The Safety and Efficacy of a "No Touch" Abortion Program Implemented in the Greater Toronto Area During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of first-trimester "No Touch" medication abortion programs at 2 clinics in Toronto, Ontario during their early implementation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This retrospective study included all patients who underwent virtual consultation for mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion between April 2020-August 2022 at 2 reproductive health clinics. In response to the pandemic, "No Touch" abortion protocols have been developed that align with the Canadian Protocol for the Provision of Medical Abortion via Telemedicine. Records were reviewed for demographic information, clinical course, investigations required, confirmation of complete abortion and adverse events. The primary outcome was complete medication abortion, defined as expulsion of the pregnancy without requiring uterine aspiration. RESULTS: A total of 277 patients had abortions initiated in the "No Touch" or "Low Touch" care pathways and had sufficient follow-up to determine outcomes. Of these patients, 92.8% (95% CI 89.7%-95.8%) had a complete medication abortion (n = 257) and 76.1% (n = 159) remained "No Touch" throughout their care. Investigations were performed for 102 participants before or after their abortion, classifying them as "Low Touch". Nineteen patients (6.9%) underwent uterine aspiration. The rate of adverse events was low, with 1 case of a missed ectopic pregnancy and 1 patient requiring hospitalization for endometritis. CONCLUSIONS: "No Touch" provision of mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion care was safe and effective with outcomes comparable to previous studies. These results provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of a "No Touch" approach in the Canadian context, which has the potential to reduce barriers to accessing abortion care.

Experiences of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Access for Women and Nonbinary People With Early Psychosis: Towards an Integrated Perspective of Service Users and Clinicians.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with psychosis are at elevated risk of adverse sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes, and not receiving adequate SRH care. SRH is important for youth, yet little is known about SRH care access and experiences among those with early psychosis. This study explored SRH care experiences among women and nonbinary individuals with early psychosis. METHOD: We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 19 service users (cisgender and transgender women, nonbinary individuals) receiving care in 2 early psychosis programs in Ontario, Canada. We also conducted semistructured interviews and focus groups with 36 clinicians providing SRH or mental health care to this population. Participants were asked about SRH care access/provision experiences and the interplay with psychosis. Using a social interactionist orientation, a thematic analysis described and explained service user and clinician perspectives regarding SRH care. RESULTS: Amongst both service users and clinician groups, common themes developed: (a) diversity of settings: SRH services are accessed in a large range of spaces across the health care system, (b) barriers in nonpsychiatric SRH care settings: psychosis impacts the ability to engage with existing SRH services, (c) invisibility of SRH in psychiatric settings: SRH is rarely addressed in psychiatric care, (d) variability of informal SRH-related conversations and supports, and cutting across all of the above themes, (e) intersecting social and cultural factors impacted SRH services access. CONCLUSIONS: SRH is important for health and wellbeing; improvements are urgently needed across the healthcare system and within early psychosis programs to meet this population's multifaceted SRH needs.

Actualisation 2023 des lignes directrices de pratique clinique pour la prise en charge de l'ostéoporose et la prévention des fractures au Canada.

CONTEXTE: Au Canada, plus de 2 millions de personnes vivent avec l'ostéoporose, une maladie qui accroît le risque de fracture, ce qui fait augmenter la morbidité et la mortalité, et entraîne une perte de qualité de vie et d'autonomie. La présente actualisation des lignes directrices vise à accompagner les professionnelles et professionnels de la santé au Canada dans la prestation de soins visant à optimiser la santé osseuse et à prévenir les fractures chez les femmes ménopausées et les hommes de 50 ans et plus. MÉTHODES: Le présent document fournit une actualisation des lignes directrices de pratique clinique de 2010 d'Ostéoporose Canada sur le diagnostic et la prise en charge de l'ostéoporose au pays. Nous avons utilisé l'approche GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) et effectué l'assurance de la qualité conformément aux normes de qualité et de présentation des rapports de la grille AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation). Les médecins de premier recours et les patientes et patients partenaires ont été représentés à tous les niveaux des comités et des groupes ayant participé à l'élaboration des lignes directrices, et ont participé à toutes les étapes du processus pour garantir la pertinence des informations pour les futurs utilisateurs et utilisatrices. Le processus de gestion des intérêts concurrents a été entamé avant l'élaboration des lignes directrices et s'est poursuivi sur toute sa durée, selon les principes du Réseau international en matière de lignes directrices. Dans la formulation des recommandations, nous avons tenu compte des avantages et des risques, des valeurs et préférences de la patientèle, des ressources, de l'équité, de l'acceptabilité et de la faisabilité; la force de chacune des recommandations a été déterminée en fonction du cadre GRADE. RECOMMANDATIONS: Les 25 recommandations et les 10 énoncés de bonne pratique sont répartis en sections : activité physique, alimentation, évaluation du risque de fracture, instauration du traitement, interventions pharmacologiques, durée et séquence du traitement, et monitorage. La prise en charge de l'ostéoporose devrait se fonder sur le risque de fracture, établi au moyen d'une évaluation clinique réalisée avec un outil d'évaluation du risque de fracture validé. L'activité physique, l'alimentation et la pharmacothérapie sont des éléments essentiels à la stratégie de prévention des fractures, qui devraient être personnalisés. INTERPRÉTATION: Les présentes lignes directrices ont pour but d'outiller les professionnelles et professionnels de la santé et la patientèle afin qu'ensemble ils puissent parler de l'importance de la santé osseuse et du risque de fracture tout au long de la vie adulte avancée. La détection et la prise en charge efficace de la fragilité osseuse peuvent contribuer à réduire les fractures et à préserver la mobilité, l'autonomie et la qualité de vie.

Clinical practice guideline for management of osteoporosis and fracture prevention in Canada: 2023 update.

BACKGROUND: In Canada, more than 2 million people live with osteoporosis, a disease that increases the risk for fractures, which result in excess mortality and morbidity, decreased quality of life and loss of autonomy. This guideline update is intended to assist Canadian health care professionals in the delivery of care to optimize skeletal health and prevent fractures in postmenopausal females and in males aged 50 years and older. METHODS: This guideline is an update of the 2010 Osteoporosis Canada clinical practice guideline on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada. We followed the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework and quality assurance as per Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) quality and reporting standards. Primary care physicians and patient partners were represented at all levels of the guideline committees and groups, and participated throughout the entire process to ensure relevance to target users. The process for managing competing interests was developed before and continued throughout the guideline development, informed by the Guideline International Network principles. We considered benefits and harms, patient values and preferences, resources, equity, acceptability and feasibility when developing recommendations; the strength of each recommendation was assigned according to the GRADE framework. RECOMMENDATIONS: The 25 recommendations and 10 good practice statements are grouped under the sections of exercise, nutrition, fracture risk assessment and treatment initiation, pharmacologic interventions, duration and sequence of therapy, and monitoring. The management of osteoporosis should be guided by the patient's risk of fracture, based on clinical assessment and using a validated fracture risk assessment tool. Exercise, nutrition and pharmacotherapy are key elements of the management strategy for fracture prevention and should be individualized. INTERPRETATION: The aim of this guideline is to empower health care professionals and patients to have meaningful discussions on the importance of skeletal health and fracture risk throughout older adulthood. Identification and appropriate management of skeletal fragility can reduce fractures, and preserve mobility, autonomy and quality of life.

Sexual health experiences of women and non-binary people with early psychosis: qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Women and gender-diverse people with early psychosis are at risk for suboptimal sexual health outcomes, yet little research has explored their sexual health experiences. AIMS: This study explored sexual health experiences and related priorities among women and gender-diverse people with early psychosis, to identify opportunities for improvements in sexual health and well-being. METHOD: Semi-structured individual qualitative interviews explored how patient participants (n = 19, aged 18-31 years, cisgender and transgender women and non-binary individuals) receiving clinical care from early psychosis programmes in Ontario, Canada, experienced their sexual health, including sexual function and behaviour. Thematic analysis was conducted, with triangulation from interviews/focus groups with clinicians (n = 36) who provide sexual and mental healthcare for this population. RESULTS: Three key themes were identified based on patient interviews: theme 1 was the impact of psychotic illness and its treatments on sexual function and activity, including variable changes in sex drive, attitudes and behaviours during acute psychosis, vulnerability to trauma and medications; theme 2 related to intimacy and sexual relationships in the context of psychosis, with bidirectional effects between relationships and mental health; and theme 3 comprised autonomy, identity and intersectional considerations, including gender, sexuality, culture and religion, which interplay with psychosis and sexual health. Clinicians raised each of these priority areas, but emphasised risk prevention relative to patients' more holistic view of their sexual health and well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Women and non-binary people with early psychosis have wide-ranging sexual health priorities, affecting many facets of their lives. Clinical care should incorporate this knowledge to optimise sexual health and well-being in this population.

Development and pilot testing of the 2019 Canadian Abortion Provider Survey.

BACKGROUND: Substantial changes in abortion care regulations, available medications and national clinical practice guidelines have occurred since a 2012 national Canadian Abortion Provider Survey (CAPS). We developed and piloted the CAPS 2019 survey instrument to explore changes of the abortion provider workforce, their clinical care as well as experiences with stigma and harassment. METHODS: We undertook development and piloting in three phases: (1) development of the preliminary survey sections and questions based on the 2012 survey instrument, (2) content validation and feasibility of including certain content aspects via a modified Delphi Method with panels of clinical and research experts, and (3) pilot testing of the draft survey for face validity and clarity of language; assessing usability of the web-based Research Electronic Data Capture platform including the feasibility of complex skip pattern functionality. We performed content analysis of phase 2 results and used a general inductive approach to identify necessary survey modifications. RESULTS: In phase 1, we generated a survey draft that reflected the changes in Canadian abortion care regulations and guidelines and included questions for clinicians and administrators providing first and second trimester surgical and medical abortion. In phase 2, we held 6 expert panel meetings of 5-8 participants each representing clinicians, administrators and researchers to provide feedback on the initial survey draft. Due to the complexity of certain identified aspects, such as interdisciplinary collaboration and interprovincial care delivery differences, we revised the survey sections through an iterative process of meetings and revisions until we reached consensus on constructs and questions to include versus exclude for not being feasible. In phase 3, we made minor revisions based on pilot testing of the bilingual, web-based survey among additional experts chosen to be widely representative of the study population. Demonstrating its feasibility, we included complex branching and skip pattern logic so each respondent only viewed applicable questions based on their prior responses. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and piloted the CAPS 2019 survey instrument suitable to explore characteristics of a complex multidisciplinary workforce, their care and experience with stigma on a national level, and that can be adapted to other countries.

Telemedicine for First-Trimester Medical Abortion in Canada: Results of a 2019 Survey.

Introduction: Telemedicine has the potential to improve abortion access disparities in Canada. We aimed to explore the provision of telemedicine for first-trimester medical abortion and related barriers in 2019. Methods: We conducted a national, cross-sectional, anonymized, web-based survey of clinicians who provided abortion care in 2019 in Canada. We distributed our survey through professional health organizations to maximize identification of possible eligible respondents and used a modified Dillman technique to foster responses. Questions elicited provider demographics, clinical characteristics, including telemedicine first-trimester medical abortion and perceived related barriers. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using R software. Results: Among 465 respondents, 388 reported providing first-trimester medical abortion across Canada; 44.0% reported experience using telemedicine for some components of care: 49.3% of primary care clinicians and 28.7% of specialists. Telemedicine was used for initial consultation (86.0%), prescription (82.2%), or follow-up (92.2%). The median percentage of telemedicine providers' patients who underwent a dating ultrasound was 90.0. The majority usually followed up with patients through quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (84.2%). Seventy-eight percent perceived barriers to telemedicine; the most common being inability to confirm gestational age with ultrasound (43.0%), and lack of provincial telemedicine abortion fee code to pay practitioners (30.2%), timely access to serum hCG testing (24.6%), and nearby emergency services (23.3%). Discussion: In 2019, fewer than half of respondents reported providing some aspects of first-trimester medical abortion through telemedicine and the majority perceived barriers. Our results can inform knowledge translation activities to reduce barriers and increase telemedicine abortion care in Canada.

Exploring experiences of loneliness among Canadian long-term care residents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significant impact on long-term care (LTC) residents' health and well-being. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated resident experiences of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canadian LTC homes to offer lessons learned and implications. METHODS: 15 residents and 16 staff members were recruited from two large urban Canadian LTC homes with large outbreaks and fatalities. We used a telepresence robot to conduct one-on-one semi-structured interviews with participants remotely. We applied the Collaborative Action Research (CAR) methodology and report the early phase of CAR focused on collecting data and reporting findings to inform actions for change. Thematic analysis was performed to identify themes. RESULTS: Four themes were identified. The first two themes characterise what commonly generated feelings of loneliness amongst residents, including (1) social isolation and missing their family and friends and (2) feeling hopeless and grieving for lives lost. The second two themes describe what helped residents alleviate loneliness, including (3) social support and (4) creating opportunities for recreation and promoting positivity. CONCLUSIONS: Residents living in LTC experienced significant social isolation and grief during the pandemic that resulted in loneliness and other negative health consequences. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Promoting meaningful connection, safe recreational activities and a positive atmosphere in LTC homes during the pandemic may help mitigate residents' experiences of loneliness due to social isolation and/or grief and enhance their quality of life.

Abortion services and providers in Canada in 2019: results of a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Since 2016, abortion care has undergone several important changes, particularly related to the provision of medical abortion using mifepristone. We aimed to document characteristics of the abortion care workforce in Canada after the update of clinical practice guidelines of mifepristone use for medical abortion. METHODS: We conducted a national, web-based, anonymized, bilingual (English/French) survey. We collected demographics and clinical care characteristics of physicians and nurse practitioners who provided abortion care in 2019. Between July and December 2020, we distributed the survey through professional organizations, including The College of Family Physicians of Canada and The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. We present descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Overall, 465 respondents representing all 10 provinces and 3 territories in Canada completed the survey. Of these, 388 (83.4%), including 30 nurse practitioners, provided first-trimester medical abortion, of which 350 (99.4%) used mifepristone. Two hundred and nineteen (47.1%) respondents provided first-trimester surgical abortion, 109 (23.4%) provided second-trimester surgical abortion and 115 (24.7%) provided second- or third-trimester medical abortion. Half of respondents reported fewer than 5 years of experience with any abortion care. Respondents reported providing a total of 48 509 abortions in 2019, including 32 345 (66.7%) first-trimester surgical abortions and 13 429 (27.7%) first-trimester medical abortions. In Quebec, only 1918 (12.5%) of reported abortions were first-trimester medical abortions. Primary care providers provided 34 540 (71.2%) of the total abortions. First-trimester medical abortions represented 44.4% (n = 2334) of all abortions in rural areas, as opposed to 25.6% (n = 11 067) in urban areas. INTERPRETATION: The increased availability of medical abortion facilitates abortion access, especially in primary care and rural settings, and where surgical abortion is not available. Rejuvenation of the workforce is a critical contributor to equitable access to abortion services.

Socioeconomic and immigration status and COVID-19 testing in Toronto, Ontario: retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests that individuals living in lower income neighbourhoods are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection. The relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 risk warrants further study. METHODS: We explored the association between COVID-19 test positivity and patients' socio-demographic variables, using neighborhood sociodemographic data collected retrospectively from two COVID-19 Assessment Centres in Toronto, ON. RESULTS: Eighty-three thousand four hundred forty three COVID-19 tests completed between April 5-September 30, 2020, were analyzed. Individuals living in neighbourhoods with the lowest income or highest concentration of immigrants were 3.4 (95% CI: 2.7 to 4.9) and 2.5 (95% CI: 1.8 to 3.7) times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than those in highest income or lowest immigrant neighbourhoods, respectively. Testing was higher among individuals from higher income neighbourhoods, at lowest COVID-19 risk, compared with those from low-income neighbourhoods. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted efforts are needed to improve testing availability in high-risk regions. These same strategies may also ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine delivery.

A Virtual Community of Practice to Support Physician Uptake of a Novel Abortion Practice: Mixed Methods Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) have been used to support innovation and quality in clinical care. The drug mifepristone was introduced in Canada in 2017 for medical abortion. We created a VCoP to support implementation of mifepristone abortion practice across Canada. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the development and use of the Canadian Abortion Providers Support-Communauté de pratique canadienne sur l'avortement (CAPS-CPCA) VCoP and explore physicians' experience with CAPS-CPCA and their views on its value in supporting implementation. METHODS: This was a mixed methods intrinsic case study of Canadian health care providers' use and physicians' perceptions of the CAPS-CPCA VCoP during the first 2 years of a novel practice. We sampled both physicians who joined the CAPS-CPCA VCoP and those who were interested in providing the novel practice but did not join the VCoP. We designed the VCoP features to address known and discovered barriers to implementation of medication abortion in primary care. Our secure web-based platform allowed asynchronous access to information, practice resources, clinical support, discussion forums, and email notices. We collected data from the platform and through surveys of physician members as well as interviews with physician members and nonmembers. We analyzed descriptive statistics for website metrics, physicians' characteristics and practices, and their use of the VCoP. We used qualitative methods to explore the physicians' experiences and perceptions of the VCoP. RESULTS: From January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2019, a total of 430 physicians representing all provinces and territories in Canada joined the VCoP and 222 (51.6%) completed a baseline survey. Of these 222 respondents, 156 (70.3%) were family physicians, 170 (80.2%) were women, and 78 (35.1%) had no prior abortion experience. In a survey conducted 12 months after baseline, 77.9% (120/154) of the respondents stated that they had provided mifepristone abortion and 33.9% (43/127) said the VCoP had been important or very important. Logging in to the site was burdensome for some, but members valued downloadable resources such as patient information sheets, consent forms, and clinical checklists. They found email announcements helpful for keeping up to date with changing regulations. Few asked clinical questions to the VCoP experts, but physicians felt that this feature was important for isolated or rural providers. Information collected through member polls about health system barriers to implementation was used in the project's knowledge translation activities with policy makers to mitigate these barriers. CONCLUSIONS: A VCoP developed to address known and discovered barriers to uptake of a novel medication abortion method engaged physicians from across Canada and supported some, including those with no prior abortion experience, to implement this practice. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028443.

Optimizing the Nursing Role in Abortion Care: Considerations for Health Equity.

Registered nurses (RNs) provide abortion care in hospitals and clinics and support abortion care through sexual health education and family planning care in sexual health clinics, schools and family practice. Nurse practitioners (NPs) improve access to abortion not only as prescribers of medication abortion but also as primary care providers of counselling, resources about pregnancy options and abortion follow-up care in their communities. There is a need to better understand the current status of and potential scope for optimizing nursing roles in abortion care across Canada. In this article, we describe the leadership of nurses in the provision of accessible, inclusive abortion services and discuss barriers to role optimization. We present key insights from a priority-setting meeting held in 2019 with NPs and RNs engaged in medication abortion practice in their communities. As scopes of practice continue to evolve, optimization of nursing roles in abortion care is an approach to enhancing equitable access to comprehensive abortion care and family planning.

Provision of first-trimester medication abortion in 2019: Results from the Canadian abortion provider survey.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the Canadian first-trimester medication abortion (MA) workforce and their clinical care following the introduction of mifepristone in 2017, updated national clinical practice guidelines and government approval of nurse practitioners (NPs) as first-trimester MA providers. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a national, self-administered, cross-sectional survey of abortion providers in 2019. Our bilingual (French/English) survey collected information on demographics, abortion number, and clinical care characteristics. The true number of abortion providers is unknown thus we cannot calculate a survey response rate. To maximize identification of possibly eligible respondents, we widely distributed the survey between July and December 2020 through health professional organizations, using a modified Dillman technique. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the workforce and clinical practices. RESULTS: Four-hundred-sixty-five clinicians responded, of whom 388 provided first-trimester MA. Physicians (n = 358) and NPs (n = 30) reported providing 13,429 first-trimester MAs in 2019 which represented 27.7% of all reported abortions in the survey. The majority of first-trimester MA respondents were primary care physicians (n = 245, 63.1%), had less than five years' experience (n = 223, 61.3%) and practiced outside of hospitals (n = 228, 66.5%). Forty-three percent (n = 165) practiced rurally, and 44.0% (n = 136) used telemedicine for some abortion care. Ninety-nine percent (n = 350) used a guideline-recommended mifepristone/misoprostol regimen while 14.5% (n = 51) sometimes used methotrexate. Patients most commonly received mifepristone/misoprostol at community pharmacies (median 100.0%; interquartile range 50.0%-100.0%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that there are many new first-trimester MA providers, an increase in the proportion of MAs since 2012 and a shift to primary care settings. Respondents widely adopted mifepristone. IMPLICATIONS STATEMENT: Our results highlight that, following mifepristone introduction, many new primary care practitioners started providing first-trimester medication abortion throughout Canada, including the first non-physicians. This increased access to abortion particularly in rural and underserved communities. These results could inform future directions in policy, guidelines, and abortion access initiatives.

Clinician acceptability of self-collected human papillomavirus swabs as a primary cervical cancer screening method.

OBJECTIVE: To determine knowledge and acceptability of and opinions about human papillomavirus (HPV) self-screening as an alternative to Papanicolaou testing among Canadian primary care providers (PCPs: family physicians and nurse practitioners) and obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs). DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional, anonymous, online pilot survey. SETTING: Two academic teaching hospitals in downtown Toronto, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: Staff physicians and nurse practitioners in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women's College Hospital and St Michael's Hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recommended patient groups for, potential advantages and disadvantages of, and likelihood of recommending HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 30.9%. More than three-quarters of survey respondents were female PCPs. Slightly more than half of clinicians had poor knowledge of HPV self-sampling. However, more than three-quarters would recommend it if there were adequate collection of cervical samples, high patient acceptability, and high sensitivity (almost 100% of respondents), followed by high specificity and cost-effectiveness (more than 80% of respondents). Primary care practitioners were more likely than OB-GYNs to agree that HPV self-sampling made screening easier and less embarrassing for patients. Although not statistically significant, OB-GYNs tended to be more concerned than PCPs were about patients failing to follow up on abnormal HPV results and missed opportunities to address other health issues. CONCLUSION: Although knowledge of HPV self-sampling for cervical screening was poor, it was generally acceptable to clinicians if certain screening test conditions were met. However, the potential for missed opportunities to visualize pathology and address other health concerns were raised. These and other clinical practice and health systems issues must be addressed before broad implementation of HPV self-sampling in Canada.

Staff experience of a Canadian long-term care home during a COVID-19 outbreak: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has significant impact on long-term care (LTC) residents and staff. The purpose of this paper is to report the data gathered during a COVID-19 outbreak in a Canadian LTC home regarding staff experiences, challenges, and needs, to offer lessons learned and implications. METHODS: A total of 30 staff from multiple disciplines participated in the study, including nurses, care workers, recreational staff, and a unit clerk. Focus groups (n = 20) and one-on-one interviews (n = 10) were conducted as part of a larger participatory action research (PAR) study in a Canadian LTC home. All data collection was conducted virtually via Zoom, and thematic analysis was performed to identify themes. RESULTS: Four main themes were identified: We are Proud, We Felt Anxious, We Grew Closer to Residents and Staff Members, and The Vaccines Help. CONCLUSIONS: This research details the resilience that characterizes staff in LTC, while highlighting the emotional toll of the pandemic, particularly during an outbreak. LTC staff in this study found innovative ways to connect and support residents and this resulted in stronger connections and relationships. Leadership and organizational support are pivotal for supporting team resilience to manage crisis and adapt positively in times of COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the period of outbreak.

A more accurate approach to define abortion cohorts using linked administrative data: an application to Ontario, Canada.

Background: The shifting landscape of abortion care from a hospital-only to a distributed service including primary care has implications for how to identify abortion cohorts for research and surveillance. The objectives of this study were to 1) create an improved approach to define abortion cohorts using linked administrative data sets and 2) evaluate the performance of this approach for abortion surveillance compared with standard approaches. Methods: We applied four principles to identify induced abortion cohorts when some services are delivered beyond hospital settings; 1) exclude early pregnancy losses and postpartum procedures; 2) use multiple data sources; 3) define episodes of care; 4) apply a hierarchical algorithm to determine abortion date to a population-based cohort of all abortion events in Ontario (Canada) from January 1, 2018-March 15, 2020. We calculated risk differences (RD, with 95% confidence intervals) comparing the proportion of medication vs. surgical, first vs. second trimester, and complication incidence applying these principles vs. standard approaches. Results: Hospital-only data (versus multiple data sources) underestimated the frequency of medication abortion (16.1% vs. 31.4%; RD -15.3% [-14.3, -16.3]) and first-trimester abortion (82.1% vs. 94.5%; RD -12.8 [-11.4, 13.4]) and overestimated incidence of abortion complication (2.9% vs. 0.69%; RD 2.2% [1.8, 2.7]). An unlinked (versus linked) approach underestimated the frequency of abortion complications (0.19% vs 0.69%, -RD 0.50% [-0.44--0.56]). Including (versus excluding) abortions following early pregnancy loss or delivery events increased the estimated incidence of abortion complications (1.29% vs. 0.69%, RD 0.60% [0.51-0.69]. Conclusion: New methods are required to accurately identify abortion cohorts for surveillance or research. When legal or regulatory approaches to medication abortion evolve to enable abortion in primary care or office-based settings, hospital-based surveillance systems will become incomplete and biased; to continue valid and complete abortion surveillance, methods must be adjusted to ensure complete capture of procedures across all settings.

Abortion Safety and Use with Normally Prescribed Mifepristone in Canada.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, mifepristone is available for medical abortion (for use with misoprostol) only with Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) restrictions, despite an absence of evidence to support such restrictions. Mifepristone has been available in Canada with a normal prescription since November 2017. METHODS: Using population-based administrative data from Ontario, Canada, we examined abortion use, safety, and effectiveness using an interrupted time-series analysis comparing trends in incidence before mifepristone was available (January 2012 through December 2016) with trends after its availability without restrictions (November 7, 2017, through March 15, 2020). RESULTS: A total of 195,183 abortions were performed before mifepristone was available and 84,032 after its availability without restrictions. After the availability of mifepristone with a normal prescription, the abortion rate continued to decline, although more slowly than was expected on the basis of trends before mifepristone had been available (adjusted risk difference in time-series analysis, 1.2 per 1000 female residents between 15 and 49 years of age; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 1.4), whereas the percentage of abortions provided as medical procedures increased from 2.2% to 31.4% (adjusted risk difference, 28.8 percentage points; 95% CI, 28.0 to 29.7). There were no material changes between the period before mifepristone was available and the nonrestricted period in the incidence of severe adverse events (0.03% vs. 0.04%; adjusted risk difference, 0.01 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.03), complications (0.74% vs. 0.69%; adjusted risk difference, 0.06 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.07 to 0.18), or ectopic pregnancy detected after abortion (0.15% vs. 0.22%; adjusted risk difference, -0.03 percentage points; 95% CI, -0.19 to 0.09). There was a small increase in ongoing intrauterine pregnancy continuing to delivery (adjusted risk difference, 0.08 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: After mifepristone became available as a normal prescription, the abortion rate remained relatively stable, the proportion of abortions provided by medication increased rapidly, and adverse events and complications remained stable, as compared with the period when mifepristone was unavailable. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Women's Health Research Institute.).

Advancing Reproductive Health through Policy-Engaged Research in Abortion Care.

Mifepristone medication abortion was first approved in China and France more than 30 years ago and is now used in more than 60 countries worldwide. It is a highly safe and effective method that has the potential to increase population access to abortion in early pregnancy, closer to home. In both Canada and the United States, the initial regulations for distribution, prescribing, and dispensing of mifepristone were highly restricted. However, in Canada, where mifepristone was made available in 2017, most restrictions on the medication were removed in the first year of its availability. The Canadian regulation of mifepristone as a normal prescription makes access possible in community primary care through a physician or nurse practitioner prescription, which any pharmacist can dispense. In this approach, people decide when and where to take their medication. We explore how policy-maker-engaged research advanced reproductive health policy and facilitated this rapid change in Canada. We discuss the implications of these policy advances for self-management of abortion and demonstrate how in Canada patients "self-manage" components of the abortion process within a supportive health care system.