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Integrating remote Internet of Things (IoT) laboratories into project-based learning (PBL) in higher education institutions (HEIs) while exploiting the approach of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) is a challenging yet pivotal endeavor. Our proposed approach enables students to interact with an IoT-equipped lab locally and remotely, thereby bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application, creating a more immersive, adaptable, and effective learning experience. This study underscores the significance of combining hardware, software, and coding skills in PBL, emphasizing how IoTRemoteLab (the remote lab we developed) supports a customized educational experience that promotes innovation and safety. Moreover, we explore the potential of IoTRemoteLab as a TEL, facilitating and supporting the understanding and definition of the requirements of remote learning. Furthermore, we demonstrate how we incorporate generative artificial intelligence into IoTRemoteLab's settings, enabling personalized recommendations for students leveraging the lab locally or remotely. Our approach serves as a model for educators and researchers aiming to equip students with essential skills for the digital age while addressing broader issues related to access, engagement, and sustainability in HEIs. The practical findings following an in-class experiment reinforce the value of IoTRemoteLab and its features in preparing students for future technological demands and fostering a more inclusive, safe, and effective educational environment.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted several issues among health care workers in Canada's long-term care and seniors' (LTCS) homes, including labour shortages, staff retention difficulties, overcrowding, and precarious working conditions. There is currently a lack of information on the health, well-being and working conditions of health care workers in LTCS homes - many of them immigrants - and a limited understanding of the relationship between them. This paper examines differences between immigrant and non-immigrant workers' health outcomes and precarious working conditions during the pandemic., Data and Methods: The data were from the 2021 Survey on Health Care Workers' Experiences During the Pandemic, which collected information on LTCS home health care workers' (n=2,051) health, employment or work experiences, and working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Summary statistics and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between precarious work and workers' health (life stress, mental health and general health), stratified by immigrant status. Selected working characteristics were included in the regression models as covariates, namely occupation, number of locations worked, facility ownership status and number of years worked., Results: Immigrant health care workers were more likely than non-immigrant health care workers to experience precarious work in LTCS homes. Precarious work - characterized by income loss, reduced hours of work, and unpaid leave - was associated with stress and poor general health among immigrant and non-immigrant workers in the sector. Employment precarity was also associated with poor mental health for immigrant workers, but there was no association for non-immigrant workers., Interpretation: Employment precarity and the health and well-being of health care workers warrants further attention, in particular among immigrants employed in the LTCS residential care sector.

This study offers insights into lifetime earnings growth differences between individuals with and without childhood-onset disabilities (COD) defined as disabilities whose onset occurred before an individual's 16th birthday. We use a newly available database linking data from the 2017 Canadian Survey of Disability with individual income tax records covering a period of over 3 decades. We estimate the average earnings growth profiles of individuals with COD from the age when individuals generally enter the labor market to the age when most retire. The main finding of our study is that individuals with COD experience very little earnings growth when they are in their mid-30 and 40s while the earnings of those without COD grow steadily until they reach their late 40s and early 50s. The largest earnings growth differences between individuals with and without COD are observed for male university graduates., (© 2023 His Majesty the King in Right of Canada. Health Economics © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To investigate prospective associations between type of child abuse (physical, sexual, both), timing (childhood, young adulthood, both), and welfare receipt into middle-age., Methods: Database linkage study using the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children cohort born in 1980 and government administrative databases (N = 3020). We assessed parental tax returns, family and personal background characteristics (1982-1987). At age 22 years, participants answered retrospective questionnaires on experienced childhood abuse (physical, sexual abuse < age 18 years) and intimate partner violence (IPV) (ages 18-22). Main outcome was years on social assistance, on the basis of participant tax returns (ages 23-37 years). Analysis included weights for population representativeness., Results: Of 1690 participants (54.4% females) with available data, 22.4% reported childhood abuse only, 14.5% IPV only, and 18.5% both. Prevalence of childhood physical, sexual, and both was 20.4%, 12.2%, and 8.3%, respectively. Adjusting for socioeconomic background and individual characteristics, we found that childhood physical abuse alone and physical or sexual abuse combined were associated with a two-fold risk of welfare receipt, as compared to never-abused (adjusted incidence risk ratio 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65-3.58; and adjusted incidence risk ratio 2.04, 95% CI, 1.29-3.23, respectively). Repeated abuse (childhood abuse combined with adult IPV) had a three-fold risk (adjusted incidence ratio 3.59, 95% CI, 2.39-5.37)., Conclusions: Abuse across several developmental periods (childhood and young adulthood) is associated with increased risks of long-term welfare receipt, independently of socioeconomic background. Results indicate a dose-response association. Early prevention and targeted identification are crucial to preventing economic adversity that may potentially lead to intergenerational poverty., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

A powerful approach to cooperative group-transfer catalysis is demonstrated using the Co=Si bond of a cobalt silylene to provide two distinct sites for substrate activation. The orthogonal selectivity of the Co and Si centers enables efficient nitrene-group transfer to carbon monoxide by avoiding poisoning that would result from substrates competing for a single reactive site., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A metal/ligand cooperative approach to the reduction of small molecules by metal silylene complexes (R 2 Si=M) is demonstrated, whereby silicon activates the incoming substrate and mediates net two-electron transformations by one-electron redox processes at two metal centers. An appropriately tuned cationic pincer cobalt(I) complex, featuring a central silylene donor, reacts with CO 2 to afford a bimetallic siloxane, featuring two Co II centers, with liberation of CO; reaction of the silylene complex with ethylene yields a similar bimetallic product with an ethylene bridge. Experimental and computational studies suggest a plausible mechanism proceeding by [2+2] cycloaddition to the silylene complex, which is quite sensitive to the steric environment. The Co II /Co II products are reactive to oxidation and reduction. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a strategy for metal/ligand cooperative small-molecule activation that is well-suited to 3d metals., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is an important source of information for post-marketing drug safety evaluation. Most countries have public access to reporting systems, but patients report only 3% of all ADRs. Little is known about factors affecting patient reporting. Our aim was to explore patients' experiences reporting ADRs and their views on the usability of the Canadian Vigilance reporting forms on MedEffect., Methods: An interpretive description qualitative study was used. Adults in Canada, who experienced an ADR, were invited to participate through social media (Kijiji, Facebook, Twitter) and by associations (e.g., Patients Canada or Canadian Arthritis Society). Participants were interviewed in English and French using structured interview guides. Inductive content analysis was used., Results: Fifteen interviews were conducted from October 2014 to May 2015. Two participants reported ADRs to MedEffect, and others to physicians and/or pharmacists. Motives for reporting were intolerable side effect impacting daily activities and encouragement from others to report (e.g., family, colleagues). Factors that interfered with reporting were physicians normalized or minimized the side effect, confusion on what to report, no feedback after report submission to MedEffect, and previous experience with side effects. MedEffect forms were described as comprehensive and important, but its usability was affected by the number of questions and complexity of some questions., Conclusions: Most participants were unaware of MedEffect and reported ADRs to physicians and pharmacists. Several barriers and motives affected patients' reporting of ADRs. MedEffect form could be simplified for use by patients.

Objectives: To test associations between onset of formal child care (in infancy or as a toddler), high school graduation, and employment earnings from ages 18 to 35 years., Methods: A 30-year prospective cohort follow-up study, with linkage to government administrative databases ( N =3020). Exposure included formal child care, if any, by accredited caregivers in centers or residential settings at ages 6 months and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 years. A propensity score analysis was conducted to control for social selection bias., Results: Of 2905 participants with data on child care use, 59.4% of male participants and 78.5% of female participants completed high school by age 22 to 23. Mean income at last follow-up ( n = 2860) was $47 000 (Canadian dollars) (SD = 37 700) and $32 500 (SD = 26 800), respectively. Using group-based trajectory modeling, we identified 3 groups: formal child care onset in infancy (∼6 months), formal child care onset as a toddler (after 2.5 years), and never exposed. After propensity score weighting, boys with child care started in infancy had greater odds of graduating than those never exposed (odds ratio [OR] 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-1.63; P < .001). Boys attending child care had reduced odds of low income as young adults (infant onset: OR 0.60 [95% CI: 0.46-0.84; P < .001]; toddler onset: OR 0.63 [95% CI: 0.45-0.82; P < .001]). Girls' graduation rates and incomes revealed no significant association with child care attendance., Conclusions: For boys, formal child care was associated with higher high school completion rates and reduced risk of adult poverty. Benefits for boys may therefore extend beyond school readiness, academic performance, and parental workforce participation., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: While the physical health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are regularly publicly available, the mental health toll on Canadians is unknown. This article examines the self-perceived mental health of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores associations with various concerns after accounting for socioeconomic and health factors., Data: The cross-sectional Canadian Perspectives Survey Series 1 collected information related to COVID-19 in late March and early April 2020 concerning labour market participation, behaviours, and health for the Canadian population 15 years and older living in the 10 provinces., Methods: Socioeconomic and health characteristics of respondents as well as concerns about the impact of COVID-19 were examined to determine differences in experiencing excellent or very good compared to good, fair or poor perceived mental health., Results: Just over half of Canadians aged 15 and older (54%) reported excellent or very good mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several concerns were also associated with mental health. Notably, after considering the effects of socioeconomic and health characteristics, women, youth, individuals with a physical health condition and those who were very or extremely concerned with family stress from confinement were less likely to report excellent or very good mental health., Discussion: These findings point to particular risks for lower perceived mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results highlight various concerns of Canadians which may be associated with mental health, in particular, family stress in the home.

Patterns of prescription drug use may reflect underlying patterns of health conditions and health care access in the population. Polypharmacy, often defined as the simultaneous use of five or more prescription drugs, is more common in an aging population where multiple coexisting chronic conditions often occur; however, safety concerns may arise (1). The United States and Canada share many cultural and historical ties, but with different models for health care delivery (2). This report describes the use of one or more and five or more prescription drugs among adults aged 40-79 in the United States and Canada., (All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.)

Background: National information about acute care hospitalizations for mental/behavioural disorders among Aboriginal people in Canada is limited., Data and Methods: This study describes acute care hospitalizations for mental /behavioural disorders among First Nations people living on and off reserve. The 2006 Census was linked to the Discharge Abstract Database from 2006/2007 through 2008/2009 for all provinces (except Ontario and Quebec) and the three territories. Hospitalizations for seven types of disorders were identified. "Most responsible" diagnosis and secondary diagnoses were examined separately. Age-standardized hospitalization rates (ASHRs) per 100,000 population and rate ratios were calculated., Results: ASHRs for most responsible and secondary diagnoses of mental/behavioural disorders were significantly higher for First Nations people living on and off reserve than for non-Aboriginal people. The leading diagnoses were the same for each group, but the rank order differed. Among First Nations people, the most common diagnoses were substance-related disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenic/psychotic disorders. Among non-Aboriginal people, mood disorders were the leading most responsible diagnosis, followed by schizophrenic/psychotic disorders and substance-related disorders. The greatest rate differences between First Nations and non-Aboriginal people for both most responsible and secondary diagnoses were for substance-related disorders., Discussion: The higher burden of hospitalizations due to mental/behavioural disorders among First Nations people provides benchmarks and points to the need of considering every hospital admission as an important opportunity for intervention and prevention. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) has recognized that the poorer health outcomes of Aboriginal people in Canada were rooted in the legacies of colonization. Further research is required to better understand the direct impacts on mental health.

Contrary to a large and growing literature on center-based childcare workers, we know little about the work and health experiences of those providing childcare services in their homes. This study examines the job content, context, and requirements of regulated Home-Based Childcare workers in Canada. It is based on the qualitative analysis of eleven individual semistructured interviews. These workers perform business administration tasks and more housekeeping and domestic work than those in the center-based childcare, which affect their health and well-being. In addition, they reported factors related to the context and the content of their job such as the high physical and mental efforts, the absence of contact with other adults during working hours, the lack of external help, the exposure to noise and bad odors, the interference of work with personal and family life, the precarious remuneration, and the lack of benefits as potential factors that may affect their health.

Background: Research that has examined Aboriginal children's hospitalization rates at the national level has been limited to analyses of areas with large percentages of Aboriginal residents, rather than of Aboriginal individuals. This study uses linked census and administrative data to describe hospitalization patterns among children and youth aged 0 to 19, by Aboriginal identity, for all provinces and territories except Quebec., Data and Methods: The 2006 Census was linked to the 2006/2007-to-2008/2009 Discharge Abstract Database, which contains hospital records from all acute care facilities (except Quebec). Hospital records were examined by Aboriginal identity, as reported to the census, according to International Classification of Diseases chapters based on "the most responsible diagnosis." Age-standardized hospitalization rates (ASHRs) were calculated per 100,000 population, and age-standardized rate ratios (RRs) were calculated for Aboriginal groups relative to non-Aboriginal people., Results: ASHRs were consistently higher among Aboriginal children and youth relative to their non-Aboriginal counterparts; rates for children aged 0 to 9 were 1.4 to 1.8 times higher; for youth aged 10 to 19, 2.0 to 3.8 times higher. For all children aged 0 to 9, the leading cause of hospitalization was "diseases of the respiratory system," but RRs for Aboriginal children ranged from 1.7 to 2.5, compared with non-Aboriginal children. Disparities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal 10- to 19-year-olds were pronounced for injuries due to assaults (RRs from 4.8 to 10.0), self-inflicted injuries (RRs from 2.7 to 14.2), and pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (RRs from 4.1 to 9.8)., Interpretation: Additional research is needed to examine reasons for the disparities in hospitalization rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children and youth.

When subjects are intentionally preparing a curved trajectory, they are engaged in a time-consuming trajectory planning process that is separate from target selection. To investigate the construction of such a plan, we examined the effect of artificially shortening preparation time on the performance of intentionally curved trajectories using the Timed Response task that enforces initiation of movements prematurely. Fifteen subjects performed obstacle avoidance movements toward one of four targets that were presented 25 or 350 ms before the "go" signal, imposing short and long preparation time conditions with mean values of 170 ms and 493 ms, respectively. While trajectories with short preparation times showed target specificity at their onset, they were significantly more variable and showed larger angular deviations from the lines connecting their initial position and the target, compared to the trajectories with long preparation times. Importantly, the trajectories of the short preparation time movements still reached their end-point targets accurately, with comparable movement durations. We hypothesize that success in the short preparation time condition is a result of an online control mechanism that allows further refinement of the plan during its execution and study this control mechanism with a novel trajectory analysis approach using minimum jerk optimization and geometrical modeling approaches. Results show a later agreement of the short preparation time trajectories with the optimal minimum jerk trajectory, accompanied by a later initiation of a parabolic segment. Both observations are consistent with the existence of an online trajectory planning process.Our results suggest that when preparation time is not sufficiently long, subjects execute a more variable and less optimally prepared initial trajectory and exploit online control mechanisms to refine their actions on the fly.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the barriers and motives influencing consumer reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs)., Methods: A systematic review, guided by the Cochrane Handbook, was conducted. Electronic searches included MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1964 to December 2014. Eligible studies addressed patients' perceptions and factors influencing ADR reporting. Studies about healthcare professional (HCP) reporting of ADRs were excluded. Studies were appraised for quality, and results were analysed descriptively., Results: Of 1435 citations identified, 21 studies were eligible. Studies were primarily conducted in the UK, the Netherlands and Australia. The identified barriers to patient reporting of ADRs (n = 15 studies) included poor awareness, confusion about who should report the ADR, difficulties with reporting procedures, lack of feedback on submitted reports, mailing costs, ADRs resolved and prior negative reporting experiences. The identified motives for patients reporting ADRs (n = 10 studies) were: preventing others from having similar ADRs, wanting personal feedback, improving medication safety, informing regulatory agencies, improving HCP practices, responding to HCPs not reporting their ADRs and having been asked to report ADRs by HCPs., Conclusions: Most patients were not aware of reporting systems and others were confused about reporting. Patients were mainly motivated to make their ADRs known to prevent similar suffering in other patients. By increasing patient familiarity and providing clear reporting processes, reporting systems could better achieve patient reporting of ADRs., (© 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.)

Using data from the 1991, 2001 and 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, this study examines the prevalence of smoking among Inuit aged 15 or older, by location of residence, sex and age group. Overall, the prevalence of daily smoking was significantly lower in 2012 than in 1991; this was true for Inuit living inside and outside Inuit Nunangat, for men and women, for most age groups, and for those in all Inuit regions except Nunavik. The average number of cigarettes smoked per day by daily smokers decreased steadily and significantly over time, except among those living outside Inuit Nunangat or in Nunavik, and those aged 55 or older. The average age of daily smoking initiation remained stable at 15.

Cinchona alkaloids and their derivatives are widely used as organocatalysts in asymmetric synthesis. In particular, sulfonamide derivatives of cinchona alkaloids are highly enantioselective desymmetrization catalysts in the ring opening of a variety of cyclic anhydrides. To better understand the mechanism of catalysis, as well as to identify the basis for enantioselectivity by this catalyst, we have performed DFT calculations of this reaction with a cyclic meso anhydride. Herein, we report calculations for two reaction pathways, one concerted and one stepwise, for the production of each enantiomer of the desymmetrized product using the complete sulfonamide catalyst I. Our results are consistent with both the enantioselectivity of this transformation and the catalytic role of the quinuclidine moiety. We find that the stepwise pathway is the relevant pathway in the production of the major enantiomer. Our calculations highlight the role of differential distortion of the anhydride-methanol complex in the transition state as the factor leading to stereoselectivity.

Background: National data about acute care hospitalization of Aboriginal people are scarce. This study addresses that information gap by describing patterns of hospitalization by Aboriginal identity for leading diagnoses for all provinces and territories except Quebec., Data and Methods: The 2006 Census was linked to the 2006/2007-to-2008/2009 Discharge Abstract Database, which contains hospital records from all acute care facilities in Canada (excluding Quebec). With these linked data, hospital records could be examined by Aboriginal identity, as reported to the census. Hospitalizations were grouped by International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) chapters based on "the most responsible diagnosis." Age-standardized hospitalization rates were calculated per 100,000 population, and rate ratios (RR) were calculated for Aboriginal groups relative to non-Aboriginal people., Results: Hospitalization rates were almost invariably higher for First Nations living on and off reserve, Métis, and Inuit living in Inuit Nunangat than for the non-Aboriginal population, regardless of ICD diagnostic chapter. The ranking of age-standardized hospitalization rates by frequency of diagnoses varied slightly by Aboriginal identity. RRs were highest among First Nations living on reserve, especially for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (RR = 4.9), mental and behavioural disorders (RR = 3.6), diseases of the respiratory system (RR = 3.3), and injuries (RR = 3.2). As well, the rate for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases was high among First Nations living off reserve (RR = 2.7). RRs were also high among Inuit for mental and behavioural disorders (RR = 3.3) and for diseases of the respiratory system (RR = 2.7)., Interpretation: Hospitalization rates varied by Aboriginal identity, and were consistent with recognized health disparities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Because many factors besides health affect hospital use, further research is required to understand differences in hospital use by Aboriginal identity. These national data are relevant to health policy formulation and service delivery planning.

Background: Monitoring adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through pharmacovigilance are vital to patient safety. Spontaneous ADR reporting is one method of pharmacovigilance, and in Canada all reporter types admitted to report an ADR to the Canadian Vigilance Program at Health Canada. Reports are submitted to Health Canada by post, telephone, or via the internet. The Canada Vigilance Program electronically records submitted information to detect medication safety alerts. Although previous studies have shown differences between patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the types of drugs and reactions reported, relatively little is known about the importance of patient reports to pharmacovigilance activities. This article proposed a multi-method approach to evaluate the importance of patient ADR reporting on pharmacovigilance activities, by systematically review the available literature, comparing patient-versus HCPs-generated ADR reports that were submitted to the Canada Vigilance Program, and exploring patient views and experiences regarding the Canadian ADR reporting system., Methods: Guided by a risk-perception theoretical lens, the proposed multi-methods research study will involve three phases. Phase I is a systematic review of all studies that analyse the factors influence ADR reporting by patients to the pharmacovigilance schemes. Phase II is a descriptive statistical analysis of all ADR reports received by the Canada Vigilance Program database between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2014 from patients and HCPs to compare ADRs reported by patients with those reported by HCP reports in terms of ADR seriousness, ADR classification by system organ class, and the medication involved based on the anatomical therapeutic class system. In phase III, an interpretative descriptive approach will be used to explore patient's views and experiences on ADR reporting and usability of the Canadian Vigilance ADR report. Participants will be purposefully selected to ensure diverse backgrounds and experiences. Interviews will be digitally-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and inductively analysed to identify themes. Patients will be interviewed until theoretical saturation is achieved., Discussion: Findings from this research will highlight the role of the patients in directly reporting ADRs, and provide information that may guide streamline and optimizing patient ADR reporting. Policy makers, public health officials, and regulatory agencies will require this critical information in order to improve medication safety in Canada and worldwide.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to test the effect of different pretreatments on tensile bond strength (TBS) of adhesively bonded CAD/CAM-generated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) crowns to dentin., Materials and Methods: Two hundred human molars were prepared and divided into 20 groups (n = 10/group). PMMA crowns were pretreated thusly: Monobond Plus/Heliobond (MH), Visio.link (VL), Ambarino P60 (AM), VP connect (VP), and nontreated as control groups (CG). Two resin cements were used for cementation of crowns: Clearfil SA Cement (CSA) and Variolink II (VAR). TBS was measured initially (24 h water storage, 37 °C) and after aging (5,000 thermal cycles, 5/55 °C). TBS was analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Scheffé post hoc, unpaired Student t, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and chi-squared tests., Results: Within CSA, pretreatment with MH and VL showed higher initial TBS compared with AM-treated groups. All other groups showed no statistical differences. For MH, VL, AM, and VP in combination with CSA, a negative impact of aging was observed (p < 0.001), whereas in all VAR groups, no impact was measured. Pretreatment with MH (p = 0.001) and VP (p = 0.008) presented higher initial TBS for CSA than for VAR. After aging, MH (p = 0.025) and VL (p = 0.034) cemented with VAR showed higher results than CSA., Conclusions: All tested groups showed very low TBS values. Pretreatments with MH, VL, and VP have minimally improved the tensile strength after aging., Clinical Relevance: Although the tensile strength results were low, crowns adhesively cemented with pretreatments with MH, VL, and VP showed, after aging, a higher tensile strength than nontreated groups.

Introduction: This study describes rates of self-inflicted and assault-related injury hospitalizations in areas with a relatively high percentage of residents identifying as First Nations, Métis and Inuit, by injury cause, age group and sex., Methods: All separation records from acute in-patient hospitals for Canadian provinces and territories excluding Quebec were obtained from the Discharge Abstract Database. Dissemination areas with more than 33% of residents reporting an Aboriginal identity in the 2006 Census were categorized as high-percentage Aboriginal-identity areas., Results: Overall, in high-percentage Aboriginal-identity areas, age-standardized hospitalization rates (ASHRs) for self-inflicted injuries were higher among females, while ASHRs for assault-related injuries were higher among males. Residents of high-percentage Aboriginal-identity areas were at least three times more likely to be hospitalized due to a self-inflicted injury and at least five times more likely to be hospitalized due to an assault-related injury compared with those living in low-percentage Aboriginal-identity areas., Conclusion: Future research should examine co-morbidities, socio-economic conditions and individual risk behaviours as factors associated with intentional injury hospitalizations.

Background: Participation in extracurricular activities can have positive effects on youth, with greater participation associated with higher academic as well as better socioemotional and behavioral outcomes. Little research has examined differential effects of in-school and out-of-school activities., Methods: This study examines in-school and out-of-school extracurricular activities for 14- to 17-year-olds using a population-based sample of Canadian youth. Associations with socioemotional and academic outcomes, and having tried smoking, alcohol, and marijuana were examined., Results: Weekly participation in both in-school and out-of-school activities were associated with positive and negative outcomes. In particular, youth who participated in out-of-school activities or in both in-school and out-of-school activities had better socioemotional outcomes. Academic outcomes were associated with in-school and out-of-school sports and nonsport activities. Youth who participated weekly in nonsport activities regardless of the context (in-school or out-of-school) were less likely to have tried smoking, alcohol, or marijuana. However, weekly participation in in-school sports was associated with an increased likelihood of failing a course; youth who participated weekly in out-of-school sports were more likely to have tried alcohol., Conclusion: The findings suggest that participation in extracurricular activities, regardless of context, encourage positive youth development., (© 2014, American School Health Association.)

Background: Windows of achievement provide age ranges for the attainment of early developmental skills. Group-specific research is warranted given that development may be influenced by social or cultural factors., Objectives: To examine developmental milestones for Inuit, Métis and off-reserve First Nation children in Canada, based on developmental domains collected from the 2006 Aboriginal Children's Survey. Sociodemographic and health predictors of risk for developmental delay were also examined., Results: The ranges in which children achieve certain developmental milestones are presented. Gross motor and self-help skills were found to be achieved earlier (across the three Aboriginal groups), whereas language skills were achieved slightly later than in Canadian children in general. Furthermore, health factors (eg, low birth weight, chronic health conditions) were associated with late achievement of developmental outcomes even when sociodemographic characteristics were considered., Conclusions: Findings suggest that the timing of milestone achievement may differ for Aboriginal children, highlighting the importance of establishing culturally specific norms and standards rather than relying on those derived from general populations. This information may be useful for practitioners and parents interested in identifying the age ranges for development, as well as age ranges indicating potential for developmental risk and opportunities for early intervention among Aboriginal children.