Examining the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Iraqi Refugees in Canada.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health and social inequities among migrant groups more than others. Higher rates of poverty, unemployment, living in crowded households, and language barriers have placed resettled refugees at a higher risk of facing disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. To understand how this most vulnerable population has been impacted by the ongoing pandemic, this study reports on the responses of 128 Iraqi refugees in the city of London, Ontario, to a survey on the economic, social, and health-related impacts that they have faced for almost two years since the beginning the pandemic. The analysis of the survey indicated that 90.4% of the study population reported having health concerns during the pandemic while 80.3% expressed facing financial distress. The results also show that 58.4% of respondents experienced some form of social isolation. These all suggest that refugees are faced with several barriers which can have a compounding effect on their resettlement experience. These findings provide resettlement and healthcare providers with some information that may assist in reducing the impact of COVID-19 and other possible health security emergencies on resettled refugees and their communities.

Descriptive analysis of the most common types of food safety infractions at ready-to-eat meat processing plants in Ontario, Canada.

Food safety inspections of meat processing plants and abattoirs that process ready-to-eat (RTE) meats have identified a lack of compliance with good manufacturing practices. This study was undertaken to identify common food safety infractions in the RTE meat processing sector in Ontario through an analysis of historical audit records. A total of 376,457 audit item results were evaluated across 912 unique audits of 204 different RTE meat plants. A nearly two-thirds overall item pass rate (64.4%; n = 242,478) was identified. Across all other risk categories, the highest rates of infractions were observed in the "maintenance of premises, equipment and utensils" (56.7%; n = 750). The overall item pass rate was higher in free-standing meat processing plants than abattoirs, while pass rates gradually decreased across the study period. The results of this study have identified key areas for improvement in future inspection, audit and outreach with RTE meat processing plants.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Safety Inspection Outcomes in Toronto, Canada: A Bayesian Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in major disruptions to the food service industry and regulatory food inspections. The objective of this study was to conduct an interrupted time series analysis to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food safety inspection trends in Toronto, Canada. Inspection data for restaurants and take-out establishments were obtained from 2017 to 2022 and summarized as weekly counts of inspections, pass ratings, and total infractions. Bayesian segmented regression was conducted to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on weekly infraction and inspection pass rates. On average, a 0.31-point lower weekly infraction rate (95% credible interval [CI]: 0.23, 0.40) and a 2.0% higher probability of passing inspections (95% CI: 1.1%, 3.0%) were predicted in the pandemic period compared to prepandemic. Models predicted lower infraction rates and higher pass rates immediately following the pandemic, with additional variability compared to the prepandemic period, that were regressing back toward pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Seasonal effects were also identified, with infraction rates highest in April and pass rates lowest in August. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an initial positive effect on food safety outcomes in restaurants and take-out food establishments in Toronto, but this effect appears to be temporary. This finding could be due to the beneficial impact of COVID-19 protection measures in these establishments or other factors such as less volume of customers. Additional research is needed to investigate causes of the identified differences as well as seasonal and long-term inspection trends postpandemic. Results can inform future food safety inspection planning, outreach, and pandemic preparedness.

Ready-to-eat Meat Plant Characteristics Associated with Food Safety Deficiencies During Regulatory Compliance Audits, Ontario, Canada.

Food safety deficiencies in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat processing plants can increase foodborne disease risks. The purpose of this study was to identify common deficiencies and factors related to improved food safety performance in RTE meat plants in Ontario. Routine food safety audit records for licensed provincial free-standing meat processing plants (FSMPs) and abattoirs that process RTE meats were obtained and analyzed in Ontario, Canada, from 2015 to 2019. A Bayesian regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between selected plant characteristics and two outcomes: overall audit rating (pass vs. conditional pass or fail) and individual audit item fail rate. The audit rating was examined in a logistic model, while the audit item fail rate was evaluated in a negative binomial model. The majority (87.7%, n = 800/912) of audits resulted in a pass rating (compared to conditional pass or fail). The mean number of employees per plant, among 200/204 plants with employee data available, was 11.6 (SD = 20.6, range = 1-200). For the logistic regression model, FSMPs were predicted to have a much higher probability of passing audits than abattoirs (32.0% on average, with a 95% credible interval [CI] of 13.8-52.8%). The number of plant employees, water source (municipal vs. private), and types of RTE meat products produced had little to no consistent association with this outcome. The negative binomial model predicted a -0.009 points lower fail rate, on average, for audit items among FSMPs than abattoirs (95% CI: -0.001, -0.018). Meat plants producing jerky had a higher audit item fail rate compared to those that did not produce such products. The other investigated variables had little to no association with this outcome. The results found in this study can support and guide future inspection, audit and outreach efforts to reduce foodborne illness risks associated with RTE meats.

Determinants of bather hygiene in public swimming pools: a mixed-methods analysis of online discussion comments.

Swimming in public pools can expose bathers to microbiological (e.g., Cryptosporidium) and chemical (e.g., disinfection by-product) hazards, which can lead to recreational water illness. Adequate hygienic behaviours among bathers are important to reduce these risks. However, prior studies have found low compliance with pre-swim showering and avoidance of urinating in pools. We conducted a mixed-methods analysis of online discussion comments to identify key determinants of these two behaviours. We identified relevant discussion threads on Reddit, Quora, and swimming forums. Identified comments were classified as having a positive or negative sentiment towards the behaviour, and they were thematically analyzed according to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). We analyzed 986 comments from 45 threads; 49.8% of comments were classified as expressing a positive sentiment towards the behaviour. Positive sentiments were more commonly expressed towards pre-swim showering compared to avoidance of urinating in pools (60.1 vs. 47.1%). Eleven themes were identified across the following eight TDF domains: beliefs about consequences (n = 362 comments), social influences (n = 298), beliefs about capabilities (n = 240), social/professional role and identity (n = 144), knowledge (n = 138), emotions (n = 137), reinforcement (n = 78), and environmental context and resources (n = 33). Results can help to inform targeted educational and outreach strategies with bathers to encourage increased adoption of hygienic behaviours.

Global Health Impacts for Economic Models of Climate Change: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rationale: Avoiding excess health damages attributable to climate change is a primary motivator for policy interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the health benefits of climate mitigation, as included in the policy assessment process, have been estimated without much input from health experts. Objectives: In accordance with recommendations from the National Academies in a 2017 report on approaches to update the social cost of greenhouse gases (SC-GHG), an expert panel of 26 health researchers and climate economists gathered for a virtual technical workshop in May 2021 to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis and recommend improvements to the estimation of health impacts in economic-climate models. Methods: Regionally resolved effect estimates of unit increases in temperature on net all-cause mortality risk were generated through random-effects pooling of studies identified through a systematic review. Results: Effect estimates and associated uncertainties varied by global region, but net increases in mortality risk associated with increased average annual temperatures (ranging from 0.1% to 1.1% per 1°C) were estimated for all global regions. Key recommendations for the development and utilization of health damage modules were provided by the expert panel and included the following: not relying on individual methodologies in estimating health damages; incorporating a broader range of cause-specific mortality impacts; improving the climate parameters available in economic models; accounting for socioeconomic trajectories and adaptation factors when estimating health damages; and carefully considering how air pollution impacts should be incorporated in economic-climate models. Conclusions: This work provides an example of how subject-matter experts can work alongside climate economists in making continued improvements to SC-GHG estimates.

Determinants of Food Thermometer Use and Poultry Washing among Canadian Consumers.

ABSTRACT: Previous surveys have found that few Canadians report using a food thermometer to check cooking doneness, and many report rinsing or washing poultry prior to cooking. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted to investigate the sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants of the reported use of these behaviors among Canadians. A questionnaire was developed, guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework, and pretested through 10 cognitive interviews. The questionnaire was administered in English and French on 18 November 2019, to an online panel of 524 Canadian consumers. Logistic and ordinal regression models were constructed to evaluate determinants of consumers' reported thermometer ownership (yes or no) and thermometer use and poultry washing frequencies (each measured on a 5-point Likert scale). Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%; n = 333) reported owning a food thermometer. Thermometer ownership was more common among males (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02, 2.15) and those with higher income categories. Nearly 45% of these respondents (n = 147) reported often or always using their thermometer to check cooking doneness. The frequency of engaging in this behavior was best determined by four psychosocial constructs: behavioral intentions, beliefs about consequences, self-efficacy, and habits. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%; n = 333) reported often or always washing their poultry before cooking it. This behavior was more frequently reported by males (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.002, 2.28). It was also predicted by six psychosocial constructs: behavioral intentions, beliefs about consequences, self-efficacy, social influences, social responsibility, and habits. Habits had the largest influence on both behaviors. The study results can inform the development of more targeted food safety education and outreach initiatives to improve these behaviors among Canadians.