Health Sciences, Faculty of

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    Exploring the intersectional factors that influence the development of mental health challenges amongst West African women immigrant students in Lethbridge, southern Alberta, Canada: an exploratory-descriptive qualitative study.
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2024) Ejetavbo, Vivienne O.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences; Kellett, Peter
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of West African women immigrant students in Southern Alberta and the subsequent influence on mental health. Employing an exploratory-descriptive qualitative (EDQ) research design, an in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve (12) West African women immigrant students. Thematic analysis found that these women faced overlapping obstacles in Canada, caused by intersecting factors such as race, gender, social class, and immigration status, significantly impacting their mental health. Nonetheless, the participants used a variety of coping strategies to mitigate these barriers, with culture having an important role in influencing views and coping mechanisms. The study emphasizes the need of stakeholders, policymakers, universities, and mental health practitioners to establish culturally sensitive initiatives to help West African women immigrant students, transition and integrate successfully into their new environment.
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    An analysis of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of registered nurses toward climate-driven vector borne diseases
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2024) Vandenberg, Shannon Y.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences; Oosterbroek, Tracy
    Background: There is abundant evidence that climate change is contributing to increasing rates of vector-borne diseases, affecting the health of Canadians. Registered nurses are central to a highly performing health care system and play an integral role in supporting individuals and populations affected by various health challenges. Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional research study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of registered nurses in Canada related to climate sensitive vector-borne diseases, namely Lyme disease and West Nile virus, using Planetary Health as the guiding theoretical framework. Methods: A national survey was distributed via QualtricsTM to practicing registered nurses in Canada, through contact with nursing organizations and regulatory bodies, as well as social media. Results: 382 survey responses were included in data analysis. Survey responses were received from nurses throughout Canada, working in a wide variety of practice areas. Research findings suggest that nurses’ knowledge on climate change and vector-borne diseases was limited, especially among frontline nurses and those in Western and Northern regions of Canada. There was greater knowledge of Lyme disease compared to West Nile virus, particularly among nurses working in endemic areas and among nurses who declared Indigeneity. Participants did not often consider vector-borne diseases in practice and demonstrated a lack of confidence and preparedness in addressing vector-borne diseases in the practice setting. Barriers to discussing vector-borne diseases in practice exist, with lack of knowledge and time reported most frequently. Most study participants never received training or education on vector-borne diseases, and information on the topic in the practice setting is absent. Most participants believed they have a role in health equity and social justice, particularly for equity-denied populations. Conclusion: A greater understanding of nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of climate driven vector-borne diseases has been achieved through the meaningful data obtained from study participants. Based on the findings, recommendations for education, practice, advocacy, and research are presented, with the goal that nurses are better educated, and subsequently more prepared to address vector-borne diseases in the practice setting and assume a greater role in leading change to advocate for a climate-resilient future.
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    The lived experience of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) support workers through the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2023) Bulmer, Sydney J.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences; Sanders, James
    This phenomenological study explores the lived experience of support workers who have worked with clients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through in-depth interviews with five support workers, the study aims to understand the extent to which working during the pandemic has impacted the support workers' experiences and their relationships with clients. The findings reveal that the pandemic brought numerous challenges, including the need for constant adaptation, limited ability to provide necessary support, and disruptions in routine and resources. Participants identified building rapport and trust as crucial aspects of successful relationships with their clients. The pandemic presented barriers to building trust with new clients, but pre-existing rapport mitigated some of these challenges. Clients with FASD experienced negative impacts on their well-being, including increased substance use, limited access to resources, and difficulties in maintaining self-care. Support workers faced unique challenges in advocating for the FASD population during the pandemic, stemming from limited knowledge and training on FASD, as well as disruptions in service provision and communication. Effective communication strategies and person-centered approaches were identified as essential in supporting clients with FASD. Support workers also faced significant mental health challenges, mirroring those experienced by other healthcare workers during the pandemic. This study contributes to the understanding of the experiences of support workers and clients with FASD during times of societal upheaval. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, enhanced training, and support systems to address the unique needs of this population. Practical implications include the importance of day-to-day adaptive strategies, fostering trust and rapport, effective communication, and supporting the mental well-being of support workers. Further research should explore long-term effects, evaluate interventions, and examine the experiences of clients with FASD themselves.
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    Hedge your bets: design, implementation, and evaluation of an online gambling harm reduction program for offender populations
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2024) Albright-Tolman, Jami I.; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences; Williams, Robert J.
    Gambling is a common recreational activity that may cause harm to the gambler, their family and friends, and society. Though gambling only causes harm to a small proportion of the general population, it impacts offender populations (consisting of criminal offenders) at much higher rates. Due to unique demographic and subculture factors, offenders are both highly susceptible to gambling harm and less affected by programs designed to address that harm. In this dissertation, I present the development and evaluation of an online gambling harm reduction program for offenders, their family, and those who or live or work with offenders. The program, called Hedge Your Bets, teaches participants about gambling through four online modules that required a demonstration of mastery before proceeding to the next module: (1) gambling knowledge, (2) gambling fallacies, (3) gambling-related mathematical skills, and (4) gambling problems, with each module being delivered one week apart. A total of 84 adults were initially recruited into the study, with 27 of these having criminal convictions and 57 having either worked with offenders or being a close friend or family member. A total of 58 individuals completed the post-program assessment one week after the final module and 53 completed the follow-up survey three weeks after that. Longitudinally, the four modules were effective at creating gambling-related knowledge and skills that were associated with more negative attitudes toward gambling over time as well as decreased gambling behavior, with this latter effect being more pronounced for the offender group. Thus, Hedge Your Bets appears to be a promising program for reducing gambling-related harm in offender populations, though future research should be conducted with larger sample sizes of offenders.
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    A longitudinal study assessing the relationship between parents’ and children’s physical activity and their adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines
    (Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2024) Sadia, Farzana; University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Health Sciences; Larouche, Richard
    Previous research highlights the health benefits of engaging in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, minimizing screen time and getting optimal sleep. Although many studies have examined associations between parents’ and children’s movement behaviours, most were based on single behaviours despite these behaviours being interdependent. Using data from the Active Transportation and Independent Mobility-2 study, we assessed the associations between parents’ adherence to the 24-hour guidelines, perceived behavioural control (PBC) to support their child’s movement behaviours, and children’s adherence to the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines. Canadian parents of 7- to 12-year-olds (N = 2257) were surveyed at baseline (December 2020) and were followed every 6 months until June 2022 (4 waves). Movement behaviours were assessed by parent report. The final model was adjusted for age and gender of both children and parents, household income, immigration status and study wave. Our current study found that if a parent respondent met all the guidelines, their children were 1.51 times more likely to meet all three guidelines (95% CI=1.17, 1.93). Moreover, each unit increase in the PBC scale was associated with higher odds of the child meeting all three guidelines (OR=1.72; 95% CI=1.45, 2.03). Moreover, adherence decreased with each year of age (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.72, 0.83) and was higher in Wave 2 (OR=1.32; 95% CI=1.04, 1.66), Wave 3 (OR=1.73; 95% CI=1.33, 2.25) and Wave 4 (OR=1.62; 95% CI=1.21, 2.18) vs. Wave 1. The findings of this study provide preliminary evidence suggesting that children’s adherence to the guidelines is significantly associated with both parent’s adherence and their PBC. These findings suggest that family-based interventions should be implemented to support children’s movement behaviours.