Food insecurity, poverty and lived experience of homelessness: a study of women in Northeastern and Southwestern Ontario

Understanding the connections between geographical location (Northern vs Southern Ontario) and gender inequalities and food insecurity, poverty, homelessness and health is vital within the current social and political context characterized by restraints in public funding. First, this study describes the experiences of poor and/or homeless women with or without dependents in two mid-size urban communities in Northeastern Ontario (City of Greater Sudbury) and Southwestern Ontario (City of London Ontario) with regard to food insecurity, homelessness, poverty and the perceived impacts on physical and mental health. Second, it identifies the profile of food-insecure women in Northeastern and Southwestern Ontario, as well as the factors associated with their general and mental health perceptions. The study employed a sequential descriptive multi-methods approach to address the objectives. A descriptive, qualitative exploration of food insecurity experiences among poor and/or homeless women in the two regions was conducted. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview with twenty poor and/or homeless women, 10 from each of the two communities. The participants were near homeless or absolutely homeless and all had prior histories of homelessness. The interview data were thematically analyzed. Subsequently, a quantitative secondary data analysis of extracted variables including sociodemographic, health and food insecurity from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS, 2014) was conducted to describe the profile and factors associated with general and mental health perceptions for 408 women in the northeast and southwest of Ontario. The main themes were food and financial hardship, motherhood, resourcefulness and health perceptions. The quantitative findings did not capture the association between health perceptions and place of residency among food-insecure women. The general and mental health perceptions of these women were significantly related to household size, employment, worries about running out of food, inability to afford balanced meals and cutting or skipping meals regardless of where they lived. This study’s findings highlight the intersection of geography, health, gender and vulnerability to food insecurity and show that Northeastern and Southwestern women merit greater attention and support in accessing nutritious food. Such findings are important in shaping gendered public and social policies.Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Rural and Northern Healt

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS KEY DETERMINANTS OF CANCER RELATED FATIGUE AMONG PATIENTS RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY

Among non-communicable diseases, cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. In Jordan, it is the second leading cause of death. Fatigue is the most reported symptom among cancer patients. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to explore the prevalence of fatigue as a side effect of cancer chemotherapy (2) to examine the impact of chemotherapy on fatigue, and (3) to investigate psychological factors (depression and anxiety) that correlate with fatigue. A one group before and after quasi-experimental design was used to conduct this study. The Integrated Fatigue Model (IFM) was used to guide the study. A Convenience sampling technique was used to recriut78 participants diagnosed with cancer and treated with chemotherapy as the primary treatment. The sample was collected from two well-known Jordanian hospitals. Fatigue was measured using Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS) and the psychological variables (depression and anxiety) were measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Findings revealed an increase incidence of fatigue after a chemotherapy course. Also revealed was a statistically significant difference between pre and post chemotherapy fatigue mean total scores as well as behavioral, affective, sensory and cognitive dimensions. It was found that depression and anxiety have a positive relationship with fatigue. Depression explained 46% of fatigue score variance. Furthermore, anxiety explains 3.6% of the variance in fatigue scores. It could be concluded that fatigue is a prevalent symptom among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Depression and anxiety were identified as possible predictors of fatigue among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

Health seeking behaviors among Syrian refugee women: A scoping review

Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to explore what is known about the health seeking behaviors among Syrian refugee women within hospital and community settings. The objectives were to explore health seeking behaviors of Syrian refugee women and highlight specific issues that are important to Syrian refugee women related to seeking for health care. In addition, to uncover potential obstacles/barriers that face Syrian refugee women while seeking for health care. Methods: Arksey and O’Malley (2005) framework for scoping review was utilized to guide the review process and to explore health seeking behaviors of Syrian refugee women. Various databases such as, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Science direct and SocINDEX were utilized in the review. The search strategy consisted of broad queries, in the title, abstract, full texts and keyword fields. The search included studies published from 2011 on, that is, from the time the Syrian conflict started (March 2011) and were limited to those in the English language. Thematic analysis was undertaken to synthesize extracted data. Results: A total of 19 studies were selected for this review. The data from this review were organized along two thematic categories (accessibility of health care services) and (awareness of health care needs and available health care services). Accessibility of health care services was the most frequently reported theme throughout this area of the literature and is most often include (financial barriers, language barriers, availability of culturally and gender appropriate health services). Awareness of health care needs and available health care services was the second commonly encountered theme within the area of Syrian refugee’s women health seeking behaviors. Conclusions: Having available and accessible health care services for Syrian refugee women in host countries is a fundamental human right that can enhance Syrian refugee women health, wellbeing and quality of life. An awareness of the potential health seeking behaviors, obstacles/barriers and challenges that facing Syrian refugee women may help to promote their accessibility to health services and consequently improve their health and wellbeing. Practitioners can use this review findings to inform future policy, education and developments in practice. Further research is required to develop and evaluate initiatives that target the identified barriers and help Syrian refugee women to fulfil their unmet health care needs

Undergraduate nursing and medical students’ perceptions of food security and access to healthy food in Qatar: a photovoice study

The present study explored nursing and medical students’ perceptions of food security, their access to healthy food and the circumstances that affect their access to healthy food in Qatar. The photovoice method was adopted in the present study. Students submitted their photos pertaining to food security and their access to healthy food in Qatar. Afterwards, the students completed an online synchronous semi-structured interview. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. After the data analysis, a focus group discussion was conducted for member checking. The present study is a collaborative project between two universities in Qatar: The University of Calgary in Qatar (UCQ) and Qatar University (QU). Undergraduate students (seven nursing students and nine medical students) were recruited, asked to collect photos and interviewed. Four themes emerged from the data. First, food retail environments promoted unhealthy eating. Second, fast food under stressful circumstances: a sense of comfort. Third, food as a symbol of culture and socialisation. Finally, the paradox of access to affordable and healthy food in Qatar. Undergraduate students highlighted various circumstances that affect their perceptions of food security and their access to healthy food in Qatar. Future research that aims at understanding the facilitators and barriers to access healthy food at the university campus may help to improve nutrition interventions targeting those students. Future initiatives should focus on leveraging various resources to assist universities in tailoring their food initiatives to suit their students’ local needs

Table_1_The impact of COVID-19 on nurses’ job satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.DOCX

BackgroundThe global healthcare landscape was profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic placing nurses squarely at the heart of this emergency. This review aimed to identify the factors correlated with nurses’ job satisfaction, the impact of their job satisfaction on both themselves and their patients, and to explore strategies that might have counteracted their job dissatisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence was used in this review. The electronic databases of CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and Academic Search Complete were searched between January 2020 to February 2023.ResultsThe literature review identified 23 studies from 20 countries on nurses’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pooled prevalence of 69.6% of nurses were satisfied with personal, environmental, and psychological factors influencing their job satisfaction. Job satisfaction improved psychological wellbeing and quality of life, while dissatisfaction was linked to turnover and mental health issues.ConclusionThis systematic review elucidates key factors impacting nurses’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects on healthcare provision, and the potential countermeasures for job dissatisfaction. Core influences include working conditions, staff relationships, and career opportunities. High job satisfaction correlates with improved patient care, reduced burnout, and greater staff retention.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023405947, the review title has been registered in PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42023405947.</p

Table_2_The impact of COVID-19 on nurses’ job satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis.DOCX

BackgroundThe global healthcare landscape was profoundly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic placing nurses squarely at the heart of this emergency. This review aimed to identify the factors correlated with nurses’ job satisfaction, the impact of their job satisfaction on both themselves and their patients, and to explore strategies that might have counteracted their job dissatisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews of prevalence and incidence was used in this review. The electronic databases of CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and Academic Search Complete were searched between January 2020 to February 2023.ResultsThe literature review identified 23 studies from 20 countries on nurses’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pooled prevalence of 69.6% of nurses were satisfied with personal, environmental, and psychological factors influencing their job satisfaction. Job satisfaction improved psychological wellbeing and quality of life, while dissatisfaction was linked to turnover and mental health issues.ConclusionThis systematic review elucidates key factors impacting nurses’ job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects on healthcare provision, and the potential countermeasures for job dissatisfaction. Core influences include working conditions, staff relationships, and career opportunities. High job satisfaction correlates with improved patient care, reduced burnout, and greater staff retention.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023405947, the review title has been registered in PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42023405947.</p

Comparative Evaluation of Surface Roughness and Hardness of 3D Printed Resins

The effect of printing parameters on the surface characteristics of three-dimensional (3D)-printed denture base resins (DBRs) is neglected. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of printing orientation and post-curing time on the surface roughness and hardness. One conventional heat-polymerized (HP) resin and two 3D-printing resins (NextDent (ND) and ASIGA (AS)) were used to fabricate a total of 250-disc (10 &times; 2.5 mm) specimens. ND and AS specimens were printed with different orientations (0-, 45-, and 90-degree) and each orientation group was subjected to four post-curing times (30, 60, 90, 120 min). Printed specimens were thermo-cycled (10,000 cycles) followed by the measuring of surface roughness (Profilometer (Ra)) and hardness (a Vickers hardness (VH)). ANOVA and post hoc tests were used for data analysis (&alpha; = 0.05) at significant levels. AS and ND showed no significant changes in Ra when compared with HP (p &#707; 0.05), except the 45-degree orientation (AS/90 min and AS/120 min) significantly increased surface roughness (p &#706; 0.001). There was no significant difference in Ra with different orientations and post-curing time for both materials AS and ND (p &#707; 0.05). Compared with HP, 3D-printed DBRs showed low VH values (p &#706; 0.001). For AS, 90-degree orientation showed a significant decrease in VH at 60, 90, and 120 min when compared with 0- and 45-degree orientation (p &#706; 0.001), while ND showed no significant difference in VH with different printing orientations (p &#707; 0.05). The VH of AS and ND improved when increasing post-curing time to 120 min (p &#706; 0.001), and the printing orientations and post-curing time did not affect the Ra of 3D-printed DBRs

Blood-Based Proteomic Profiling Identifies Potential Biomarker Candidates and Pathogenic Pathways in Dementia

Dementia is a progressive and debilitating neurological disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Identifying the minimally invasive biomarkers associated with dementia that could provide insights into the disease pathogenesis, improve early diagnosis, and facilitate the development of effective treatments is pressing. Proteomic studies have emerged as a promising approach for identifying the protein biomarkers associated with dementia. This pilot study aimed to investigate the plasma proteome profile and identify a panel of various protein biomarkers for dementia. We used a high-throughput proximity extension immunoassay to quantify 1090 proteins in 122 participants (22 with dementia, 64 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 36 controls with normal cognitive function). Limma-based differential expression analysis reported the dysregulation of 61 proteins in the plasma of those with dementia compared with controls, and machine learning algorithms identified 17 stable diagnostic biomarkers that differentiated individuals with AUC = 0.98 ± 0.02. There was also the dysregulation of 153 plasma proteins in individuals with dementia compared with those with MCI, and machine learning algorithms identified 8 biomarkers that classified dementia from MCI with an AUC of 0.87 ± 0.07. Moreover, multiple proteins selected in both diagnostic panels such as NEFL, IL17D, WNT9A, and PGF were negatively correlated with cognitive performance, with a correlation coefficient (r2) ≤ −0.47. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analysis of dementia-associated proteins implicated immune response, vascular injury, and extracellular matrix organization pathways in dementia pathogenesis. In conclusion, the combination of high-throughput proteomics and machine learning enabled us to identify a blood-based protein signature capable of potentially differentiating dementia from MCI and cognitively normal controls. Further research is required to validate these biomarkers and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms for the development of dementia