Policy and Politics

1054 articles:
Economy
Medical Associations
Ethics
International
USA
Africa
Asia
Europe
Law
by Deepy Sur Tashani Parker

Including social workers in mental health care is a win-win for patients and providers

Primary care is one of the most common ways people access mental health treatment in this country. But with limited access to primary care providers, more patients are likely to slip through the cracks. Integrating social workers into primary health care teams could help.

by Jayden Battey Peter Zhang

Prescribing community for mental health – lessons from Australia

Without the right combination of medication, housing and community, patients can receive treatment only to find themselves lonely, disconnected, homeless, incarcerated or back in hospital again. Housing communities may offer help.

by Anne Borden King

Middle-school minds in teenage bodies: The post-pandemic crisis in our high schools

During the early years of the pandemic, it was often said that the children would be resilient. But perhaps that was more of a comfortable refrain than a reality. High schoolers are not okay. We need to find solutions to help them thrive.

by Adnan Haider

‘Everything is at stake here’: Startups aim to break addictions to social media

Society depends on our ability to pay sustained attention to what matters – and all of that now hinges on creating a healthier digital environment.
by Dana Lee Olstad Michelle Aktary Kim Raine

A comprehensive approach is needed to address Canada’s food insecurity crisis

Food insecurity impacts nearly 7 million Canadians. There may not be a single “best” approach to addressing household food insecurity, but it is time for a more comprehensive approach to one of our most complex and urgent societal problems.
by Megan Werger

Protecting pregnancy in clinical trials poses risks

Historically pregnant people have been largely excluded from clinical trials. But in the long-term, better representation in research will promote maternal and fetal well-being.
by Maddi Dellplain

‘It’s the structures that are sick – it’s not the kids’: Experts stress importance of clean air in schools

How important is air ventilation and filtration in classrooms? Is air quality something that should be a budgetary priority for school boards and provincial and federal governments? This is what the experts had to say.
by Amir Imani 

Vanessa’s Law expansion puts natural health products in their place

Vanessa’s Law,” mandates hospitals to report serious adverse events that may have originated from medications and medical devices. This year it was expanded to include Natural Health Products, a move that should have been made long ago.

by Karen Black

National dental program leaves the vulnerable behind, critics say

The federal government is about to embark on the largest investment in oral health in Canadian history. But critics say this landmark investment may not reach the people who need it most.
by Cyndi Gilbert Michelle Cohen

Naturopathic doctors: Underutilized partners in public health and primary care

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) have an important role to play in the health-care system. We need a pilot project to assess the viability of ND integration into team-based primary care models.
by Miranda So Jennifer Curran Shahid Husain Mark McIntyre Andrew Morris Jenna Sauve Shreeya Thakrar Bohang Zhao

Turning back the tide: The challenge of antimicrobial resistance and its impact on our health

As antimicrobial stewardship clinicians, we implement system-level interventions and engage with prescribers to promote behaviour change in antimicrobial use. It's not too late to turn back the tide on antimicrobial resistance, but we must start now.

by Hirut Melaku

‘I unapologetically choose love’: A queer Ethiopian-Jewish woman’s view of the Israeli-Gaza conflict

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is undoubtedly complex, but the path forward is not as convoluted as it may seem. The solution is simple (perhaps too simple for those in power who aim to confuse us): Stop killing children and lead with love for children while upholding their rights under international law.
by James Janeiro

Canada’s diverse caregiving community in dire need of federal strategy

Canada is a nation of caregivers. But caregivers and care recipients alike are at risk for burnout. We need a concerted policy response that meets caregivers where they are.

by Laurence Klotz

Prostate-cancer screening: Guideline reflects lack of knowledgeable expert input

The last guideline on prostate-cancer screening was published in 2014. At the time, the task force approached the Canadian Urologic Association (CUA) and asked that it provide an expert panel of “stakeholders” to provide input....We found that the task force guideline utilized only data from a small number of randomized trials and ignored scores of other relevant studies. The analysis of the studies that were reviewed was superficial and the guideline was flawed.
by Yvonne Buys

Vision screening in primary care: Flawed methodology, dangerous recommendations

The Canadian Ophthalmological Society, which represents all ophthalmologists in Canada, recognizes the importance of guidelines but also appreciates the challenges around them. For guidelines to be effective, they need to involve a variety of stakeholders with varying expertise from the beginning to ensure inclusion of all the evidence and consideration of issues where there may not be published data.
by Martin Yaffe

Breast-cancer screening: Balancing harm vs. risks

One would expect that the priority of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care on breast-cancer screening would be to recommend practices that would maximally reduce mortality and morbidity from disease. In the case of breast cancer, this suggests focusing on effective guidelines for those who are at increased probability of developing disease or increased risk of late diagnosis and the consequent higher likelihood of premature death or morbidity associated with treating advanced disease.
by Shushiela Appavoo

Excluding experts doesn’t make sense

Most assume that the Canadian task force guidelines are led by content expert specialist clinicians. But this is not the case. The task force says it excludes content experts from genuine involvement in guideline development to avoid conflicts of interest. However, in the Canadian health-care context, this is not a valid argument.
by Catriona Hippman

We have a tool to help prevent suicide during pregnancy and postpartum. Why does the task force recommend against using it?

In 2022, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care released recommendations against using a tool (the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale – EPDS) to screen for depression during pregnancy and the postpartum. These recommendations do not agree with those made by experts in B.C. and Ontario; and around the world in Australia, the United States, England and Scotland. It is important that we look closely at these recommendations and try to understand why they differ.
by Rubina Ahmed

‘This place keeps me fed’: Langars coping with surge in users

Much like food banks, across Canada Sikh gurdwaras have been feeding an ever-growing number of people in recent years.

by Sangeetha Nadarajah

Gummies for pain relief? Using cannabis while on prescription drugs risky for seniors

Despite their widespread use, you may want to think twice before giving grandma cannabis gummies for her knee pain.

1 of 53