Chronic Dis Can
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The Health Belief Model (HBM) was evaluated for secondary prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in an Aboriginal population in British Columbia. Glycemic markers (glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]), insulin and post-load glucose), diabetes health beliefs (susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers), knowledge and behaviour were measured for 16 men and 18 women with diabetes (age [SD]=57.7 [11.6]). ⋯ The results support a therapeutic emphasis on belief in the severity of diabetes complications, and the complementary belief that barriers to therapeutic behaviour can be overcome in efforts to support Aboriginal persons with diabetes to manage their disease. The empirical utility of the HBM in glycemic control was partially upheld.
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The Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control is a stakeholder-driven initiative, led by a partnership between the Canadian Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies and Health Canada. The planning process began in January 1999 and currently involves more than 130 health professionals and community representatives who are volunteering their time, experience and expertise. ⋯ Working groups are addressing 11 areas of the cancer continuum: prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, supportive care/rehabilitation, palliative care, pediatric cancer, research, human resource planning, surveillance and informatics/technology. Two stakeholder conferences will engage all cancer stakeholders in helping develop recommendations and establishing priorities for cancer control in Canada.
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This paper describes the epidemiology of drug overdose deaths investigated by the medical examiner in one of the cities participating in the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use and assesses the quality of the information obtained from medical examiner charts with respect to drug overdose deaths, for surveillance purposes. Information was abstracted from medical examiner charts of all deaths involving drugs from 1993 to 1995 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. During these three years, 636 deaths from all causes were investigated by the medical examiner. ⋯ An independent review performed by a toxicologist and a medical examiner revealed poor overall agreement concerning overdose as a cause of death (Kappa coefficient: 0.27). In conclusion, the average crude mortality rate due to drug overdose in Halifax from 1993 to 1995 was 4.1 deaths per 100,000 population. Potential threats to the quality of data were the lack of standardization concerning toxicological testing and the definition of drug overdose.
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Gun deaths and injuries in Canada are a serious public health problem, claiming more than 1200 lives each year and resulting in over 1000 hospitalizations. While the issue has been hotly debated in recent years, considerable research in an international context suggests that there is a relationship between access to firearms and deaths and injuries caused by firearms. ⋯ Although domestic controls can affect the supply of guns, efforts are being co-ordinated increasingly on an interjurisdictional basis to decrease the illegal trafficking of firearms. As well, the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Commission recently passed a resolution encouraging all countries who have not done so to strengthen their domestic gun controls since weak controls in one country can affect security in others.
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We report on legislators' attitudes and experiences regarding tobacco and tobacco control using findings from a 1996/97 telephone survey of provincial and territorial legislators in Canada. Across all jurisdictions, legislators showed support for a number of tobacco control policies and for a major government role in implementing programs and policies to discourage youth from smoking. Further, substantial numbers of legislators indicated they did not have enough tobacco-related contact with medical and non-profit health organizations. These findings can guide the activities of health agencies, researchers and advocates in support of effective strategies to reduce the public health impact of tobacco use in Canada.