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BackgroundUniversity students are experiencing higher levels of distress and mental health disorders than before. In addressing mental health needs, web-based interventions have shown increasing promise in overcoming geographic distances and high student-to-counselor ratios, leading to the potential for wider implementation. The Mindfulness Virtual Community (MVC) program, a web-based program, guided by mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy principles, is among efforts aimed at effectively and efficiently reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress in students. ObjectiveThis study’s aim was to evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week MVC program in reducing depression, anxiety, and perceived stress (primary outcomes), and improving mindfulness (secondary outcome) in undergraduate students at a large Canadian university. Guided by two prior randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that each demonstrated efficacy when conducted during regular university operations, this study coincided with a university-wide labor strike. Nonetheless, the students’ response to an online mental health program on a disrupted campus can provide useful information for anticipating the impact of other disruptions, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future disruptions. MethodsIn this parallel-arm RCT, 154 students were randomly allocated to an 8-week MVC intervention (n=76) or a wait-list control (WLC) condition (n=78). The MVC intervention included the following: (1) educational and mindfulness video modules, (2) anonymous peer-to-peer discussions, and (3) anonymous, group-based, professionally guided, 20-minute videoconferences. Study outcomes were evaluated at baseline and at 8-week follow-up using the following: Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire Short Form (FFMQ-SF). Generalized estimation equations with an AR (1) covariance structure were used to evaluate the impact of the intervention, with outcome evaluations performed on both an intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) basis. ResultsParticipants (n=154) included 35 males and 117 females with a mean age of 23.1 years. There were no statistically significant differences at baseline between the MVC and WLC groups on demographics and psychological characteristics, indicating similar demographic and psychological characteristics across the two groups. Results under both ITT and PP approaches indicated that there were no statistically significant between-group differences in PHQ-9 (ITT: β=–0.44, P=.64; PP: β=–0.62, P=.053), BAI (ITT: β=–2.06, P=.31; PP: β=–2.32, P=.27), and FFMQ-SF (ITT: β=1.33, P=.43; PP: β=1.44, P=.41) compared to WLC. There was a significant difference for the PSS (ITT: β=–2.31, P=.03; PP: β=–2.38, P=.03). ConclusionsDuring a university labor strike, the MVC program led to statistically significant reductions in PSS compared to the WLC group, but there were no other significant between-group differences. Comparisons with previous cycles of intervention testing, undertaken during nondisrupted university operations, when efficacy was demonstrated, are discussed. Trial RegistrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN92827275; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN92827275

BackgroundModifiable risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, and poor diet account for a significant proportion of the preventable deaths in Canada. These factors are also known to cluster together, thereby compounding the risks of morbidity and mortality. Given this association, smoking cessation programs appear to be well-suited for integration of health promotion activities for other modifiable risk factors. The Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) program is a province-wide smoking cessation program that currently encourages practitioners to deliver Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to treatment for patients who are experiencing depressive symptoms or consume excessive amounts of alcohol via a web-enabled clinical decision support system. However, there is no available clinical decision support system for physical inactivity and poor diet, which are among the leading modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to assess whether adding a computerized/web-enabled clinical decision support system for physical activity and diet to a smoking cessation program affects smoking cessation outcomes. MethodsThis study is designed as a hybrid type 1 effectiveness/implementation randomized controlled trial to evaluate a web-enabled clinical decision support system for supporting practitioners in addressing patients’ physical activity and diet as part of smoking cessation treatment in a primary care setting. This design was chosen as it allows for simultaneous testing of the intervention, its delivery in target settings, and the potential for implementation in real-world situations. Intervention effectiveness will be measured using a two-arm randomized controlled trial. Health care practitioners will be unblinded to their patients’ treatment allocation; however, patients will be blinded to whether their practitioner receives the clinical decision support system for physical activity and/or fruit/vegetable consumption. The evaluation of implementation will be guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. ResultsRecruitment for the primary outcome of this study is ongoing and will be completed in November 2020. Results will be reported in March 2021. ConclusionsThe findings of the study will provide much needed insight into whether adding a computerized/web-enabled clinical decision support system for physical activity and diet to a smoking cessation program affects smoking cessation outcome. Furthermore, the implementation evaluation would provide insight into the feasibility of online-based interventions for physical activity and diet in a smoking cessation program. Addressing these risk factors simultaneously could have significant positive effects on chronic disease and cancer prevention. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04223336; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04223336 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/19157

BackgroundA student mental health crisis is increasingly acknowledged and will only intensify with the COVID-19 crisis. Given accessibility of methods with demonstrated efficacy in reducing depression and anxiety (eg, mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT]) and limitations imposed by geographic obstructions and localized expertise, web-based alternatives have become vehicles for scaled-up delivery of benefits at modest cost. Mindfulness Virtual Community (MVC), a web-based program informed by CBT constructs and featuring online videos, discussion forums, and videoconferencing, was developed to target depression, anxiety, and experiences of excess stress among university students. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an 8-week web-based mindfulness and CBT program in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (primary outcomes) and increasing mindfulness (secondary outcome) within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with undergraduate students at a large Canadian university. MethodsAn RCT was designed to assess undergraduate students (n=160) who were randomly allocated to a web-based guided mindfulness–CBT condition (n=80) or to a waitlist control (WLC) condition (n=80). The 8-week intervention consisted of a web-based platform comprising (1) 12 video-based modules with psychoeducation on students’ preidentified life challenges and applied mindfulness practice; (2) anonymous peer-to-peer discussion forums; and (3) anonymous, group-based, professionally guided 20-minute live videoconferences. The outcomes (depression, anxiety, stress, and mindfulness) were measured via an online survey at baseline and at 8 weeks postintervention using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire Short Form (FFMQ-SF). Analyses employed generalized estimation equation methods with AR(1) covariance structures and were adjusted for possible covariates (gender, age, country of birth, ethnicity, English as first language, paid work, unpaid work, relationship status, physical exercise, self-rated health, and access to private mental health counseling). ResultsOf the 159 students who provided T1 data, 32 were males and 125 were females with a mean age of 22.55 years. Participants in the MVC (n=79) and WLC (n=80) groups were similar in sociodemographic characteristics at T1 with the exception of gender and weekly hours of unpaid volunteer work. At postintervention follow-up, according to the adjusted comparisons, there were statistically significant between-group reductions in depression scores (β=–2.21, P=.01) and anxiety scores (β=–4.82, P=.006), and a significant increase in mindfulness scores (β=4.84, P=.02) compared with the WLC group. There were no statistically significant differences in perceived stress for MVC (β=.64, P=.48) compared with WLC. ConclusionsWith the MVC intervention, there were significantly reduced depression and anxiety symptoms but no significant effect on perceived stress. Online mindfulness interventions can be effective in addressing common mental health conditions among postsecondary populations on a large scale, simultaneously reducing the current burden on traditional counseling services. Trial RegistrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN12249616; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12249616

BackgroundInnovative interventions are needed to address the increasing mental health needs of university students. Given the demonstrated anxiolytic and antidepressant benefits of mindfulness training, we developed an 8-week, Web-based Mindfulness Virtual Community (MVC) intervention informed by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) constructs. ObjectiveThis study investigated the efficacy of the MVC intervention in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate students in Toronto, Canada. The secondary outcomes included quality of life, life satisfaction, and mindfulness. MethodsThe first 4 weeks of the full MVC intervention (F-MVC) comprised: (1) 12 video-based modules with psycho-education on students’ preidentified stressful topics and topically applied mindfulness practice; (2) anonymous peer-to-peer discussion forums; and (3) anonymous, group-based, professionally guided, 20-min live videoconferences. The second 4 weeks of F-MVC involved access only to video-based modules. The 8-week partial MVC (P-MVC) comprised 12 video-based modules. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 4 parallel arms: F-MVC, P-MVC, waitlist control (WLC), and group-based face-to-face CBT; results for the latter group are presented elsewhere. Students recruited through multiple strategies consented and were randomized: WLC=40; F-MVC=40, P-MVC=39; all learned about allocation after consenting. The online surveys at baseline (T1), 4 weeks (T2), and 8 weeks (T3) included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Quality of Life Scale, Brief Multi-Dimensional Students Life Satisfaction Scale, and Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Analyses employed generalized estimation equation methods with AR(1) covariance structures and were adjusted for possible confounders (gender, age, birth country, paid work, unpaid work, physical activities, self-rated health, and mental health counseling access). ResultsOf the 113 students who provided T1 data, 28 were males and 85 were females with a mean age of 24.8 years. Participants in F-MVC (n=39), P-MVC (n=35), and WLC (n=39) groups were similar in sociodemographic characteristics at T1. At T3 follow-up, per adjusted comparisons, there were statistically significant reductions in depression scores for F-MVC (score change −4.03; P

OBJECTIVE: Bans on evictions were implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to protect vulnerable populations during a public health crisis. Our objective was to examine how three bans on eviction enforcement impacted eviction filings from March 2020 through January 2022 in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Data were derived from eviction application records kept by the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board. We used segmented regression analysis to model changes in the average weekly filing rates for evictions due to non-payment of rent (L1 filings) and reasons other than non-payment of rent (L2 filings). RESULTS: The average number of weekly L1 and L2 applications dropped by 67.5 (95% CI: 55.2, 79.9) and 31.7 (95% CI: 26.7, 36.6) filings per 100,000 rental dwellings, respectively, following the first ban on eviction enforcement (p

We conducted 2 analyses using administrative data to understand whether more family physicians in Ontario, Canada stopped working during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with previous years. First, we found 3.1% of physicians working in 2019 (n = 385/12,247) reported no billings in the first 6 months of the pandemic; compared with other family physicians, a higher portion were aged 75 years or older (13.0% vs 3.4%, P Key words: primary health care; COVID-19; workforce; health services, general practitioners; family physicians, INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted how care was delivered by family physicians. To limit transmission, practices adopted a range of measures including active and passive screening, cleaning, strict use of [...]

Background/Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality rates in a community-dwelling spinal cord injury (SCI) population in Ontario. Methods: Using health administrative databases, monthly mortality rates were evaluated pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic from March 2014 to May 2024. Data were stratified by sex, injury etiology, and mental health status. Group differences were evaluated using t-tests. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models evaluated the pandemic's impact on mortality rates. Results: A significant increase of 21.4% in mortality rates during the pandemic was found for the SCI cohort. With the exception of the traumatic group, all subgroups also experienced a significant increase in mortality rates (males: 13.9%, females: 31.9%, non-traumatic: 32.3%, mental health diagnoses: 19.6%, and mental health diagnoses: 29.4%). During the pandemic, females had a significantly higher mortality rate than males. The non-traumatic group had higher mortality rates than the traumatic group at all time periods. Individuals with mental health diagnoses had higher mortality rates than those without at the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Conclusions: The variation in mortality rates across groups highlights inequitable access to medical care in the SCI population, with further research and interventions needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with disabilities experience numerous barriers to healthcare access including vaccine accessibility. The purpose of this study was to determine COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D) population of Ontario and identify potential factors influencing C OVID-19 vaccine uptake. This was a retrospective closed-cohort study using administrative health data on individuals with SCI/D of traumatic and non-traumatic causes to examine the monthly number of COVID-19 vaccine doses received between December 2020 and December 2023. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the potential association between socio-demographic, clinical, and neighbourhood characteristics with initial COVID-19 vaccine receipt and booster dose uptake. By the end of the observation period in December 2023, 82.9% received the full two-dose coverage and 65.6% received at least one additional booster dose in a cohort of 3574 individuals with SCI/D. SCI/D individuals showed a comparable COVID-19 vaccine uptake percentage to the general population. Sociodemographic, clinical, and neighbourhood characteristics were associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the SCI/D population, including age, type of injury, number of comorbidities, mental health history, and neighbourhood characteristics such as income. Further investigation is necessary to determine the causation effects of these relationships with vaccine uptake to address health equity concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE We sought to assess the impact of team-based care on emergency department (ED) use in the context of physicians transitioning from fee-for-service payment to capitation payment in Ontario, Canada. METHODS We conducted an interrupted time series analysis to assess annual ED visit rates before and after transition from an enhanced fee-for-service model to either a team capitation model or a nonteam capitation model. We included Ontario residents aged 19 years and older who had at least 3 years of outcome data both pretransition and post-transition (N = 2,524,124). We adjusted for age, sex, income quintile, immigration status, comorbidity, and morbidity, and we stratified by rurality. A sensitivity analysis compared outcomes for team vs nonteam patients matched on year of transition, age, sex, rurality, and health region. RESULTS We compared 387,507 team and 1,399,103 nonteam patients in big cities, 213,394 team and 380,009 nonteam patients in small towns, and 55,289 team and 78,722 nonteam patients in rural areas. In big cities, after adjustment, the ED visit rate increased by 2.4% (95% CI, 2.2% to 2.5%) per year for team patients and 5.2% (95% CI, 5.1% to 5.3%) per year for nonteam patients in the years after transition (P CONCLUSIONS Adoption of team-based primary care may reduce ED use. Further research is needed to understand optimal team composition and roles. Key words: primary care; utilization; team-based care; interdisciplinary health team; capitation fee; healthcare financing; physician payment models; emergency department use; patient-centered care; health care reform; health policy; primary care practice models; practice-based research, INTRODUCTION Strong primary care is the foundation of a high-functioning health care system and is associated with better outcomes, lower costs, and greater equity. (1) But for the last 2 [...]

Context The stresses of the pandemic have been felt by most. Working in family medicine we have noticed an increase in patient inquiries into Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Objective We set out to examine if the trends in the patients presenting to family medicine for ADHD have changed during the pandemic. Study Design We did a retrospective cohort study examining rates of patients presenting to the family physician office with a visit with the most responsible reason for visit as ADHD or a prescription for an ADHD medication. Setting We used the UTOPIAN primary care EMR database in Ontario, Canada containing patients in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Population Studied Over 200,000 patients annually age 5-55 years presenting to a UTOPIAN physician in 2017-2021. Outcome Measures Proportion of patients each year with a visit to a family physician where the most responsible reason for visit was documented as ADHD. Proportion of patients each year receiving a prescription for an ADHD medication. Patients visiting family physicians for ADHD were examined by age, sex, income quintile and urban vs rural residence. Results The proportion of patients with an ADHD visit in 2017-2019 ranged from 2.4 to 3.5/1000 in 2017-2019 and rose to 5.5/1000 by the end of 2021. The proportion of patients visiting for ADHD was relatively stable in 2017-2019 for all age groups but was higher than pre-pandemic for the 20-24 year olds and the 25-34 year olds by 2021. The proportion of patients with an ADHD medication prescription in 2017-2019 ranged from 12.9 to 16.5/1000 and rose to 21.9/1000 by the end of 2021. Prior to the pandemic ADHD visits were higher in rural patients compared to patients residing in urban areas (2.8 rural and 2.4/1000 urban in 2017) but the reverse occurred with the pandemic onset (3.9 rural and 5.7/1000 urban in 2021). ADHD visits and medications were higher both before and after the pandemic for males compared to females. This persistent pattern was also seen with income quintiles both before and during the pandemic with the patients in highest income quintile consistently having more ADHD visits and prescriptions compared to the lowest income quintile. Conclusions There has been an increasing proportion of patients seeing family physicians for ADHD and receiving prescriptions for ADHD medications over the past 5 years with amplification of these increases in some patient populations particularly in 2021., Presenters Karen Tu, MD, MSc, CCFP, FCFP, Debra Butt, MD, MSc, Sumeet Kalia, MSc, Rahim Moineddin, PhD, Ellen Stephenson, [...]

Context: Chronic pain (CP) and depression are comorbid conditions that are commonly seen in primary care settings, but guidance for management is very limited. In recent years, there has been an increase in measuring depression outcomes in CP clinical trials, but it is unknown how often these studies include people with depression. Previous research has demonstrated that people with comorbid mental illness are often excluded from clinical trials, limiting the application of this research to primary care settings Objective: To (1) investigate the proportion of CP clinical trials with depression outcomes that included participants with depression at baseline, and (2) examine variations in inclusion proportion by pain type, intervention type, gender, country, and time. Study Design: A secondary analysis of studies identified in a recent umbrella review of interventions for depression in CP. Methods: Randomized control trials (RCTs) captured by systematic reviews in an umbrella review were reviewed. RCTs with at least 50% adult participants and which used validated depression scales were eligible for this analysis. Study screening and data extraction were completed by two independent authors and in duplicate. Conflicts were resolved by a third author. RCTs with populations that met commonly cited minimum thresholds at baseline were considered to have included participants with depression. Preliminary Findings: From 67 systematic reviews, 437 studies were identified, of which 346 RCTs were selected for analysis. A total of 142 (41%) RCTs included participants with depression. RCTs investigating fibromyalgia and mixed CP had the highest depression inclusion proportion, whereas studies of arthritis pain had amongst the lowest. US RCTs had a significantly lower inclusion proportion compared to non-US studies, especially for arthritis studies. Significant trends over time and across gender were attenuated when fibromyalgia studies were excluded. Conclusions: Existing CP research often excludes participants with depression and subsequent guidance developed from these findings should be considered with caution. Systemic biases around psychological conditions and gender are important drivers of differences in the study of depression in fibromyalgia compared to other common pain conditions such as arthritis. Future research must intentionally include individuals with comorbid depression in trials of common CP conditions to better inform clinical practice., Presenters Darren Cheng, BSc, MSc, Maarij Ullah, Henry Gage, Rahim Moineddin, PhD, Golale Modarresi, MD, Abhimanyu [...]