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Mental illness stigma has detrimental effects on health and wellbeing. Approaches to address stigma in racialized populations in Western nations need to emphasize inclusivity, social justice, and sociocultural intersectionality of determinants of health. The current paper evaluates three intervention approaches to reduce stigma of mental illness among Asian men in Toronto, Canada. Participants received one of four group interventions: psychoeducation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Contact-based Empowerment Education (CEE), and a combination of ACT+CEE. Self-report measures on stigma (CAMI, ISMI) and social change (SJS) were administered before and after the intervention. A total of 535 Asian men completed the interventions. Overall analyses found that all intervention approaches were successful in reducing stigma and promoting social change. Subscale differences suggest that CEE may be more broadly effective in reducing mental illness stigmatizing attitudes while ACT may be more specifically effective in reducing internalized stigma. More work needs to be done to elucidate mechanisms that contribute to socioculturally-informed mental illness stigma interventions for racialized communities and traditionally marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forced migration and extended time spent migrating may lead to prolonged marginalization and increased risk of HIV. We conducted a population-based cohort study to examine whether secondary migration status, where secondary migrants resided in a transition country prior to arrival in Ontario, Canada and primary migrants arrived directly from their country of birth, modified the relationship between refugee status and HIV. Unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using log-binomial regression. In sensitivity analysis, refugees with secondary migration were matched to the other three groups on country of birth, age and year of arrival (+/− 5 years) and analyzed using conditional logistic regression. Unmatched and matched models were adjusted for age and education. HIV prevalence among secondary and primary refugees and non-refugees was 1.47% (24/1629), 0.82% (112/13,640), 0.06% (7/11,571) and 0.04% (49/114,935), respectively. Secondary migration was a significant effect modifier (p-value =.02). Refugees with secondary migration were 68% more likely to have HIV than refugees with primary migration (PR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.06, 2.68; APR = 1.68, 95% 1.04, 2.71) with a stronger effect in the matched model. There was no difference among non-refugee immigrants. Secondary migration may amplify HIV risk among refugee but not non-refugee immigrant mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We sought to document pathways between under/unemployment and health among racialized immigrant women in Toronto while exploring the ways in which gender, class, migration and racialization, as interlocking systems of social relations, structure these relationships. Design. We conducted 30 interviews with racialized immigrant women who were struggling to get stable employment that matched their education and/or experience. Participants were recruited through flyers, partner agencies and peer researcher networks. Most interviews (21) were conducted in a language other than English. Interviews were transcribed, translated as appropriate and analyzed using NVivo software. The project followed a community-based participatory action research model. Results. Under/unemployment negatively impacted the physical and mental health of participants and their families. It did so directly, for example through social isolation, as well as indirectly through representation in poor quality jobs. Under/unemployment additionally led to the intensification of job search strategies and of the household/caregiving workload which also negatively impacted health. Health problems, in turn, contributed to pushing participants into long-term substandard employment trajectories. Participants’ experiences were heavily structured by their social location as low income racialized immigrant women. Conclusions. Our study provides needed qualitative evidence on the gendered and racialized dimensions of under/unemployment, and adverse health impacts resulting from this. Drawing on intersectional analysis, we unpack the role that social location plays in creating highly uneven patterns of under/unemployment and negative health pathways for racialized immigrant women. We discuss equity informed strategies to help racialized immigrant women overcome barriers to stable work that match their education and/or experience. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Despite being considered high risk, little is known about the perinatal health of refugees in developed countries. Our objectives were to examine whether: (1) the healthy migrant effect applies to infants born to refugee women with respect to severe neonatal morbidity (SNM); (2) refugee status was a risk factor for SNM among immigrants; (3) refugee sponsorship status was a risk factor for SNM by comparing asylum-seekers to sponsored refugees; and (4) refugees were at greater risk of specific SNM subtypes. Methods Immigration records (1985-2010) linked to Ontario hospital data (2002-2010) were used to examine SNM. We calculated adjusted risk ratios (ARR) with 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) for SNM and unadjusted risk ratios with 99 % CI for SNM subtypes using log-binomial regression. Results There were borderline differences in SNM among refugees (N = 29,755) compared to both non-immigrants (N = 860,314) (ARR = 0.94, 95 % CI 0.89, 0.99) and other immigrants (N = 230,847) (ARR = 1.10, 95 % CI 1.04, 1.18) with a larger difference comparing other immigrants to non-immigrants (ARR = 0.83, 95 % CI 0.81, 0.85). Asylum-seekers did not differ from sponsored refugees (ARR = 1.07, 95 % CI 0.90, 1.27). Though rare, several SNM subtypes were significant with large effect sizes. Conclusion With respect to SNM risk, the healthy migrant effect clearly applies to non-refugee immigrants, but is weaker for refugees and may not apply. Among immigrants, refugee status was a weak risk factor for SNM and may not be clinically important. Sponsorship status was not associated with greater risk of SNM. Further investigation of several SNM subtypes is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the overwintering survival and infectivity of free-living gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) stages in sheep in Ontario, Canada as of August 2014. The topics discussed include reported history of clinical haemonchosis in the sheep farms, seasonality in larval numbers on pasture, and most predominant nematode genera during the summer months including Teladorsagia species.

A large percentage of refugees have low levels of education and official language fluency upon arrival in Canada. This paper discusses educational goals of newcomer refugee youth from three communities in Toronto (Afghan, Karen, and Sudanese), and explores how these are linked to premigration and post-migration determinants. Guided by community-based research principles, we collaborated with eight refugee youth peer researchers and conducted ten focus groups and thirteen interviews with refugee youth. Results show that newcomer refugee youth.develop strong aspirations for higher education in Canada as a proactive response to overcome pre-migration experiences offorced migration and educational disruptions. We then discuss how these youth negotiate educational goals in post-migration context in relation to shifts in family responsibilities and everyday encounter with multiple systemic barriers in Canada. In doing this, we examine the thin line between vulnerability and empowerment that refugee youth straddle and reveal policy gaps and contradictions in the depoliticized humanitarianism within refugee resettlement in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on our study with newcomer youth from four communities in Toronto, this article discusses post-migration determinants of mental health for newcomer youth in Toronto and reflects on policy implications. Preliminary study findings indicate that settlement challenges and discrimination/exclusions are salient risks to the mental wellbeing of newcomer youth and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on two community-based research projects, this article discusses pre-migration and post-migration determinants of mental health for newly arrived refugees in Toronto. The article examines the argument that settlement policies and services need to be more reflective of the unique challenges and needs faced by refugee groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The epidemiology of the periparturient egg rise (PPER) of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) in sheep remains unclear, and may be influenced by the lambing season. This longitudinal study was performed to determine the effect of out-of-season lambing on the PPER in ewes in Ontario, and whether total plasma protein (TPP) and packed cell volume (PCV) were associated with the PPER. Six farms that practiced out-of-season lambing were enrolled, and sampled for three consecutive lambing seasons (winter, spring and autumn). For each lambing season, all farms were visited five times. On the first visit for each lambing season, 15–20 pregnant ewes and 15–20 non-pregnant/early gestation ewes were randomly selected. At each visit, fecal samples were collected from all selected animals and processed individually to measure GIN fecal egg counts (FECs). Blood samples were collected on three visits in each lambing period and processed to measure TPP and PCV. The ewes were classified into one of five production stages (maintenance [i.e. not pregnant], early or late gestation [<120d and ≥120d, respectively], and early or late lactation [<40d and ≥40d, respectively]) based on information collected during farm visits. Linear mixed models were developed for the TPP, PCV and logarithmic-transformed FEC (lnFEC). During the winter and spring lambing season, the FECs increased gradually over the gestation period and peaked during lactation, with these increases being larger in ewes with a low PCV (three-way interaction in the final model). In the autumn lambing season, the FECs started off higher in early gestation, and increased rapidly to peak in late gestation, particularly for animals with low PCV levels. In the TPP model, PCV and lnFEC were positively associated with TPP. During both autumn and winter lambing seasons, the TPP decreased from maintenance throughout gestation and early lactation, followed by an increase in late lactation, except for when there were high FECs. During the spring lambing season, TPP peaked at early gestation, and then decreased in late gestation, to increase more gradually over lactation. In the PCV model, PCV increased with TPP and decreased exponentially with increases in lnFEC. The PPER occurred during all three lambing seasons, and its magnitude and distribution varied with the lambing season, suggesting that the PPER in ewes depends on both environmental and animal physiological factors, an important consideration when implementing preventive parasite control strategies on sheep farms that practice out-of-season lambing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a significant constraint to pasture-based sheep production worldwide. Anthelmintic resistance (AR) has been reported in most sheep-raising areas in the world, yet little is known about the AR status in Canada. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of AR in GIN in sheep flocks in Ontario, Canada. Forty-seven sheep flocks were enrolled in the study, and their level of parasitism was monitored monthly throughout a grazing season by analyzing owner-acquired fecal samples from 15 grazing lambs per flock. When the mean GIN fecal egg count (FEC) reached a threshold of 200 eggs per gram (epg), oral ivermectin was supplied to producers to check ivermectin efficacy; the reduction in mean FEC 14 days after ivermectin treatment was calculated. ‘Drench failure’ was defined as a reduction in mean FEC of <95%. In those flocks with apparent drench failure, researchers performed a Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT), dividing sheep into 4 treatment groups (n =10–15): control (i.e. untreated), ivermectin, and, if sufficient numbers of animals – fenbendazole and levamisole. AR was defined as a reduction in mean FEC <95% and a lower 95% confidence interval <90%. Larval cultures were performed on pooled post-treatment FECRT samples. Larval Development Assays (LDAs) to detect the presence of resistance to thiabendazole and levamisole were performed prior to the ivermectin drench check on pooled owner-acquired fecal samples that reached the 200epg threshold. Approximately 89% (42/47) of the farms reached the FEC threshold of 200epg; 93% (39/42) of these farms performed an ivermectin drench check, and 88% (34/39) of these farms had drench failure. The FECRT was performed on 29 of the 34 farms. Resistance to ivermectin, fenbendazole and levamisole was demonstrated on 97% (28/29), 95% (19/20) and 6% (1/17) of the farms tested, respectively, with considerable variability in resistance levels among farms. Haemonchus sp. was the most commonly cultured parasite from post-treatment fecal samples. LDA results for 21 farms were available; of these, 14% (3/21) and 62% (13/21) had low and high levels of thiabendazole resistance, respectively, while none of the farms exhibited resistance to levamisole. Amongst these tested farms, resistance to both ivermectin and benzimidazoles was very common. These findings strongly suggest that AR, particularly in Haemonchus sp., is a serious problem in these sheep flocks. Thus, marked changes in GIN management need to be instituted immediately to mitigate a worsening situation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To describe parasite control and farm management practices commonly used by Ontario sheep farmers, and to determine whether any of these practices were associated with the level of anthelmintic resistance (AR) to ivermectin, fenbendazole or levamisole, we conducted fecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests in Ontario sheep flocks, and administered a questionnaire pertaining to farm practices that were considered putative risk factors for AR. In the previous 5 years, most of the producers had used ivermectin and fenbendazole drenches (95% and 68%, respectively), while only 11% had used levamisole drench. Producers treated their animals a mean of 2.6 times per year. Routine treatment was practiced by 82% of the producers; most ewes were treated either at lambing (55%) and/or at the beginning of winter housing (48%). The majority of the producers (82%) also used targeted or targeted selective treatment; however, it was often in addition to, rather than in lieu of, routine treatment. Twenty-five producers (66%) brought in new animals in the previous year. Many producers (45%) did not calibrate the drench gun before use. The mean FECR percentages following treatment with ivermectin, fenbendazole, and levamisole were 23.7%, 28.6% and 99.1%, respectively. Although univariable analyses identified several marginally significant risk factors (0.10> p >0.05), none were significant in the final model for ivermectin FECR percentage. In contrast, use of benzimidazoles in the previous 5 years was associated (p =0.01) with increased resistance (lower mean FECR percentage) to fenbendazole. Levamisole resistance could not be modeled due to the very low levels of resistance on the farms surveyed. This study: (1) provided a picture of management practices employed by Ontario sheep producers who were experiencing AR to one or more anthelmintic drugs on their farms; and (2) allowed us to identify areas for further AR risk factor research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]