COVID-19 precautions experienced by a sample of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

PURPOSE: This study describes factors associated with COVID-19 precautions (i.e., self-isolation and the use of personal protective equipment) among a sample of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: The sample included 756 home care recipients with IDD who did not test positive for COVID-19 between March 2020 and July 2021. Among these, some received COVID-19 precautions. Precaution data were obtained from a large metropolitan organization serving persons with IDD in Ontario, and linked to home care assessment data. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using logistic regression models to examine the association between COVID-19 cautions and demographic and clinical factors. Effect modification and interactions were explored. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven (16.8%) home care clients experienced precautions. After adjustment, congregate setting, aggression, and limited mobility were significantly associated with COVID-19 precautions. Age modified the relationship between congregate setting and precautions. CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic responses need to recognize the impact on subgroups of adults with IDD, such as those living in congregate settings (including younger individuals) or engaging in responsive behaviors. How these precautions impacted individuals-in the short and long term-warrants further investigation.

Adolescent exposure to cannabis marketing following recreational cannabis legalization in Canada: A pilot study using ecological momentary assessment.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a 9-day, smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol for tracking the frequency of Canadian adolescents' exposures to cannabis marketing, their reactions to such exposures, and the context in which exposures occur in the real-world and in real-time. METHOD: Participants were n = 18 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years of age. They used an EMA application to capture and describe cannabis marketing exposures through photographs and brief questionnaires assessing marketing channel and context. Participants also rated their reactions to each exposure in real-time. RESULTS: Results showed that participants were generally compliant with the protocol. Participants recorded 40 total exposures to cannabis marketing, representing an average of 2.2 (SD 2.3) exposures per participant during the 9-day study. Exposures tended to occur in the afternoon (45.0%) or evening (37.5%), and while participants were at home (70%) and alone (52.5%). Most exposures occurred through promotion by public figures (27.5%) or explicitly marked internet ads (27.5%). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of EMA to capture adolescent exposures to cannabis marketing as it occurs in participants' natural environments. Our research offers an early look at the predictable wave of cannabis advertising targeting youth and a promising approach for studying its impacts in a post-legalization context, as well as a strategy for assessing policies, such as advertising restrictions, intending to mitigate the harms of early cannabis use among youth.

Evaluation of the effect of an audit and feedback reporting tool on screening participation: The Primary Care Screening Activity Report (PCSAR).

Participation in cancer screening is critical to its effectiveness in reducing the burden of cancer. The Primary Care Screening Activity Report (PCSAR), an electronic report, was developed as an innovative audit and feedback tool to increase screening participation in Ontario's cancer screening programs. This study aims to assess its impact on patient screening participation. This study used a retrospective cohort design to evaluate the effectiveness of the 2014 PCSAR on screening participation in Ontario's three screening programs (breast, cervix and colorectal). The 3 cohorts comprised all participants eligible for each of the programs enrolled with a primary care physician in Ontario. Two exposures were evaluated for each cohort: enrollment with a physician who was registered to receive the PCSAR and enrollment with a registered physician who also logged into the PCSAR. Logistic regression modelling was used to assess the magnitude of the effect of PCSAR on participation, adjusting for participant and physician characteristics. Across all three screening programs, 63% of eligible physicians registered to receive the PCSAR and 38% of those registered logged-in to view it. Patients of physicians who registered were significantly more likely to participate in screening, with odds ratios ranging from 1.06 [1.04;1.09] to 1.15 [1.12;1.19]. The adjusted odds ratios associated with PCSAR log-in were 1.07 [1.03;1.12] to 1.18 [1.14;1.22] across all screening programs. Implementation of the PCSAR was associated with a small increase in screening participation. The PCSAR appears to be modestly effective in assisting primary care physicians in optimizing cancer screening participation among their patients.