Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Experience Of Sexuality And Gender During The Healthcare Transition Of The Youth With Cerebral Palsy, Umma Salma

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: Transition from the pediatric to adult health care system is an important phase of healthcare for youth with cerebral palsy (CP). Sexuality and gender are two very important components of health that are mostly ignored in the healthcare transition process. It is possible that health care providers only see a client’s disability, and therefore, key aspects of sexuality and gender diversity may be ignored, or deemed irrelevant as a result of their disability status. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore how gender and sexuality may influence the experience of health care transition for youth with cerebral …

(In)Dependence, Socio-Sexual Relationships, And Sexual Health Among Adults With Mild Intellectual Disability (Mid): A Critical, Qualitative Exploration, Vanessa L.E. Cox Ms

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this critical, qualitative study was to explore how adults with mild intellectual disability navigate independent socio-sexual relationships in settings where they are highly dependent upon caregivers and family members who exert significant control over most aspects of their lives. Data were gathered during one-on-one interviews conducted with adults with MID (n=15), and parental caregivers (n=6). Theoretical insights from critical disability studies and sexual citizenship were used to analyze the findings, which are presented thematically by study population. Participants with MID faced challenges to establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships, including a lack of choice about where and how …

Exploring The Experience Of Disclosing In The Workplace, Jillian Auger

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

An alarming rate of workplace violence/harassment is observed each year, with negative outcomes that affect the organization (i.e., financial loss) and those directly involved (i.e., job loss, financial strain, fear of being blamed, being labeled a ‘troublemaker’). The literature indicates that, for many victim-survivors, there is little hope for positive outcomes following a disclosure of workplace violence/harassment. In fact, some studies show that negative reactions to disclosure can compound and intensify the impact of violence/harassment on psychological functioning. However, minimal research has been devoted to the experiences of victim-survivors regarding the outcomes of a disclosure. Utilizing virtual semi-structured interviews, the …

How We Debrief: An Interpretive Description Of Social Service Community Workers' Experiences, Andrea C. Krywucky

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The aim of this research was to understand current practices of debriefing being used or not used in community social service organizations and the presumed frameworks or evidence justifying these practices in London, Ontario. The geographical area under concern has seen an increasing poverty gap, lack of affordable housing, toxic drug crisis, with mental health issues being exasperated by the pandemic. Social service agencies are overwhelmed with caseloads, creating an increase in need of care for frontline workers, as they are the first point of contact for many. This research utilized an interpretive description methodology to explore workers’ experiences and …

Examining The Socio-Economic And Gendered Structure Of Canada's Live-In Caregiver Program: A Qualitative Study Of Filipina Women's Health Experiences, Andrea Bobadilla

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The primary aim of this critical ethnographic study was to examine how Filipina women in the Canadian live-in caregiver program (LCP) negotiate their own physical and mental well-being while managing the complex health needs of their clients. Using global care chain and postcolonial theoretical frameworks, I also sought to identify how multi-scalar forces including caregiving and migrant policies in Canada and South East Asia exacerbate pre-existing gendered and labour inequities faced by these women. The distressing impact of this precarious form of employment on family dynamics and relationships among family members in the Philippines was also explored. Data collection took …

Learning From Lived Experience: Substance Use Policies, Emergency Shelters, And Harm Reduction In London, On, Jesse Cram, Dena Salehipour

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Since 2018, the number of overdoses reported by London housing and emergency shelter agencies to the city of London has increased by 790%.These agencies currently have inconsistent overdose response policies that lack research-based support, and want to establish comprehensive best practices that support those involved at all levels.

Through a community based course, we initially collected and analyzed survey data from managers and staff from various London housing and emergency shelter agencies with the aim of understanding the limitations of the current approaches to the opioid crisis. Wanting to expand on this, our current project focuses on those who are …

The Coping Strategies Of Older Adults With Age Related Vision Loss (Arvl) – A Narrative Account, Zakara J. Stampp

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The goal of this study was to share the stories of older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL) and how they have coped to maintain meaningful occupational engagement. Grounded in a constructivist paradigm, data collection and analysis were guided by the narrative inquiry methodology. The participants consisted of six older adults aged 60 or older, diagnosed with one of the following ARVL conditions: macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and/or glaucoma. Participants were recruited from vision loss non-profit organizations such as the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and the Alliance for Equity of Blind Canadians (AEBC). One older adult was …

Supporting Post-Secondary Implementation Of Recovery-Oriented Practice In A Stepped Care Model, Janis Campbell

The Dissertation-in-Practice at Western University

Student mental health has been a growing concern for higher education communities for many years. Campuses have been struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for services which has been complicated further by the COVID-19 pandemic. A Stepped Care model (SCM) developed at a Canadian university has been offering new ways of organizing mental health resources based on open access, student choice, and recovery principles. There are diverse definitions of recovery in the literature and are usually based on values such as empowerment, respect, and self-determination. SCMs have been shown to increase access to resources and reduce or eliminate …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Tpmt Genotype-Guided Azathioprine Treatment Compared To Standard Treatment For Patients With Moderate/Severe Ulcerative Colitis, Ali Unsal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study assessed cost-effectiveness of pharmacogenomics (PGx)-based azathioprine (AZA) compared to standard AZA therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in Canada. A patient-level Microsimulation model was developed to compare the lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained by a hypothetical cohort of UC patients with age and sex characteristics. The parameters used in the model were derived from the published literature and costs from the Ontario Schedules of Payments and published sources. The results were summarized in terms of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Compared to standard AZA, PGx-based AZA care was the dominant strategy with 0.17 incremental QALYs …

Examining The Impact Of Financial Incentive Removal On Physical Activity: A Quasi-Experimental Study Of 584,760 Mobile Health Application Users, Sean Kevin Spilsbury

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

BACKGROUND: Government interest in using financial incentives (FIs) to stimulate physical activity (PA) is increasing. The cost of longer-term incentive interventions may be prohibitive, however. PURPOSE: To examine the impact of FI withdrawal on PA. METHODS: A 25-week retrospective pre-post quasi-experimental study was conducted with users of a FI-based mHealth app. Users from three Canadian provinces were included. Daily FI were removed in Ontario (ON; intervention) but not British Columbia (BC) and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL; control). Simple linear regression models were used to examine weekly mean daily step count after FI withdrawal. RESULTS: The total sample included 584,760 users …

Implementing Health Impact Assessment As A Required Component Of Government Policymaking: A Multi-Level Exploration Of The Determinants Of Healthy Public Policy, Stephanie A. Simpson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

It is widely understood that the public policies of ‘non-health’ government sectors have greater impacts on population health than those of the traditional healthcare realm. Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a decision support tool that identifies and promotes the health benefits of policies while also mitigating their unintended negative consequences. Despite numerous calls to do so, the Ontario government has yet to implement HIA as a required component of policy development. This dissertation therefore sought to identify the contexts and factors that may both enable and impede HIA use at the sub-national (i.e., provincial, territorial, or state) government level.

The …

Improving Developing Countries’ Health Information Systems Capacity For Infectious Disease Pandemic Responses: A Case Study Of The Ebola Virus Disease And The Coronavirus Disease Pandemics, Uche Ikenyei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is increasing evidence to demonstrate that current information system theoretical models meant to assess the success of the health information systems (HIS) lack the applicable theoretical underpinning suitable for developing countries. This stems partly from a theory-evidence gap where theoretical models developed in the West are applied in developing country contexts but lack tailoring to localized, contextual realities. Therefore, this study addresses this gap by enhancing the DeLeon and McLean's information system success model with six contextual factors peculiar to the infectious disease HISs in a developing country context.

This study took place in two developing countries, Liberia and …

The Development, Short-Term Efficacy, And Pilot Implementation Of An E-Learning Course In Physical Activity And Sedentary Behaviour For Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators, Brianne Bruijns

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to develop an e-Learning course in physical activity and sedentary behaviour and test its short-term efficacy and implementation among pre- and in-service early childhood educators (ECEs). The Delphi approach was adopted for Study 1, wherein a panel of international experts in physical activity and sedentary behaviour suggested topics for the course and, together with a panel of ECE experts, rated their importance. Study 2 employed a pre-post design to explore the changes in pre- and in-service ECEs’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related knowledge, self-efficacy, behavioural intention, and perceived behavioural control following course completion. …

Examining Public Health Risk Communication Via Social Media By Provincial And Local Health Authorities In Ontario During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marc Resendes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Risk communication campaigns are essential during public health crises to inform the public about ways to mitigate, alleviate and manage potential risks. The purpose of this study was to describe risk communication on social media by Ontarian health authorities amid COVID-19, in addition to examining the strategies that guided their social media use. This was completed through (a) a narrative review of risk communication literature; (b) a qualitative content analysis of select health authority Twitter messaging following three major COVID-19 milestones; and (c) key informant interviews with those coordinating social media responses to COVID-19. Information giving and news updates were …

The Role And Importance Of Social Support During Recovery Following Distal Radius Fracture, Ogheneruona Mi Idoghor Ikpen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis explored how social support changes with time and differs across genders within 1-year post distal radius fracture (DRF). It also examines the effect of social support on the patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) score and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of DRF patients at 3 months post-fracture. In this cohort study, patient-reported social support (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate and positive social interaction) was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) social support survey, and HRQoL was measured using the 36-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-36). Social support significantly decreased at 3 months in comparison to baseline, 6 months and 1 year (with …

An Epidemic Amidst A Pandemic: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Supervised Consumption Sites, Vanisa Ezukuse

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study's primary purpose is to critically appraise current federal and provincial policies regarding supervised consumption sites (SCS), noting intended and unintended consequences; and how these policies could impact SCS users. This study's secondary goal is to compare current policies related to SCS in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec to provide critical insight and suggestions for ongoing policy development. Carol Bacchi’s (2009) “What is the Problem Represented to Be?” framework was applied to the Canadian policy document with a focus on SCS. Four themes are proposed: Public Health versus Criminality, Presumptions versus Assumptions, Policy Unaccountability, and Policy Duality. It …

Adolescent Girls Physical Activity Engagement And Body Image Development, Vanessa Coulbeck

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This summer I looked more into adolescent girls’ physical activity engagement and its’ relationship to weight-based teasing. This topic intrigued me because from my own sport experiences, I saw first-hand how compared to boys, adolescent girls dis-engage from sport and exercise at a disproportionately higher rate and are at higher risk for body shame and self-objectification. This gender inequity in sport and physical activity is first observed in adolescence and tracks well into adulthood. The purpose of this summer's research activities examined how self-compassion and weight-related teasing relate to self-conscious emotions and sport and physical activity participation.

The Parallel Pandemic: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Eating Disorders And Ocd In Children And Adolescents, Nasong A. Luginaah

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In January 2021, Covid-19 had already been diagnosed in over 100 million individuals¹. Due to the high degree of infectivity, many countries all over the globe attempted to counter the virus by instituting nation-wide lockdowns. The effects of the lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents have drawn a lot of public health attention with many calling for an increased in the understanding of the potential effects the youth of today may have to endure. Two specific mental health illnesses have seemingly worsened are OCD and eating disorders.

Using Qualitative Methods To Examine Influences On Active School Travel And Children’S Health, Sheena Ye

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Over the last year, three major tools were developed to examine key influences on AST and children’s health and well-being. These tools included two pilot surveys - one for parents and one for children from grades four to eight located in South Western Ontario. The third tool was a comprehensive travel diary for the child survey takers to fill out after completing their initial children’s pilot survey. Over the last four months, these tools were tested in order to collect feedback from volunteers recruited in South Western Ontario. The goal of the pilot testing of these tools was to determine …

The Right To Repair: (Re)Building A Better Future, Jumana Labib

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The goal of this research project was to take a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary approach to research and examine the Right to Repair movement’s progress, current repair practices, impediments, and imperatives, and the various large-scale implications (environmental, economic, social, etc.) stemming from diminished consumer freedom as a result of increased corporate greed and lack of governmental regulations with regards to repair and the environment. This poster exhibits the highlights of my general research project on the Right to Repair movement over the course of this four month internship, and aims to disseminate information about the movement to the wider public in an …

Is Tik-Tok Body Positive?, Grace N. Solylo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Impacts Of Covid-19 Related Changes In Income On Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence At Home, Cara Davidson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has increased in Canada due to COVID-19 and associated public health measures. Economic status may be responsible, but this must be validated during COVID-19.

Methods: An online survey was administered to 23 Canadian women to measure their income pre and during COVID-19 and their experiences of IPV in the past 12 months. Factorial ANOVAs and MANOVAs were used to explore the relationship between income and IPV.

Results: Of women responding to both timepoints, 56.5% (n=13) indicated an increase in IPV. Analyses did not suggest that income was significantly related to IPV, apart from the effect …

"Man Up": Male Survivors Of Intimate Partner Violence Through The Eyes Of Their Providers, Xavier S. Borsato

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex phenomenon that is often understood with women as the primary recipients of violence and men as the primary perpetrators. However, emerging literature on heterosexual relationships suggests that men also experience interpersonal violence, most often from their female partners. Drawing on research data gathered through semi-structured interviews with service providers (n = 4), this qualitative inquiry explores how gender, power, and the stigma associated with interpersonal violence impact men who have experienced abuse through the perspectives of the service providers who work with them. The findings from this study highlight how traditional constructions …

Analysis Of Health Care Costs Over A One-Year Period Following Anticoagulant Therapy Among Ontario Patients Diagnosed With Atrial Fibrillation, Michael Situ

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Atrial fibrillation patients are at high risk of ischemic strokes, which can be drastically reduced using oral anticoagulants (OACs). Warfarin has been the standard OAC for this population but its effectiveness rests on consistent monitoring with the potential for severe bleeding events. Newer OACs, like rivaroxaban and apixaban, address these drawbacks but have a comparatively higher upfront cost. Uncertainty remains over which OAC is cost-saving from a health care system perspective. Using a retrospective cohort study design and inverse probability weighting regression adjustment estimators, one-year health care costs among patients treated with warfarin, rivaroxaban, and apixaban were compared. Compared to …

The Experiences Of Iraqi Refugees In Canada: A Life History Study Of War And Resilience In The Aftermath Of Migration, Nada Nessan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis reports on a life history narrative on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who resettled in Canada after living through war. The aim of this study is to help change the narrow perspectives on the mental health of war affected populations to a broader perception shaped by cultural and social aspects and to inform the development of meaningful and cultural relevant programs and policies with a particular attention to the concept of resilience.

The first part of the study presents the chronological narratives, or profiles. of eight participants. The second part of the study is a thematic discussion of …

Impact Of Covid-19 On The Italian And American Healthcare Systems : A Comparative Assessment, Bita Pejam, Jennifer Lam

All Reports

This report aims to examine and assess the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the healthcare systems of the United States of America and Italy; two of the most heavily affected nations. Using data from December 2019 to January 2021, several consultations, and policy reviews, we identify risks and notable areas of issue in each nations’ approach to combating the virus. We focus our report particularly on the health policies and the governmental structures in place that contributed to each nations’ initial method of alleviating the impact of COVID-19. Our report compares the two healthcare systems and proposes a …

Investing Into Domestic Manufacturing Of Critical Medication And Vaccines For The Federal Government, Sharon Low

All Reports

While the federal government has made numerous public announcements regarding their stimulus plan and promises to increase the domestic capacity to produce personal protective equipment, vaccines, and medical equipment, a critical aspect that has been neglected is the serious and ongoing shortages of critical medication. The government has promised to provide 4.28 billion to expand testing and contact tracing capacities, 7.5 billion towards PPE, and 500 million to the provinces and territories for “critical health care system needs and support for mitigation effects.” While these efforts as part of Trudeau’s Safe Restart Agreement are a good place to begin reducing …

A Novel Spatio-Temporal Examination Of Children's Accessibility, Exposure, And Engagement To Parks And Recreation Spaces In Middlesex-London, Ontario, Malcolm K. Little

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children are spending more free time engaged in activities indoors, rather than in outdoor environments such as parks and recreation spaces. Parks and recreation spaces provide amenities that promote physical, cognitive, and social health among children. As it relates to the complexities of children’s living situations, properly measuring children’s levels of interactions with these spaces is poorly understood in geography research.

By examining various attributes of children, this thesis improves on the measurement of children’s levels of interactions with parks and recreation spaces. Research herein utilized household survey data, a high-resolution GIS dataset of environmental factors, and GPS logs from …

Gender, Technology And Innovation In Health Care Panel, Melanie Katsivo

Africa-Western Collaborations Day 2020

8 graduate student/recent graduate presentations on gender, technology, and innovation in health care. Moderated by Dr. Melanie Katsivo. Reporting of panel done by current GHS students of the 2021 class. Abstracts can be found under "Africa-Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts". Presenters as follows:

Florence Wullo Anfaara, "To Include or Not to Include: Men and the Liberian Women's Peace Hut Initiatives Towards Transformational Justice"

Uche Ikenyei, "Diversification of Research Methodological Approach During Model Enhancements in Health Information System Research"

Denise Kamyuka, "Female Social Entrepreneurship in Sport, in the African Context: Systemic Review"

Ebenezer Martin-Yeboah, "Through the Lens of Egocentric Design: Do …

Understanding The Determinants Of The Cost Of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery, Hun Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: The relationship between patient demographics, clinical factors, and cost of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is complex. Investigation of these relationships is important to aid clinical practice and inform reimbursement models. This thesis analyzes multiple different domains in order to understand the significant factors that impact the cost of CABG at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).

Methods: Model selection, construction of nested descriptive models, exploration of mediation analysis of the impact of peri-operative factors and cost through length of stay, and construction of estimative models were performed.

Results: Several baseline characteristics, socio-demographics, peri-operative variables, and post-operative variables were …