that would sustain and enhance the diversity of the habitats. Under agreement with Ducks Unlimited Canada, Royal Botanical Gardens intends to undertake a project, the goal of which is to restore and manage a fully functioning marsh in nearly half of the wetland area (82 ha). This project is especially important because a rehabilitated marsh will be situated within an urban context. This poses unique challenges in developing appropriate management strategies to deal with both wildlife and the visiting public.
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Giacchè, Giulia, and Lya Porto. "The Incredible Edible Movement." Nature and Culture 13, no. 1 (March 1, 2018): 93–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.3167/nc.2018.130105.
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All over the world, different forms of urban food gardens (family gardens, school gardens, community gardens, allotment gardens, and so on) are flourishing. These initiatives vary in terms of space, actors, functions, and forms of organization. This article explores community garden typologies, focusing on Incredible Edible (IE) initiatives. We propose a theoretical discussion of IE initiatives and the differential adaptation of this model in contrasting contexts, specifically the city of Rennes, in France, and the city of Montreal, in Canada. The investigation of IE in both case studies is predicated on a qualitative methodological approach. A key conclusion is that the IE movement survives largely because of the input of volunteers. However, its longer-term sustainability requires resources and investment from municipal institutions if a real transition to edible cities is to be attained.
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Cochran, Susie, and Leia Minaker. "The Value in Community Gardens: A Return on Investment Analysis." Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l'alimentation 7, no. 1 (August 12, 2020): 154–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.15353/cfs-rcea.v7i1.332.
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Food production in cities is increasingly regarded as one of the building blocks for sustainable urban living, particularly as the agricultural industry faces mounting ecological and economic constraints, and populations continue to concentrate in urban centers. While substantial research exists on the qualitative outcomes of urban agriculture (UA), few studies present these outcomes in monetary terms that align with municipal decision makers economic priorities. In response to this gap, this paper reviews the literature on potential outcomes of one form of UA—community gardens—and identifies where gaps exist which prevent the translation of garden outputs into an economic quantity. The paper then describes a pilot return on investment assessment of a community garden in Ontario, Canada. Substantial data constraints were encountered, however the limited available data indicate that community gardens may represent an ROI-positive government investment. Further local-level research quantifying garden impacts would enable a more robust case for community gardens in cities.
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Zheng, Hua, Min Guo, Qian Wang, Qinghai Zhang, and Noriko Akita. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Current Knowledge Structure and Research Progress Related to Urban Community Garden Systems." Land 12, no. 1 (January 1, 2023): 143. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land12010143.
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Community gardens offer broad research opportunities and analytical resources encompassing urban planning to environmental sustainability, food systems, and social capital. However, little is known about the knowledge structure and research development related to community gardens. This study presents an in-depth bibliometric performance analysis and visual scientific mapping analysis of the literature on community gardens by examining 487 published papers selected from the Web of Science database. The results indicated a considerable rise in research papers in this subject area from 2012 onwards, with most contributions from the United States. Studies from high-income countries accounted for 93.22%, and 38 countries have cooperated 167 times in this field. “Health” is the most frequent keyword, and the terms “ecosystem services” has been gaining popularity over the last five years. A combination of co-citation clustering and keyword co-occurrence clustering analysis identified three major research themes in the field of community gardens: “ecosystem services and disservices”, “multidimensional association”, and “sustainable garden systems”. The development of ecosystem value assessment frameworks, the establishment of region-wide soil monitoring databases, accounting for the cost-effectiveness of nature-based solutions, the integration of garden systems into smart cities, and the integration of water management into regulation will be important future research directions regarding community gardens. Overall, this study provides scholars with a systematic and quantitative understanding of community gardens.
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Garcia, Mariana T., Silvana M. Ribeiro, Ana Claudia Camargo Gonçalves Germani, and Cláudia M. Bógus. "The impact of urban gardens on adequate and healthy food: a systematic review." Public Health Nutrition 21, no. 2 (November 21, 2017): 416–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1368980017002944.
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AbstractObjectiveTo examine the impacts on food and nutrition-related outcomes resulting from participation in urban gardens, especially on healthy food practices, healthy food access, and healthy food beliefs, knowledge and attitudes.DesignThe systematic review identified studies by searching the PubMed, ERIC, LILACS, Web of Science and Embase databases. An assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies was carried out and a narrative summary was produced.SettingStudies published as original articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals in English, Spanish or Portuguese between 2005 and 2015 were included.SubjectsThe studies included were based on data from adult participants in urban gardens.ResultsTwenty-four studies were initially selected based on the eligibility criteria, twelve of which were included. There was important heterogeneity of settings, population and assessment methods. Assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies revealed the need for greater methodological rigour. Most studies investigated community gardens and employed a qualitative approach. The following were reported: greater fruit and vegetable consumption, better access to healthy foods, greater valuing of cooking, harvest sharing with family and friends, enhanced importance of organic production, and valuing of adequate and healthy food.ConclusionsThematic patterns related to adequate and healthy food associated with participation in urban gardens were identified, revealing a positive impact on practices of adequate and healthy food and mainly on food perceptions.
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Malberg Dyg, Pernille, Søren Christensen, and Corissa Jade Peterson. "Community gardens and wellbeing amongst vulnerable populations: a thematic review." Health Promotion International 35, no. 4 (August 1, 2019): 790–803. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daz067.
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AbstractThe aim of the thematic review is to document the effects of community gardens on wellbeing amongst vulnerable populations. We searched for articles published between 1980 and 2017 in major databases resulting in the inclusion of 51 articles. Vulnerable populations included, amongst others, ethnic minorities and refugees, socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods or low-income or food insecure families. Our findings suggest that community garden participation may have a positive impact on physical health, such as reducing body weight and hypertension, and increasing physical activity and food knowledge. However, findings relating to community gardens and their potential to enhance food security were inconsistent. Furthermore we found that community gardens can have a positive influence both at the individual level (i.e. self-esteem, independence, personal control, etc.), particularly for refugees; the relational and social level (i.e. relationships, social connections, community and neighbourhood). Community garden participation have the potential to enhance wellbeing amongst vulnerable populations. However, two articles in our review presented potential food safety concerns related to community gardens, indicating that, particularly in urban settings, attention must be given to minimizing potential food safety concerns, e.g. by using raised garden beds. Based on this review, we recommend that further research and evaluation on non-US-based community gardens is carried out, as community gardens are practiced globally but there is little research to document the effects of community gardens on wellbeing amongst vulnerable populations outside of the USA.
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Kwartnik-Pruc, Anita, and Gabriela Droj. "The Role of Allotments and Community Gardens and the Challenges Facing Their Development in Urban Environments—A Literature Review." Land 12, no. 2 (January 25, 2023): 325. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land12020325.
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Current research largely focuses on the role of allotment gardens, the challenges facing them, and the direction of their future development in urban environments. The main idea behind the introduction of allotment gardens was to improve the living conditions and food supply of workers and the underprivileged. The impact of allotment gardening does not only concern the allotment gardeners but also the general public and the environment. It is important to emphasise that allotments have impacts not only on food production and outdoor physical activity, but also on the reuse of idle or neglected land, community development, therapeutic and nutritional benefits, and psychological benefits for allotment holders and residents. For this reason, this study captures six broad themes related to allotments: (1) community participation and cohesion, (2) health and well-being, (3) economic opportunities, (4) pollution, (5) urban planning and development, and (6) sustainable environment. The research is a systematic review in which steps were taken to minimise bias in the identification, selection, and summarisation of studies. The initial literature selection was based on a keyword search (title, abstract, and keywords) of the comprehensive literature databases Web of Science (all years) and Scopus (all years). The total scientific literature on which this review is based includes 162 research articles published between 1978 and July 2022. This work aims to fill these gaps and analyse existing knowledge by providing a detailed review of the academic literature, focusing not only on the benefits of community gardens and allotments in urban areas, but also on the existing problems related to allotments and urban gardening. Possible directions of development are also analysed based on the legal regulations in each country.
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Tommasi, Désirée, Alice Miro, Heather A. Higo, and Mark L. Winston. "Bee diversity and abundance in an urban setting." Canadian Entomologist 136, no. 6 (December 2004): 851–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/n04-010.
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AbstractWe assessed bee diversity and abundance in urban areas of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to determine how urban environments can support bees. Habitats examined were community and botanical gardens, urban wild areas, Naturescape flower beds and backyards, and traditional flower beds and backyards. A total of 56 bee species (Hymenoptera), including species of the genera Andrena Fabr. (Andrenidae), Bombus Latr. (Apidae), Osmia Panzer and Megachile Latr. (Megachilidae), and Halictus Latr. and Dialictus Pauly (Halictidae), were collected. Abundance exhibited strong seasonal variation. Wild bees were most abundant during late spring, whereas honey bees peaked at the end of the summer. The most abundant species seen was the managed honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Apidae), followed by wild Bombus flavifrons Cresson. Community and botanical gardens, and plants such as cotoneaster (Cotoneaster Medik. sp.) and blackberry (Rubus discolor Weihe & Nees) (Rosaceae), centaurea (Centaurea L. sp.; Asteraceae), buttercup (Ranunculus L. sp.; Ranunculaceae), and foxglove (Digitalis L. sp.; Scrophulariaceae), had the highest abundance of bees, while bee populations in wild areas were the most diverse. Weeds such as dandelions (Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex Wiggers; Asteraceae) dominated these wild areas and had one of the highest diversities of bee visitors. Traditional flower beds with tulips (Tulipa L. sp.; Liliaceae) and petunias (Petunia Juss. sp.; Solanaceae) had relatively poor diversity and abundance of bees throughout the year. Our study suggests that urban areas have the potential to be important pollinator reservoirs, especially if both bloom and habitat heterogeneity are maintained and enhanced through sustainable urban planning.
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Thomas, E. C., and L. M. (Les) Lavkulich. "Community considerations for quinoa production in the urban environment." Canadian Journal of Plant Science 95, no. 2 (March 2015): 397–404. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/cjps-2014-228.
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Thomas, E. C. and Lavkulich, L. M. 2015. Community considerations for quinoa production in the urban environment. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 397–404. Production of food crops in urban settings is an increasingly consumer-accepted means of contributing to local food security and access to fresh produce. Many urban gardens are located on former industrial sites (brownfields) that may be contaminated by heavy metals. Growing crops in trace metal contaminated soil can pose human health concerns. Little has been documented on the uptake of metals from urban sites by crops, and especially the partitioning of metals between roots, shoots and seeds. Human health impacts are of particular concern when locally grown produce constitutes a major proportion of the local diet. The results of this study show that quinoa grown on brownfield sites in Vancouver, Canada may contain elevated levels of metals such as Cd, Cu and Pb.
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Pollard, Georgia, James Ward, and Philip Roetman. "Water Use Efficiency in Urban Food Gardens: Insights from a Systematic Review and Case Study." Horticulturae 4, no. 3 (September 12, 2018): 27. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae4030027.
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Water use and the cost of water are key factors when considering the net value of urban agriculture (UA). This systematic review critically evaluates past and recent UA yield research from the perspective of water use efficiency. A systematic literature search was conducted using the databases Scopus, ProQuest Agriculture and Environment, and Web of Science for references from 1975 to 2018, with 25 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Of these, only five articles had actively collected UA water use data, all on purpose-built experimental gardens. Considering the scarcity of UA water use efficiency and water measurement literature, South Australia is presented as a case study to demonstrate the considerable diversity of water pricing, water sources and irrigation methods available to urban food growers. The practical challenges of garden placement and the wide variety of cultivation techniques, water sources and irrigation methods are reviewed. Four equations to calculate the water use efficiency (WUE) of UA are proposed and demonstrated. Collection of additional UA water use data would support more robust evaluations of the water use efficiency and economic implications of different cultivation techniques. Further work in this field will enable a realistic understanding of the current and future contribution of UA to our society.
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Millward, Andrew A., and Senna Sabir. "Benefits of a forested urban park: What is the value of Allan Gardens to the city of Toronto, Canada?" Landscape and Urban Planning 100, no. 3 (April 2011): 177–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2010.11.013.
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Micek, Ondrej, Jan Feranec, and Premysl Stych. "Land Use/Land Cover Data of the Urban Atlas and the Cadastre of Real Estate: An Evaluation Study in the Prague Metropolitan Region." Land 9, no. 5 (May 15, 2020): 153. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land9050153.
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Landscape research involves a large number of scientific disciplines. Different disciplinary and scale approaches have led to the creation of numerous land use/land cover databases with different classification nomenclature. It is very important for end-users of databases to know the capabilities and limits of land use/land cover data to avoid potential mistakes resulting from inappropriate combinations and interpretations. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the thematic content of the Urban Atlas database and data from the Czech cadastre of real estate in the Prague metropolitan region between the years 2006 and 2012 with a focus on the meaning of the nomenclature used by both datasets. The data were processed using approaches with different levels of thematic harmonisation and statistical tools to quantify the similarities and differences among the researched data. The methods of comparison used for land use/land cover data with different nomenclature were based on an aggregation approach or modified difference indices (the overall difference index and the sub-index of the difference). The areas with high degrees of dissimilarity and similarity were found and further examined and interpreted. These intentions were documented precisely on the Czech cadastre of real estate and the Urban Atlas databases at two scale levels: 1) an analysis of the whole area of the Prague metropolitan region and 2) a detailed analysis of the selected cadastral units. It was proven that the differences between both datasets are significant and they share certain characteristics. Most of the differences are distributed in the classes of the built-up areas, gardens, and other areas. Smaller differences are characteristic for waterways, agricultural lands, and forests. This study provides relevant information on the evaluated databases with the intention of raising awareness of their limits, strengths, and weaknesses. The results enhance the scientific knowledge about the Urban Atlas and Czech cadastre of real estate databases, thereby facilitating decision-making about the options of their use.
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Haider, Aamir, Muhammad Mamdani, and Neil H. Shear. "Socioeconomic Status and The Prevalence of Melanoma in Ontario, Canada." Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 11, no. 1 (January 2007): 1–3. http://dx.doi.org/10.2310/7750.2007.00001.
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Objective: To determine if an association exists between the prevalence of melanoma and socioeconomic status based on income gradients in a large population of over 12 million people in Ontario, Canada. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study using administrative health care databases was conducted. Individuals were divided into five income quintiles based on median neighborhood household income. A Mantel-Haenszel extension test was used to assess whether there was a gradient in the prevalence of melanoma across income groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine if median neighborhood income predicted the prevalence of a melanoma, independent of gender, age, and urban-rural residence status. Results: The study cohort consisted of 14,623 patients with melanoma. Between the lowest income group of $37,637 and the highest income group of $84,162, the prevalence of melanoma increased by 225%. Our study also identified an association between melanoma prevalence and rural residence. The overall prevalence rate was 30% ( p < .01) higher in rural areas compared with urban areas. Conclusion: A higher socioeconomic status and rural versus urban residence status appear to be significant risk factors for the development of melanoma in Ontario.
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Araujo Marques de Sá, Alice, and Dianne Magalhães Viana. "Sustainability in Creative Projects: Biophilia Contributions." Modern Environmental Science and Engineering 8, no. 3 (March 8, 2022): 163–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.15341/mese(2333-2581)/03.08.2022/003.
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The field of biophilia focuses on the innate connection between humans and nature, seeking to promote well-being and quality of life. With this definition in mind, a literature review was undertaken to investigate its contributions to stimulating sustainability in creative projects. Therefore, the descriptors “biophilia” and “sustainability” were used to search the Scopus database from 2003 to 2020. After applying multiple filters, 22 articles were identified covering the themes of urban green spaces, urban biodiversity, gardens, green infrastructures, management of space resources, sustainable policies and certifications, and community environmental projects. It was concluded that the application of biophilic principles stimulate new projects in design, architecture, and urbanism that provide opportunities for the “restoration” of the body and mind, and that can also converge with sustainable aspects. Investigations in other databases are suggested for further understanding the subject, namely in the Brazilian scenario. Key words: biophilia, bioinspiration, sustainability, regenerative design, creative projects
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Granzow, Michael. "The Production of Public Space in a Small Canadian City: An Analysis of Spatial Practices in the Revitalizing of Galt Gardens." Space and Culture 20, no. 3 (May 5, 2017): 344–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1206331217707473.
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This article critically assesses a series of spatial practices implicated in the spatial production of a revitalized public park in downtown Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. I find that the park’s revitalization tends to encourage short-term, recreational crowd practice. Specifically, I show how recent material improvements, such as the replacement of park benches and the addition of a plaza and water feature, distinguish between “positive” and “negative” users of the park. I begin the analysis by using Barthes’s influential work on signification to discuss four murals that came to frame the park’s most recent revitalization. Considered as “materials of myth,” I argue that these murals both commemorate and reproduce a depoliticized version of local history, one that relies on certain forgettings. I find that the widely celebrated revitalization of Galt Gardens hinges in part on practices of exclusion and racialization as forms of urban purification.
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Leopoldo de Freitas Coca, Estevan, and Ricardo Barbosa Jr. "Hortas escolares em Vancouver, Canadá como parte da “segunda geração” da soberania alimentar." Ateliê Geográfico 12, no. 1 (August 3, 2018): 219–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.5216/ag.v12i1.49270.
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Resumo
Num processo mais visível no Hemisfério Norte, porém, também presente no Hemisfério Sul, nos últimos anos tem emergido uma série de ações com o intuito de fazer dos espaços urbanos protagonistas dos sistemas alimentares locais, fato que demarca a “segunda geração” da proposta alternativa de soberania alimentar. São exemplos disso, conselhos de políticas alimentares, mercados de produtos locais, hortas e pomares urbanos e outros. Com base em tal referência, nesse texto é feita uma análise da implementação de hortas escolares em Vancouver, no Canadá, utilizando o método qualitativo. Destaca-se que, apesar de serem efetivadas em escolas públicas, os maiores responsáveis por tais inciativas são Organizações Não-governamentais (ONGs) que desenvolvem projetos de promoção da agricultura local e de educação alimentar.
Palavras-chave: Soberania alimentar; Vancouver School Board; Farm to School BC; Agricultura urbana; Hortas escolares.
Abstract
In recent years a series of actions in order to turn urban spaces into protagonists of local food systems has emerged, as part of a process that is more visible in the Northern Hemisphere – but also present in the Southern Hemisphere – a fact that marks the "second generation" of the alternative proposal of food sovereignty. Examples include food policy councils, farm markets, urban gardens, orchards and others. Based on these references, this paper offers an analysis of the implementation of school gardens in Vancouver, Canada, by using the qualitative method. It is noteworthy that, despite taking place in public schools, those most responsible for such initiatives are Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that develop projects promoting local agriculture and food literacy.
Keywords: Food sovereignty; Vancouver School Board; Farm to School BC; Urban agriculture; School gardens
Resumen
Un proceso más visible en el hemisferio norte, pero también presentes en el hemisferio sur en los últimos años, es el surgimiento de una serie de acciones con el fin de hacer los espacios urbanos, los sistemas alimentarios locales, un hecho que marca la "segunda generación" de la propuesta alternativa de la soberanía alimentaria. Los ejemplos incluyen el asesoramiento a las políticas de alimentos, mercados de productos locales, jardines y huertas urbanas y otros. Con base en estas referencias, este texto presenta un análisis de la implementación de jardines en las escuelas en Vancouver, Canadá, utilizando el método cualitativo. Es de destacar que, a pesar de ser efectuado en las escuelas públicas, el más responsable de este tipo de iniciativas son las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales (ONG) que desarrollan proyectos de promoción de la agricultura local y educación alimentaria.
Palabras clave: La soberanía alimentaria; Vancouver School Board; Farm to School BC; La agricultura urbana; Las huertas escolares
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Smith, Karen Louise, Brenda McPhail, Joseph Ferenbok, Alex Tichine, and Andrew Clement. "Playing with surveillance: The design of a mock RFID-based identification infrastructure for public engagement." Surveillance & Society 9, no. 1/2 (November 30, 2011): 149–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.24908/ss.v9i1/2.4108.
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In many jurisdictions around the globe, governments are developing ID schemes based on radio frequency identification (RFID) and biometric technologies. In Canada, four provinces recently implemented RFID based ‘enhanced’ drivers licences (EDL) in response to the United States’ Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), which requires all persons entering the United States to present a valid passport or alternative ‘secure’ document to prove their identity and citizenship. As researchers, we were closely involved in following the EDL policy development process. It became evident, as we attended legislative hearings, that parliamentarians needed clarifications to understand how the RFID identification scheme would function in practice. This project began with the goal of designing prototypes to demonstrate security and civil liberty concerns with a new RFID-based identification (ID) scheme in Canada. Influenced by participatory design and probe approaches to technology design, we built and tested mock infrastructures of RFID-based identification systems including low fidelity paper prototypes, and high fidelity prototypes using RFID-chipped cards, a database, antenna and reader. We also worked closely with civil society organizations to run public engagement activities. This paper reports on our attempts to create spaces for ‘playful’ engagement with RFID-based ID scheme technology at a time of ‘serious’ policy deliberations. Designed in the spirit of serious play, our mock ID infrastructures make the security and civil liberties challenges inherent in the proposed combination of ID cards and databases more visible, while demonstrating how such ID schemes work. At this point, we see future promise in the design and use of mock ID infrastructure for public engagement during relevant policy deliberations about ID schemes and databases which contain personal information.
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Csorba, Péter, Krisztina Bánóczki, and Zoltán Túri. "Land Use Changes in Peri-Urban Open Spaces of Small Towns in Eastern Hungary." Sustainability 14, no. 17 (August 27, 2022): 10680. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su141710680.
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Changes in land use were studied in 2 km wide peri-urban open spaces of seven small Hungarian towns as part of a RENATUR Interreg Europe (2019–2023) project. The aim of the project is to present best practices related to the sustainable and wise use of the peri-urban open spaces of small European towns. The rate and tendencies of conversion from one land use type to another were evaluated on the basis of a comparison of Corine Land Cover and Land Cover Change databases from 1990, 2000 and 2018. Land use changes in the study areas in different time periods were studied for which the Corine categories were aggregated. Subsequently, there were field verification surveys carried out between March and June of 2021. Most significant changes—due to the significant increase of built-up areas—were found in the case of the towns that were developed to form the suburbs of Debrecen, the core settlement of their region with a population of 200,000. In the case of settlements further away from the major city, the population is either stagnating or decreasing, and the size of built-up areas hardly increases. In the case of cities that are surrounded by high-quality chernozem soils with profitable agriculture, large-scale arable lands have become dominant in the border zones of the settlements, as the spatial extent of gardens, orchards and grasslands has decreased. Highly diverse and mosaic land use (dominated by small plots) is not characteristic anywhere.
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Islam, Sadman, Mark Lefsrud, Jan Adamowski, Blake Bissonnette, and Allison Busgang. "Design, Construction, and Operation of a Demonstration Rainwater Harvesting System for Greenhouse Irrigation at McGill University, Canada." HortTechnology 23, no. 2 (April 2013): 220–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/horttech.23.2.220.
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Increasing stress on urban water demand has led to the exploration of the potential of rainwater use and water recycling to promote sustainable water resources management. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) not only has the potential to reduce water demand but also contributes to other sustainable objectives, including reducing stormwater pollutant loads, reducing erosion, and inducing natural flow regimes by means of flood control, in urban streams. This research involved the design, construction, and field-testing of an RWH system used to irrigate greenhouses at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University in Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the RWH system was to collect rainwater from a roof area of ≈610 m2 (the Horticulture Services Building on the Macdonald Campus of McGill University) to meet the irrigation demands of the two Horticulture Research Center greenhouses on the campus (≈149 m2 each) from May to October. Over its two years of operation, it was found that the amount of rainwater collected did not only meet the peak irrigation demands of the greenhouses (which amounted to almost 700 gal of water per day), but that there was also enough water for the irrigation of the nearby student-run gardens. The harvested rainwater was clear and did not cause any harm to the plants. The major problem that was experienced during the operation of the RWH system was that of algae growth in one of the water collection tanks. This issue was resolved by covering the tank with metallic green wallpaper, thereby blocking most of the sunlight from entering the tank. The RWH system is currently being used for irrigation and as a demonstration project to promote the learning of sustainable technologies on campus and in the surrounding communities.
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Lampert, Tarsila, Joana Costa, Osvaldo Santos, Joana Sousa, Teresa Ribeiro, and Elisabete Freire. "Evidence on the contribution of community gardens to promote physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals: A systematic review." PLOS ONE 16, no. 8 (August 6, 2021): e0255621. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255621.
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Introduction There has been growing interest in community gardens as an effective and affordable health promotion strategy. However, most available evidence is derived from qualitative studies, whereas quantitative research on this subject is limited. Objectives To synthetize the literature about physical and mental health outcomes associated with community gardening. Two main questions were addressed: a) is there evidence, from quantitative studies, that community gardening is associated to physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals? b) Does community gardening provokes any discomfort in terms of physical health, i.e., bodily pain, to their beneficiaries? Methods A systematic review of the literature was carried out following PRISMA guidelines by searching relevant electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Empirical, quantitative studies published in English with no restrictions concerning the date of publication were considered eligible. The quality of the evidence was appraised using the tool developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Results Overall, 8 studies were considered eligible, of which seven studies were rated as having good methodological quality (one scored as fair). Community gardeners had significantly better health outcomes than their neighbours not engaged in gardening activities in terms of life satisfaction, happiness, general health, mental health, and social cohesion. Conclusion Community gardens are associated to health gains for their users, irrespective of age, being an affordable and efficient way of promoting physical and mental health and well-being. To encourage the design, maintenance, and prospective evaluation of supportive urban environments promoting healthy and, at the same time, sustainable lifestyles, is essential to achieve public health gains and environmental sustainability.
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Lyon, Craig, Anwar Haq, Bhagwant Persaud, and Steven T. Kodama. "Safety Performance Functions for Signalized Intersections in Large Urban Areas." Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board 1908, no. 1 (January 2005): 165–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0361198105190800120.
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This paper describes the development of safety performance functions (SPFs) for 1,950 urban signalized intersections on the basis of 5 years of collision data in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Because Toronto has one of the largest known, readily accessible, urban signalized intersection databases, it was possible to develop reliable, widely applicable SPFs for different intersection classifications, collision severities, and impact types. Such a comprehensive set of SPFs is not available for urban signalized intersections from data for a single jurisdiction, despite the considerable recent interest in use of these functions for analyses related to network screening, and the development, prioritization, and evaluation of treatments. The application of a straightforward recalibration process requiring relatively little data means that the SPFs calibrated can be used by researchers and practitioners for other jurisdictions for which these functions do not exist and are unlikely to exist for some time. The value of the functions is illustrated in an application to evaluate a topical safety measure—left-turn priority treatment for which existing knowledge is on a shaky foundation. The results of this empirical Bayes evaluation show that this treatment is quite effective for reducing collisions, particularly those involving left-turn side impacts.
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Pitt, Tona M., Janet Aucoin, Tate HubkaRao, Suzanne Goopy, Jason Cabaj, Brent Hagel, and Gavin R. McCormack. "The Relationship of Urban Form on Children and Adolescent Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review of Canadian Evidence." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 8 (April 15, 2021): 4180. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084180.
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Urban form can have an impact on health outcomes in children, and the synthesis of findings can identify gaps in the literature and regional reviews may help guide policymakers. This study aims to complete a scoping review of the research relating urban form to health outcomes in children and adolescents from urban Canadian settings. Thirteen online databases were searched to identify studies that had objective measures of urban form and health outcomes. Two research assistants independently reviewed 27,444 titles and abstracts, and 176 full-text articles, returning 32 unique studies with youth-specific data. The majority of the included studies were cross-sectional or ecological (n = 26). Six studies used Canada-wide data and the rest were from Ontario (n = 11), Alberta (n = 6), and Quebec (n = 6). Urban form characteristics included neighbourhood food environment (n = 11), parks/natural space/greenness (n = 10), road or intersection characteristics (n = 7), and aggregated urban form measures (n = 7). Studies examined a variety of health outcomes: the majority considered weight status (n = 16) and injury (n = 10). Although there is over-reliance on mainly cross-sectional study designs, there is evidence suggesting that urban form is associated with health outcomes in Canadian youth, with parks/greenspace, road connectivity, and road characteristics most consistently associated with health outcomes in youth.
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Gangahagedara, Ruchira, Shyamantha Subasinghe, Madhushan Lankathilake, Wasantha Athukorala, and Isurun Gamage. "Ecosystem Services Research Trends: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2000–2020." Ecologies 2, no. 4 (December 4, 2021): 366–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ecologies2040021.
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The study of ecosystem services (ES) is becoming increasingly popular, as it plays an important role in human wellbeing, economic growth, and livelihoods. The primary goal of this research is to investigate the global trend in ES research using a rigorous systematic review of highly cited articles. The articles for this study were extracted from Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E), Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) databases of Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) covering the period from 2000 to 2020. This study was limited to SCI-E, ESCI, and SSCI databases of the Web of Science. The term “ecosystem service/s” has been used as a research term to filter the study sample and eliminate other databases from the analysis. A citation level equal to or greater than 200 was used to further filtration of articles. This query could restrict to 128 articles that are highly cited in the selected period. Bibliometric analysis results show that, according to the author’s keywords, the “ecosystem service/s” keyword is highly connected to the “biodiversity”, “valuation”, “marine spatial planning”, and “conservation planning”. The U.S.A., Canada, China, France, and Australia are the leading countries in the cumulative number of highly cited articles and networks of co-authors. The U.S.A. is a strong contributor to ES research with China, Canada, and France. The most productive universities linked to the United States were the University of Minnesota, the University of California-Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), and the Chinese Academy of Science. The most significant and compelling author is Halpern S Benjamin, who represents UC Santa Barbara. He has earned international recognition for a model he developed to analyze global data sets of anthropogenic drivers of ecological change in marine environments. The most accessed and studied fields in the ES are terrestrial, urban, and marine environments.
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Lucas, Laura. "Food, Diversity, and Cultural Identity." Contingent Horizons: The York University Student Journal of Anthropology 6, no. 1 (June 29, 2022): 1–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.25071/2292-6739.112.
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The Rainbow Community Garden is a place for new immigrant and refugee families in Winnipeg to grow their own food. Using the Rainbow Community Garden as a case study, this paper contributes to ongoing discussions about community gardening by applying an anthropological lens to the multilayered meanings of agriculture in urban environments. This paper is focused on the benefits and challenges of community gardening in the context of new immigrant and refugee experiences. Through a literature review and interviews with gardeners, the role of food and community gardens as a means of facilitating cross cultural interactions, providing culturally appropriate food for new immigrants and refugees, and expressing cultural identity is brought into emphasis. I draw on Strunk and Richardson’s (2019) concepts of the material, imagined, and community’s garden, to reflect on the different ways in which the community garden is used and experienced by immigrant and refugee gardeners. The main conclusion of this research is that, in the context of new immigrant and refugee participation in community gardening, a garden is not only the physical soil, vegetables, and flowers, but also an important place for practicing one’s culture and for engaging in meaningful cross cultural interaction that is beneficial in adjusting to a new life in Canada.
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Scheim, Ayden I., Ruby Sniderman, Ri Wang, Zachary Bouck, Elizabeth McLean, Kate Mason, Geoff Bardwell, et al. "The Ontario Integrated Supervised Injection Services Cohort Study of People Who Inject Drugs in Toronto, Canada (OiSIS-Toronto): Cohort Profile." Journal of Urban Health 98, no. 4 (June 28, 2021): 538–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11524-021-00547-w.
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AbstractThe Ontario Integrated Supervised Injection Services cohort in Toronto, Canada (OiSIS-Toronto) is an open prospective cohort of people who inject drugs (PWID). OiSIS-Toronto was established to evaluate the impacts of supervised consumption services (SCS) integrated within three community health agencies on health status and service use. The cohort includes PWID who do and do not use SCS, recruited via self-referral, snowball sampling, and community/street outreach. From 5 November 2018 to 19 March 2020, we enrolled 701 eligible PWID aged 18+ who lived in Toronto. Participants complete interviewer-administered questionnaires at baseline and semi-annually thereafter and are asked to consent to linkages with provincial healthcare administrative databases (90.2% consented; of whom 82.4% were successfully linked) and SCS client databases. At baseline, 86.5% of participants (64.0% cisgender men, median ([IQR] age= 39 [33–49]) had used SCS in the previous 6 months, of whom most (69.7%) used SCS for <75% of their injections. A majority (56.8%) injected daily, and approximately half (48.0%) reported fentanyl as their most frequently injected drug. As of 23 April 2021, 291 (41.5%) participants had returned for follow-up. Administrative and self-report data are being used to (1) evaluate the impact of integrated SCS on healthcare use, uptake of community health agency services, and health outcomes; (2) identify barriers and facilitators to SCS use; and (3) identify potential enhancements to SCS delivery. Nested sub-studies include evaluation of “safer opioid supply” programs and impacts of COVID-19.
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Tanner, Julie-Anne, Jennifer Hensel, Paige E. Davies, Lisa C. Brown, Bryan M. Dechairo, and Benoit H. Mulsant. "Economic Burden of Depression and Associated Resource Use in Manitoba, Canada." Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 65, no. 5 (December 13, 2019): 338–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0706743719895342.
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Objectives To characterize the health-care utilization and economic burden associated with depression in Manitoba, Canada. Methods Patient-level data were retrieved from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy administrative, clinical, and laboratory databases for the study period of January 1, 1996, through December 31, 2016. Patients were assigned to the depression cohort based on diagnoses recorded in hospitalizations and outpatient physician claims, as well as antidepressant prescription drug claims. A comparison cohort of nondepressed subjects, matched with replacement for age, gender, place of residence (urban vs. rural), and index date, was created. Demographics, comorbidities, intentional self-harm, mortality, health-care utilization, prescription drug utilization, and costs of health-care utilization and social services were compared between depressed patients and matched nondepressed patients, and incidence rate ratios and hazard ratios were reported. Results There were 190,065 patients in the depression cohort and 378,177 patients in the nondepression cohort. Comorbidities were 43% more prevalent among depressed patients. Intentional self-harm, all-cause mortality, and suicide mortality were higher among patients with depression than the nondepression cohort. Health-care utilization—including hospitalizations, physician visits, physician-provided psychotherapy, and prescription drugs—was higher in the depression than the nondepression cohort. Mean health-care utilization costs were 3.5 times higher among depressed patients than nondepressed patients ($10,064 and $2,832, respectively). Similarly, mean social services costs were 3 times higher ($1,522 and $510, respectively). Overall, depression adds a total average cost of $8,244 ( SD = $40,542) per person per year. Conclusions Depression contributes significantly to health burden and per patient costs in Manitoba, Canada. Extrapolation of the results to the entire Canadian health-care system projects an excess of $12 billion annually in health system spending.
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Burns, Ryan, and Grace Wark. "Where’s the database in digital ethnography? Exploring database ethnography for open data research." Qualitative Research 20, no. 5 (November 12, 2019): 598–616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1468794119885040.
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Contemporary cities are witnessing momentous shifts in how institutions and individuals produce and circulate data. Despite recent trends claiming that anyone can create and use data, cities remain marked by persistently uneven access and usage of digital technologies. This is the case as well within the emergent phenomenon of the ‘smart city,’ where open data are a key strategy for achieving ‘smartness,’ and increasingly constitute a fundamental dimension of urban life, governance, economic activity, and epistemology. The digital ethnography has extended traditional ethnographic research practices into such digital realms, yet its applicability within open data and smart cities is unclear. The method has tended to overlook the important roles of particular digital artifacts such as the database in structuring and producing knowledge. In this paper, we develop the database ethnography as a rich methodological resource for open data research. This approach centers the database as a key site for the production and materialization of social meaning. The database ethnography draws attention to the ways digital choices and practices—around database design, schema, data models, and so on—leave traces through time. From these traces, we may infer lessons about how phenomena come to be encoded as data and acted upon in urban contexts. Open databases are, in other words, key ways in which knowledges about the smart city are framed, delimited, and represented. More specifically, we argue that open databases limit data types, categorize and classify data to align with technical specifications, reflect the database designer’s episteme, and (re)produce conceptions of the world. We substantiate these claims through a database ethnography of the open data portal for the city of Calgary, in Western Canada.
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Moin, John S., Richard H. Glazier, Kerry Kuluski, Alex Kiss, and Ross E. G. Upshur. "Examine the association between key determinants identified by the chronic disease indicator framework and multimorbidity by rural and urban settings." Journal of Multimorbidity and Comorbidity 11 (January 1, 2021): 263355652110281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/26335565211028157.
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Background: Multimorbidity, often defined as having two or more chronic conditions is a global phenomenon. This study examined the association between key determinants identified by the chronic disease indicator framework and multimorbidity by rural and urban settings. The prevalence of individual diseases was also investigated by age and sex. Methods: The Canada Community Health Survey and linked health administrative databases were used to examine the association between multimorbidity, sociodemographic, behavioral, and other risk factors in the province of Ontario. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to conduct the main analysis. Results: Analyses were stratified by age (20–64 and 65–95) and area of residence (rural and urban). A total sample of n = 174,938 residents between the ages of 20–95 were examined in the Ontario province, of which 18.2% (n = 31,896) were multimorbid with 2 chronic conditions, and 23.4% (n = 40,883) with 3+ chronic conditions. Females had a higher prevalence of 2 conditions (17.9% versus 14.6%) and 3+ conditions (19.7% vs. 15.6%) relative to males. Out of all examined variables, poor self-perception of health, age, Body Mass Index, and income were most significantly associated with multimorbidity. Smoking was a significant risk factor in urban settings but not rural, while drinking was significant in rural and not urban settings. Income inequality was associated with multimorbidity with greater magnitude in rural areas. Prevalence of multimorbidity and having three or more chronic conditions were highest among low-income populations. Conclusion: Interventions targeting population weight, age/sex specific disease burdens, and additional focus on stable income are encouraged.
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Romero Vargas, Marilyn, Tania Bermúdez-Rojas, Alejandro Durán-Apuy, Marvin Alfaro-Sánchez, and Sebastián Bonilla-Soto. "Áreas verdes urbanas, una caracterización paisajística y biológica aplicada a una microcuenca de la Gran Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica." Revista Geográfica de América Central 2, no. 69 (April 20, 2022): 49–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/rgac.69-2.2.
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This article presents a landscape and biological characterization of urban green areas (UGA) of the Bermudez River micro-basin located in the province of Heredia, Costa Rica. This characterization is based on a classification according to criteria for the use of these green spaces, where landscape attributes such as quantity, average size, total area and condition of land cover are described; and biological attributes such as richness of species, genera and families, percentages of exotic and native species are identified by UGA category. Geospatial data was used in the case of the landscape component, obtained from municipalities, as well as photointerpretation and generation of own cartography. For assessing the biological component, field samplings, consultation with experts, and secondary sources through an exhaustive review of scientific literature and of online databases was employed. The results show that 8.95% (664.68 ha) of the total UGAs present in the micro-basin is dedicated to biodiversity conservation, protection of water resources and recreation, while private UGAs destined to crops and pastures almost quadruple the former (31.33%; 2,325.81 ha). 1,029 species of trees, shrubs, herbs, climbing plants, etc. were identified, with gardens and streets contributing the most species. Vertebrate fauna is dominated by birds, followed by reptiles, amphibians and finally mammals. In conclusion, the UGAs present in the study area show significant landscape and biological differences in terms of quantity, size, spatial distribution, floristic and fauna richness, and UGAs form a green web that provides ecosystem services to the city.
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Strauss, Rachel, Rinku Sutradhar, David Gomez, Jin Luo, Carolyn Snider, and Natasha Ruth Saunders. "Factors associated with experiencing reassault in Ontario, Canada: a population-based analysis." Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 76, no. 4 (October 7, 2021): 404–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2021-216964.
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BackgroundIndividuals who experience a violence-related injury are at high risk for subsequent assault. The extent to which characteristics of initial assault are associated with the risk and intensity of reassaults is not well described yet essential for planning preventive interventions. We sought to describe the incidence of reassault and associated risk factors in Ontario, Canada.MethodsIn this population-based retrospective cohort study using linked health and demographic administrative databases, we included all individuals discharged from an emergency department or hospitalised with a physical assault between 1 April 2005 and 30 November 2016 and followed them until 31 December 2016 for reassault. A sex-stratified Andersen-Gill recurrent events analysis modelled associations between sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and reassault.Results271 522 individuals experienced assault (mean follow-up=6.4 years), 24 568 (9.0%) of whom were reassaulted within 1 year, 45 834 (16.9%) within 5 years and 52 623 (19.4%) within 10 years. 40 322 (21%) males and 12 662 (17%) females experienced reassault over the study period. Groups with increased rates of reassault included: those aged 13–17 years versus older adults (age 65+) (males: relative rate (RR) 2.16; 95% CI 1.96 to 2.38; females: RR 2.79; 95% CI 2.39 to 3.26)), those living in rural areas versus urban (males: RR 1.22; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.24; females: RR 1.32; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.37) and individuals with a history of incarceration versus without (males: RR 2.38; 95% CI 2.33 to 2.42; females: RR 2.57; 95% CI 2.48 to 2.67).ConclusionOne in five who are assaulted experience reassault. Those at greatest risk include youth, those living in rural areas, and those who have been incarcerated, with strongest associations among females. Timely interventions to reduce the risk of experiencing reassault must consider both sexes in these groups.
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Osei, J. A., J. Peña-Sánchez, S. Fowler, N. Muhajarine, G. G. Kaplan, and L. M. Lix. "A60 THE INCIDENCE OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IS DECREASING IN SASKATCHEWAN: A POPULATION-BASED COHORT STUDY." Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology 3, Supplement_1 (February 2020): 71–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jcag/gwz047.059.
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Abstract Background Canada has one of the highest inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) incidence rates worldwide, although within Canada rates vary. Evidence show increasing incidence rates of IBD in Ontario (i.e. adults aged 30–60), stable in Alberta and decreasing in Manitoba. Additionally, higher incident rates of IBD have been identified among urban regions compared to rural regions. There is limited data on the incidence of IBD in Saskatchewan. Aims The study objectives were to 1) estimate IBD incidence rates in Saskatchewan from 1999 to 2016, and 2) test for differences in IBD incidence rates for rural and urban regions of Saskatchewan. Methods A population-based study was conducted using linked provincial administrative health databases. Individuals age 18+ old with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) were identified using a validated case definition. Generalized linear models with a negative binomial distribution were used to estimate incidence rates and incidence rate ratios (IRR) adjusted for age group, sex, and rurality with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results In total, 4,908 newly diagnosed individuals with IBD were included. The average annual incidence rate of IBD decreased from 75 (95%CI 67–84) per 100,000 people in 1999 to 15 (95%CI 12–18) per 100,000 population in 2016. This decrease was evident in both UC (from 36/100,000 [95%CI 31–42] in 1999 to 6/100,000 [95%CI 4–8] in 2016) and CD (37/100,000 [95%CI 32–42] in 1999 to 8/100,000 [95%CI 6–10] in 2016). A significant decline of 6.9% (95%CI 6.2–7.6) in the average annual incidence of IBD was estimated between 1999 and 2016 (see Figure 1). Urban residents had a greater overall risk of IBD (IRR=1.19, 95%CI 1.11–1.27) than rural residents. This risk difference was statistically significant for CD (IRR=1.25, 95%CI 1.14–1.36), but not UC (IRR=1.08, 95%CI 0.97–1.19). Conclusions A decreasing trend in IBD incidence in Saskatchewan was identified after adjusting for age group, sex, and rural/urban region of residence. Around 150 new cases of IBD are still diagnosed annually in Saskatchewan, but this estimate is lower than estimates from other provinces. Urban dwellers have a 25% higher risk of CD onset compared to their rural counterparts. This finding could suggest the presence of specific risk factors in urban settings that require further investigation. Health care providers and decision-makers should plan IBD-specific health care programs taking into account these specific IBD rates in Saskatchewan. Funding Agencies College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan
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Booth, Gillian L., Maria I. Creatore, Jin Luo, Ghazal S. Fazli, Ashley Johns, Laura C. Rosella, Richard H. Glazier, Rahim Moineddin, Peter Gozdyra, and Peter C. Austin. "Neighbourhood walkability and the incidence of diabetes: an inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis." Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 73, no. 4 (January 29, 2019): 287–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-210510.
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BackgroundPeople living in highly walkable neighbourhoods tend to be more physically active and less likely to be obese. Whether walkable urban design reduces the future risk of diabetes is less clear.MethodsWe used inverse probability of treatment weighting to compare 10-year diabetes incidence between residents living in high-walkability and low-walkability neighbourhoods within five urban regions in Ontario, Canada. Adults (aged 30–85 years) who were diabetes-free on 1 April 2002 were identified from administrative health databases and followed until 31 March 2012 (n=958 567). Within each region, weights reflecting the propensity to live in each neighbourhood type were created based on sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities and healthcare utilisation and incorporated into region-specific Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsLow-walkability areas were more affluent and had more South Asian residents (6.4%vs3.6%, p<0.001) but fewer residents from other minority groups (16.6%vs21.7%, p<0.001). Baseline characteristics were well balanced between low-walkability and high-walkability neighbourhoods after applying individual weights (standardised differences all <0.1). In each region, high walkability was associated with lower diabetes incidence among adults aged <65 years (overall weighted incidence: 8.2vs9.2 per 1000; HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.93), but not among adults aged ≥65 years (weighted incidence: 20.7vs19.5 per 1000; HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.12). Findings were consistent regardless of income and immigration status.ConclusionsYounger adults living in high-walkability neighbourhoods had a lower 10-year incidence of diabetes than similarly aged adults living in low-walkability neighbourhoods. Urban designs that support walking may have important benefits for diabetes prevention.
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Liu, Shiru, Wing Chan, Genevieve Bouchard-Fortier, Stephanie Lheureux, Sarah Ferguson, and Monika K. Krzyzanowska. "Patterns of first-line systemic therapy delivery and adoption of bevacizumab in advanced ovarian cancer in Ontario, Canada." Journal of Clinical Oncology 39, no. 28_suppl (October 1, 2021): 292. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jco.2020.39.28_suppl.292.
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292 Background: Initial treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) consists of combination of cytoreductive surgery (CSR) and/or chemotherapy. Targeted therapies such as bevacizumab have shown to improve outcomes in a subset population with high-risk features. Real-world patterns of systemic therapy delivery in EOC in the modern era are not well understood. Our objective is to evaluate the patterns of first-line systemic treatment of advanced EOC in Ontario, focusing on adoption of bevacizumab, which was approved for use in 2016. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population cohort study using administrative databases held at the ICES in Ontario, Canada. Patients diagnosed with non-mucinous EOC between 2014 and 2018 were identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry; early-stage disease was excluded. Information on systemic therapy was obtained from Activity Level Reporting and New Drug Funding Program databases. Provider of care (gynecologic oncologist vs medical oncologist) information was obtained from billing codes. Academic cancer centers were identified using validated systemic facility codes from Cancer Care Ontario. Statistical analyses include descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multivariable logistic regression using SAS. Results: Out of 4,680 cases diagnosed with EOC during the study period, 3,632 (77.6%) were considered advanced stage. Median age of cohort was between 65-70, and the majority had Charlson score of 1-2 (97%) and are urban (91.8%). A total of 3,181 (87.6%) patients underwent CRS and 2,722(74.9%) patients underwent chemotherapy. Of those who received chemotherapy, 1,259 (46.2%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 1,012 (37.2%) received upfront CRS, and 451(16.5%) received chemotherapy only. The majority of chemotherapy was delivered by gynecologic oncologists (60.6%) and in academic cancer centres (61.7%). There was no significant difference in use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy between medical oncologists and gynecologic oncologists (p = 0.67). Only 53 chemotherapy patients (1.9%) received bevacizumab containing-regimen in the first-line setting. Medical oncologists were 4 times more likely to administer bevacizumab-containing regimen compared to gynecologic oncologists (OR 4.03, 95% CI.29 – 7.36) after adjusting for age, stage, Charlson score and rurality score on logistic regression. Delivery of bevacizumab is relatively higher in non-academic cancer centres (OR 2.61, 95% CI 2.32- 2.94) while 83% of intraperitoneal chemotherapy is delivered in academic cancer centres. Conclusions: Patterns of care of EOC in Ontario remain heterogenous between care providers and institutions, while uptake of bevacizumab for first-line treatment of EOC remains low. Factors leading to low uptake and real-world outcomes should be explored.
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Henry, Shelby, Maria B. Ospina, Liz Dennett, and Anne Hicks. "Assessing the Risk of Respiratory-Related Healthcare Visits Associated with Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Children 0–18 Years Old: A Systematic Review." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 16 (August 20, 2021): 8799. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168799.
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Wildfires are increasing in frequency, size, and intensity, and increasingly affect highly populated areas. Wildfire smoke impacts cardiorespiratory health; children are at increased risk due to smaller airways, a higher metabolic rate and ongoing development. The objective of this systematic review was to describe the risk of pediatric respiratory symptoms and healthcare visits following exposure to wildfire smoke. Medical and scientific databases and the grey literature were searched from inception until December 2020. Included studies evaluated pediatric respiratory-related healthcare visits or symptoms associated with wildfire smoke exposure. Prescribed burns, non-respiratory symptoms and non-pediatric studies were excluded. Risk of bias was evaluated using the National Toxicology Program’s Office of Health Assessment and Translation Risk of Bias Rating Tool. Data are presented narratively due to study heterogeneity. Of 2138 results, 1167 titles and abstracts were screened after duplicate removal; 65 full text screens identified 5 pre-post and 11 cross-sectional studies of rural, urban and mixed sites from the USA, Australia, Canada and Spain. There is a significant increase in respiratory emergency department visits and asthma hospitalizations within the first 3 days of exposure to wildfire smoke, particularly in children < 5 years old.
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Conlon, Michael SC, Joseph M. Caswell, Stacey A. Santi, Barbara Ballantyne, Margaret L. Meigs, Andrew Knight, Craig C. Earle, and Mark Hartman. "Access to Palliative Care for Cancer Patients Living in a Northern and Rural Environment in Ontario, Canada: The Effects of Geographic Region and Rurality on End-of-Life Care in a Population-Based Decedent Cancer Cohort." Clinical Medicine Insights: Oncology 13 (January 2019): 117955491982950. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1179554919829500.
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Background: Access to palliative care has been associated with improving quality of life and reducing the use of potentially aggressive end-of-life care. However, many challenges and barriers exist in providing palliative care to residents in northern and rural settings in Ontario, Canada. Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine access to palliative care and associations with the use of end-of-life care in a decedent cohort of northern and southern, rural and urban, residents. Design: Using linked administrative databases, residents were classified into geographic and rural categories. Regression methods were used to define use and associations of palliative and end-of-life care and death in acute care hospital. Setting/Participants: A decedent cancer cohort of Ontario residents (2007-2012). Results: Northern rural residents were less likely to receive palliative care (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.83-0.97). Those not receiving palliative care were more likely to receive potentially aggressive end-of-life care and die in an acute care hospital (adjusted OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.02-1.41). Conclusions: Palliative care was significantly associated with reduced use of aggressive end-of-life care; however, disparities exist in rural locations, especially those in the north. Higher usage of emergency department (ED) and hospital resources at end of life in rural locations also reflects differing roles of rural community hospitals compared with urban hospitals. Improving access to palliative care in rural and northern locations is an important care issue and may reduce use of potentially aggressive end-of-life care.
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Lupichuk, Sasha M., Cindy Railton, Jenny J. Ko, Jennifer McCormick, Lihong Zhong, Anil Abraham Joy, Barbara Walley, and Janine Giese-Davis. "Assessing the need for a nurse-led breast cancer telephone follow-up clinic in Alberta, Canada." Journal of Clinical Oncology 31, no. 26_suppl (September 10, 2013): 111. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jco.2013.31.26_suppl.111.
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111 Background: Routine follow-up of breast cancer (BC) patients is largely transferred to primary care due to limited tertiary care resources and evidence supporting the acceptability and safety of this approach. It is unknown how BC survivors are faring in the community with treatment and surveillance goals, and if there is an unmet need for access to specialist care. Objectives of this cross-sectional study of BC survivors were to examine: concordance with endocrine therapy and follow-up recommendations; perceived need for help with achieving these recommendations; and, perceived need for a telephone follow-up clinic. Methods: Eligible participants were women with stage I-III BC diagnosed June 2006-September 2009 who had been seen in consultation at a tertiary cancer centre (TCC) in Alberta, Canada. 960 potentially eligible women were invited to participate via mail-out from the Alberta Cancer Registry. Consenting participants completed a structured telephone interview. Further patient, disease, endocrine therapy and surveillance data were obtained from the electronic chart and pharmacy databases. Results: 240 participants completed the telephone interview. 68.8% had been discharged from a TCC. 87.1% reported having had a clinical breast examination, and 97.1% with remaining breast tissue reported having had a surveillance mammogram within the past year. Concordance with endocrine therapy varied between pharmacy dispensing records (95.4%) versus self-report (82.0%). Top participant-identified gaps in post-treatment services were: side effect management, achieving body weight and physical activity goals, psychosocial health, and sexual health. 71.7% of participants reported that they would have used a telephone follow-up clinic. Factors associated with telephone follow-up clinic use included younger age, no endocrine therapy, fatigue, and non-urban residence. Conclusions: Concordance with measurable follow-up goals (exam, mammography, endocrine therapy) was better than expected. Despite this, interest in a nurse-led BC telephone follow-up clinic was high. Perceived needs included management of symptoms plus support for life-style behavior change.
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Welk, Blayne, Eric McArthur, and Alexandra P. Zorzi. "Association of Virtual Care Expansion With Environmental Sustainability and Reduced Patient Costs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada." JAMA Network Open 5, no. 10 (October 20, 2022): e2237545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.37545.
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ImportanceThere is a growing focus on environmental sustainability in health care.ObjectiveTo estimate the environmental and patient-level financial benefits associated with the widespread adoption of virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis population-based cross-sectional study obtained data from linked administrative databases in the universal health care system of Ontario, Canada, from March 2020 to December 2021. Participants included all people with a physician claim for at least 1 episode of virtual care.ExposuresPatients were stratified by age, socioeconomic status quintiles, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and area of residence (rural or urban).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcomes were total travel distance and estimated travel-related carbon dioxide emissions avoided owing to virtual care visits. Different model assumptions were used to account for electric and hybrid vehicles and public transit use. The secondary outcomes were estimated patient costs (gasoline, parking, or public transit expenses) avoided.ResultsDuring the 22-month study period, 10 146 843 patients (mean [SD] age, 44.1 [23.1] years; 5 536 611 women [54.6%]) had 63 758 914 physician virtual care visits. These visits were associated with avoidance of 3.2 billion km of travel distance and between 545 and 658 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions. Patients avoided an estimated total of $569 to $733 million (Canadian [US $465-$599 million]) in parking, public transit, and gasoline costs. Carbon dioxide emission avoidance and patient cost savings were more apparent in patients living in rural areas, those with higher comorbidity, and those who were older than 65 years.Conclusions and RelevanceResults of this study suggest that virtual care was associated with a large amount of carbon dioxide emissions avoided owing to reduced patient travel and with millions of dollars saved in parking, gasoline, or public transit costs. These benefits are likely to continue as virtual care is maintained as part of the health care system.
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Ji, Xiaofeng, Haotian Guan, Mengyuan Lu, Fang Chen, and Wenwen Qin. "International Research Progress in School Travel and Behavior: A Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis." Sustainability 14, no. 14 (July 20, 2022): 8857. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su14148857.
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A deep understanding of school travel mode can help policymaking related to the optimization of the school travel structure, alleviating urban traffic congestion due to the increasingly prominent phenomenon of urban sprawl. However, existing studies in this field are based on a specific research perspective, and comprehensive reviews are rather limited. Therefore, this study aims to provide an in-depth, systematic review of school travel by using bibliometric analysis. Firstly, based on the Web of Science, TRID, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE databases, 457 studies about school travel are selected from between 1996 and 2021. Secondly, utilizing bibliometric analysis, the research progress is summarized with emphasis on the annual performance of the literature, publication status of a country or region, literature source institutions, keywords of the literature, and co-citation network analysis. The research results show that (1) the United States, Canada, and Australia rank top in the number of studies on school travel, and they also have high citation frequency and connection strength. (2) This study collects studies published in 34 journal publications, and the “Journal of Transport & Health” is the main source for publishing research. (3) The choice of school travel mode is significantly affected by individual characteristics, family conditions, and social status. The built environment and parental factors play a leading role in students’ active travel to school, and independent mobility and active transport contribute to students’ healthy development. However, policy planning is necessary to further improve the transportation infrastructure sustainability and school route safety. (4) Finally, several promising directions and potential limitations are discussed for developing countries based on the research progress in developed economies.
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Fuentes Pacheco, Andrea, Gabriela Carrillo Balam, Daryll Archibald, Elizabeth Grant, and Valeria Skafida. "Exploring the relationship between local food environments and obesity in UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand: a systematic review protocol." BMJ Open 8, no. 2 (February 2018): e018701. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018701.
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IntroductionObesity is a global pandemic that affects all socioeconomic strata, however, the highest figures have been observed in the most disadvantaged social groups. Evidence from the USA and Canada showed that specific urban settings encourage obesogenic behaviour in the population living and/or working there. We aim to examine the evidence on the association between local food environments and obesity in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.MethodsSix databases from 1990 to 2017 will be searched: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) and Web of Science. Grey literature will also be sought by searching Opengrey Europe, The Grey Literature Report and relevant government websites. Additional studies will be retrieved from the reference lists of the selected articles. It will include cohort, longitudinal, case study and cross-sectional studies that have assessed the relationship between local food environments and obesity in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand regardless of sex, age and ethnicity of the population. Two researchers will independently select the studies and extract the data. Data items will incorporate: author names, title, study design, year of study, year exposure data collected, country, city, urban/rural, age range, study exclusions, special characteristics of study populations, aims, working definitions of food environments and food outlets, exposure and methods of data collection, outcomes and key findings. A narrative synthesis and a summary of the results will be produced separately for children and adults, according to the type of food exposure–outcome. All the selected studies will be assessed using The Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.Ethics and disseminationThis study will be based on published literature, and therefore ethical approval has not been sought. Our findings will be presented at relevant national and international scientific conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Tanuseputro, Peter, Suman Budhwani, Yu Qing Bai, and Walter P. Wodchis. "Palliative care delivery across health sectors: A population-level observational study." Palliative Medicine 31, no. 3 (July 10, 2016): 247–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216316653524.
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Background: Little population-level information exists about the delivery of palliative care across multiple health sectors, important in providing a complete picture of current care and gaps in care. Aim: Provide a population perspective on end-of-life palliative care delivery across health sectors. Design: Retrospective population-level cohort study, describing palliative care in the last year of life using linked health administrative databases. Setting/participants: All decedents in Ontario, Canada, from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2012 ( n = 177,817). Results: Across all health sectors, about half (51.9%) of all decedents received at least one record of palliative care in the last year of life. Being female, middle-aged, living in wealthier and urban neighborhoods, having cancer, and less multi-morbidity were all associated with higher odds of palliative care receipt. Among 92,276 decedents receiving palliative care, 84.9% received care in acute care hospitals. Among recipients, 35 mean days of palliative care were delivered. About half (49.1%) of all palliative care days were delivered in the last 2 months of life, and half (50.1%) had palliative care initiated in this period. Only about one-fifth of all decedents (19.3%) received end-of-life care through publicly funded home care. Less than 10% of decedents had a record of a palliative care home visit from a physician. Conclusion: We describe methods to capture palliative care using administrative data. Despite an estimate of overall reach (51.9%) that is higher than previous estimates, we have shown that palliative care is infrequently delivered particularly in community settings and to non-cancer patients and occurs close to death.
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Zhang, Junhua, Michael D. Moran, Qiong Zheng, Paul A. Makar, Pegah Baratzadeh, George Marson, Peter Liu, and Shao-Meng Li. "Emissions preparation and analysis for multiscale air quality modeling over the Athabasca Oil Sands Region of Alberta, Canada." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 18, no. 14 (July 23, 2018): 10459–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-10459-2018.
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Abstract. The oil sands (OS) of Alberta, Canada, which are classified as unconventional oil, are the third-largest oil reserves in the world. We describe here a 6-year effort to improve the emissions data used for air quality (AQ) modeling of the roughly 100 km × 100 km oil extraction and processing industrial complex operating in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) of northeastern Alberta. This paper reviews the national, provincial, and sub-provincial emissions inventories that were available during the three phases of the study, supplemented by hourly SO2 and NOx emissions and stack characteristics for larger point sources measured by a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS), as well as daily reports of SO2 from one AOSR facility for a 1-week period during a 2013 field campaign when the facility experienced upset conditions. Next it describes the creation of several detailed hybrid emissions inventories and the generation of model-ready emissions input files for the Global Environmental Multiscale–Modelling Air quality and CHemistry (GEM-MACH) AQ modeling system that were used during the 2013 field study and for various post-campaign GEM-MACH sensitivity studies, in particular for a high-resolution model domain with 2.5 km grid spacing covering much of western Canada and centered over the AOSR. Lastly, it compares inventory-based bottom-up emissions with aircraft-observation-based top-down emissions estimates. Results show that emissions values obtained from different data sources can differ significantly, such as a possible 10-fold difference in PM2.5 emissions and approximately 40 and 20 % differences for total VOC (volatile organic compound) and SO2 emissions. A novel emissions-processing approach was also employed to allocate emissions spatially within six large AOSR mining facilities in order to address the urban-scale spatial extent of the facilities and the high-resolution 2.5 km model grid. Gridded facility- and process-specific spatial surrogate fields that were generated using spatial information from GIS (geographic information system) shapefiles and satellite images were used to allocate non-smokestack emissions for each facility to multiple grid cells instead of treating these emissions as point sources and allocating them to a single grid cell as is normally done. Facility- and process-specific temporal profiles and VOC speciation profiles were also developed. The pre-2013 vegetation and land-use databases normally used to estimate biogenic emissions and meteorological surface properties were modified to account for the rapid change in land use in the study area due to marked, year-by-year changes in surface mining activities, including the 2013 opening of a new mine. Lastly, mercury emissions data were also processed in addition to the seven criteria-air-contaminant (CAC) species (NOx, VOC, SO2, NH3, CO, PM2.5, and PM10) to support AOSR mercury modeling activities. Six GEM-MACH modeling papers in this special issue used some of these new sets of emissions and land-use input files.
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Lachaud, James, Cilia Mejia-Lancheros, Anna Durbin, Rosane Nisenbaum, Ri Wang, Patricia O’Campo, Vicky Stergiopoulos, and Stephen W. Hwang. "The Effect of a Housing First Intervention on Acute Health Care Utilization among Homeless Adults with Mental Illness: Long-term Outcomes of the At Home/Chez-Soi Randomized Pragmatic Trial." Journal of Urban Health 98, no. 4 (June 28, 2021): 505–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11524-021-00550-1.
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AbstractWe assessed the effects of the Toronto Site Housing First (HF) intervention on hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits among homeless adults with mental illness over 7 years of follow-up. The Toronto Site is part of an unblinded multi-site randomized pragmatic trial of HF for homeless adults with mental illness in Canada, which followed participants up to 7 years. Five hundred seventy-five participants were recruited and classified as having high (HN) or moderate need (MN) for mental health support services. Each group was randomized into intervention (HF) and treatment as usual groups, and 567 (98.6%) consented to link their data to health administrative databases. HF participants received a monthly rent supplement of $600 (Canadian) and assertive community treatment (ACT) support or intensive care management (ICM) support based on need level. Treatment as usual (TAU) participants had access to social, housing, and health services generally available in the community. Outcomes included all-cause and mental health-specific hospitalization, number of days in hospital, and ED visit. We used GEE models to estimate ratio of rate ratios (RRR). The results showed HF with ACT had no significant effect on hospitalization rates among HN participants, but reduced the number of days in hospital (RRR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.16-0.63) and number of ED visits (RRR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.95). HF with ICM resulted in an increase in the number of hospitalizations (RRR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.09-2.60) and ED visit rates (RRR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.01-2.01) but had no effect in days in hospital for MN participants. Addressing the health needs of this population and reducing acute care utilization remain system priorities. Trial registration: http://www.isrctn.com/identifier: ISRCTN42520374
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Browne, Jennifer, Mark Lock, Troy Walker, Mikaela Egan, and Kathryn Backholer. "Effects of food policy actions on Indigenous Peoples’ nutrition-related outcomes: a systematic review." BMJ Global Health 5, no. 8 (August 2020): e002442. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002442.
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IntroductionIndigenous Peoples worldwide endure unacceptable health disparities with undernutrition and food insecurity often coexisting with obesity and chronic diseases. Policy-level actions are required to eliminate malnutrition in all its forms. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of the evidence of effectiveness of food and nutrition policies for Indigenous Peoples around the world. This review fills that gap.MethodsEight databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature, published between 2000 and 2019. Relevant websites were searched for grey literature. Articles were included if they were original studies, published in English and included data from Indigenous Peoples from Western colonised countries, evaluated a food or nutrition policy (or intervention), and provided quantitative impact/outcome data. Study screening, data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken independently by two authors, at least one of whom was Indigenous. A narrative synthesis was undertaken with studies grouped according to the NOURISHING food policy framework.ResultsWe identified 78 studies from Canada, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand and the USA. Most studies evaluated targeted interventions, focused on rural or remote Indigenous communities. The most effective interventions combined educational strategies with policies targeting food price, composition and/or availability, particularly in retail and school environments. Interventions to reduce exposure to unhealthy food advertising was the only area of the NOURISHING framework not represented in the literature. Few studies examined the impact of universal food policies on Indigenous Peoples’ diets, health or well-being.ConclusionBoth targeted and universal policy action can be effective for Indigenous Peoples. Actions that modify the structures and systems governing food supply through improved availability, access and affordability of healthy foods should be prioritised. More high-quality evidence on the impact of universal food and nutrition policy actions for Indigenous Peoples is required, particularly in urban areas and in the area of food marketing.
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Lum, Alistair, Eliza Skelton, Kristen Louise McCarter, Tonelle Handley, Lucy Judd, and Billie Bonevski. "Smoking cessation interventions for people living in rural and remote areas: a systematic review protocol." BMJ Open 10, no. 11 (November 2020): e041011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041011.
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IntroductionSmoking rates among people living in rural and remote areas are higher and quit rates are lower over the past 10 years compared with people living in suburban and urban areas. Higher smoking rates contribute to greater tobacco-related disease and morbidity in rural and remote areas. Physical and social isolation, greater exposure to pro-tobacco marketing, pro-tobacco social norms, and lower socioeconomic and educational levels are contributing to these higher smoking rates and lower quit rates. Smoking cessation interventions for people in rural and remote areas have been conducted, however little is known about their effectiveness or their mechanisms of action as well as the quality of such research. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) are mechanisms of action derived from behaviour change theory, such as goal setting and reward. Improved understanding of the contribution of BCTs for smoking cessation in the rural and remote population will support future intervention development. We aim to review the literature on smoking cessation interventions for people living in rural and remote areas to inform evidence about intervention effectiveness and mechanisms of action.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a systematic review using seven scientific databases (EMBASE, MedLine, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane, Informit Health and Scopus). We will include peer-reviewed journal articles published in English that examine a smoking cessation intervention delivered to people living in rural and remote areas in the USA, Canada and Australia. We will examine outcome data relating to intervention effectiveness (eg, point prevalence abstinence or continuous abstinence), as well as the BCTs used in included interventions and their relationship with intervention outcomes. We will also assess the feasibility, acceptability and quality of research interventions of included articles, and provide graded recommendations based on the review outcomes. Data will be synthesised using narrative approaches and interpreted using content analysis.Ethics and disseminationEthics was not required for this systematic review. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and at conferences by presentations.PROSPERO registration number177398.
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Fazli, Ghazal S., Rahim Moineddin, Anna Chu, Arlene S. Bierman, and Gillian L. Booth. "Neighborhood walkability and pre-diabetes incidence in a multiethnic population." BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care 8, no. 1 (June 2020): e000908. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000908.
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IntroductionWe examined whether adults living in highly walkable areas are less likely to develop pre-diabetes and if so, whether this association is consistent according to immigration status and ethnicity.Research design and methodsPopulation-level health, immigration, and administrative databases were used to identify adults aged 20–64 (n=1 128 181) who had normoglycemia between January 2011 and December 2011 and lived in one of 15 cities in Southern Ontario, Canada. Individuals were assigned to one of ten deciles (D) of neighborhood walkability (from lowest (D1) to highest (D10)) and followed until December 2013 for the development of pre-diabetes.ResultsOverall, 220 225 individuals in our sample developed pre-diabetes during a median follow-up of 8.4 years. Pre-diabetes incidence was 20% higher among immigrants living in the least (D1) (adjusted HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.25, p<0.0001) versus most (D10, referent) walkable neighborhoods after accounting for age, sex, and area income. Findings were similar among long-term residents and across sexes. However, susceptibility to walkability varied by ethnicity where D1 versus D10 adjusted HRs ranged from 1.17 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.35, p=0.03) among West Asian and Arab immigrants to 1.32 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.47, p<0.0001) in Southeast Asians. Ethnic variation in pre-diabetes incidence was more marked in low walkability settings. Relative to Western Europeans, the adjusted HR for pre-diabetes incidence was 2.11 (95% CI 1.81 to 2.46, p<0.0001) and 1.50 (95% CI 1.27 to 1.77, p<0.0001) among Sub-Saharan African and the Carribean and Latin American immigrants, respectively, living in the least walkable (D1) neighborhoods, but only 1.24 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.42, p=0.002) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.15, p=0.99) for these same groups living in the most walkable (D10) neighborhoods.ConclusionsPre-diabetes incidence was reduced in highly walkable areas for most groups living in Southern Ontario cities. These findings suggest a potential role for walkable urban design in diabetes prevention.
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Tjong, Michael Chandra, Mark Doherty, Hendrick Tan, Wing Chan, Haoyu Zhao, Julie Hallet, Gail Elizabeth Darling, et al. "Province-wide analysis of patient reported outcomes for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer." Journal of Clinical Oncology 39, no. 15_suppl (May 20, 2021): 12092. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.12092.
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12092 Background: Stage IV NSCLC patients have significant disease and treatment-related morbidity. In Ontario, Canada, cancer patients complete Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) questionnaires, a tool that elicits patients’ self-reported severity of common cancer-associated symptoms at clinical encounters. ESAS domains are: anxiety, depression, drowsiness, appetite, nausea, pain, shortness of breath, tiredness and well-being. The purpose of this study is to examine moderate-to-severe symptom burden in the 12 months following a diagnosis of stage IV NSCLC. Methods: Using administrative databases and unique encoded identifiers, stage IV NSCLC diagnosed between January 2007 and September 2018 were evaluated for symptom screening with ESAS in the 12 months following diagnosis. Proportion of patients reporting moderate-to-severe score (i.e. ESAS ≥4) in each domain within 12 months were calculated. Patients reporting moderate-to-severe within the different ESAS domains of were plotted over time. Multivariable (MV) Poisson regression models with potential covariates such as age, sex, Elixhauser comorbidity index, income quintiles, and lung cancer treatments received were constructed to identify factors associated with moderate-to-severe symptoms. Results: Of 22,799 stage IV NSCLC patients, 13,289 (58.3%) had completed ESAS (84,373 unique assessments) in the year following diagnosis. Patients with older age, high comorbidity, and not receiving active cancer therapy were less likely to complete ESAS. Most (94.4%) reported at least 1 moderate-to-severe score. Most prevalent moderate-to-severe ESAS symptoms within 12 months after diagnosis were tiredness (84.1%), lack of wellbeing (80.7%), low appetite (71.7%), and shortness of breath (67.8%); nausea was the least prevalent (34.6%). Most symptoms peaked at diagnosis and persisted in the year after diagnosis. On adjusted MV analyses, patients with high comorbidity, low income, and urban residency were associated with increased moderate-to-severe symptoms. Moderate-to-severe scores in all ESAS symptoms were associated with delivery of radiotherapy within 2 weeks prior, while moderate-to-severe nausea, drowsiness, tiredness, low appetite, and lack of wellbeing were associated with delivery of systemic therapy within preceding 2 weeks. Conclusions: In this population-based analysis of stage IV NSCLC PROs in the year following diagnosis, moderate-to-severe symptoms were highly prevalent and persistently high, underscoring the need to address supportive requirements in this at-risk population.
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Varner, C., A. Park, D. Little, and J. Ray. "LO51: Emergency department use by pregnant women: a population-based study within a universal healthcare system." CJEM 22, S1 (May 2020): S25—S26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cem.2020.106.
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Introduction: Emergency Department (ED) utilization during pregnancy may be common, but data specific to universal healthcare systems like Canada are lacking, where pregnancy care is supposed to be standardized. The objective of this study was to quantify and characterize ED utilization among all Ontarian women who had a recognized pregnancy, including by trimester and within 42 days after pregnancy, and further stratified by pregnancy outcome. Methods: Utilizing provincial administrative health databases, this retrospective population-based cohort study included all recognized pregnancies in Ontario conceived between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2017. Peri-pregnancy ED utilization was defined as any ED visit from 0-42 weeks’ gestation, or within 42 days after the end of pregnancy. Modified Poisson regression was used to generate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the outcome of any peri-pregnancy ED utilization in association with maternal characteristics. Results: Peri-pregnancy ED utilization occurred among 1,075,991 of 2,728,236 recognized pregnancies (39.4%), including among 35.8% of livebirths, 47.3% of stillbirths, 73.7% of miscarriages, and 84.8% of threatened abortions. There were 22,802 (0.84%) ectopic pregnancies among all pregnancies in the cohort. ED utilization peaked in the first trimester and in the first week postpartum. A dose-response effect was seen in the number of peri-pregnancy ED visits in relation to certain maternal characteristics. Women residing in rural areas had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.44 (95% CI 3.39 to 3.49) for ≥ 3 ED visits, compared to those in urban areas. Women with 3-5 (OR 1.99 95% CI 1.97-2.01), 5-6 (OR 3.55, 95% CI 3.49 to 3.61), or ≥ 7 (OR 7.59, 95% CI 7.39 to 7.78) pre-pregnancy comorbidities were more likely to have ≥ 3 peri-pregnancy ED visits than those with 0-2 comorbidities. Of all recognized pregnancies in the cohort, only 106,989 (3.9%) had an injury-related ED visit. Conclusion: Peri-pregnancy ED utilization occurs in nearly 40% of pregnancies, notably in the first trimester and immediately postpartum. Efforts are needed to streamline rapid access to ambulatory obstetrical care during these peak periods, when women are vulnerable to either a miscarriage, or a complication after a livebirth.
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Wilson, A. W., J. L. Beckerman, and M. C. Aime. "First Report of the White Pine Blister Rust Fungus, Cronartium ribicola, on Ribes odoratum in Indiana." Plant Disease 98, no. 2 (February 2014): 277. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pdis-04-13-0442-pdn.
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Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch., causal agent of white pine blister rust (WPBR), is one of the most damaging pathogens of five-needle pines, forming aecial states on the trunk and branches and causing cankering, topkill, and branch dieback. Infection can predispose hosts to attack by other pests such as bark beetles, and can result in host mortality. Various species of Ribes, Pedicularis, and Castilleja are alternate hosts on which C. ribicola forms its uredinial and telial states during the mid-summer to fall. In an effort to mitigate the damage caused by white pine blister rust, the planting of ornamental species of Ribes, such as R. occidentalis, is prohibited in 14 states. Indiana currently has no restrictions on the planting of Ribes spp. Since 2010, a Cronartium sp. has been observed producing uredinia and telia on R. odoratum ‘Crandall’ H.L. Wendl. leaves in an urban environment in West Lafayette, Indiana. Symptoms include yellow-orange lesions on the leaf upper surface with uredinia on the underside. These persist from late summer until leaf drop. Telia were collected in 2011 to establish the identity of the causal agent using morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological comparisons between this specimen and other Cronartium species were made using Arthur (2). Filiform telial columns ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 mm in length. Teliospores were cylindrical to sub-ventricose, truncate on either end with one end generally tapering more than the other, and measured 9.0 to 18.6 × 37.2 to 60.0 μm (average 11.9 × 47.4 μm from 30 spores across 4 leaves). These teliospore measurements overlap those of C. ribicola and C. occidentale, but are more consistent with C. ribicola, in which the spores are wider and longer (8 to 12 × 30 to 60 μm) than in C. occidentale (9 to 10 × 27 to 56 μm). For molecular analyses, two nuclear ribosomal loci were sequenced: the internal transcribed spacer regions 1, 2, and 5.8S (ITS) and the 5′ end of the large subunit (28S) (1). The ITS sequence was 665 bp long (KF387533) and the 28S was 892 bp (KC876675). These sequences were queried to GenBank using a BLASTn search. The 28S shared 99% identity (891/892 bp) and the ITS shared 100% identity (663/663 bp) to other published C. ribicola sequences with no close matches to any other species with either locus. Both morphological and molecular methods indicate this species to be C ribicola, making this a first report of white pine blister rust on R. odoratum in Indiana. This fungus has been observed previously on R. odoratum in the northeastern United States (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire), the Rockies (Colorado), northwestern United States (Washington), and Canada (3). In Indiana, C. ribicola has also been reported on R. cysnobati. There are no other reports of this fungus on any other host within the state. However, the aecial host, Pinus strobus, does grow within the state, and within West Lafayette. To our knowledge, WPBR has only been observed (not reported) once in Indiana in the past 30 years (Paul Pecknold, personal communication). Further monitoring of C. ribicola hosts is needed in Indiana to determine the extent of the disease. The specimen has been vouchered in the Arthur Herbarium (PUR N6734). References: (1) M. C. Aime. Mycoscience 47:112. 2006. (2) J. F. Arthur. Manual of the Rusts in United States and Canada. Purdue Research Foundation, 1934. (3) D. F. Farr and A. Y. Rossman. Fungal Databases Systematic Mycology and Microbiology Laboratory, ARS, USDA. Retrieved from http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/ April 23, 2013.
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Mozessohn, Lee, Craig Earle, David Spaner, Stephanie Y. Cheng, Matthew Kumar, and Rena Buckstein. "The Association of Dyslipidemia with the Development of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Population-Based Study." Blood 126, no. 23 (December 3, 2015): 5268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v126.23.5268.5268.
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Abstract Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for the development of cancer. Pre-clinical data suggests that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells are dependent on adipocytes and fatty acids for growth and that aberrant lipid metabolism is an important pathogenic mechanism in CLL. Our objective was to determine whether patients with CLL have a higher incidence of MetS prior to their CLL diagnosis compared to those without CLL and to determine the impact of lipid-lowering medications including statins on survival. Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada using administrative databases (i.e., Ontario Cancer Registry, Ontario Drug Benefit dataset, Aggregated Diagnostic Groups (ADGs), postal codes/income) of adults >66 years old to compare the prevalence of MetS and its components (diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension) in CLL patients that preceded their diagnosis. This was compared to age and sex-matched controls without CLL. Logistic regression was used to study the association between MetS and its components to CLL, adjusting for location (rural vs. urban), disease comorbidity burden (ADGs) and socioeconomic status. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to illustrate survival. Results: We identified 2,124 persons with CLL and 7,935 controls from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005 with follow-up until death or March 31, 2014. The mean age was 75.6 and 42.1% were female. Overall, 14.1% had diabetes, 63.1% had hypertension and 28.0% had dyslipidemia. On univariable analysis, only dyslipidemia alone (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.50) and the combination of diabetes and dyslipidemia (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.39) were associated with the development of CLL, whereas MetS and diabetes alone were not. On multivariable analysis only dyslipidemia was independently significant (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.47; see table). Notably, on univariable survival analysis the use of lipid-lowering agents comprised primarily of statins at any time (prior or subsequent to CLL diagnosis) was associated with a significantly improved median overall survival in patients with CLL (7.9 years, 95% CI 7.3 to 8.5 vs. 4.1 years, 95% CI 3.7 to 4.5 years; p < 0.0001; see figure 1). Conclusions: We demonstrate a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia preceding a diagnosis of CLL compared to controls, supporting pre-clinical data. Also, the association of MetS and CLL appears to be driven primarily by dyslipidemia. Lipid-lowering medications and in particular statins appear to confer a survival advantage in CLL. Further multivariable survival analysis and ultimately prospective studies are needed to confirm these results and test their potential application to intervention strategies. Table. Exposure Odds Ratio (CLL vs. Control) metabolic syndrome 1.10 (95% CI 0.92 to 1.32) diabetes + dyslipidemia 1.17 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.40) diabetes 1.03 (95% CI 0.90 to 1.17) dyslipidemia 1.30 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.47) Figure 1. Figure 1. Disclosures Spaner: Roche: Honoraria; Lundbeck: Honoraria; Novartis: Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria. Buckstein:Celgene: Honoraria, Other: Advisory Board.
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Betts, Kellyn S., Catherine M. Cooney, Rebecca Renner, and Lizz Thrall. "A new flame retardant in the air | News Briefs: Assessing the technologies of the future ` A new use for wikis ` U.S. plan requires CO2 emissions cuts ` Stronger federal role for e-waste recycling ` Sub-Saharan Africa goes lead-free ` Getting out in front of nanotechnology | Sustainable agriculture delivers the crops | Canada contemplates curbs on stain repellents | Rain gardens stem urban storm-water flows | Organic vegetables are not pesticide-free." Environmental Science & Technology 40, no. 4 (February 2006): 1090–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es062632c.
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