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Objective: The ongoing effects of colonialism disproportionately place Indigenous youth at risk for mental health challenges. This meta-analysis examined lifetime and past-year prevalence estimates of mental health challenges among First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth in Canada.Method: Five electronic databases were searched from their inceptions until June 17, 2021. Studies were included if they assessed mental health challenges among First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis youth (≤18 years old). Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.Results: A total of 28 articles were eligible. Sixteen studies contained data on First Nations, 2 on Inuit, one on Métis, and 10 aggregated Indigenous participants. Among First Nations participants, pooled prevalence estimates for past-year suicidality (8.9%), mood and/or anxiety (<2.9%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity (2.9%), oppositional defiant (8.8%), and conduct (12.8%) disorder diagnoses were identified. Limited studies containing Inuit, Métis, and aggregated Indigenous participants also found high levels of disruptive disorder symptoms. Data were very limited for lifetime prevalence estimates. Studies assessed to have a moderate or high methodological risk of bias (k = 19) or using measures that are not yet culturally validated (k = 25) may contribute to inaccuracies in prevalence estimates.Conclusion: Existing data suggest that Indigenous youth have a low prevalence of mental health challenges, with the exception of disruptive behaviors. Future studies should use culturally validated tools and partner with Indigenous communities to ensure optimal identification of mental health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horses are a highly mobile population, with many travelling locally, nationally, and internationally to participate in shows and sporting events. However, the nature and extent of these movements, as well as the potential impact they may have on disease introduction and spread, is not well documented. The objective of this study was to characterise the movement network of a sample of horses in Ontario, Canada, over a 7-month equestrian season. Horse owners (n = 141) documented their travel patterns with their horse(s) (n = 330) by completing monthly online questionnaires between May and November 2015. Directed networks were constructed to represent horse movements in 1-month time periods. A total of 1754 horse movements met the inclusion criteria for analysis. A variety of location types were included in each monthly network, with many including non-facilities such as parks, trails, and private farms. Only 34.3% of competitions attended by participants during the study period were regulated by an official equestrian organisation. Comparisons of the similarity between monthly networks indicated that participants did not travel to the same locations each month, and the most connected locations varied between consecutive months. While the findings should not be generalized to the wider horse population, they have provided greater insight into the nature and extent of observed horse movement patterns. The results support the need to better understand the variety of locations to which horses can travel in Ontario, as different types of locations may have different associated risks of disease introduction and spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Canada, active tuberculosis (TB) disease rates remain disproportionately higher among the Indigenous population, especially among the Inuit in the north. We used mathematical modeling to evaluate how interventions might enhance existing TB control efforts in a region of Nunavut.Methods: We developed a stochastic, agent-based model of TB transmission that captured the unique household and community structure. Evaluated interventions included: (i) rapid treatment of active cases; (ii) rapid contact tracing; (iii) expanded screening programs for latent TB infection (LTBI); and (iv) reduced household density. The outcomes of interest were incident TB infections and total diagnosed active TB disease over a 10- year time period.Results: Model-projected incidence in the absence of additional interventions was highly variable (range: 33-369 cases) over 10 years. Compared to the 'no additional intervention' scenario, reducing the time between onset of active TB disease and initiation of treatment reduced both the number of new TB infections (47% reduction, relative risk of TB = 0.53) and diagnoses of active TB disease (19% reduction, relative risk of TB = 0.81). Expanding general population screening was also projected to reduce the burden of TB, although these findings were sensitive to assumptions around the relative amount of transmission occurring outside of households. Other potential interventions examined in the model (school-based screening, rapid contact tracing, and reduced household density) were found to have limited effectiveness.Conclusions: In a region of northern Canada experiencing a significant TB burden, more rapid treatment initiation in active TB cases was the most impactful intervention evaluated. Mathematical modeling can provide guidance for allocation of limited resources in a way that minimizes disease transmission and protects population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]