scholarly journals The impact of recession on the health of rural citizens in British Columbia, Canada

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleck Ostry
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Incidence of diabetes mellitus among people living with and without HIV in British Columbia, Canada between 2001 and 2013: a longitudinal population-based cohort study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e048744
Author(s):  
Andreea Bratu ◽  
Taylor McLinden ◽  
Katherine Kooij ◽  
Monica Ye ◽  
Jenny Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Trend Test ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Hiv Serostatus ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionPeople living with HIV (PLHIV) are increasingly at risk of age-related comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM). While DM is associated with elevated mortality and morbidity, understanding of DM among PLHIV is limited. We assessed the incidence of DM among people living with and without HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada, during 2001–2013.MethodsWe used longitudinal data from a population-based cohort study linking clinical data and administrative health data. We included PLHIV who were antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve at baseline, and 1:5 age-sex-matched persons without HIV. All participants had ≥5 years of historic data pre-baseline and ≥1 year(s) of follow-up. DM was identified using the BC Ministry of Health’s definitions applied to hospitalisation, physician billing and drug dispensation datasets. Incident DM was identified using a 5-year run-in period. In addition to unadjusted incidence rates (IRs), we estimated adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) using Poisson regression and assessed annual trends in DM IRs per 1000 person years (PYs) between 2001 and 2013.ResultsA total of 129 PLHIV and 636 individuals without HIV developed DM over 17 529 PYs and 88,672 PYs, respectively. The unadjusted IRs of DM per 1000 PYs were 7.4 (95% CI 6.2 to 8.8) among PLHIV and 7.2 (95% CI 6.6 to 7.8) for individuals without HIV. After adjustment for confounding, HIV serostatus was not associated with DM incidence (adjusted IRR: 1.03, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.27). DM incidence did not increase over time among PLHIV (Kendall trend test: p=0.9369), but it increased among persons without HIV between 2001 and 2013 (p=0.0136).ConclusionsAfter adjustment, HIV serostatus was not associated with incidence of DM, between 2001 and 2013. Future studies should investigate the impact of ART on mitigating the potential risk of DM among PLHIV.

scholarly journals Forest Road Status Assessment Using Airborne Laser Scanning

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katalin Waga ◽  
Piotr Tompalski ◽  
Nicholas C Coops ◽  
Joanne C White ◽  
Michael A Wulder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Airborne Laser Scanning ◽  
Height Distribution ◽  
Forest Roads ◽  
The Road ◽  
Airborne Laser ◽  
Independent Field ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Forest roads allow access for silvicultural operations, harvesting, recreational activities, wildlife management, and fire suppression. In British Columbia, Canada, roads that are no longer required must be deactivated (temporarily, semipermanently, or permanently) in order to minimize the impact on the overall forested ecosystem. However, the remoteness and size of the road network present challenges for monitoring. Our aim was to examine the utility of airborne laser scanning data to assess the status and quality of forest roads across 52,000 hectares of coastal forest in British Columbia. Within the forest estate, roads can be active or deactivated, or have an unknown status. We classified road segments based on the vegetation growth on the road surface, and edges, by classifying the height distribution of airborne laser scanning returns within each road segment into four groups: no vegetation, minor vegetation, dense understory vegetation, and dense overstory vegetation. Validation indicated that 73 percent of roads were classified correctly when compared to independent field observations. The majority were classified as active roads with no vegetation or deactivated with dense vegetation. The approach presented herein can aid forest managers in verifying the status of the roads in their management area, especially in remote areas where field assessments are costly and time-consuming.

Using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to determine post-wildfire contamination and sediment sources in a large watershed in central British Columbia, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Kieta ◽  
Philip Owens ◽  
Ellen Petticrew
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Magnetic Susceptibility ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
Total Pahs ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
The Impact

<p>The Nechako River Basin (NRB) in central British Columbia is a large (52,000 km<sup>2</sup>), regulated basin that supports populations of sockeye and chinook salmon and the endangered Nechako white sturgeon. These important species are experiencing population declines and one potential cause of this decline is excess sediment, which can clog their spawning habitat and reduce juvenile success. This excess sediment is likely the product of a combination of factors, the most visible being the significant land cover changes that have occurred in the basin, which includes pressure from forestry and agriculture, the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, and large-scale wildfires in 2018. Focusing specifically on the impact of the 2018 wildfires on sediment transport from upland burned areas to adjacent waterways, this research aimed to determine the spatial and temporal contamination of tributaries and the mainstem of the Nechako River with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are produced during the combustion of organic matter and have been identified as toxic to aquatic organisms and to humans. Additionally, this study intended to determine if burned areas were a more significant contributor of sediment than unburned areas and better understand the utility of PAHs as a potential tracer. Source soil samples were collected in 2018 and 2020 from burned and unburned sites, and suspended sediment samples were collected throughout the ice-free period from 2018-2020 in three tributaries and three mainstem sites. All samples were analysed for PAHs, magnetic susceptibility, colour, and particle size. Results from the fall 2018 source samples show a significant difference in PAH concentrations between unburned and burned soils, and while concentrations of PAHs in source soils in 2020 were lower than in 2018, they were still elevated compared to unburned soils. Sediment samples showed that concentrations of total PAHs are higher in the mainstem sites than in the tributaries, with the greatest concentrations consistently found at the most downstream site on the mainstem of the Nechako River. Concentrations across sites were highest in samples taken during the spring snowmelt period in 2019, have decreased throughout the rest of the sampling period (2019-2020), and are well below sediment quality guidelines for total PAHs. In addition to determining the spatial and temporal extent of PAH contamination, this study also aims to use PAHs along with colour and measurements of magnetic susceptibility to trace sediments associated with the 2018 wildfires. The high cost of PAH analysis limits the number of samples that can be analysed and thus, these additional tracers will allow for the use of models such as MixSIAR that improve with a more robust number of samples. As large-scale megafires continue to burn across the globe, understanding their potential to contribute PAHs to local waterbodies and potentially be used as a tracer is as prescient as ever.</p>

Assessing the impact of health and clinical research in British Columbia health authorities

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 280-287
Author(s):  
Dawn Waterhouse ◽  
Susan Chunick ◽  
Julia Lauzon ◽  
Lupin Battersby ◽  
Terri Fleming ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Drug Effects ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Healthcare Research ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Academic Faculty ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
The Impact

This article describes results of a healthcare research impact survey conducted in two health authorities in British Columbia. A tailored research impact framework formed the basis for the survey created and used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of employees and academic faculty who had completed research in both health authorities. In all, 178 responses were collected for a combined response rate of 34%. Although there are differences between the two health authorities, the data confirm that the majority of respondents were successful in disseminating their research; 30% of both Island and Fraser Health studies reported improved safety, whether through avoidance of adverse drug effects, or reduced nosocomial infections, and as high as 26% of studies reported a reduction in morbidity or mortality. We conclude with recommendations that build on existing research capacity infrastructure to enhance the generation, implementation, and evaluation of research evidence within healthcare organizations.

scholarly journals The impact of public coverage of newer hepatitis C medications on utilization, adherence, and costs in British Columbia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247843
Author(s):  
Harriet Ho ◽  
Naveed Z. Janjua ◽  
Kimberlyn M. McGrail ◽  
Mark Harrison ◽  
Michael R. Law ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Drug Coverage ◽  
Administrative Claims ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Treatment Uptake ◽  
Private Expenditure ◽  
The Impact

Background Sofosbuvir and ledipasvir-sofosbuvir are both newer direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of hepatitis C. The high list prices for both drugs have led to concern about the budget impact for public drug coverage programs. Therefore, we studied the impact of public prescription drug coverage for both drugs on utilization, adherence, and public and private expenditure in British Columbia, Canada. Methods We used provincial administrative claims data from January 2014 to June 2017 for all individuals historically tested for either hepatitis C and/or human immunodeficiency virus. Using interrupted time series analysis, we examined the impact of public insurance coverage on treatment uptake, adherence (proportion of days covered), and public and private expenditures. Results Over our study period, 4,462 treatment initiations were eligible for analysis (1,131 sofosbuvir and 3,331 ledipasvir-sofosbuvir, which include 19 patients initiated on both treatments). We found the start of public coverage for sofosbuvir and ledipasvir-sofosbuvir increased treatment uptake by 154%. Adherence rates were consistently high and did not change with public coverage. Finally, public expenditure increased after the policy change, and crowded out some private expenditure. Conclusion Public coverage for high-cost drugs for hepatitis C dramatically increased use of these drugs, but did not reduce adherence. From a health policy perspective, public payers should be prepared for increased treatment uptake following the availability of public coverage. However, they should not be concerned that populations without private insurance coverage will be less adherent and not finish their treatment course.

scholarly journals Plotting Against Oil in American and Canadian Non-fiction // Conspirando contra el petróleo en la no-ficción americana y canadiense

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-188
Author(s):  
Marta Wójcik-Czerwińska
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Natural World ◽  
New Developments ◽  
American Century ◽  
Non Fiction ◽  
Critical Attention ◽  
The Impact

Abstract      Stephanie LeMenager, literature professor and author of Living Oil: Petroleum Culture in the American Century (2014), opens her study of America’s relationship with the resource by asserting that reports of its death have been exaggerated. Oil not only drive American modernity, but also inspire writers to explore it, in both fiction and non-fiction. While “petrofiction,” fiction with oil at its core, has received critical attention, certain new developments in non-fictional writing centred on petroleum call for more consideration. This article, therefore, probes representations of oil in contemporary American and Canadian non-fiction. It analyses William L. Fox’s essay “A Pipeline Runs through It” (2011), which is based on a trip along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and Andrew Nikiforuk’s article “Canadian Democracy: Death by Pipeline” (2012), which discusses the impact of the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia. Adopting an ecocritical perspective, the article puts to the test LeMenager’s thesis that journalists are “expert plotters against oil” and “conservationists.” To this aim, it analyses the specific means by which the two journalists expose the presence of oil, and highlight its micro and macro implications, from its impact on the landscape and the lives of people whose livelihoods and cultures have been shaped by the natural world, to that on democracy and our minds. Resumen      Stephanie LeMenager, profesora de literatura y autora de Living Oil: Petroleum Culture in the American Century (2014), abre su estudio sobre la relación de los Estados Unidos con el petróleo como recurso natural, mediante la afirmación de que los informes de su muerte han sido exagerados. El petróleo no sólo impulsa la modernidad americana sino también inspira a los escritores para explorarlo tanto en la ficción como en la no-ficción. Mientras que la “petroficción,” ficción centrada en el petróleo, ha sido objeto de atención crítica, algunos nuevos desarrollos en la escritura de no-ficción centrada en el petróleo causan mayor interés. Este artículo trata de representar al petróleo en la no-ficción contemporánea americana y canadiense. Analiza el ensayo de William L. Fox “A Pipeline Runs through It” (2011), basado en un viaje a lo largo del sistema de oleoducto Trans-Alaska, y el artículo de Andrew Nikiforuk “Canadian Democracy: Death by Pipeline” (2012), discutiendo el impacto de la propuesta del oleoducto del Norte desde Alberta hasta la Columbia Británica. Adoptando una perspectiva ecocrítica, el artículo pone a prueba las tesis de LeMenager de que los periodistas como “expertos conspiradores contra el petróleo” y “conservacionistas”. Para ello, analiza los medios específicos por los cuales los dos periodistas exponen la presencia de petróleo y destacan sus macro y micro implicaciones, desde su impacto en el paisaje y en las vidas de las personas cuyos medios de vida y culturas han sido moldeadas por el mundo natural, hasta su impacto en la democracia y en nuestras mentes.

scholarly journals What Role Does Type of Sponsorship Play in Early Integration Outcomes? Syrian Refugees Resettled in Six Canadian Cities

Refuge ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michaela Hynie ◽  
Susan McGrath ◽  
Jonathan Bridekirk ◽  
Anna Oda ◽  
Nicole Ives ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
British Columbia ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Demographic Differences ◽  
Early Integration ◽  
Sociodemographic Differences ◽  
The Impact

There is little longitudinal research that directly compares the effectiveness of Canada’s Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) and Privately Sponsored Refugee (PSR) Programs that takes into account possible socio-demographic differences between them. This article reports findings from 1,921 newly arrived adult Syrian refugees in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. GARs and PSRs differed widely on several demographic characteristics, including length of time displaced. Furthermore, PSRs sponsored by Groups of 5 resembled GARs more than other PSR sponsorship types on many of these characteristics. PSRs also had broader social networks than GARs. Sociodemographic differences and city of residence influenced integration outcomes, emphasizing the importance of considering differences between refugee groups when comparing the impact of these programs.

Outcomes after initial refusal of curative treatment in patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in British Columbia.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19518-e19518
Author(s):  
Manik Chahal ◽  
Aixiang Jiang ◽  
Anna Hayden ◽  
Kerry J. Savage ◽  
Diego Villa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Initial Treatment ◽  
Prognostic Score ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Treatment Refusal ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Control Cohort ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
The Impact

e19518 Background: Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is considered a highly curable cancer. With standard combination chemotherapy regimens, long-term survival exceeds 95% for limited-stage and 85% for advanced-stage patients. Despite these excellent outcomes some patients delay or decline conventional treatment for cHL. We retrospectively assessed the impact of initial treatment refusal on outcomes of patients with cHL in British Columbia (BC). Methods: Using the BC Cancer Lymphoid Cancer Database, we identified all patients aged 18-70 diagnosed between 1st Jan 1999- 31st Dec 2020 that had documented treatment refusal at initial presentation (‘refusers’ defined as not receiving or delaying treatment > 16 weeks). We identified a control cohort (min. 3 controls/refuser) treated within 8 weeks of diagnosis, matched for age, stage, diagnosis date within 3 years, and blinded for outcome. All patients had centrally reviewed biopsies and were treated with ABVD or ABVD-like regimens +/- radiotherapy if appropriate. Patient and disease characteristics at baseline and at time of treatment were analyzed with Chi-squared test and one-way ANOVA test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and statistical significance between groups was determined using the log-rank test. Results: We identified a cohort of 15 patients who initially refused treatment and 47 matched controls. The control cohort was well-matched, with no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics (age, sex, Ann Arbor stage, B symptoms, International Prognostic Score (IPS) score, ECOG PS, and disease bulk) between groups. The most common reason for initial treatment refusal was to pursue alternative therapy (73%). 13 of 15 refusers eventually accepted treatment (mean time to treatment 76 weeks [range 26-214] vs. 5 weeks [range 1-8] for controls, p < 0.001). At time of treatment, the proportion of refusers with advanced-stage disease increased from 20% to 62% (p = 0.03) and had an associated alteration of treatment plan, and 62% of patients developed higher risk disease with increased IPS score (p = 0.02). At median follow-up of 5 years (0.4-21 years) for all living patients, estimated 5-year PFS was 65% vs 84%, and 5-year OS was 93% vs 98% for refusers and controls respectively. With extended follow up, 13% of refusers (1 late death at 8 years) compared to only 4% of controls died of cHL specifically. Conclusions: This study highlights the impact of treatment refusal in this highly curable malignancy. Initial refusal of treatment is associated with progression of stage, worsening prognostic score, escalation to more prolonged treatment than required at diagnosis, and increased risk of death from cHL. This analysis may help to provide guidance to counselling physicians, as well as inform patients who may be considering alternatives to standard of care for cHL.

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