Search

Andie MacNeil,1,2 Aneisha Taunque,2 Sarah N Leo,1 Grace Li,3 Margaret de Groh,4 Ying Jiang,4 Esme Fuller-Thomson1,2 1Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 2Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 3Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; 4Applied Research Division, Center for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaCorrespondence: Esme Fuller-Thomson, Institute for Life Course & Aging, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work Cross-Appointed to Faculties of Medicine & Nursing, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada, Tel +1 (416) 978-3269, Fax +1 (416) 978-7072, Email esme.fuller.Thomson@utoronto.caBackground: Individuals with migraine are recognized to have a heightened risk of depression compared to the general population. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health restrictions exacerbated several known risk factors for depression, but limited longitudinal research has examined the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of people with migraine.Aim: To examine the cumulative incidence of depression and recurrent depression among older adults with migraine, and to identify factors associated with depression among older adults with migraine during the pandemic.Methods: Data came from four waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging’s comprehensive cohort (n=2181 with migraine). The outcome of interest was a positive screen for depression based on the CES-D-10 during the autumn of 2020. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results: Older adults with migraine, both with and without a history of depression, experienced increases in depression when compared to pre-pandemic levels, and when compared to older adults without migraine. The risk of incident and recurrent depression was higher among those who felt lonely and those who experienced an increase in family conflict during the pandemic. The risk of incident depression only was higher among those who experienced difficulty accessing healthcare and those who experienced other family challenges, such as increased caregiving responsibilities. The risk of recurrent depression only was higher among those who felt left out socially, those with functional limitations, and those whose income did not satisfy their basic needs.Conclusion: Targeted interventions are needed to support the mental health of older adults with migraine.Keywords: migraine, depression, COVID-19, older adults, CLSA

Meghan J Bird,1,2 Grace Li,3 Andie MacNeil,1,2 Ying Jiang,4 Margaret de Groh,4 Esme Fuller-Thomson1,2,5,6 1Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; 4Applied Research Division, Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 5Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 6Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaCorrespondence: Esme Fuller-Thomson, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada, Tel +1 416 978-3269, Fax +1 416 978-7072, Email Esme.fuller.thomson@utoronto.caPurpose: The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence of, and factors associated with, incident and recurrent depression in a sample of older adults with a history of cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and Methods: Data were drawn from four waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging Comprehensive Cohort (n=2486 with cancer). The outcome of interest was a positive screen for depression based on the CES-D-10 during the autumn of 2020.Results: Among older adults with cancer and no pre-pandemic history of depression (n=1765), 1 in 8 developed first onset depression during the pandemic. Among respondents with cancer and a history of depression (n=721), 1 in 2 experienced a recurrence of depression. The risk of both incident and recurrent depression was higher among those who were lonely, those with functional limitations, and those who experienced an increase in family conflict during the pandemic. The risk of incident depression only was higher among older women, those who did not engage in church or religious activities, those who experienced a loss of income during the pandemic, and those who became ill or had a loved one become ill or die during the pandemic. The risk of recurrent depression only was higher among those who felt isolated from others and those whose income did not satisfy their basic needs.Conclusion: Health care providers should continue to screen and provide mental health support to their cancer patients and those with a lifetime history of cancer, with consideration for those with the aforementioned vulnerabilities.Keywords: COVID-19, depression, cancer, older adults, CLSA

Aneisha Taunque,1 Grace Li,2 Andie MacNeil,1,3 Ishnaa Gulati,4 Ying Jiang,5 Margaret de Groh,5 Esme Fuller-Thomson1,3,6,7 1Institute for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; 3Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 5Applied Research Division, Center for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 6Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 7Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaCorrespondence: Esme Fuller-Thomson, Institute for Life Course & Aging, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Cross-Appointed to Faculties of Medicine & Nursing, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada, Tel +1 416 978-3269, Fax +1 416 978-7072, Email esme.fuller.Thomson@utoronto.caBackground and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic and related public health measures intensified risk factors for depression and concurrently heightened numerous health-related stressors for individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Utilizing a comprehensive longitudinal sample of Canadian older adults, this study examined the incidence and recurrence of depression among older adults with COPD, and identified factors that were associated with depression during the pandemic among this population.Methods: Data came from four phases of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) (n=875 with COPD). The primary outcome of interest was a positive screen for depression based on the CES-D-10, during autumn of 2020. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors that were associated with depression.Results: Approximately 1 in 6 (17%) respondents with COPD and no lifetime history of depression developed depression for the first time during the early stages of the pandemic. Approximately 1 in 2 (52%) participants with COPD and a history of depression experienced a recurrence of depressive symptoms during this period. Loneliness, functional limitations, and family conflict were associated with a higher risk of both incident and recurrent depression. The risk of incident depression only was higher among those who had difficulty accessing healthcare resources. The risk of recurrent depression only was higher among women, those with a post-secondary education, and those with more adverse childhood experiences.Conclusion: Screening and interventions aimed at individuals with COPD, both with and without a history of depression, are warranted to potentially mitigate the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.Keywords: depression, older adults, COVID-19, CLSA

The article focuses on study that represents the prevalence and trends of obesity in Canadians. Topics discussed include body mass index (BMI) as means to measure the prevalence of obesity; obesity prevalence rates in children and adolescents that have not changed since 2007; and increase in obesity prevalence rates in Canadian adults.

Abstract Background Canada is facing a childhood obesity epidemic. Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a major complication of obesity. Reports on the impact of excess adiposity on BP in children and adolescents have varied significantly across studies. We evaluated the independent effects of obesity, physical activity, family history of hypertension, and socioeconomic status on BP in a nationally representative sample of children and adolescents. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data for 1850 children aged 6 to 17 years who participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey, Cycle 1, 2007–2009. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were age-, sex-, and height-adjusted to z-scores (SBPZ and DBPZ). Body mass index (BMI) z-scores were calculated based on World Health Organization growth standards. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate the independent effects of relevant variables on SBPZ and DBPZ. Results For most age/sex groups, obesity was positively associated with SBP. Being obese was associated with higher DBP in adolescent boys only. The BP effect of obesity showed earlier in young girls than boys. Obese adolescents were estimated to have an average 7.6 mmHg higher SBP than normal weight adolescents. BMI had the strongest effect on BP among obese children and adolescents. Moderately active adolescent boys had higher SBP (3.9 mmHg) and DBP (4.9 mmHg) than physically active boys. Family history of hypertension showed effects on SBP and DBP in younger girls and adolescent boys. Both family income and parent education demonstrated independent associations with BP in young children. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the early impact of excess adiposity, insufficient physical activity, family history of hypertension, and socioeconomic inequalities on BP. Early interventions to reduce childhood obesity can, among other things, reduce exposure to prolonged BP elevation and the future risk of cardiovascular disease.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic period was associated with increased alcohol consumption. We sought to estimate excess mortality and hospitalizations attributable to alcohol use in Canada between April 2020 and December 2022., Methods: Using data from the Canadian Vital Statistics Database and hospital Discharge Abstract Database (Jan. 2016 to Dec. 2022), we analyzed monthly mortality and hospitalization rates for conditions fully attributable to alcohol use in people in Canada aged 15 years and older. We estimated excess rates during the study period of April 2020 to December 2022 by comparing observed rates to expected rates, modelled using the autoregressive integrated moving average method, accounting for trends, seasonality, autocorrelation, and pandemic waves., Results: Between April 2020 and December 2022, mortality fully attributable to alcohol in Canada increased by 17.6% (1600 excess deaths), and hospitalizations fully attributable to alcohol rose by 8.1% (7142 excess hospitalizations). Most increases occurred in the first 2 years, with deaths up about 24% and hospitalizations about 14%. Mortality rose by 55.4% in adults aged 25-44 years, 19.1% in those aged 45-64 years, and 2.6% in those aged 65 years and older, with similar increases among males (17.0%) and females (17.8%). Deaths rose by 11.7% in the highest income quintile, as compared with 17.0%-21.5% in the other quintiles. Excess hospitalizations were highest among people aged 15-24 years (20.3%) and 25-44 years (13.1%) and increased more for females (15.6%) than for males (5.7%). Regionally, mortality increased most in the Prairie provinces (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta; 28.1%) and British Columbia (24.2%), whereas hospitalizations increased the most in the territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon; 27.3%) and the Prairie provinces (14.6%). Alcoholic liver disease was the leading cause of excess mortality and hospitalizations, which increased by 22% and 23%, respectively., Interpretation: Mortality and hospitalizations fully attributable to alcohol increased substantially across different demographics and regions in Canada during the April 2020 to December 2022 period of the COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive approach to preventing and managing high-risk drinking, alcohol use disorder, and alcoholic liver disease in the aftermath of the pandemic should comprise both public health and clinical management interventions., Competing Interests: Competing interests:: Tim Stockwell reports receiving grants or contracts from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addictions, the European Heart Network, and the Pan-American Health Organization; honoraria from the International Society for Behavioral Medicine; payment for expert testimony from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and Elgin Law; and support for attending meetings from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research. No other competing interests were declared., (© 2025 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate the change in the prevalence of daily or occasional tobacco smoking during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and to assess if socioeconomic factors were associated with changes in smoking. The secondary objective was to evaluate the association of smoking with adherence to public health measures., Methods: In this prospective cohort study, using Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data (44 139 middle-aged and older-aged adults), the prevalence of smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) and prepandemic (2011-2018) was estimated using weighted generalised estimating equations. ORs and 95% CIs for the association between smoking and adherence to public health measures (a derived score) were estimated using multinomial logistic regression., Results: Time (during vs prepandemic) was a significant predictor of smoking (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.12; 95% CI 1.07, 1.17). The adjusted prevalence of smoking during the beginning of the pandemic was 11.2% (95% CI 10.1%, 12.4%), compared with the prepandemic prevalence of 10.1% (95% CI 9.1%, 11.2%), with p<0.001. Factors associated with an increase in smoking were male sex, being aged 55 to 74 years, residing in Ontario or British Columbia, immigrant background, belonging to a racialised group, higher income and being married/common-law relationship. Smoking was associated with increased odds of high adherence to public health measures (aOR 1.53; 95% CI 1.31, 1.78)., Conclusion: Among middle-aged and older adults in Canada, there was a small increase in the adjusted prevalence of smoking early in the pandemic. Daily or occasional smoking was associated with greater adherence to public health measures., Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: The objectives of this study were 1) to examine and compare changes in functional limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults with and without diabetes; and 2): to identify key risk factors associated with developing functional limitations among older adults with and without diabetes during the pandemic., Methods: We analyzed data collected from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. The analysis was restricted to those with no functional limitations in the follow-up 1 wave (2015 to 2018) (final sample N=6,045). Regression models were used to describe associations between diabetes status and functional limitation outcomes. We conducted stratified analyses to evaluate whether these associations varied by sociodemographic indicators. We also predicted the probability of the development of ≥1 functional limitation among those with and without diabetes for various patient profiles., Results: Older adults with diabetes were 1.28-fold (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.60) more likely to develop ≥1 functional limitation than older adults without diabetes after controlling for relevant sociodemographic and health covariates. Risk factors for incident functional limitations among older adults, both with and without diabetes, include increasing age, low socioeconomic status, obesity, multimorbidity, and physical inactivity., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that older adults with diabetes were at an increased risk of developing functional limitations during the pandemic when compared with older adults without diabetes, even when controlling for several key risk factors. Targetting modifiable risk factors, such as physical activity, may help to reduce the risk of functional limitations among older adults with diabetes., (Crown Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Research characterizing substance use disparities between gender minority youth (GMY) and non-GMY (i.e. girls and boys) is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in substance use behaviours among gender identity (GI) groups and identify associated risk and protective factors., Methods: Cross-sectional data from Canadian secondary school students (n = 42 107) that participated in Year 8 (2019/20) or Year 9 (2020/21) of the COMPASS study were used. Hierarchal logistic regression models estimated current substance use (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, binge drinking, cannabis and nonmedical prescription opioids [NMPOs]). Predictor variables included sociodemographics, other substances, mental health outcomes, school connectedness, bullying and happy home life. Interaction terms were used to test mental health measures as moderators in the association between GI and substance use., Results: Compared to non-GMY, GMY reported a higher prevalence for all substance use outcomes. In the adjusted analyses, GMY had higher odds of cigarette, cannabis and NMPO use and lower odds for e-cigarette use relative to non-GMY. The likelihood of using any given substance was higher among individuals who were involved with other substances. School connectedness and happy home life had a protective effect for all substances except binge drinking. Bullying victimization was associated with greater odds of cigarette, e-cigarette use and NMPOs. Significant interactions between GI and all mental health measures were detected., Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of collecting a GI measure in youth population surveys and prioritizing GMY in substance use-related prevention, treatment and harm reduction programs. Future studies should investigate the effects of GI status on substance use onset and progression among Canadian adolescents over time., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying public health measures exacerbated many known risk factors for depression, while also increasing numerous health-related stressors for people with stroke history. Using a large longitudinal sample of older adults, the current study examined the prevalence of incident and recurrent depression among participants with stroke history, and also identified factors that were associated with depression during the pandemic among this population., Methods: Data came from four waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging's (CLSA) comprehensive cohort (n = 577 with stroke history; 46.1% female; 20.8% immigrants; mean age = 74.56 SD = 9.19). The outcome of interest was a positive screen for depression, based on the CES-D-10, collected during the 2020 CLSA COVID autumn questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors that were associated with depression., Results: Approximately 1 in 2 (49.5%) participants with stroke history and a history of depression experienced a recurrence of depression early in the pandemic. Among those without a history of depression, approximately 1 in 7 (15.0%) developed depression for the first time during this period. The risk of depression was higher among immigrants, those who were lonely, those with functional limitations, and those who experienced COVID-19 related stressors, such as increased family issues, difficulty accessing healthcare, and becoming ill or having a loved one become ill or die during the pandemic., Conclusions: Interventions that target those with stroke history, both with and without a history of depression, are needed to buffer against the stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic and support the mental health of this population., (© 2024 The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The growth of urban dwelling populations globally has led to rapid increases of research and policy initiatives addressing associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA). Given this rapid proliferation, it is important to identify priority areas and research questions for moving the field forward. The objective of this study was to identify and compare research priorities on the built environment and PA among researchers and knowledge users (e.g., policy makers, practitioners)., Methods: Between September 2022 and April 2023, a three-round, modified Delphi survey was conducted among two independent panels of international researchers (n = 38) and knowledge users (n = 23) to identify similarities and differences in perceived research priorities on the built environment and PA and generate twin 'top 10' lists of the most important research needs., Results: From a broad range of self-identified issues, both panels ranked in common the most pressing research priorities including stronger study designs such as natural experiments, research that examines inequalities and inequities, establishing the cost effectiveness of interventions, safety and injuries related to engagement in active transportation (AT), and considerations for climate change and climate adaptation. Additional priorities identified by researchers included: implementation science, research that incorporates Indigenous perspectives, land-use policies, built environments that support active aging, and participatory research. Additional priorities identified by knowledge users included: built environments and PA among people living with disabilities and a need for national data on trip chaining, multi-modal travel, and non-work or school-related AT., Conclusions: Five common research priorities between the two groups emerged, including (1) to better understand causality, (2) interactions with the natural environment, (3) economic evaluations, (4) social disparities, and (5) preventable AT-related injuries. The findings may help set directions for future research, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, and funding opportunities., (© 2023. Crown.)

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have exacerbated many known risk factors for depression that may be particularly concerning for individuals with chronic health conditions, such as peptic ulcer disease (PUD). In a large longitudinal sample of older adults with PUD, the current study examined the incidence of depression during the pandemic among those without a pre-pandemic history of depression (n = 689) and the recurrence of depression among those with a history of depression (n = 451). Data came from four waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with incident and recurrent depression. Among older adults with PUD and without a history of depression, approximately 1 in 8 (13.0%) developed depression for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those with a history of depression, approximately 1 in 2 (46.6%) experienced depression during the pandemic. The risk of incident depression and recurrent depression was higher among those who were lonely, those with functional limitations, and those who experienced an increase in family conflict during the pandemic. The risk of incident depression only was higher among women, individuals whose income did not satisfy their basic needs, those who were themselves ill and/or those whose loved ones were ill or died during the pandemic, and those who had disruptions to healthcare access during the pandemic. The risk of recurrent depression only was higher among those with chronic pain and those who had difficulty accessing medication during the pandemic. Implications for interventions are discussed., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Fuller-Thomson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: (1) In a subsample of older adults with asthma without a history of depression, to determine the factors associated with developing depression during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) in a subsample of older adults with asthma with a history of depression, to identify factors associated with recurrent depression during the pandemic., Methods: Data came from four waves (Baseline [2011-2015], Follow-up 1 [2015-2018]; COVID Spring 2020, COVID Autumn 2020) of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging's comprehensive cohort (n = 2,047 with asthma). The outcome of interest was a positive screen for depression based on the CES-D-10 during the autumn of 2020. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted., Results: Among older adults with asthma without a history of depression (n = 1,247), approximately 1 in 7 (13.5%) developed depression for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those with a history of depression (n = 770), approximately 1 in 2 (48.6%) experienced a recurrence of depression. The risk of incident depression and recurrent depression was higher among those who were lonely, those experiencing family conflict during the pandemic, and those who had difficulty accessing healthcare resources during the pandemic. The risk of incident depression only was higher among those who had difficulty accessing resources and/or loss of income during the pandemic. The risk of recurrent depression only was higher among those with functional limitations., Conclusions: There is a need for targeted interventions to support the mental health of older adults with asthma who have the above identified vulnerabilities during the pandemic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral health plays a role in overall health, indicating the need to identify barriers to accessing oral care. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to accessing oral health care and examine the association between socioeconomic, psychosocial, and physical measures with access to oral health care among older Canadians., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) follow-up 1 survey to analyze dental insurance and last oral health care visit. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between socioeconomic, psychosocial, and physical measures with access to oral care, measured by dental insurance and last oral health visit., Results: Among the 44,011 adults included in the study, 40% reported not having dental insurance while 15% had not visited an oral health professional in the previous 12 months. Several factors were identified as barriers to accessing oral health care including, no dental insurance, low household income, rural residence, and having no natural teeth. People with an annual income of <$50,000 were four times more likely to not have dental insurance (adjusted OR: 4.09; 95% CI: 3.80-4.39) and three times more likely to report not visiting an oral health professional in the previous 12 months (adjusted OR: 3.07; 95% CI: 2.74-3.44) compared to those with annual income greater than $100,000., Conclusions: Identifying barriers to oral health care is important when developing public health strategies to improve access, however, further research is needed to identify the mechanisms as to why these barriers exist., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Oral health is a critical component of overall health. The objective of this study was to describe oral health problems among 47,581 adults aged 45 to 85 in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) among those who have at least one natural tooth (92%) and those without natural teeth across various demographic categories. Among the 47,581 participants in the study, 92% reported having at least one natural tooth (dentate). Among those without teeth, 63% reported an income less than CAD 50,000 versus 39% among those with teeth. Whether they had teeth or not, over 30% of people reported two or more oral health problems. Older adults appear to be retaining their natural teeth (28.9%), but still report experiencing oral health problems. As the population ages, loss of all teeth may not be the most useful proxy for poor oral health, and a population-level understanding of oral health problems may help to better define poor oral health.

Background: People with obesity are at increased risk of chronic stress, and this may have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are also associated with both obesity and stress, and may modify risk of stress among people with obesity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the associations between obesity, ACEs, and stress during the pandemic, and to determine if the association between obesity and stress was modified by ACEs., Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted among adults aged 50-96 years (n = 23,972) from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) COVID-19 Study. Obesity and ACEs were collected pre-pandemic (2015-2018), and stress was measured at COVID-19 Exit Survey (Sept-Dec 2020). We used logistic, Poisson, and negative binomial regression to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between obesity, ACEs, and stress outcomes during the pandemic. Interaction by ACEs was evaluated on the additive and multiplicative scales., Results: People with obesity were more likely to experience an increase in overall stressors (class III obesity vs. healthy weight RR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.12-1.27) as well as increased health related stressors (class III obesity vs. healthy weight RR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.12-1.39) but did not perceive the consequences of the pandemic as negative. ACEs were also associated an increase in overall stressors (4-8 ACEs vs. none RR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.33-1.44) and being more likely to perceive the pandemic as negative (4-8 ACEs vs. none RR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.19-1.47). The association between obesity and stress was not modified by ACEs., Conclusions: Increased stress during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was observed among people with obesity or ACEs. The long-term outcomes of stress during the pandemic need to be determined., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected access to health care services in Canada; however, limited research examines the influence of the social determinants of health on unmet health care needs during the first year of the pandemic. The objectives of this study were to describe unmet health care needs during the first year of the pandemic and to investigate the association of unmet needs with the social determinants of health., Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 23 972 adults participating in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) COVID-19 Study (April-December 2020) to identify the social determinants of health associated with unmet health care needs during the pandemic. Using logistic regression, we assessed the association between several social determinants of health on the following 3 outcomes (separately): experiencing any challenges in accessing health care services, not going to a hospital or seeing a doctor when needed, and experiencing barriers to accessing testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection., Results: From September to December 2020, 25% of participants experienced challenges accessing health care services, 8% did not go to a hospital or see a doctor when needed and 4% faced barriers accessing testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The prevalence of all 3 unmet need outcomes was lower among older age groups. Differences were observed by sex, region, education, income and racial background. Immigrants (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.27) or people with chronic conditions (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.27-1.43) had higher odds of experiencing challenges accessing health care services and had higher odds of not going to a hospital or seeing a doctor (immigrants OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.43; chronic conditions OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.31-1.61). Prepandemic unmet health care needs were strongly associated with all 3 outcomes., Interpretation: Substantial unmet health care needs were reported by Canadian adults during the first year of the pandemic. The results of this study have important implications for health equity., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Lauren Griffith reports her salary was supported by the McLaughlin Foundation Professorship in Population and Public Health and that this support had no impact on what or where she publishes. No other competing interests were declared., (© 2023 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Global industries and technological advancements have contributed to the proliferation of fast food (FF) establishments and ultraprocessed food, associated with poorer diet quality and health outcomes. To investigate FF as an indicator, we compared alternative methods to capture self-reported FF consumption and examined associated socio-demographic factors. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2014-2015 Foodbook study, a cross-sectional survey on foods consumed by Canadians during the previous week. An embedded randomized design compared alternative FF intake questions of varying details. A total of 6062 participants aged 18+ were included, representing 24.7 million Canadian adults. Approximately 48% consumed FF in the past week, and of FF consumers, average frequency was twice. Asking broadly about FF intake without examples resulted in significantly lower reported FF intake compared with the two more detailed questions; the latter two were not significantly different. Burgers, pizza, and submarines/sandwiches were most commonly consumed. Men, younger age, higher BMI, women in central Canada (versus territorial regions), and men with income $30 000-$80 000 (versus >$80 000) were associated with higher FF consumption. Consumption of FF is common among Canadians; some associated factors are gender-specific. Further research examining FF as an indicator, and individual and societal implications of FF consumption, is recommended to inform programs and policies.

Background: Multiple characteristics of the urban environment have been shown to influence population health and health-related behaviours, though the distribution and combined effects of these characteristics on health is less understood. A composite measure of multiple environmental conditions would allow for comparisons among different urban areas; however, this measure is not available in Canada., Objectives: To develop an index of environmental quality for Canada's largest urban areas and to assess the influence of population size on index values., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of potential datasets and consulted with experts to refine and select datasets for inclusion. We identified and selected nine datasets across five domains (outdoor air pollution, natural environments, built environments, radiation, and climate/weather). Datasets were chosen based on known impacts on human health across the life course, complete geographic coverage of the cities of interest, and temporal alignment with the 2016 Canadian census. Each dataset was then summarized into dissemination areas (DAs). The Canadian Environmental Quality Index (Can-EQI) was created by summing decile ranks of each variable based on hypothesized relationships to health outcomes., Results: We selected 30 cities with a population of more than 100,000 people which included 28,026 DAs and captured approximately 55% of the total Canadian population. Can-EQI scores ranged from 21.1 to 88.9 out of 100, and in Canada's largest cities were 10.2 (95% CI: -10.7, -9.7) points lower than the smallest cities. Mapping the Can-EQI revealed high geographic variability within and between cities., Discussion: Our work demonstrates a valuable methodology for exploring variations in environmental conditions in Canada's largest urban areas and provides a means for exploring the role of environmental factors in explaining urban health inequalities and disparities. Additionally, the Can-EQI may be of value to municipal planners and decision makers considering the allocation of investments to improve urban conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Daniel Rainham reports financial support was provided by Public Health Agency of Canada., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted access to healthcare services in Canada. Research prior to the pandemic has found that depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with increased unmet healthcare needs. The primary objective of this study was to examine if mental health was associated with perceived access to healthcare during the pandemic METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from 23,972 participants (aged 50-96) in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging COVID-19 Exit Survey (Sept-Dec 2020). We used logistic regression to estimate how the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms, defined using scores of ≥10 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and ≥10 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, were associated with the odds of reporting: 1) challenges accessing healthcare, 2) not going to a hospital or seeing a doctor when needed, 3) experiencing barriers to COVID-19 testing. Models were adjusted for sex, age, region, urban/rural residence, racial background, immigrant status, income, marital status, work status, chronic conditions, and pre-pandemic unmet needs., Results: The presence of depressive (aOR=1.96; 95% CI=1.82, 2.11) and anxiety symptoms (aOR=2.33; 95% CI=2.04, 2.66) compared to the absence of these symptoms were independently associated with higher odds of challenges accessing healthcare. A statistically significant interaction with sex suggested stronger associations in females with anxiety. Symptoms of depression (aOR=2.88; 95% CI=2.58, 3.21) and anxiety (aOR=3.05; 95% CI=2.58, 3.60) were also associated with increased odds of not going to a hospital or seeing a doctor when needed. Lastly, depressive (aOR=1.99; 95% CI=1.71, 2.31) and anxiety symptoms (aOR=2.01; 95% CI=1.58, 2.56) were associated with higher odds of reporting barriers to COVID-19 testing. There was no significantly significant interaction with sex for the latter two outcomes., Conclusion: The presence of depression and anxiety symptoms were strongly associated with perceived unmet healthcare needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions to improve healthcare access for adults with depression and anxiety during the pandemic may be necessary., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: As a largely social behaviour, substance use may have decreased for some youth overall in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, continued use may indicate nonadherence to pandemic-related restrictions and social distancing measures. In a sample of Canadian adolescents (aged 12-19 years), our objective was to examine how substance use (cannabis, binge drinking, cigarettes, vaping) is associated with perceptions of, and adherence to, early COVID-19-related public health measures, taking into consideration sociodemographic factors., Methods: Cross-sectional data were retrieved from online data collected during Year 8 of the COMPASS school-based study, during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-July 2020) in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. We fitted two models using generalized estimating equations to examine how substance use was associated with separate measures of (1) perceptions of, and (2) adherence to early COVID-19 restrictions., Results: In our sample, 10% of adolescents perceived COVID-19 restrictions as too weak and 14% perceived them as too strict. Nearly half (46%) reported taking restrictions very seriously, and 5% did not take them seriously at all. Binge drinking, cigarette use and vaping were associated with perceptions that restrictions were too strict and with nonadherence. However, adolescents who used cannabis were less likely to perceive COVID-19-related restrictions as too strict., Conclusion: This study highlights the association of adolescent substance use with perceptions of, and adherence to, COVID-19-related public health restrictions in Canada. Our findings emphasize a need for continual monitoring of substance use behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic to better characterize adolescent risk and further inform targeted public health strategies accordingly., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying public health measures have exacerbated many risk factors for depression in older adulthood. The objectives of the current study are: (1) to determine the risk of incident and recurrent depression during the COVID-19 pandemic among those with, or without, a history of depression; and (2) to identify factors that were predictive of depression in these two groups. The study population included 22,622 participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging who provided data at baseline (2011-2015), follow-up (2015-2018), and twice during the pandemic (April-May 2020, September-December 2020). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10) was used to classify individuals with depression. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of depression during COVID across a series of risk factors. Individuals with a history of depression had four times the risk of depression during the pandemic when compared to those without a history of depression, even after controlling for relevant covariates. Other factors associated with depression during the pandemic include being female, having fewer savings, and experiencing COVID-19 related stressors, such as health stressors, difficulties accessing resources, and family conflict. Clinicians working with older adults should consider interventions to support high-risk groups, such as those with recurrent depression.

Introduction: Over the last decade, e-cigarette use has been on the rise but with growing health concerns. The objective of this systematic review was to update findings for chronic health outcomes associated with e-cigarette use from the 2018 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report., Methods: Three bibliographic databases were searched to identify studies comparing the chronic health effects of e-cigarette users (ECU) to non-smokers (NS), smokers, and/or dual users indexed between 31 August 2017 and 29 January 2021. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts. Data were extracted by one reviewer and verified by a second one. Outcomes were synthesized in a narrative manner using counts and based on statistical significance and direction of the association stratified by study design and exposure type. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence was assessed. The protocol was prospectively registered on Open Science Framework https://osf.io/u9btp., Results: A total of 180 articles were eligible. This review focused on 93 studies for the 11 most frequently reported outcomes and from which 59 reported on daily e-cigarette use. The certainty of evidence for all outcomes was very low because of study design (84% cross-sectional) and exposure type (27% reported on exclusive ECU, i.e., never smoked traditional cigarettes). Overall, the summary of results for nearly all outcomes, including inflammation, immune response, periodontal and peri-implant clinical parameters, lung function, respiratory symptoms, and cardiovascular disease, suggested either non-significant or mixed results when daily ECU was compared to NS. This was also observed when comparing exclusive ECU to NS. The only notable exception was related to oral health where most (11/14) studies reported significantly higher inflammation among daily ECU vs. NS. Compared to the smokers, the exclusive-ECUs had no statistically significant differences in inflammation orperiodontal clinical parameters but had mixed findings for peri-implant clinical parameters., Conclusions: This review provides an update to the 2018 NASEM report on chronic health effects of e-cigarette use. While the number of studies has grown, the certainty of evidence remains very low largely because of cross-sectional designs and lack of reporting on exclusive e-cigarette exposure. There remains a need for higher quality intervention and prospective studies to assess causality, with a focus on exclusive e-cigarette use., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wasfi, Bang, de Groh, Champagne, Han, Lang, McFaull, Melvin, Pipe, Saxena, Thompson, Warner and Prince.)

Background: Falls are a leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among adults aged 65 years and older and may result in social isolation., Objective: To summarise evidence on falls and subsequent social isolation and/or loneliness in older adults through a scoping review., Eligibility Criteria: Studies were eligible for inclusion if the population had a mean age of 60 years or older, they examined falls and subsequent social isolation, loneliness, fear of falling or risk factors and were primary studies (eg, experimental, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative)., Sources of Evidence: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Ageline and grey literature from inception until 11 January 2021., Charting Methods: A screening and charting form was developed and pilot-tested. Subsequently, two reviewers screened citations and full-text articles, and charted the evidence., Results: After screening 4993 citations and 304 full-text articles, 39 studies were included in this review. Participants had a history of falling (range: 11% to 100%). Most studies were conducted in Europe (44%) and North America (33%) and were of the cross-sectional study design (66.7%), in the community (79%). Studies utilised 15 different scales. Six studies examined risk factors for social isolation and activity restriction associated with fear of falling. Six studies reported mental health outcomes related to falls and subsequent social isolation., Conclusions: Consistency in outcome measurement is recommended, as multiple outcomes were used across the included studies. Further research is warranted in this area, given the ageing population and the importance of falls and social isolation to the health of older adults., Scoping Review Registration Number: 10.17605/OSF.IO/2R8HM., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Built environments have been implicated in the development of chronic disease, with physical activity (PA) considered one of the critical mechanisms for this relationship. Substantial growth in research on built environments and PA makes navigating the available evidence challenging., Objective: To examine and describe the current state, strength and quality of research investigating the associations between built environments and PA domains of active living (i.e., leisure, transportation, occupational) and total PA among adults (≥18 years) from high-income OECD countries., Methods: We conducted an overview of systematic reviews. A systematic search of six bibliographic databases and grey literature from January 2000 to May 2020. Review quality was assessed with the AMSTAR2. Results by age group were synthesized narratively and direction of association displayed using harvest plots. Certainty of the evidence was assessed using a modified GRADE approach., Results: The overview included 116 systematic reviews. Most evidence was cross-sectional and of low-to-very low quality. Moderate-to-high certainty of evidence supported positive associations between environments that support active transportation (e.g., walkability, walking infrastructure, street connectivity, land-use mix) and transportation PA among adults/working-aged adults. Across all age groups, there was very low-to-moderate certainty for consistent positive associations between point of decision prompts (e.g., signs in stairwells and along paths) and all PA. Evidence from older adults was of very low certainty and largely equivocal. There was little-to-no evidence for young and middle-aged adults and occupational PA., Discussion: While there has been an increase in evidence from observational and natural experiment studies, most has been related to active transportation infrastructure and point of decision prompts. There remains a need for these studies to evaluate built environments for leisure and occupational PA and among younger and older adults, and for high quality reviews to summarize this evidence. Interventions that target changes to the built environment show promise for promoting PA among adults, providing an important means to combat the global physical inactivity crisis., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults, such as stress, are unknown. We sought to describe the stressors and perceived consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults in Canada and to evaluate differences by socioeconomic factors., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging COVID-19 Exit Questionnaire (September-December 2020). A 12-item checklist was used to assess stressors (e.g., income loss, separation from family) experienced during the pandemic, and a single question was used to measure perceived consequences. We used a generalized linear model with a binomial distribution and log link to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between socioeconomic factors, stressors and perceived consequences., Results: Among the 23 972 older adults (aged 50-96 yr) included in this study, 17 977 (75.5%) reported at least 1 stressor during the pandemic, with 5796 (24.4%) experiencing 3 or more stressors. The consequences of the pandemic were perceived as negative by 23 020 (63.1%) participants. Females were more likely to report most stressors than males, such as separation from family (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.28-1.35). The perceived consequences of the pandemic varied by region; residents of Quebec were less likely to perceive the consequences of the pandemic as negative (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.84-0.91) than those of the Atlantic provinces., Interpretation: These findings suggest that older adults across Canada experienced stressors and perceived the pandemic consequences as negative, though stressors and perceptions of consequences varied by socioeconomic factors and geography, highlighting inequalities. Future research will be needed to estimate the impact of stress during the pandemic on future health outcomes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Laura Anderson reports grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Cancer Research Society and the Canadian Cancer Society. Lauren Griffith is supported by the McLaughlin Foundation Professorship in Population and Public Health. Parminder Raina holds the Raymond and Margaret Labarge Chair in Research and Knowledge Application for Optimal Aging, is the Scientific Director of the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging and the Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Geroscience., (© 2022 CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors.)

Background: Built environments have shown to be associated with health, with physical activity (PA) considered one of the critical pathways for achieving benefits. Navigating available evidence on the built environment and PA is challenging given the number of reviews., Objective: Examine the current state and quality of research looking at associations between built environments and total PA and domains of PA (i.e., leisure/recreation, transportation, school) among children and youth (1-18 years)., Methods: We systematically searched the grey literature and six bibliographic databases from January 2000 to May 2020. Review quality was assessed using the AMSTAR2. Results by age group were synthesized using narrative syntheses and harvest plots, and certainty of the evidence was assessed using a modified GRADE approach., Results: This overview included 65 reviews. Most reviews were of very low-to-low quality. High certainty was found for positive associations between transportation PA and walking/cycling/active transportation (AT) infrastructure. There was high certainty for positive associations between streets/play streets and total PA, alongside lower certainty for transportation and leisure PA. Very low-to-moderate certainty supports schoolyards designed to promote PA were positively associated with total PA, but mixed for school PA (except children). Less consistent positive associations were found for forests/trees, greenspace/open space, recreation facilities, street lighting, traffic safety, population/residential density, proximity/access to destinations, neighbourhood characteristics, and home environments. There is very low-to-moderate certainty for negative associations between greater distance to school and traffic volume and domains of PA. Generally, null or mixed associations were observed for aesthetics, parks, AT comfort infrastructure, land-use mix, street connectivity, urban/rural status, and public transit., Discussion: There remains a need for high quality systematic reviews and studies to evaluate the effects of environmental changes across the pediatric age spectrum and using a PA domain approach. Given the global physical inactivity crisis the built environment remains and important means to promote PA among children/youth., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The objective of our systematic review was to identify the effective interventions to prevent or mitigate social isolation and/or loneliness in older adults who experienced a fall., Design: Systematic review., Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Ageline were searched (from inception to February 2020)., Methods: Studies were eligible if they described any intervention for social isolation in older adults living in a community setting who experienced a fall, and reported outcomes related to social isolation or loneliness.Two independent reviewers screened citations, abstracted data and appraised risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The results were summarised descriptively., Results: After screening 4069 citations and 55 full-text articles, four studies were included. The four studies varied in study design, including a randomised controlled trial, non-randomised controlled trial, an uncontrolled before-after study and a quasiexperimental study. Interventions varied widely, and included singing in a choir, a patient-centred, interprofessional primary care team-based approach, a multifactorial assessment targeting fall risk, appropriate medication use, loneliness and frailty, and a community-based care model that included comprehensive assessments and multilevel care coordination. Outcome measures varied and included scales for loneliness, social isolation, social interaction, social networks and social satisfaction. Mixed results were found, with three studies reporting no differences in social isolation or loneliness after the intervention. Only the multifactorial assessment intervention demonstrated a small positive effect on loneliness compared with the control group after adjustment (B=-0.18, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.02)., Conclusions: Few studies examined the interventions for social isolation or loneliness in older adults who experienced a fall. More research is warranted in this area., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42020198487., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Using a nationally representative cohort of Canadian adults, we assessed associations between neighbourhood walkability and cause-specific mortality and investigated whether they differed by socioeconomic status., Methods: The study population was drawn from the 2001 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort, which contains individual-level data from a random sample of 20% of Canadian households mandated to complete the long-form census. We included those aged ≥ 25 years at baseline who lived in urban and suburban areas. The national death registry was used to ascertain annual vital status. Linkages to annual income tax data provided place of residence. The Canadian Active Living Environments, a national index that summarizes walkability across Canadian neighbourhoods, was assigned to individuals' residential history. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess associations between walkability and cause-specific mortality., Results: A total of 1.8 million participants (52.5% female) accrued 27.3 million person-years and 265 710 deaths during the 15-year follow-up. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for living in a highly walkable neighbourhood relative to living in the least walkable neighbourhoods was associated with a 9% (HR: 0.91 [0.88, 0.95]) and 3% (HR: 0.97 [0.94, 0.99]) reduced risk of cardiovascular and all non-accidental mortality, respectively. The strongest benefits of walkability were found among individuals within the lowest education and household income categories, and who lived in the most deprived neighbourhoods. There were no significant associations (most [class 5] versus least [class 1] walkable HR: 0.84 [0.61-1.16]) seen for accidental traffic mortality., Conclusions: Canadian adults who live in walkable neighbourhoods have lower rates of cardiovascular and non-accidental mortality, with the greatest benefits seen in those from the lowest socioeconomic groups., (Crown Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Launched in 2011 by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Diabetes Risk Questionnaire (CANRISK) is a self-assessment tool validated in a Canadian sample, but its uptake has never been assessed. We sought to determine the level of current use of the CANRISK tool, identify common facilitators and barriers to its use and recommend future improvements., Methods: Ten professional allied health organizations across Canada were contacted for in-depth interviews. Contextual content and thematic analysis were used to analyze the qualitative data set., Results: According to allied health professionals, the tool is widely used, appealing and needed, and is being used for risk screening and health promotion. Respondents also identified the need to provide support and next steps for users identified as high risk. Still, several barriers to implementation were found, including readability, offensive or confusing language and difficulty ascertaining body measurements., Conclusions: The CANRISK is a valuable diabetes risk assessment tool in Canada, particularly for allied health organizations., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)