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Copyright of Promotion de la Santé et Prévention des Maladies Chroniques au Canada is the property of Public Health Agency of Canada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore demographic and clinical characteristics of vaping-associated lung illness (VALI) cases reported in Canada from September 2019 to December 2020; compare the epidemiology of VALI cases in Canada to e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) cases in the US; and examine possible explanations for differences between the two countries. Methods: A federal/provincial/territorial task group developed a national outbreak definition, minimum dataset and case report form for identification and surveillance of VALI cases in Canada. Descriptive analysis explored the characteristics and epidemiology of reported VALI cases. Results: Of the 20 VALI cases reported, none resulted in a death. Of all cases, 5 (25%) involved youth aged 15 to 19 years, 10 (50%) adults aged 20 to 49 years and 5 (25%) aged 50 years and older. Sixty percent of patients were men. Half (50%) required breathing assistance. Three-quarters (75%) reported using nicotine-containing vaping products, and 40% reported use of cannabis-containing vaping products; of those who reported frequency of vaping, most (71%) reported vaping daily. VALI cases were reported at a lower prevalence (0.9 per million) than EVALI (8.5 per million). Demographics and vaping behaviour also differed. Conclusion: VALI cases were reported in Canada between September 2019 and December 2020; however, there was a much lower prevalence and they may have been caused by different factors from the EVALI outbreak in the US. The factors influencing VALI in Canada are complex and multifactorial. Research is needed to understand the short- and long-term health effects of nicotine and cannabis vaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Increased alcohol and cannabis consumption and related harms have been reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing evidence shows that substance use and related harms differ by gender. Yet, no Canadian study has applied a gendered lens to alcohol and cannabis consumption use during this time. Our objectives were to (1) provide gender-specific prevalence estimates of self-reported increased alcohol and cannabis use; and (2) examine gender-specific associations between sociodemographic and mental health variables and alcohol and cannabis use. Methods: Using data from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health, we calculated nationally representative, gender-specific prevalence estimates and disaggregated them by sociodemographic and mental health variables. Four logistic regression models were used to assess the likelihood of self-reported increased alcohol and cannabis use. Results: The prevalence of self-reported increase in alcohol use (16.2% women; 15.2% men) and cannabis use (4.9% women; 5.8% men) did not differ by gender. For both genders, income, racialized group membership, working in the past week, being a parent/legal guardian of a child aged under 18 and screening positive for depression and anxiety were associated with increased alcohol use. Men and women who were between the ages of 18 to 44, screened positive for depression, or both, were more likely to report increased cannabis use. For women, education was significantly associated with increased alcohol use. For men, being a parent/legal guardian was significantly associated with lower odds of increased cannabis use. Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors, as well as depression and anxiety, were similarly associated with increased alcohol and cannabis use for both men and women in the second wave of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents nationally representative estimates of self-reported changes in alcohol and cannabis consumption since the onset of COVID-19 in Canada. We used data from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (collected from September to December 2020) to calculate the prevalence of self-reported change in alcohol and cannabis consumption. We found that 15.7% of respondents self-reported an increase in alcohol consumption and 5.4% in cannabis consumption since the start of the pandemic. Sociodemographic disparities were also observed, indicating that increased alcohol and cannabis consumption may be more prevalent among certain populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reporting on alcohol use among women of reproductive age in Canada addresses a major gap in evidence. Methods: We assessed the prevalence of weekly and heavy alcohol consumption among women aged 15 to 54 years by sociodemographic characteristics, province of residence and concurrent use of other substance(s) using data from the 2019 Canadian Community Health Survey. Results: Of the target population, 30.5% reported weekly and 18.3% reported heavy alcohol consumption in the past year. Prevalence varied by sociodemographic characteristics, province and substance use. The most notable and significant differences were to do with cannabis use and smoking. Conclusion: This information can guide health care providers in assessing alcohol consumption and in promoting low-risk alcohol drinking to prevent alcohol exposure during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This At-a-glance presents updated estimates for the Positive Mental Health Surveillance Indicator Framework for adults aged 18 years and older. Using data from the 2015 and 2017 Canadian Community Health Survey, we calculated the prevalence of positive mental health and associated determinants. Estimates for positive mental health outcomes for adults ranged from 68.1% to 87.1%. We also explored the associations between sociodemographic factors and positive mental health among adults in Canada. Our findings suggest sociodemographic differences in odds of self-rated mental health, happiness, life satisfaction, and psychological and social well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Positive Mental Health Surveillance Indicator Framework (PMHSIF) provides estimates of positive mental health outcomes and associated risk and protective factors for youth aged 12 to 17 years in Canada. This study explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors and psychological and social well-being among youth in Canada using data from the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2016-2017. Grade and province were significantly associated with psychological and social well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 edition of the Canadian Chronic Disease Indicators (CCDI) provides recent estimates of the burden of chronic conditions and measures of general health and associated determinants in Canada. Using data from the CCDI and 2017 Canadian Community Health Survey, we explored the relationship between sociodemographic factors and selfreported mental health. Our findings suggest that sex (males vs females: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.22); age (65-79 vs 35-49 year age group: aOR = 1.48); education (postsecondary graduate vs less than high school: aOR = 1.68); household income adequacy (highest quintile [Q5] vs lowest [Q1]: aOR = 2.25); and immigrant status (recent immigrants vs nonimmigrants: aOR= 2.29) were significantly associated with higher self-reported mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]