MHST601 - Foundations of Health Systems in Canada
UNIT 2 - Health Systems in Canada
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In answering our course questions from week 4:
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Is there specific information/ideas/regulations/legislation or policy that inform your understanding of the Canadian health system? What about your provincial or regional health system?
Knowing that the British North America Act determined the process for who was responsible for Health programming, policies and funding was not new to me, but helped to solidify this knowledge. (It has helped me understand also the reporting on meetings between the PMO and the provincial and territorial leaders when they discuss the funding of health care transfers).
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In Ontario, regional regulation of health has certainly changed and evolved, even as recently as this past year. The decentralizing of regulating health from the Ministry of Health to the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) then amalgamating many of them (from 26 to 14) to the development of Ontario Health are what I have witnessed in my career.
What resources exist related to your role in the Canadian health system? (be sure to save these resources for your own use and content curation).
As a registered nurse, many have already comment about how we are responsible to our own provincial and federal groups. Here are some of the resources for nursing that I rely on:
https://rnao.ca/ - Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, an advocacy group for best practice promotion in Ontario
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https://www.cna-aiic.ca/en - Canadian Nurses Association, a national advocacy group for registered nurses
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https://ipac-canada.org/ - IPAC Canada, resource and advocacy for infection prevention and control professionals
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https://www.canlii.org/en/on/laws/stat/rso-1990-c-o1/latest/rso-1990-c-o1.html - Ontario Health and Safety Act
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(This references the Public Hospitals Act, Ontario)
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Government of Canada site discussing health
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/health-topics/health-equity
Health equity is created when individuals have the fair opportunity to reach their fullest health potential. Achieving health equity requires reducing unnecessary and avoidable differences that are unfair and unjust. Many causes of health inequities relate to social and environmental factors including: income, social status, race, gender, education and physical environment. We offer expertise and resources for integrating health equity in health promotion programs and policies.
https://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4163How should we define health?
BMJ 2011;343:d4163, Marc Ereshefsky, Defining ‘health’ and ‘disease’, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Volume 40, Issue 3, 2009, Pages 221-227,
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369848609000338
How should we define ‘health’ and ‘disease’? There are three main positions in the literature. Naturalists desire value-free definitions based on scientific theories. Normativists believe that our uses of ‘health’ and ‘disease’ reflect value judgments. Hybrid theorists offer definitions containing both normativist and naturalist elements. This paper discusses the problems with these views and offers an alternative approach to the debate over ‘health’ and ‘disease’. Instead of trying to find the correct definitions of ‘health’ and ‘disease’ we should explicitly talk about the considerations that are central in medical discussions, namely state descriptions (descriptions of physiological or psychological states) and normative claims (claims about what states we value or disvalue). This distinction avoids the problems facing the major approaches to defining ‘health’ and ‘disease’, and it more clearly captures what matters in medical discussions.
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UNIT 3 - Health and Determinants of Health
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Reading, J. & Halseth, R. (2013). Pathways to Improving Well-Being for Indigenous Peoples: How Living Conditions Decide Health. Prince George, BC: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.
A paper highlighting interconnectiveness of indigenous peoples health and social determinants.
Reading, C., & Wien, F., (2009). Health Inequities and Social Determinants of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health. National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.
Similar to the above-mentioned paper.
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Public Health Ontario (2020). COVID-19 in Ontario - A Focus on Material Deprivation: January 15, 2020 to June 3. Enhanced Epidemiological Summary COVID-19 in Ontario – A Focus on Material Deprivation.
This is the second report on neighbourhood-level trends related to health equity among laboratoryconfirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Ontario who do not reside in long-term care (LTC) settings. The first report focused on the differential impacts of COVID-19 on neighbourhoods with varying levels of ethnic concentration as a proxy for structural racism and discrimination. This report focuses on the “material deprivation” dimension of the Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg), which is connected to poverty and measures the inability of individuals and communities to access and attain basic material needs (e.g., educational attainment, quality of housing).
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Canadian Nurses Association (2010). Social Justice - a means to an end, an end in itself. (2nd Edition).
This 2010 policy discussion paper was produced by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) following a review of their “social justice initiative,” which began in 2003. Through this text, the Association reaffirms its commitment to work for social justice, which is defined as “the fair distribution of society’s benefits, responsibilities, and their consequences.”
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Canadian Nurses Association (April 2009). Ethics in Practice for Registered Nurses, Social Justice in Practice.
A discussion paper on ethical practices in relation to Social Justice.
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Canadian Nurses Association (2017). Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses.
Self-explanatory explanation on expecations for ethical behaviour in nursing.
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Douglas, J. and Smith, P. Canadian Nurses Association (2017). CNA Webinar Series. Progress in Practice: Chronic Diseases: Are you Addressing the Social Determinants of Health?
PowerPoint slide show concluding that social determinants have a large effect on chronic disease management.
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https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-analysis/health-equity/social-determinants-of-health, accessed February 15, 2021.
A digital map that shows the distribution of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) indicators in Ontario.
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https://rnao.ca/policy/projects/social-determinants-health, accessed February 15, 2021.
RNAO site with additional links to reports, political action, position papers, etc.
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Sudbury & District Health Unit, 2011. Let’s Start a Conversation about Health… And not Talk about Health Care at all.
A five-minute video highlighting that HEALTH is about much more than access to medical care. It highlights that everyone has different opportunities for health, largely influenced by their social and economic conditions. Using this broad view of health, the video describes actions that many different people and organizations can take. It encourages everyone— teachers, builders, dads, nurses, businesswomen, students, politicians to start a conversation about health and not talk about health care at all.
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UNIT 4 - Multilevels of Health
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A Review of Frameworks on the Determinants of Health, May 20, 2015.Canadian Council on Social Determinants of Health, retrieved from http://ccsdh.ca/images/uploads/Frameworks_Report_English.pdf
The Review is intended to act as a resource for policy-makers, researchers, practitioners and others working to raise awareness and promote action on the determinants of health, from both inside and outside of the health sector. The Review will also inform the way we understand of complex problems and support innovative planning and policy-development. This report is not an exhaustive catalogue of all frameworks on the determinants of health, nor was it designed as a formal evaluation of the frameworks that were included.
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Hiatt, R. et al. Population Health Science: A Core Element of Health Science Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, Academic Medicine: April 2017 - Volume 92 - Issue 4 - p 462-467​
Sub-Saharan Africa suffers an inordinate burden of disease and does not have the numbers of suitably trained health care workers to address this challenge. New concepts in health sciences education are needed to offer alternatives to current training approaches.
A perspective of integrated training in population health for undergraduate medical and nursing education is advanced, rather than continuing to take separate approaches for clinical and public health education. Population health science educates students in the social and environmental origins of disease, thus complementing disease-specific training and providing opportunities for learners to take the perspective of the community as a critical part of their education.
Many of the recent initiatives in health science education in sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, and two case studies of innovative change in undergraduate medical education are presented that begin to incorporate such population health thinking. The focus is on East Africa, one of the most rapidly growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa where opportunities for change in health science education are opening. The authors conclude that a focus on population health is a timely and effective way for enhancing training of health care professionals to reduce the burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Jakubec, S.L., et all. An on-line course in critical mental health promotion: teaching and learning at multiple spheres of influence. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 47 ( 2012 ) 1413 – 1416.
This paper reflects research, as well as course design, development and implementation collaboratively undertaken at our School of Nursing in Canada with our partners at Hedmark University in Norway.
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behavior-change/
A chapter in a course about multilevel interventions target the causes of health disparities by intervening at each level; it does not focus on a single health determinate. This multilevel approach can be applied when addressing obesity, a widespread public health issue.
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Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). The Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention, retrieved from:https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/social-ecologicalmodel.html
CDC's goal is to stop violence before it begins. Prevention requires understanding the factors that influence violence. CDC uses a four-level social-ecological model to better understand violence and the effect of potential prevention strategies.
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CIHI Canada (November 9, 2018). Measuring Health Inequalities: An Introduction. [Video]. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMPZUZ6koVs&feature=emb_title
A video to introduce novices to health inequities.
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Institute of Health Equity (September 19, 2018). Reducing Health Inequalities Through New Models of Care - Interview with Michael Marmot. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gghNP56N0Nk
Interview with Sir Michael Marmot describing the plan of the National Health Service in Great Britain to address health inequities.
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MCH Training Program - UTHealth School of Public Health (2017). Ecological model. [Video].Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9UyplfevyQ
Introduction to ecological model.
Howard D, Nieuwenhuijsen ER, Saleeby P. Health promotion and education: Application of the ICF in the US and Canada using an ecological perspective. Disabil Rehabil. 2008;30(12-13):942-54.
Health promotion is an issue comprised of complex and multi-layered concepts that involves a process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. The aims and applications of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), with its focus on components of functioning, activities and participation, and environmental factors are salient to health promotion and health education efforts. For individuals with or without disabilities, health promotion occurs within the community in which they reside and is influenced by a complex interaction of personal and environmental factors. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the ICF can be useful in enhancing social change through health promotion and health education for all people, in particular those with disabilities and chronic conditions. In doing so health promotion concepts and the ecological approach linked with the ICF, the relationship of social change and social support to the ICF, the potential role of the ICF for national and local (city) policies, and the role of health professionals in this process will be examined. Building on this body of knowledge, the authors recommend that future research should focus on the relationship between policies and the social participation of people with disabilities in the community, the use of ICF measurement tools to improve the indicators established by the National Organization on Disability, the development of a new ICF core set for community accessibility and inclusion, better interventions to enhance social support, and enhancing the role of professionals in health promotion for people with disabilities or chronic health conditions.
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Canadian Institute for Health Information. Trends in Income-Related Health Inequalities in Canada: Methodology Notes. Ottawa, ON: CIHI; 2015.
The Trends in Income-Related Health Inequalities in Canada project examines whether the health gaps between lower- and higher-income individuals have changed over the past decade. The Health Inequalities Interactive Tool provides a series of visualizations to explore inequalities for 9 health indicators over time, by sex and by province. The technical report provides additional analysis, interpretation and contextual information for 16 health indicators.
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Infographics show three indicators where the gap between rich and poor has widened.
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UNIT 5 - Chronic Disease Resources
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https://rnao.ca/category/topics/chronic-conditions
From the RNAO website. They have many best practice documents on many topics
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https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/diseases-infections/
My local health unit - the information links are geared towards the general public
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https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/diseases-and-conditions/chronic-diseases-and-conditions
PHO site lists the big five chronic diseases and conditions with links: Obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease
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PHO also has this great infographic on the burden of chronic disease here: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/c/2019/cdburden-infographic.pdf?la=en
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https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/chronic-diseases.html
Public Health Agency of Canada and their chronic disease site
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https://www.who.int/health-topics/#C
WHO - list of disease which includes all considered chronic diseases
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https://health-infobase.canada.ca/ccdss/data-tool/Comp?G=35&V=1&M=1
CCO and Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). The burden of
chronic diseases in Ontario: key estimates to support efforts in prevention. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2019, retrieved from https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/public-accounts/parliament-42/reports/2019-nov-5--report-public-health-chronic-disease-prevention---standing-committee-public-accounts
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Eastern Health (2012). Chronic Disease Prevention and Management Strategy. Retrieved from: file:///Users/travis/Downloads/Chronic%20Disease%20Prevention%20and%20Manage
ment%20Strategy_Final.pdf.
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Government of NL. (2019). Chronic Disease Action Plan. Retrieved from:
https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/files/chronicdisease-pdf-chronic-illness.pdf.
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Holman, H. and Lorig, K. (May – June 2004). Patient Self-Management: A Key to Effectiveness and
Efficiency in Care of Chronic Disease. Public Health Reports (Volume 119).
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NLCHI-Newfoundland and Labrador Center for Health Information. (2018). eHealth Report.
Retrieved from: https://www.nlchi.nl.ca/images/FINAL_NLCHI_-_eHealth_Report_-_Feb_2018.pdf.
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Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Snapshots: Chronic Disease
Incidence and Prevalence Snapshot: prevalence of asthma–age standardized rate (both sexes)
2017 [Internet]. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2020 [cited 2020 Apr 30].
Available from: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-analysis/chronic-
disease/chronic-diseaseincidence-prevalence
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Preventing and Managing Chronic Disease: Ontario’s Framework (May 2007). Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care.
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Public Health Agency of Canada. (2020). The Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System – An Overview. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/canadian-chronic-disease-surveillance-system-
factsheet.html.
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Raphael, D., Bryant, T., Mikkonen, J. and Raphael, A. (2020). Social determinants of health: The
Canadian facts (2nd edition). Ontario Tech University Faculty of Health Sciences and York University School of Health Policy and Management.
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https://www.ccohealth.ca/sites/CCOHealth/files/assets/ChronicDiseasePreventionSummary.pdf
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UNIT 6 -Vulnerable Populations Health in Canada
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https://youtu.be/JYBVM3DjW7Y - Breaking down the barriers indigenous people face in Canada’s health-care system - personal experience dealing mistreated and misdiagnosised in hospital from an indigenous person
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https://www.nccih.ca/docs/determinants/FS-AccessHealthServicesSDOH-2019-EN.pdf
Citation: National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. (2019). Access to health services as a social determinant of First Nations, Inuit and Métis health. Prince George, BC: Author.
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https://www.express-scripts.ca/raising-health/Indigenous-Health-Issues-in-Canada written 05/24/2016
In recognition of National Aboriginal Day, Indigenous Works sheds light on startling statistics and the social determinants of health plaguing Canada’s Indigenous people. Submitted by:Kelly J. Lendsay, President & CEO Indigenous Works
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Richmond, C.A.M., Cook, C. Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy. Public Health Rev 37, 2 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-016-0016-5
"highlight the need for healthy public policy that recognizes and prioritizes the rights of Canada’s Aboriginal people to achieve health equity."
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6055798/
Tara Horrill, Diana E McMillan, Annette S H Schultz, Genevieve Thompson
Nurs Inq. 2018 Jul; 25(3): e12237. Published online 2018 Mar 25. doi: 10.1111/nin.12237
Self-explanatory title
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https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1569861171996/1569861324236
Governement of Canada site: Find information about health care services and non-insured health benefits (NIHB), careers, how to fight drug and substance use, environmental health, food safety and how to have a healthy pregnancy.
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https://aetonix.com/chronic-disease-management/4-diseases-impacting-health-first-nations-canada/
"Connecting clinicians and patients through pathways of care" - from their main indigenous page - "In this post, we’ll look at five diseases that are having a negative impact on the health of Indigenous peoples. Focusing specifically on remote First Nations communities, we’ll consider whether the federal government is asking the right questions."
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International Journal of Circumpolar Health - full access to the journal
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Michael Gracey, Malcolm King, Indigenous health part 1: determinants and disease patterns, The Lancet, Volume 374, Issue 9683,
2009, Pages 65-75, ISSN 0140-6736, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60914-4.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673609609144)
Abstract: Summary
The world's almost 400 million Indigenous people have low standards of health. This poor health is associated with poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental contamination, and prevalent infections. Inadequate clinical care and health promotion, and poor disease prevention services aggravate this situation. Some Indigenous groups, as they move from traditional to transitional and modern lifestyles, are rapidly acquiring lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, and physical, social, and mental disorders linked to misuse of alcohol and of other drugs. Correction of these inequities needs increased awareness, political commitment, and recognition rather than governmental denial and neglect of these serious and complex problems. Indigenous people should be encouraged, trained, and e
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and the second part:
Malcolm King, Alexandra Smith, Michael Gracey, Indigenous health part 2: the underlying causes of the health gap, The Lancet, Volume 374, Issue 9683, 2009, Pages 76-85, ISSN 0140-6736, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60827-8.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673609608278)
Abstract: Summary
In this Review we delve into the underlying causes of health disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and provide an Indigenous perspective to understanding these inequalities. We are able to present only a snapshot of the many research publications about Indigenous health. Our aim is to provide clinicians with a framework to better understand such matters. Applying this lens, placed in context for each patient, will promote more culturally appropriate ways to interact with, to assess, and to treat Indigenous peoples. The topics covered include Indigenous notions of health and identity; mental health and addictions;
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Wilk, P., Maltby, A. & Cooke, M. Residential schools and the effects on Indigenous health and well-being in Canada—a scoping review. Public Health Rev 38, 8 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40985-017-0055-6
Conclusion
The empirical literature can be seen as further documenting the negative health effects of residential schooling, both among former residential school attendees and subsequent generations. Future empirical research should focus on developing a clearer understanding of the aetiology of these effects, and particularly on identifying the characteristics that lead people and communities to be resilient to them.
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UNIT 6 Continued
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Fang, T., Gunderson, M. (2015). Vulnerable groups in Canada and labour market exclusion, International Journal of Manpower. Volume 36 Issue 6 7.
An analyse the labour market exclusion of the groups in Canada that have been defined as vulnerable in that they were persistently in poverty over a defined period of time. The vulnerable groups were: unattached individuals age 45-64, disabled persons, recent immigrants, lone parents, Aboriginal persons and youth not in school.
The vulnerable groups tend to be disproportionately excluded from the labour force and to be persistently excluded for longer periods of time. They are generally more likely to be female, lower educated, in poorer health and to find their life to be stressful and to have recently experienced a negative life event. Exclusion from the labour market tends to trend downward over time for both the non-vulnerable benchmark group and the various vulnerable groups. There is considerable variability in the patterns across the different groups with respect to transitions into and out of the labour market.
The labour market is a first line of defense against social and economic exclusion. While labour market exclusion is trending downward it remains stubbornly high for the vulnerable groups. Their diversity of experiences suggest a one-size-fits all solution to exclusion is not appropriate for the different vulnerable groups. Different policy initiatives are appropriate and they are discussed for each vulnerable group.
Katz, A. S., Hardy, B.J., Firestone, M., Lofters, A. & Morton-Ninomiya, M.E. (2020) Vagueness, power and public health: use of ‘vulnerable‘ in public health literature, Critical Public Health, 30:5, 601-611, DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2019.1656800
The word ‘vulnerable’ is frequently used in public health research and practice. We use critical discourse analysis to explore the use of this term in articles published between January 2015 and January 2018 in the American Journal of Public Health and the Canadian Journal of Public Health. We find that terms such as ‘vulnerable groups’ are often vaguely defined or undefined, requiring the reader to ‘fill in the blanks’ as to who is vulnerable, why they are vulnerable, and what they are vulnerable to. Where terms such as ‘vulnerable groups’ are applied with some specificity, they are used as proxies for a wide range of groups, conditions and situations. Often, groups are constituted as inherently vulnerable, as authors imply that even if policies and processes change, group vulnerability will remain. Notably, populations and groups in power – and therefore responsible for generating structural vulnerability – are rarely examined. In our experience, researchers often use the word ‘vulnerable’ strategically to attract resources, policy interest and public concern. At the same time, we propose that the vagueness associated with terms such as ‘vulnerable’ conceals the structural nature of public health problems. We conclude that this vagueness can serve the political function of obscuring power relationships and limiting discussion of transformational change.
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Greaves, L., Johnson, J., Bottorff, J. et al. (2006).What Are the Effects of Tobacco Policies on Vulnerable Populations?. Can J Public Health 97, 310–315. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405610
A better practices review model was used to assess the strength of studies published between 1990 and 2004 that examined the effects of these tobacco policies on the three vulnerable populations of interest. A total of 72 studies were assessed and 42 judged medium or high strength. A gender-based and diversity analysis was applied to assess the differential impacts on females and males and/or diverse characteristics within these populations. Intended and unintended consequences were examined.
Findings: Few studies assessed the potential or differential effects of tobacco policies on the three selected populations. In these, it was difficult to disentangle the effects of each policy in a comprehensive tobacco control environment, and there is need for improved indicators and greater attention to sex and gender analysis.
Conclusions: Research is required to measure the intended and unintended impacts of tobacco policies on populations vulnerable to tobacco use. There are problems in assessing these studies that could be resolved with more precise indicator development. An equity-based framework for assessing the effects of tobacco policies is needed that is conceptually linked to health determinants and inequities. The article concludes with a set of recommendations for research, evaluation, policy and ethics arising from this review.
Bac kground: While comprehensive tobacco policies have reduced the prevalence of smoking in Canada, some groups remain vulnerable to tobacco use and display high rates of smoking. This article reviews three types of tobacco policies - tax and price, smoking location restrictions and sales restrictions - and examines the consequences for Aboriginal people, youth and low-income people.
CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND COVID-19 2 page pamphlet from Public Health Agency of Canada
Amazing article with a vivid infographic showing 1 in 8 Canadian households are food insecure (1.8 Million HOUSEHOLDS, not just people), depsite 65% of households having an income, whether employeed or self-employed.
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UNIT 7 - Future Directions in Health
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An interesting infographic from Deloitte: 2021 global health care outlook Laying a foundation for the future. Discusses care model innovation/digital trnsformation/health equity/collaboration and how COVID-19 is affecting health human resourses.
https://www.appstudio.ca/blog/top-10-emerging-trends-in-healthcare-technology-for-2020/
A blog that is described as in it's title. Augemented reality, virtual reality/ artificial intelligence, self-knowledge, self-diagnosis, support networks, mHealth, digital pharmacies, smart hospitals (5G), and interventions such as robots.
Similar to the blog above but includes genomics/genetic editing.
https://medicalfuturist.com/how-covid-19-catalysed-digital-health-trends/
Another discussion which includes imbedded YouTube videos.
Verschuuren, M., Hilderink, H., and Vonk, R. (2020). The Dutch Public Health Foresight Study 2018: an example of a comprehensive foresight exercise. European Journal of Public Health, Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 30–35.
The use of foresight studies is common in some policy fields, but not in public health. Interest in such studies is growing. This paper gives a general overview of the Dutch Public Health Foresight Study (PHFS) 2018, providing insight into what performing a broad scenario exercise in the field of public health entails and its societal impacts. Long-term thinking could be stimulated by using back casting techniques and stronger involvement of policy-makers in the elaboration of options for action. Lessons learned from developing intersectoral policy at the local level could be applied at the national level.
K. Kondo (ed.) (2020). Social Determinants of Health in Non-communicable Diseases, Springer Series on Epidemiology and Public Health.
The first half of this volume reviews the available evidence on major NCDs, such as different types of cancer, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, stroke, and metabolic syndrome. The second half explores various SDH related to healthy aging or functional declines and response, such as dementia, falls, life course, social capital, and health impact assessment in Japan. Public health researchers and policymakers will be able to understand the multifaceted measures that are necessary to address health disparity and SDH in the coming era of global aging.
Bublitz, F., Oetomo, A., Sahu, K., Kuang, A., Fadrique, L., Velmovitsky, P., Nobrega, R., and Morit, P. (2019). Distruptive Technologies for Environment and Health Research: An overview of Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Internet of Things. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 16(20). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203847
The purpose of this descriptive research paper is to initiate discussions on the use of innovative technologies and their potential to support the research and development of pan-Canadian monitoring and surveillance activities associated with environmental impacts on health and within the health system. Its primary aim is to provide a review of disruptive technologies and their current uses in the environment and in healthcare. Drawing on extensive experience in population-level surveillance through the use of technology, knowledge from prior projects in the field, and conducting a review of the technologies, this paper is meant to serve as the initial steps toward a better understanding of the research area. In doing so, we hope to be able to better assess which technologies might best be leveraged to advance this unique intersection of health and environment. This paper first outlines the current use of technologies at the intersection of public health and the environment, in particular, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The paper provides a description for each of these technologies, along with a summary of their current applications, and a description of the challenges one might face with adopting them. Thereafter, a high-level reference architecture, that addresses the challenges of the described technologies and could potentially be incorporated into the pan-Canadian surveillance system, is conceived and presented.
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard
Public Health Ontario COVID-19 interactive data tool