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Since the 1990s, homelessness has increased in Canada, but the strategies of the government and public health service providers to manage the situation have had limited success. Researchers have also noted the lack of inclusion of those experiencing homelessness in homelessness research to better understand and develop a solution to the issue. In the present study, this is addressed through inclusion of homeless participants from diverse backgrounds. The purpose of this phenomenological study, framed by social cognitive theory, reciprocal determinism, and symbolic interaction, was to understand homelessness from the perspectives of people who do not have homes. Data were collected from open-ended interviews with a purposeful sample of 15 individuals who were homeless. Several themes emerged after interview data were transcribed via hand coding and analyzed using cognitive data analysis. The prominent themes were lack of money, home, privacy, and support; discrimination directed primarily toward First Nations people and those of African descent; mental illness and addiction; the need for a review of housing policy that addresses rent, mortgage qualification criteria, and house tax; and the creation of awareness of government support systems and the services that they provide. Public health service providers and designated authorities can use the findings of this study to understand the phenomenon from the perspective of people who are experiencing homelessness, which can influence the development of better homelessness reduction strategies that could improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness and their communities. Because homelessness is a public health issue, bringing it under control could positively impact the health and safety of the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Of hospitalized patients in Canada, 7.5% experience an adverse event (ae). Physicians whose patients experience aes often become second victims of the incident. The present study is the first to evaluate how physicians in Canada cope with aes occurring in their patients. Methods: Survey participants included oncologists, surgeons, and trainees at the Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB. The surveys were administered through REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture, version 9.0: REDCap Consortium, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, U.S.A.). The Brief cope (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) Inventory, the ies-r (Impact of Event Scale-Revised), the Causal Dimension Scale, and the Institutional Punitive Response scale were used to evaluate coping strategies, prevalence of post-traumatic stress, and institutional culture with respect to aes. Results: Of 51 responses used for the analysis, 30 (58.8%) came from surgeons and 21 (41.2%) came from medical specialists. On the ies-r, 54.9% of respondents scored 24 or higher, which has been correlated with clinically concerning post-traumatic stress. Individuals with a score of 24 or higher were more likely to report self-blame (p = 0.00026) and venting (p = 0.042). Physicians who perceive institutional support to be poor reported significant post-traumatic stress (p = 0.023). On multivariable logistic regression modelling, self-blame was associated with an ies-r score of 24 or higher (p = 0.0031). No significant differences in ies-r scores of 24 or higher were observed between surgeons and non-surgeons (p = 0.15). The implications of aes for physicians, patients, and the health care system are enormous. More than 50% of our respondents showed emotional pathology related to an ae. Higher levels of self-blame, venting, and perception of inadequate institutional support were factors predicting increased post-traumatic stress after a patient ae. Conclusions: Our study identifies a desperate need to establish effective institutional supports to help health care professionals recognize and deal with the emotional toll resulting from aes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June 2013, a severe flooding of the Bow and Elbow Rivers affected southern Alberta, a province in Canada. The flood was subsequently described to be the costliest natural disaster in Canadian history. Among the hardest hit communities was the Siksika First Nation, located on the Bow River banks about 100 kilometers east of the city of Calgary. A community-university partnership was formed to qualitatively document the Siksika First Nation community-based response to the health and social impacts to their community resulting from the flood. Our findings informed the development of a culturally appropriate framework for disaster and emergency planning in First Nations communities. The Siksika Nation's work to mitigate the impacts from the flood followed a holistic and socio-ecological approach that took the determinants of Indigenous peoples' health into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Children's dental caries is an important and urgent public health concern that is largely preventable. Using a social equity framework, our objectives were to identify and critically examine government legislation relevant to the issue of children's dental health in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Methods: We conducted a systematic, gray literature search of federal, provincial (Alberta), and municipal (Calgary) statutes and bylaws related to children's dental caries, through the relevant law databases. Eligibility criteria were applied for document screening and selection. Data extraction and synthesis pertained to objectives of the legislation (policy task), relevant agent or actor (level of government), and upstream or downstream focus, in terms of potential impact on social inequities in health.Results: Legislation (n = 114) was retrieved and grouped into eight policy tasks. Most legislation fit under the policy tasks: protection of public safety and health promotion (n = 40) and benefits and compensation (n = 27). Federal and provincial governments have greater involvement in children's dental caries than municipal (Calgary) government. The majority of legislation was classified as upstream in orientation (e.g., improving living and working conditions; macro-level policies).Conclusions: Analysis of legislation relevant to children's dental caries reveals policies that are more often upstream in nature, and unsurprisingly are multijurisdictional. Despite this, there remains a high prevalence and inequitable distribution of children's dental caries in Canada. This suggests that the nature of upstream involvement and fragmented government involvement is ineffective in tackling this pervasive and urgent public health issue. Implications for children's dental health are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1916, Canadians were swept up in the rhetoric of a purifying Holy War. The citizen soldier became the embodiment of Christ in the ultimate fight against evil. As the mirror for the nation, he reflected the moral character and aspirations of purity. The behaviour of soldiers stationed in Calgary were publically scrutinised, especially as to their use of alcohol. The evils of alcohol galvanised various groups to move towards Prohibition as the ultimate war measure. This directly affected military recruitment efforts and served to alienate the soldier and the reality of his experiences from the home front. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Ambient air pollutant exposures have been associated with a wide variety of cardiovascular events; however, few studies have evaluated their impact upon acute emergency department (ED) visits for hypertension. METHODS The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between ED visits for hypertension and ambient air pollution concentrations among 6,532 patients during the period of January 2010 to December 2011 in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The associations were evaluated using a case-crossover design. RESULTS Odds ratios and their 95% confidence interval have been calculated for 1 unit increase in their interquartile range for lags (the time between air pollutant measurement and exposure-response) 0-8 days. During the cold season, statistically significant positive results were observed for SO2 among lag days 4-6 and 8 for females and lag days 5 and 6 for males. Moreover, statistically significant positive results were observed for NO2 on lag day 7 for females and for PM2.5 on lag days 5 and 7, for females and lag day 6 for males. During the warm season, statistically significant positive results were observed for O3 on lag days 3 and 4 and for SO2 on lag days 2 and 8 for females. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the hypothesis that recent exposures to ambient levels of several air pollutants can be capable of elevating blood pressure to a clinically significant extent such that it leads to ED visits for hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents updates regarding the Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) as of March 2001. AINA Arctic Science and Technology Information System's work on a contract from the Canadian Polar Commission to select, index and gather statistics on papers about northern Canada and the Antarctic; Establishment of Arctic Circumpolar Studies Major and the University of Calgary, Alberta.

Aim The ileocaecal junction ( ICJ) region is an epithelial transition zone in which carcinomas are frequently diagnosed. However, it is currently unknown whether ICJ carcinomas ( ICJ- CAs) have distinctive features. This study aimed to characterize the clinicopathological features of ICJ- CAs. Method All ileal and colorectal resections for carcinoma, performed in Calgary, Canada between January 2009 and June 2012, were reviewed. Carcinomas in which the epicentre was within 5 cm of the ileocaecal valve ( ICV) were defined as ICJ- CAs. Of 1003 carcinomas studied, 199 (19.8%) were ICJ- CAs, including 93 (9.3%) that crossed the ICV. Comparison of clinicopathological features with carcinomas of the other ileo-colorectal regions was made. Survival was also assessed. Results Clinically, ICJ-CAs were more common in female than male patients (56.3% female) compared with left-colonic (42.9% female) and rectal (37.9% female) carcinomas, and were more common in older age-groups of patients (71.8 ± 12.7 years) compared with appendiceal (62.6 ± 11.3 years), left-colonic (69.4 ± 12.3 years) and rectal (67.1 ± 11.9 years) carcinomas. Macroscopically, ICJ- CAs were similar to other colorectal carcinomas and were mostly described as ulcerated (63.3%). Histologically, ICJ- CAs had more mucinous, signet-ring cell and/or neuroendocrine features (39.7%, 8.0% and 7.5%, respectively) than did carcinomas of the left colon (16.8%, 1.6% and 1.1%, respectively) and the rectum (14.1%, 1.0% and 0.0%, respectively). They were higher grade (20.1% were high grade) than those of the left-colon (10.3%) and the rectum (9.8%). ICJ- CAs presented at a higher T-stage (25.6% were T4) compared with rectal carcinomas (11.6%). Most significantly, ICJ- CAs presented at a higher N-stage (25.6% were N2) than did right-colonic (14.1%) and rectal (16.2%) carcinomas. Although survival of patients with ICJ- CAs did not differ from those with right-colonic carcinomas, those with carcinomas directly involving the ICV did show a significantly decreased survival. Conclusion ICJ- CAs display several distinct clinicopathological features that may require special diagnostic, prognostic and management attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue Canadienne de Science Politique is the property of Cambridge University Press 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.)

The Elbow River watershed in Alberta covers an area of 1,238 km and represents an important source of water for irrigation and municipal use. In addition to being located within the driest area of southern Canada, it is also subjected to considerable pressure for land development due to the rapid population growth in the City of Calgary. In this study, a comprehensive modeling system was developed to investigate the impact of past and future land-use changes on hydrological processes considering the complex surface-groundwater interactions existing in the watershed. Specifically, a spatially explicit land-use change model was coupled with MIKE SHE/MIKE 11, a distributed physically based catchment and channel flow model. Following a rigorous sensitivity analysis along with the calibration and validation of these models, four land-use change scenarios were simulated from 2010 to 2031: business as usual (BAU), new development concentrated within the Rocky View County (RV-LUC) and in Bragg Creek (BC-LUC), respectively, and development based on projected population growth (P-LUC). The simulation results reveal that the rapid urbanization and deforestation create an increase in overland flow, and a decrease in evapotranspiration (ET), baseflow, and infiltration mainly in the east sub-catchment of the watershed. The land-use scenarios affect the hydrology of the watershed differently. This study is the most comprehensive investigation of its nature done so far in the Elbow River watershed. The results obtained are in accordance with similar studies conducted in Canadian contexts. The proposed modeling system represents a unique and flexible framework for investigating a variety of water related sustainability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on homelessness tends to focus on risk factors in people's social and personal lives that contribute to their situation of being without a permanent home. Alternatively, the following describes innate factors of intimate relationships that contribute to a situation of homelessness for men and women. We conducted interviews with 61 people experiencing homelessness in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We were particularly interested in documenting with greater specificity their perceptions of their individual pathways to and from homelessness. Three themes emerged from the data describing the intersection between respondents’ intimate relationships and their situation of homelessness: (1) relationship breakdown; (2) the role and impact of having intimate partners during a period of homelessness; and (3) the nature of the intimate relationship and its impact on housing. The data suggest that aspects of intimate relationships should be considered by social service agencies when addressing a person's situation of homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article explores the work of the Calgary Birth Control Association with a particular focus on their referral service to help Albertan women obtain abortions in Seattle. The fact that Canadian women were travelling to the United States for abortions highlights the shortcomings of the Canadian health-care system and the legal changes in the 1969 omnibus bill. Cross-border travel is also compelling evidence for the argument that reproductive rights are an international issue. More particularly, this study demonstrates the tensions that reproductive-rights activists faced in addressing the needs of individual women vs the long-term objective of changing the laws and improving accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited literature describing the ethical dilemmas that arise when conducting community-based participatory research. The following provides a case example of ethical dilemmas that developed during a multi-method community-based participatory action research project with youth in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Several ethical dilemmas emerged during the course of the study related to the community in which the research was being undertaken, the recruitment of participants, and the overall research process. As important are possible harms that may arise when the researcher is no longer involved. These ethical dilemmas and potential solutions are discussed in relation to social work research and community-based practice to raise awareness about the essential role of community in informing ethical research practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Environmental Engineering & Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

The Tsuu T'ina Nation, a First Nations reserve established following the Treaty 7 in southern Alberta, lies to the immediate southwest of the city of Calgary. Expansion of the city in the post-World War II era has brought residential and commercial development up to the north, east and south boundaries of the Nation. The political and natural geography of the two communities led to proposals beginning in the 1960s to build a commuter road through the reserve to alleviate Calgary's traffic congestion. The local Native/non-Native relationship, despite many points of informal contact between the communities, is limited to negotiations over this road. This long-standing issue reveals much about the local practices of Aboriginal citizenship in the pressure Calgary's development places on the Tsuu T'ina, as well as the opportunities proximity to the city presents for the band. Calgary's position restricts the expression of Tsuu T'ina identity, assertion of land rights, and the band's economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which described innovations and shifts in the family skills labs that have been offered since 1995 in the undergraduate family nursing curriculum at the University of Calgary, Alberta. Shift from a strict adherence to role play as a way to teach and hone skills in working with families; Basis of the lab activities; Implication of the student feedback on the changes in the delivery of the family nursing labs.

Determines the cost of surgery for patients in waiting lists in Calgary, Alberta. Delay in surgery due to lack of resources; Consideration of costs for physician claims; Use of home care and pharmaceutical prescriptions.

Provides information on a study that summarized the results of a series of punch tests conducted on freshwater ice rubble at the University of Calgary in Alberta. Description on tests; Results and discussion on the study; Conclusions and recommendations.

Describes the use of seminar or block formats in delivering logistics and services marketing courses as pilot projects at the University of Calgary in Alberta. Design of undergraduate business logistics and services courses; Importance of block courses; Benefits of the pedagogical process involved in the research to logistic educators.

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of dysgraphia and constructional apraxia for delirium among psychiatric inpatients.Method: Data were collected from 2 sources. First, a series of nondelirious psychiatric inpatients that had participated in a previous study was selected to determine the specificity of various indices of dysgraphia and constructional apraxia. Second, a series of 56 psychiatric inpatients with delirium as identified using electronic administrative data and clinical records was selected to evaluate sensitivity.Results: Of the various indices of dysgraphia examined, only a global rating of writing quality and evidence of jagged or angled letter loops were informative clinical signs. The predictive value of constructional apraxia resembled the predictive value of the 2 dysgraphia indices.Conclusions: Dysgraphia and constructional apraxia are useful clinical signs of delirium in the psychiatric inpatient population. Evaluation of these functions can substantially impact diagnostic decisions where diagnostic uncertainty exists. An evaluation of writing and constructional praxis can be easily incorporated into bedside mental status examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the psychiatric symptomatology and mental health service needs of homeless shelter users in Calgary, Alberta. Data were collected as part of a broad-based community action initiative designed to reduce the problem of homelessness.Methods: A semistructured interview was conducted with a representative sample of 250 emergency shelter users. Mental health problems were measured through self-reports of 9 psychiatric symptoms known to be related to illnesses prevalent among homeless populations (depression, anxiety, and psychoses). The CAGE alcohol screen was also used.Results: Three-quarters of the sample expressed some symptomatology. About one-third were estimated to have a significant mental health problem. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse was 33.6%. Higher levels of psychiatric symptomatology appeared to relate to a wide range of hardships, personal and public health risks, addictive behaviours, victimization, economic and interpersonal life events, dissatisfaction, and stress. Also, those with significant symptomatology frequently needed mental health care services but often did not know where to access them.Conclusions: The prevalence of mental health and substance abuse problems within homeless populations is significant and associated with considerable hardship as well as personal and public health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies the contribution of general internists to disease prevention in Calgary, Albetra. List of possible interventions; Percentage of interventions addressed by the internist before and during current admission; Most frequent intervention not properly addressed; Implications for general internist services.

Discusses variations in the character of community associations in Calgary, Alberta. Community association characteristics; Social structural characteristics; Weak contextual effects of variations in association activity; Membership levels and economic status; Dependency of associations in old age areas on revenues from rental of community facilities.

Discusses the implementation of an effective program for the evaluation of clinical teaching in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta. Inventory of needs; Broad-based faculty participation; Developmental strategies for the evaluation program; Objectives for clinical preceptors; Preceptor teaching evaluation.