Lifestyle Dimensions of Public Safety Personnel Families: There's No Life Like It.

PURPOSE: The nature and cumulative occupational demands imposed on families of public safety personnel (PSP) are substantial, in many cases non-negotiable, and distinct from the general population accentuating risk factors for family well-being. Despite this reality, the contributions of PSP families are not well understood, and a conceptual framework is needed. The aim of this paper is to summarize contextual factors (lifestyle dimensions) that shape the lives of PSP families; factors supported in the existing, albeit limited, body of research. METHODS: Grounded in the interpretive/constructivist paradigm, a synthesis was central to understanding the lived experiences of PSP families. An interdisciplinary research team engaged in an iterative process of framework analysis to capture the variability and complexity of PSP family life and distilled the overarching lifestyle dimensions. RESULTS: Three lifestyle dimensions-logistics, risks, and identities-emerged from contextual factors and represent distinct aspects of PSP family life. PSP families play a crucial role in that their capacity to accommodate the lifestyle dimensions (i.e., logistics, risks, and identities), without which the PSP could not meet the demands of the profession. CONCLUSION: Promoting awareness of these dimensions and their consequent demands underscores the cumulative demands that put PSP families at risk. Responses from governments, public safety organizations, and communities are required to help PSP families manage non-negotiable elements of the public safety occupation that spill over into family life over which they have no control.

Glossary of terms: A shared understanding of the common terms used to describe psychological trauma, version 3.0. / Glossaire des termes : une compréhension commune des termes courants utilisés pour décrire les traumatismes psychologiques ­ Version 3.0.

Terms in the current glossary are arranged alphabetically by the most commonly used synonym. Most of the terms have two complementary definitions: a "general public definition" or introductory definition, geared towards a wider readership, and an "academic definition," which may be more detailed, or "expert." There is some overlap between the definitions, and readers may choose to read either or both.

Les termes du glossaire sont classés par ordre alphabétique selon le synonyme le plus couramment utilisé. La plupart des termes comportent deux définitions complémentaires : une « définition grand public ¼, c'est-à-dire une définition d'introduction, destinée à un lectorat plus vaste, et une « définition scientifique ¼, susceptible d'être plus détaillée ou destinée à des « spécialistes ¼11-76. Il y a un certain chevauchement entre les définitions, et les lecteurs ont le choix de lire l'une, l'autre ou les deux.

Caring for children and youth from Canada's military families.

Introduction: The lives of Canada's military families are characterized by persistent stressors that can play a role in the health and development of children and youth. Military families are cared for by civilian physicians who may not be aware of this unique experience and risk. Our study sought to explore the knowledge and experiences of paediatricians providing care to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) families. Methods: A 14-item survey was disseminated electronically by the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) to all 2799 Canadian paediatricians and paediatric specialists registered with the CPSP. Questions were focused on: knowledge of CAF families; the impact of the military on family care; confidence in providing care to CAF families; and training/education needs. Results: A total of 774 (28%) completed surveys were received. Approximately one third of respondents incorrectly believed that CAF families receive services from the federal military healthcare system. Nearly one quarter did not feel that identifying for military status informed patient care. Over half of respondents do not feel adequately prepared to provide care to CAF families. Discussion: Findings from this exploratory study suggest that additional resources and training would benefit the care of CAF families. Conclusion: CAF families experience a collection of risk factors that may negatively affect their health and access to services. The survey findings provide evidence of a need to further military literacy amongst Canadian paediatricians and provide direction for the development of enhanced resources and supports.

Self-Reported Coping Strategies for Managing Work-Related Stress among Public Safety Personnel.

Public safety personnel (PSP) experience a disproportionately high number of on-the-job stressors compared to the general population. PSP develop self-initiated actions, or coping strategies, that either confront the situation (approach strategies) or avoid the situation (avoidance strategies) to reduce the impact of stressors on their well-being. Understanding how PSP cope with stress is critical to ensuring their safety and that of the public. In the current study, we examined the coping strategies of PSP (n = 828 in the total sample). Participants managed their experiences of occupational stress or distress using three primary approach coping strategies: education (learning about mental illness and their causes), self-reliance (processes of self-reflection), and treatment (pharmaceutical, psychotherapy) that were considered adaptive. Results demonstrate PSP used multiple coping strategies simultaneously to deal with occupational stress. PSP who reported doing better tended to attribute their success to treatment, specifically psychotherapy, either alone or in combination with other interventions, and almost always emphasizing important supports from co-workers, families, and friends. Changing workplace culture could help to de-pathologize the effects of stress reactions being perceived as individual "failings".

Adherence of the #Here4U App - Military Version to Criteria for the Development of Rigorous Mental Health Apps.

BACKGROUND: Over the past several years, the emergence of mobile mental health apps has increased as a potential solution for populations who may face logistical and social barriers to traditional service delivery, including individuals connected to the military. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the #Here4U App - Military Version is to provide evidence-informed mental health support to members of Canada's military community, leveraging artificial intelligence in the form of IBM Canada's Watson Assistant to carry on unique text-based conversations with users, identify presenting mental health concerns, and refer users to self-help resources or recommend professional health care where appropriate. METHODS: As the availability and use of mental health apps has increased, so too has the list of recommendations and guidelines for efficacious development. We describe the development and testing conducted between 2018 and 2020 and assess the quality of the #Here4U App against 16 criteria for rigorous mental health app development, as identified by Bakker and colleagues in 2016. RESULTS: The #Here4U App - Military Version met the majority of Bakker and colleagues' criteria, with those unmet considered not applicable to this particular product or out of scope for research conducted to date. Notably, a formal evaluation of the efficacy of the app is a major priority moving forward. CONCLUSIONS: The #Here4U App - Military Version is a promising new mental health e-solution for members of the Canadian Armed Forces community, filling many of the gaps left by traditional service delivery.

Occupational therapy and posttraumatic stress disorder: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND.: People who are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can experience disruptions in their daily occupations. Occupational therapists may assist clients with PTSD to reengage in meaningful occupations. PURPOSE.: This scoping review aims to identify and describe the ways occupational therapy addresses PTSD in clinical practice. METHOD.: Scholarly databases were searched for documents relating to occupational therapy and PTSD. Two reviewers independently applied selection criteria and systematically extracted information. Data were extracted and synthesized in a narrative format. FINDINGS.: Fifty sources met inclusion criteria and three major themes were identified: recognizing trauma within specific populations, PTSD's impact on a range of occupations, and occupational therapy's response to PTSD. IMPLICATIONS.: Occupational therapists are working in multidisciplinary teams to reduce the impact of PTSD on the daily occupations of their clients. More effectiveness studies are required to understand the outcomes of occupational therapy interventions for clients with PTSD.

A scoping review of mental health mobile apps for use by the military community.

Advancements in technology have opened doors to new directions in mental health care, including the emergence of mobile health applications. Such apps are helping to make mental health care more accessible to those who face barriers to care, such as military personnel. We conducted a scoping review to map the existing literature on mental health-related apps intended for use by military personnel/veterans. As a result, we identified several themes from the literature. We also discuss how apps are being developed and tested for use by the military community and provide suggestions for future research directions.

Perceptions of Sedentary Behavior Among Socially Engaged Older Adults.

Purpose: To better understand the perceptions of sedentary behavior, its pros and cons, and the barriers associated with reducing sedentary time as it pertains to older adults. Design and Methods: Four focus group sessions were conducted with older adults (n = 26). Each focus group lasted approximately 45min, was led by an experienced qualitative researcher, and utilized probing questions on the definition of sedentary behavior, pros and cons of sedentary behavior, and programming needs for sedentary time reduction. Sessions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently extracted data from the transcripts and identified major themes and subthemes. Data on sociodemographics and current activity levels were collected via questionnaires. Results: Participants were 74±8.5 years old and were primarily women (77%). They self-reported sitting for 5.6±1.7h per day and engaging in physical activity for 172±115min/day. Four themes were identified. The first theme indicated that older adults have varied definitions of the term sedentary behavior and that they have a negative perception of this term. The second theme indicated that participants perceived social, cognitive, and physical benefits to the sedentary activities in which they engaged, and that these activities were meaningful. The third theme indicated that physical health was the only perceived disadvantage of engaging in sedentary activities. Finally, the fourth theme indicated that there were several perceived barriers to sedentary time reduction, both person and environment related. Implications: These findings have implications for use of terminology in policy and public health strategies targeting sedentary time reduction in older adults.

Factors Influencing Sedentary Behaviour in Older Adults: An Ecological Approach.

Sedentary behaviour is negatively associated with several health outcomes and is particularly problematic among older adults. Knowledge translation tools and public health promotion strategies are needed; however, little evidence is available to inform framing of such tools or development of intervention programs. The aim of the present study was to use data on the perceptions of sedentary time and the programs or supports older adults identify as important for reducing their sedentary time, to inform knowledge translation strategies targeting this population. Focus groups were conducted with four groups of older adults (n = 26) at local seniors' centres (Ontario, Canada). Participants were 74 ± 8.5 years old and were engaging in both sedentary and physical activities in a social environment. Using the Ecological Model for sedentary time in adults, we categorized data into leisure time, household, transport and occupation domains. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors that worked to either discourage or promote sedentary behaviour were identified. Drawing on both groupings of data, results were synthesized to inform public health strategies on appropriate messaging and better uptake of programming and guidelines. For example, successful programs developed on the topic will need to include a social component and a mentally stimulating component, as these were identified as critical for enjoyment and motivation. It was clear from this analysis that sedentary time reduction strategies will need to consider the different domains in which older adults accumulate sedentary time.