Biomedical subjects

T Cameron Wild

Publications and source records attributed to T Cameron Wild.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Demographic, health, and behavioral factors associated with smoking in adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: To identify demographic, health, and behavioral factors associated with smoking behavior in adults with diabetes. METHODS: Canadian adults 18+ years with type 1 (n=697) or type 2 (n=1621) were investigated. Logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for both diabetes subgroups. RESULTS: When comparing never versus ever smokers, never versus current smokers, and former smokers who quit versus current smokers, similarities and differences for demographic, health, and behavioral factors were found for the 2 diabetes subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes type, demographic, health, and behavioral factors should be considered when tailoring smoking cessation and prevention programs.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alcohol problems and interest in self-help: a population study of Alberta adults.

BACKGROUND: We quantified the prevalence of alcohol problems among Alberta adults and determined relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, problem drinking status, and interest in self-help materials to reduce alcohol use. METHODS: A computer-aided telephone interview was administered to a stratified random sample of 10,014 Albertans, 18 years of age or older (5,621 women and 4,393 men; M age = 43.3 years, SD = 16.0), with a response rate of 65.4%. Measures included: 1) current drinking status, 2) prior alcohol treatment, 3) problem drinking status (using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; AUDIT), and 4) interest in receiving free self-help materials to encourage safe drinking. Data were weighted to reflect age, sex, and regional Alberta population. RESULTS: Of the total sample, 19.3% abstained from drinking in the past year, 4.2% had received treatment for alcohol problems at some point in their lives, and 80.7% were current drinkers (i.e., consumed alcohol in the previous year). Some 15.2% (n = 1,193) of current drinkers were classified as having a drinking problem. Logistic regression analyses showed that problem drinkers had 3.5 times greater odds of being male and 2.3 times greater odds of being interested in self-help interventions, compared to other current drinkers. Being single, of younger age, and not being exposed to post-secondary education also significantly predicted problem drinking status. INTERPRETATION: Alcohol misuse is common among Alberta drinkers, but many of them are interested in receiving brief public health interventions designed to help them assert control over their behaviour.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence and factors related to Canadian workplace health programs.

BACKGROUND: This study documented the prevalence and factors related to workplace health programs in Canada, including Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), drug testing programs, and Health Promotion Programs (HPPs). METHODS: A representative sample of 565 Human Resources Managers at worksites with 100 or more employees across Canada completed a questionnaire on the worksite characteristics and the types of programs at their workplace (response rate = 79.8%). RESULTS: EAPs were established in 67.8% of sampled worksites (95% CI: 63.9%-71.7%). The proportion of worksites with EAPs varied significantly across work sectors (p<0.001) but not across regions of Canada. Worksites with EAPs had significantly (p<0.001) fewer visible minorities and had more unionized employees (p<0.001) than worksites without EAPs. For drug-testing programs, about 10.3% of Canadian worksites have them (95% CI: 7.8%-12.8%). Significant differences were noted across regions (p<0.001) with Alberta most likely to have such programs (25.4%) and Ontario least likely (4.6%). Also, safety-sensitive worksites and those with United States ownership were significantly (p<0.05) more likely to have drug testing. The most common type of HPP was fitness programs (29.4%) and the least common was day/elder care programs (5.5%). Fitness programs were most common in the Eastern provinces and least common in Quebec. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Canadian worksites favour a health promotion and treatment approach over a deterrence approach for addressing health and substance use issues in the workplace. Workplace health programs were related to several factors that have created an uneven system of health promotion, treatment and deterrence in Canadian worksites.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health and social services accessed by a cohort of Canadian illicit opioid users outside of treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of social and health services by illicit opioid users outside of treatment in five Canadian cities ('OPICAN' cohort). METHODS: 677 eligible participants completed an interviewer-administered protocol and 584 supplied saliva samples for HIV and HCV antibody-testing. Chi-squared tests and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were carried out in order to determine the associations between use of services and specific factors. The explanatory variables of service utilization were determined with multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 35 years, 66% were male and 68% were Caucasian. Women and HIV-positive individuals were more likely to receive health care. Participants who had a history of injection drug use, but had not injected within the previous 30 days, visited doctors more regularly and had a higher uptake of community-based services. Those who reported mental health problems used services less frequently than others. Participants recruited in Vancouver had more visits to needle exchange programs and centres specifically for women. Toronto participants were more likely to use homeless shelters and had a higher uptake of other types of community-based services. CONCLUSION: Our study found a high rate of physical and mental health problems in illicit untreated opioid users in Canada, including the transmission of infectious disease. The availability of services seems to be a predictor of use of services. Setting up, adapting and evaluating front-line services tailored to illicit opioid users outside of treatment should be a policy and program priority.

Adult↗