The Paediatric Inpatient Research Network (PIRN) is Looking to Identify Priorities in Paediatric Hospital Care Research

The Paediatric Inpatient Research Network (PIRN) is working with the James Lind Alliance on a Paediatric Hospital Care Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) which seeks to better understand the questions Canadians have about paediatric hospital care.

PIRN is now launching phase 2 of the project and are looking for parents, caregivers, children or teens who was hospitalized on a general paediatric ward, as well as healthcare providers (e.g. doctor, nurse, dietician, etc.) who take care of children on a general paediatric ward to help identify the Top 10 most important questions for paediatric hospital care research. Participants can lend expertise from their own personal/professional experience, and have a say in setting paediatric hospital care research priorities.

To complete a short questionnaire, click the button below. This survey is open from May 2021 to July 2021.

To learn more about the study, check out this video. Have questions? Email PIRN at paediatrichospitalcare.psp@sickkids.ca or visit the website.

Spotlighting Children and Youth with Disabilities and How You Can Be an Ally

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

By Emily Chan (General member, The Young Canadians Roundtable on Health)

In 2017, Statistics Canada found that one in five (22%) of the Canadian population had one or more disabilities – or around 6.2 million Canadians. Of this number, over 200,000 are children and youth, many of whom live with multiple disabilities. The Canadian Survey on Disability conducted by Statistics Canada categorized ten disability types: seeing, hearing, mobility, flexibility, dexterity, pain, learning, developmental, mental/psychological, and memory. Although this is not an exhaustive list, it illustrates an important point: some disabilities are visible, others are not. The Learning Disability Association of Canada estimates that one in ten Canadians has a learning disability and Statistics Canada estimates mental health-related disabilities are the most prevalent type of disability in youth ages 15-24.

A prominent issue faced by children and youth with disabilities is ableism. The term is defined as a form of discrimination and a way to exclude individuals with disabilities on the basis that typical abilities are superior. Ableism takes many forms and poses significant challenges and barriers for children and youth with disabilities.

• Ableism looks like bullying. According to the Canadian Survey on Disability, 42% of youth with a disability have experienced bullying at school because of their condition. This number increases to 62% among youth with a severe disability or multiple disabilities. This leads to feelings of isolation, exclusion, and loneliness. Much of the bullying stems from the fact that children and youth with disabilities can have different ways of navigating the world (e.g. using a wheelchair), communicating (e.g. using sign language), and expressing themselves. The problem of isolation and exclusion has only worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Ableism looks like discriminatory hiring practices. Statistics Canada found that the employment rate for individuals with disabilities is significantly lower compared to non-disabled employees. Many youth seeking employment are confronted with the challenge of finding a role they can perform with their disability and finding an inclusive organization to work for. There is an additional challenge of determining when and how to disclose a disability during an interview with a potential employer. Many youth worry about facing stigma and discrimination if they disclose their disability to an employer. The fear becomes, ‘they do not think I am capable of performing this job because of my disability.’ Yet, not disclosing prevents youth from asking for workplace accommodations which may help them perform the job tasks to the best of their ability. This internalized form of ableism prevents many youth with disabilities from pursuing exciting careers or deters them from seeking employment entirely.

• Ableism looks like inaccessible environments. From the lack of curb cuts and working elevators to the lack of closed captioning and ASL interpreter supports available in classrooms, society is not built in a way that supports children and youth with disabilities.

Ableism is pervasive in our everyday lives. However, you can be part of the change. Here are four tips on how you can be a youth ally and stand in solidarity with children and youth with disabilities.

1. Never assume that someone with a disability needs help.

   • Although your intentions to help are good, it is not always needed. Always ask and wait until an invitation to help has been extended before taking action, and respect that your invitation may be declined

2. Ask the child/youth with a disability if they prefer person-first or identity-first language.

   • An example of person-first language is saying ‘youth with a disability’ and an example of identity first language is saying ‘disabled person.’ Although referring to a person with a disability (PWD) by name is the best option, if you are talking about a PWD, always check to see which language a person prefers as not everyone prefers person-first language.  

3. Keep accessibility at the forefront of your mind when creating spaces.

   • Whether it be online spaces or physical spaces/events/forums, always ask yourself if this space is accessible and inclusive and if not, what modifications would you need to put in place? This may include closed captioning, ASL interpreters, and documents available in alternative formats. If you are not sure if a space you are creating is accessible, ask.

4. If you witness a form of ableism taking place, and you feel comfortable, say something.

Emily Chan is a recent graduate of the Master of Social Work Program at the University of Toronto and identifies as a young person with a disability. As a passionate advocate for disability rights and leader in her community, Emily has lent her lived experience to several disability justice and health equity organizations. She is also an active stakeholder on many community committees including the Holland Bloorview Youth Advisory Council, the Young Canadians Roundtable on Health, and the March of Dimes Strategic Planning Committee. Emily also hopes to continue being a champion for change and advancements of disability rights.

The time is now to advance girls’ rights and health in Canada

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

By Lauren Hamill (General member, The Young Canadians Roundtable on Health)

Content Warning: sensitive topics including gender-based violence and sexual abuse

As we reach the end of Women’s History Month, it is important to consider what we can learn from the history of women’s rights and health to ensure that future generations of girls and women can realize their right to health. In order for this to be a reality, girls’ health must be a priority in Canada’s post-pandemic recovery plan. Since the pandemic began in Canada, the impacts have exposed gaps in our systems and highlighted existing inequalities for women and girls.

Even before the pandemic, girls faced many additional challenges and barriers. When girls start school they are generally more likely to do well in reading, writing, and forming friendships, yet as girls approach adolescence, things begin to change. Indigenous girls in Canada are especially at risk and experience even higher levels of mental illness, suicide, gender-based violence, and poverty. Other girls who are systemically disadvantaged include those of lower socioeconomic status, racialized and immigrant girls, and those that live in rural areas.

Girls experience high levels of sexual assault and other forms of violence, with over 11,000 sexual assaults of girls under the age of 18 being reported to police in Canada in 2016. This number is likely much higher, due to the underreporting of such offences. Girls also experience sexual assault at much higher rates than boys, with 83% of all sexual assault victims under the age of 18 being female in 2016.

Girls also experience serious declines in mental health and wellness when entering adolescence, with 36% of girls saying they are self-confident in Grade 6, but only 14% saying the same in Grade 10 according to a Public Health Agency of Canada report. More girls aged 10-17 are hospitalized for mental disorders than boys the same age, and Canadian girls are 15 times more likely to be hospitalized for an eating disorder than males. Alarmingly, suicide remains the third-leading cause of death for girls aged 10-14, and the second-leading cause of death for girls aged 15-19 in Canada.

Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash

Women and girls also participate in sport and recreation less than men and boys as athletes, coaches, and leaders in Canada across all demographic categories. Period stigma and period poverty can also further limit participation of girls in activities. Plan Canada’s 2019 Gender Study found that 68 per cent of women in Canada felt that their period prevented them from full participation in an activity, with the number even higher for women and girls under 25 years of age. A third of women under 25 also reported struggling to afford menstrual products for themselves or others.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional layer to the barriers girls and women face, due to lockdowns, school closures and unequal access to virtual learning. While the impacts of the pandemic on women are being highlighted, these impacts are less known for girls. Women have seen increased job losses, reduced hours of work, and are responsible for the majority of unpaid care responsibilities at home. There have also been higher reports of intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence. These impacts have been increased for Indigenous women, racialized women and other underrepresented groups of women.

These challenges and barriers have long existed for women, but were made far worse due to the pandemic, resulting in more attention. It can then be expected that the inequalities girls face will also be exacerbated. Let’s not wait until these impacts are at their worst and most obvious before we bring attention to them and respond.

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

We must act now to ensure that the girls of today and women of tomorrow do not face the same inequalities of the women of history and today. Through highlighting these gaps, the pandemic has given us a unique opportunity to ensure that the next generation of women will not face the same challenges and will come out stronger in the progress towards gender equality. This will require systemic change that looks at the unique needs of diverse girls across the country.

This requires us to ask questions and learn about the plight of girls in Canada, and to bring awareness to these issues, sign petitions, and advocate to government for change. We must demand more data related to the impacts of the pandemic on girls so that we can respond effectively. We must ensure girls are involved in the recovery and are encouraged in leadership and decision-making positions. This must act as the catalyst for systemic change that improves women’s and girls’ economic security and prosperity.

We must also address the other hidden pandemic that has long plagued our country: gender-based violence. This can only be done through the erasure of stigma and attitudes in our society that prevent girls from reporting and that protect perpetrators. We must also demand improved supports and services for victims.

We cannot address these issues in isolation. The pandemic has shown us that these various inequalities are interconnected – when one worsens, others will also magnify. We need intersectional approaches that recognize the diverse needs of different groups of women and girls and the intersecting barriers they may face.

No matter what we do, we must start now. We cannot let a whole generation of girls fall behind, or else repeat the plights women have faced throughout history and lose progress gained in the fight for gender equality.

Lauren Hamill is a Master of Public Health student at the University of Toronto. She is currently specializing in women’s health and global health and hopes to pursue medicine or to work in maternal and child health programming. She has various experience with non-profits, and in the global health field especially in regard to women’s health programs and monitoring. In her free time, she runs BloomiBox, an organization working to provide vulnerable mothers and babies with essentials.

Try CANUE's new prototype tool on built environment

What’s your GoodScore?

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health, in partnership with The Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) has received funding to develop a set of digital tools. These tools will help public and environmental health professionals, urban planners, and the general public easily access, use and contribute to data on healthy urban environments.

CANUE has developed a prototype tool aimed at increasing awareness of the built environment and the connections to health and climate change. GoodScore.City will be enhanced and expanded over the next three years, and new tools will be developed that show where neighbourhoods could be improved to increase environmental equity for all Canadians.

Test out the prototype app and take the survey here to tell CANUE what data, features, and functions you would like to see included to help Canadians understand built environment, health and equity. Surveys must be completed by March 12, 2021.

Registration for the second YCRH Series webinar is open!

The Young Canadians Roundtable on Health will be hosting their second webinar! Registration is now open for The YCRH Series: Coping with COVID-19 as Youth which will be happening on Monday, March 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST and will primarily feature organizations and youth speakers from Ontario including YouthNet/RéseauAdo and mindyourmind.ca. Our speakers will be going over strategies on stress management, productivity, self-care, and self-compassion that Canadian youth can implement in their lives during the pandemic.

The webinar will feature the following speakers:

1. mindyourmind is a non-profit mental health program that engages youth, young adults, and the professionals who serve them to co-create tools and resources to build capacity and resilience. In this workshop, you will learn about coping strategies, tools, and mental health resources you can incorporate into their daily lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Emma Hamill grew up in Northern Ontario and has since settled in Victoria, BC to attend the University of Victoria. She is currently completing her Masters of Community Development where she hopes to marry her passion for non-profits with her appreciation for art. In this workshop, you will learn more about using art as a tool for coping, stress management, and advocacy.

3. Zaamilah Balasubramaniam is the founder of Zen with Zaam and is a Hatha Yoga Teacher. Hatha yoga includes a flow of Asanas (yoga poses) and Pranayama (breathing techniques). The skills you acquire from this practice allow you to connect your body, mind and soul, ultimately preparing you for a deeper spiritual practice.

4. YouthNet/RéseauAdo (YNRA) is a for-youth-by-youth mental health promotional organization run through the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). YNRA's two awesome Youth Facilitators (Madison and Tessa) will test your knowledge with some trivia. Get up and move along to practice what we've learned, and challenge yourself to explore ways to take care of your mental health!

The webinar will also have a youth panel who will talk about their experiences during the pandemic and what they’ve been doing to cope.

Attend our webinar for your chance to win some great door prizes! Please register here: https://bit.ly/2OPkNcO. The YCRH Webinar Series is generously sponsored by TELUS.

If you would like more information or have questions about webinar series, please contact the YCRH at ycrh@sandboxproject.ca.