University of Manitoba Scholarship
Permanent URI for this collection
Overview
This collection contains open access research publications authored or co-authored by University of Manitoba researchers. Content within this collection includes pre and post-print versions of articles and book chapters, conference proceedings and technical reports. MSpace is where faculty and students can deposit their research output to meet the open access requirements of grant funding agencies and other related mandates. Deposit is subject to copyright compliance, distribution license and other license restrictions that may be imposed on the work.
Before You Submit
All submissions are subject to content and MSpace policies. Submitters are required to acknowledge compliance with these and copyright and publication licences to successfully deposit. Go to My MSpace to begin the submission process and, when prompted, choose the University of Manitoba Scholarship collection. Unfinished or rejected submissions can be restarted by accessing My MSpace.
Browse
Recent Submissions
- ItemOpen AccessCorrection: Role and promise of health policy and systems research in integrating rehabilitation into the health systems(BMC, 2024-11-08) Ghafar, Abdul; Bachani, Abdulgafoor M.; Hyder, Adnan A.; Cieza, Alarcos; Bhangu, Aneel; Bussières, André; Sanchez-Ramirez, Diana C.; Gandhi, Dorcas B. C.; Verbunt, Jeanine; Rasanathan, Kumanan; Gustafsson, Louise; Côté, Pierre; Reebye, Rajiv; De la Cerna-Luna, Roger; Negrini, Stefano; Frontera, Walter R.; Kamalakannan, Sureshkumar
- ItemOpen AccessCanadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology position statement: panel testing for food allergies(BMC, 2024-11-29) Al Ghamdi, Abdulrahman; Abrams, Elissa M.; Carr, Stuart; Hanna, Mariam A.; Herman, Sari M.; Lavine, Elana; Kim, Harold; Vander Leek, Timothy K.; Mack, Douglas P.Abstract This position statement addresses the critical concerns and recommended practices surrounding the use of panel food testing for diagnosing food allergies. Food allergies are a significant public health concern, and the misdiagnosis of food allergies remains a prevalent concern, made worse by the ongoing use of panel food testing. The practice of screening patients for multiple food allergens, regardless of clinical relevance, is commonly referred to as “panel food testing.” Fundamentally, a panel food test is not simply a single test; a panel food test is a series of several distinct tests for multiple foods, each with its own variable predictive value. These tests have not been adequately validated as screening tests and carry a considerable false positive rate. The resulting false diagnoses lead to unnecessary dietary restrictions, increased healthcare costs, and significant psychosocial distress for patients and their families.
- ItemOpen AccessHIV phylogenetic clusters point to unmet hiv prevention, testing and treatment needs among men who have sex with men in kenya(BMC, 2024-11-20) Cholette, Francois; Lazarus, Lisa; Macharia, Pascal; Walimbwa, Jeffrey; Kuria, Samuel; Bhattacharjee, Parinita; Musyoki, Helgar; Mugambi, Mary; Ongaro, Martin K.; Olango, Kennedy; Musimbi, Janet; Emmanuel, Faran; Isac, Shajy; Pickles, Michael; Becker, Marissa L.; Mishra, Sharmistha; McKinnon, Lyle R.; Blanchard, James; Ho, John; Henry, Omari; Fabia, Rissa; Sandstrom, Paul; Lorway, Robert; Shaw, Souradet YAbstract Background The HIV epidemic in Kenya remains a significant public health concern, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), who continue to bear a disproportionate burden of the epidemic. This study’s objective is to describe HIV phylogenetic clusters among different subgroups of Kenyan GBMSM, including those who use physical hotspots, virtual spaces, or a combination of both to find male sexual partners. Methods Dried blood spots (DBS) were collected from GBMSM in Kisumu, Mombasa, and Kiambu counties, Kenya, in 2019 (baseline) and 2020 (endline). HIV pol sequencing was attempted on all seropositive DBS. HIV phylogenetic clusters were inferred using a patristic distance cutoff of ≤ 0.02 nucleotide substitutions per site. We used descriptive statistics to analyze sociodemographic characteristics and risk behaviors stratified by clustering status. Results Of the 2,450 participants (baseline and endline), 453 (18.5%) were living with HIV. Only a small proportion of seropositive DBS specimens were successfully sequenced (n = 36/453; 7.9%), likely due to most study participants being virally suppressed (87.4%). Among these sequences, 13 (36.1%) formed eight distinct clusters comprised of seven dyads and one triad. The clusters mainly consisted of GBMSM seeking partners online (n = 10/13; 76.9%) and who tested less frequently than recommended by Kenyan guidelines (n = 11/13; 84.6%). Conclusions Our study identified HIV phylogenetic clusters among Kenyan GBMSM who predominantly seek sexual partners online and test infrequently. These findings highlight potential unmet HIV prevention, testing, and treatment needs within this population. Furthermore, these results underscore the importance of tailoring HIV programs to address the diverse needs of GBMSM in Kenya across different venues, including both physical hotspots and online platforms, to ensure comprehensive prevention and care strategies.
- ItemOpen AccessWeight-based disparities in perinatal care: quantitative findings of respect, autonomy, mistreatment, and body mass index in a national Canadian survey(BMC, 2024-11-08) Malhotra, Nisha; Jevitt, Cecilia M.; Stoll, Kathrin; Phillips-Beck, Wanda; Vedam, SaraswathiAbstract Background Qualitative studies document episodes of weight-related disrespectful care, particularly for people with high body mass index (BMI ≥ 30) and reveal implicit and explicit biases in health care providers. No large quantitative studies document the pervasiveness of weight stigma or if experiences change with increasing BMI. Methods The multi-stakeholder RESPCCT study team designed and distributed a cross-sectional survey on the experiences of perinatal services in all provinces and territories in Canada. From July 2020 to August 2021, participants who had a pregnancy within ten years responded to closed and open-ended questions. Chi square analysis assessed differences in mean scores derived from three patient-reported experience measures of autonomy (MADM), respect (MOR), and mistreatment (MIST). Controlling for socio-demographic factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis explored relationships between different BMI categories and respectful care. Results Of 4,815 Canadians who participated, 3,280 with a BMI of ≥ 18.5 completed all the questions. Pre-pregnancy BMI was significantly associated with race/ethnicity, income sufficiency, and education but not with age. Individuals with higher BMIs were more likely to experience income insufficiency, have lower levels of education, and more frequently self-identified as Indigenous or White. Those with BMI ≥ 35 exhibited notably higher odds of reduced autonomy (MADM) scores, with an unadjusted odds ratio of 1.62 and an adjusted odds ratio of 1.45 compared to individuals with a normal weight. Individuals with BMIs of 25–25.9, 30–34.9, and ≥ 35 exhibited odds of falling into the lower tercile of respect (MOR) scores of 1.34, 1.51, and 2.04, respectively (p < .01). The odds of reporting higher rates of mistreatment (top 33% MIST scores) increased as BMI increased. Conclusions While socio-demographic factors like race and income play significant roles in influencing perinatal care experiences, BMI remains a critical determinant even after accounting for these variables. This study reveals pronounced disparities in the provision of respectful perinatal care to pregnant individuals with higher BMIs in Canada. Data suggest that those with higher BMIs face disrespect, discrimination, and mistreatment. Identification of implicit and explicit weight bias may give providers insight enabling them to provide more respectful care.
- ItemOpen AccessCanada needs a national COVID-19 inquiry now(BMC, 2024-11-15) Fisman, David; Horton, Jillian; Oliver, Matthew; Ungrin, Mark; Vipond, Joseph; Wright, Julia M.; Zoutman, DickAbstract Background We are now in the fifth year of an ongoing pandemic, and Canada continues to experience significant surges of COVID-19 infections. In addition to the acute impacts of deaths and hospitalizations, there is growing awareness of an accumulation of organ damage and disability which is building a “health debt” that will affect Canadians for decades to come. Calls in 2023 for an inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic went unheeded, despite relevant precedent. Canada urgently needs a comprehensive review of its successes and failures to chart a better response in the near- and long-term. Main body While Canada fared better than many comparators in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clearly still in a public health crisis. Infections are not only affecting Canadians’ daily lives but also eroding healthcare capacity. Post-COVID condition is having accumulating and profound individual, social, and economic consequences. An inquiry is needed to understand the current evidence underlying policy choices, identify a better course of action on various fronts, and build resilience. More must be done to reduce transmission, including a serious public education campaign to better inform Canadians about COVID and effective mitigations, especially the benefits of respirator masks. We need a national standard for indoor air quality to make indoor public spaces safer, particularly schools. Data collection must be more robust, especially to understand and mitigate the disproportionate impacts on under-served communities and high-risk populations. General confidence in public health must be rebuilt, with a focus on communication and transparency. In particular, the wide variation in provincial policies has sown mistrust: evidence-based policy should be consistent. Finally, Canada’s early success in vaccination has collapsed, and this development needs a careful post-mortem. Conclusions A complete investigation of Canada’s response to the pandemic is not yet possible because that response is still ongoing and, while we have learned much, there remain areas of dispute and uncertainty. However, an inquiry is needed to conduct a rapid assessment of the current evidence and policies and provide recommendations on how to improve in 2025 and beyond as well as guidance for future pandemics.