2023 Showcase of Health Research

2023 SHOWCASE OF HEALTH RESEARCH

Conference Program

February 10, 2023

Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre

Thunder Bay, ON

Showcase of Health Research

Since 2006, the Centre for Applied Health Research at St. Joseph’s Care Group has hosted what has become the premier annual venue for the dissemination of research relevant to the health of Northwestern Ontarians.

The Centre for Applied Health Research is pleased to host the 2023 Showcase of Health Research.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Leadership Team at St. Joseph’s Care Group.

Paper Presentations

8:30am Registration and Poster Set-up

9:00 am Welcome & Opening Remarks

Michel Bédard, Scientific Director, St. Joseph’s Care Group

Kelli O’Brien, President & CEO, St. Joseph’s Care Group

9:15 am Lessons Learned from Children's Centre Thunder Bay (CCTB) Lean CQI Journey

Fred Schmidt, Scott McBean, Amy Killen Children's Centre Thunder Bay

9:35 am Childhood Adversity and Alcohol Use Problems in Emerging Adults: Investigating the Role of Stress and Coping Strategies

Vamika Mann, Aislin Mushquash Lakehead University

9:55 am Cannabis Advertisements Violate Federal Prohibitions Against Advertising to Youth: Evidence from an Ontario Adolescent Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Chelsea Noel, Talia Strickland, Nolan Maenpaa, Chris Armiento, Rupert Klein, Daniel Dylan, Anna Koné Pefoyo Lakehead University

10:15 am Changes in Adolescent and Youth Mental Health

Presentations as a Result of COVID-19: A Study of Primary Care Practices in Northern Ontario

Roya Daneshmand, Shreedhar Acharya, Mike Cotterill, Barb Zelek, Brianne Wood Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute, NOSM University

10:35am Poster Presentations and Nutritional Break

11:05 am Preliminary Results from Thunder Bay's IMPACT Mobile Crisis Intervention Team's First Year of Operation

Jillian Zitars, Deborah Scharf, Mila Popovic Lakehead University

11:25 am Supporting Elders Living with Frailty in Remote Indigenous Communities in Northwestern Ontario: Implementing the Role of a Community Rehabilitation Worker

Helle Møller, Hannah Melchiorre, Nicole Lee, Denise Taylor, Joan Rae, Robert Baxter, Nancy Sakchekapo Lakehead University, NOSM University, St. Joseph’s Care Group, Sandy Lake First Nation, Eabametoong First Nation, Michikan Sakahegun First Nation, North Caribou Lake First Nation

11:45 am Look at me now. It is amazing. Exploring the Stroke and Rehabilitation Experiences of Older Adults with Chronic Stroke Living in Thunder Bay

Nicole Lee, Erin Pearson, Paolo Sanzo, Taryn Klarner Lakehead University

12:05pm Poster Presentations and Lunch

*Presenter in Purple

Poster Presentations

1 The Healthy Kids Family Program (HKFP): Outcomes of a 4Week Lifestyle Program for Families Living in Equity

Deserving Neighbourhoods

Delaney Johnson, April Hadley, Rachel Bayes, Aislin

Mushquash, Erin Pearson Lakehead University, Thunder Bay District Health Unit

2 Moving Through COVID: Exploring Physical Activity and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students

During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Brenden Degiacomo, Samantha Morris, Ian Newhouse, Erin Pearson, Aislin Mushquash, Leanne Smith -- Lakehead University

3 Qualitative Evaluation of Youth and Mental Health Service Provider Acceptance of the JoyPop App

Jaidyn Charlton, Ishaq Malik, Arnaldo Perez, Aislin

Mushquash, Elaine Toombs, Fred Schmidt, Crystal Squier Lakehead University, University of Alberta, Children's Centre Thunder Bay, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care

4 Adverse Childhood Experiences: Prevention, Mitigation and Intervention Approaches

Rosemary Scofich, Lee-Ann Chevrette, Audrey Monette, Katie Cook, Lindsay Watt Thunder Bay District Health Unit, City of Thunder Bay, Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention

5 Dialectical Behavioural Therapy at St. Joseph's Care Group: A Program Evaluation

Mila Popovic, Amanda Maranzan, Aislin Mushquash Lakehead University

6 Evaluation of the First Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) Indigenous Chronic Pain and Substance Use in Canada

Project ECHO Indigenous Chronic Pain & Substance Use

Evaluation Team St. Joseph's Care Group, Lakehead University, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (UHN)

7 Wiiji Peer Support App and Indigenous Workplace Mental Health

Vicki Kristman, Mannila Sandhu, Audrey Gilbeau Lakehead University, Nokiiwin Tribal Council

8 Homeless Sector Frontline Workers' (HSFW) Support Needs

During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Ainsley Miller, Jeannette Waegemakers-Schiff, Stephanie Campbell Lakehead University, University of Calgary

9 Remote Work from Home and Employee Mental WellBeing: A Scoping Review

Kara Polson, Vicki Kristman, Lynn Martin Lakehead University

10

Everyone Is a Leader: How Plural Leadership is Enacted By, Between, and Among Long-Term Care Workers

Alexis Harvey, Maria Barnova, Mya Hane David Thompson Lakehead University

Poster Presentations (cont.)

11

Navigating the Path Forward for Dementia in Canada: Results from the Landmark Study

Joshua Armstrong, Saskia Sivananthan, David Stiff, Paul Smetanin, Josée Guimond Alzheimer Society of Canada, Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis

12 Collaborative Approach to Improve Quality of Life for LTC Residents

Dawn Shea, Trisha Wilson, Veronica Howarth, Jennifer Mastrangelo, Divya George St. Joseph's Care Group

13

Predicting Resource Utilization by Long-Term Care

Residents with Dementia: A Machine Learning Approach to Care Planning

Scott Magill, Michael Dohan, Shikui Wu, Kem Zhang, Josh Armstrong – TbayTel, Lakehead University, Alzheimer Society of Canada

14 Alleviating the Demand for Personal Support Workers Using Computer Vision (CV) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs)

Christopher Silver, Thangarajah Akilan Lakehead University

15

Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection and Classification Using 2-D CNN and Sequence Learning Model

Kevin Genereux, Thangarajah Akilan Lakehead University

16

17

A Graph Attention Network for MRI-based Automatic Brain Tumor Segmentation

Dhrumil Patel, Dhruv Patel, Rudra Saxena, Jeevan Sai, Thangarajah Akilan Lakehead University

Developing NWO Navigate: An App for Navigating Stroke Care

Ayman Hassan, Rachid Benlamri, Trina Diner, Keli Cristofaro, Shalyn Littlefield, Hajar Khallouki, Rabail Siddiqui Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

18

19

Patient Experiences with Virtual Visits at a Regional Cancer Centre in Northwestern Ontario

Karen Roberts, Jacqueline Veneruz, Rabail Siddiqui, Shalyn Littlefield, Nicole Laferriere Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

The Impact of Distance from Cancer Center on Health Equity of Prostate Cancer Patients in Northwestern Ontario

Vahid Mehrnoush, Waleed Shabana, Ahmed Kotb, Ahmed Zakaria, Hazem Elmansy, Walid Shahrour NOSM University

20

Impact of COVID-19 Policies: Preliminary learnings from a Community-based Pilot Survey

Helen Gabriel, Hasina Hamdan, Adam Banner, Seneka

Krishnakumar, Anna Péfoyo Koné Lakehead University

21 Intra-limb Coordination and Control in Individuals with Stroke. Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

Eryk Przysucha, Mike Perrier, Taryn Klarner, Madara Marasinghe Lakehead University, University of Waterloo

22

23

The Impact of Weight and Trimester on Balance and Gait in Pregnancy

Abigayle Fontaine, Eryk Przysucha, Taryn Klarner Lakehead University

The Nature of Plyometric Training in Varsity and High School level Sprinters

Braedan Prochnicki, Eryk Przysucha Lakehead University

24

Evaluating the Combined Effect of Neck Muscle Strength and Hockey Goaltender Helmet Liners in Mitigating Concussion Risk

Nicholas Renyard, Carlos Zerpa, Derek Kivi, Meilan Liu, Paolo Sanzo -- Lakehead University

Poster Presentations (cont.)

25

26

Evaluating the Capacity of Two Different Helmet Liner Foams in Mitigating Repetitive Linear Impact Accelerations During Free Falling

Shrivatsa Hegde, Carlos Zerpa, Meilan Liu National Institute of Technology, Lakehead University

Predicting Pain Catastrophizing and Hypervigilance Among Endurance Athletes: The Interactive Roles of Perfectionism and Sport Pain Ethic Endorsement

Alyssa Poulin, John Gotwals, Paolo Sanzo, Leanne Smith, Nicholas Ravanelli Lakehead University

27

28

Comparing the Symmetry of Walking in Transtibial Amputees: Biomechanical Differences of Prosthetic Heel Lifts on Energy Measures

Celia Berry, Paolo Sanzo, Nicholas Ravanelli, Meilan Liu, Carlos Zerpa Lakehead University

The Effects of Radial Shockwave Therapy Compared to Placebo on Measures of Pain and the Qualitative Experiences Following the Intervention

Paolo Sanzo, Martina Agostino, Wes Fidler, Bryan McLeod, Jane Lawrence-Dewar, Erin Pearson, Carlos Zerpa Lakehead University, NOSM University

*Presenter in Purple

Speaker #1

Lessons Learned from Children's Centre Thunder Bay (CCTB)

Lean CQI Journey

Fred Schmidt

Psychology, Children's Centre Thunder Bay

Scott McBean

Manager, Children's Centre Thunder Bay

Amy Killen

Data Analyst, Children's Centre Thunder Bay

Background/Objectives: Over the past 4 years, CCTB has embedded Lean principles and practices into its CQI program including an emphasis on client value, reducing waste, and removing client and staff service irritations. This presentation will highlight the quantitative and qualitative measured client benefits, improved quality, and enhanced organizational performance that can be attained through CQI Lean practices.

Methods: Information on organizational time savings and improved performance has been collected on a prospective basis with all Lean activities.

Results: Over 90% of CCTB staff have been trained at a White and Yellow belt certification level with roughly 15% at Green Belt and 2.5% at Black Belt. A subsample of 13 completed Lean projects have resulted in a yearly cumulative time saving of 5006 staff hours per year (average of 385 hours per project). This saved time has been redirected back to client service and/or organizational needs An additional 15 Lean projects were completed with significant client and organizational benefits accrued from an increase in client value in service delivery, improved organizational processes, reduced waste, and fewer errors, all of which has a positive impact on service quality.

Conclusion: Given limited resources and wait time pressures, leveraging the benefits of a CQI Lean practice is essential in creating a multiplier effect of benefits year over year. CQI is a journey which requires continual work in seeking to improve client value and improve quality using both staff and client expertise. Lessons learned and case examples in implementing Lean CQI practices will be highlighted.

Speaker #2

Childhood Adversity and Alcohol Use Problems in Emerging Adults: Investigating the Role of Stress and Coping Strategies

Vamika Mann

Psychology, Lakehead University

Aislin Mushquash

Psychology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Within Canada, alcohol use and related problems are experienced disproportionately by emerging adults (aged 18 to 29). Emerging adulthood is characterized by events (e.g., beginning post-secondary studies) associated with high-stress levels. Individuals sensitized to stress via experiences of childhood adversity may be at a heightened risk of using alcohol as a coping strategy during this stressful transitional period. This strategy is maladaptive because alcohol use can increase the risk for adverse outcomes (e.g., poor interpersonal relationships and academic outcomes) and does not address the cause of the distress. This study examined explanatory models that predicted alcohol use and related problems in emerging adults. It was hypothesized that perceived stress and disengagement coping (i.e., strategies aimed at diverting from the stressor and/or its associated emotions) would explain the relationship between childhood adversity and alcohol use and related problems.

Methods: Students at Lakehead University (N = 150) completed a series of selfreport measures assessing childhood adversity, perceived stress, disengagement coping strategies, and alcohol variables (quantity, frequency and problems).

Results: As expected, childhood adversity was positively and significantly associated with all study variables, except alcohol frequency and quantity.

Perceived stress and disengagement coping strategies mediated the relationship between childhood adversity and alcohol related problems. Unexpectedly, perceived stress and disengagement coping strategies did not mediate the relationship between childhood adversity and alcohol frequency.

Conclusion: Results suggest that university institutions might consider providing education around stress management through trauma-informed practices and coping strategies to mitigate the impact of early adversity on later alcohol related problems among emerging adults.

Speaker #3

Cannabis Advertisements Violate Federal Prohibitions Against Advertising to Youth: Evidence from an Ontario Adolescent

Ecological

Momentary Assessment Study

Chelsea Noel

Psychology, Lakehead University

Talia Strickland

Psychology, Lakehead University

Nolan Maenpaa

Lakehead University

Chris Armiento

Psychology, Lakehead University

Rupert Klein

Psychology, Lakehead University

Daniel Dylan

Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Lakehead University

Anna Kone Pefoyo

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: In 2018, Canada's Cannabis Act legalized adult recreational cannabis use while simultaneously protecting youth from cannabis-related harms through prohibitions on advertising cannabis products directly to youth. Historically however, similar prohibitions on tobacco and alcohol advertising have been ignored by tobacco and alcohol companies suggesting that violations of cannabis advertising prohibitions may also occur. The purpose of this study was to describe if and how cannabis companies are violating the prohibitions on advertising to youth in Canada's Cannabis Act.

Methods: A convenience sample of Ontario adolescents (n = 139) took photos of cannabis advertisements via smartphone application over a 9-day period as they encountered them in their everyday lives. Researchers coded the photos for violations of advertising prohibitions included in the Cannabis Act.

Results: The majority (71%) of participants recorded at least one cannabis advertising exposure during the study period (range: 1 - 30 exposures), for a total of 374 unique exposures. Data showed evidence of advertisements violating nearly all federal prohibitions in the Cannabis Act, most commonly violating prohibitions against appealing to youth (e.g., advertisements with bright colours, characters; 71.4%) and lifestyle advertising (i.e., presenting a product or brand element to evoke a positive or negative emotion about a way of life, such as glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring; 42.8%).

Conclusion: The current study demonstrates that cannabis companies are violating federal prohibitions by advertising to youth, and that those ads are regularly reaching Canadian youth. The Canadian government should ensure that cannabis companies are aware of advertising prohibitions and then rapidly and thoroughly enforce them to protect youth.

Speaker #4

Changes in Adolescent and Youth Mental Health Presentations as a Result of COVID-19: A Study of Primary Care Practices in Northern Ontario

Roya Daneshmand

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

Shreedhar Acharya

NOSM University

Mike Cotterill

NOSM University

Barb Zelek

NOSM University

Brianne Wood

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

Background/Objectives: Children and young people (CYP) are at greater risk of serious mental health conditions resulting from exposure to long-term stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Access and delivery of mental health services in Northern Ontario face unique challenges related to the systemic social inequalities and shortage of healthcare providers which have worsened due to the pandemic. Primary Health Care (PHC) is often the only point of contact with the healthcare system for patients in rural and remote Northern Ontario. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal retrospective cohort study of primary care visits related to depression and anxiety in Northern Ontario School of Medicine University Research Toward Health Hub (NORTHH), to assess the pattern of using PHC for depression and anxiety in CYP (age 10-24). Using an interrupted time series model and regression analysis we studied the predicted rate of depression/anxiety visits per 10,000 person-month and the predicted rate of antidepressant/antianxiety prescriptions per 10,000 person-month comparing the pre-COVID-19 pandemic timeline to during the pandemic timeline.

Results: The results show an increase in the rate of prescriptions by 6.69 per 10,000 person-month (95% CI:1.89-9.48) and in the rate of visits by 2.52 per 10,000 person-month (95% CI: 0.76-3.69) on average. Predicted rates of visits and prescriptions during the pandemic show an increase by 33% and 63% respectively. Further analysis indicated that the highest predicted rate of visits and prescriptions was in males and females between 10-14 years respectively. Conclusion: Presentations for anxiety/depression in PHC settings increased during the pandemic in Northern Ontario in CYP, especially in female patients.

Speaker #5

Preliminary Results from Thunder Bay's IMPACT Mobile Crisis Intervention Team's First Year of Operation

Jillian Zitars

Psychology, Lakehead University

Deborah Scharf

Psychology, Lakehead University

Mila Popovic

Psychology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Mobile crisis intervention teams pair police officers and mental health professionals to provide a higher quality, less restrictive, and less costly response to mental health crisis calls. Since January 2021, the city of Thunder Bay's Integrated Mobile Police Assessment Crisis Team (IMPACT) has offered this service with at least one police-mental health worker team, available to co-respond to crisis calls at all times. This study aims to describe the IMPACT program's first year of operation, including total services provided and likely diversions from the hospital emergency department or jail.

Methods: Researchers analyzed IMPACT post-contact reports from January to December. Program partners provided input on the interpretation of results.

Results: The IMPACT team responded to 1,604 calls for service. Most service users remained in the community (68%), while approximately one-third were transported by IMPACT to the emergency department (ED; 28%) or jail (3%). Around 47% of the total IMPACT contacts were classified as ED diversions, suggesting that the IMPACT program contributed to ~750 mental health crisisrelated visits to ED and associated potential cost-savings to hospital of approximately $300,000 - $350,000. Consultation with program evaluators led to changes in referral and follow-up data collection to improve tracking of client connections to appropriate community-based resources in future years. Conclusion: Results suggest IMPACT is meeting its overall goal of promoting community-based mental health care and reducing hospital burden through ED diversions. Continuous quality improvement processes enable programs to monitor progress and course-correct to ensure that program processes and outputs are aligned with program goals.

Speaker #6

Supporting Elders Living with Frailty in Remote Indigenous Communities in Northwestern Ontario: Implementing the Role of a Community Rehabilitation Worker

Helle Møller

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Hannah Melchiorre

NOSM University

Nicole Lee

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Denise Taylor

Regional Rehab Care Program, St. Joseph's Care Group

Joan Rae

Health and Social Services, Sandy Lake First Nation

Robert Baxter

Health and Social Services, Eabametoong First Nation

Nancy Sakchekapo

Health, North Caribou Lake First Nation

Background/Objectives: Essential rehabilitation services are not available in most remote, predominantly Indigenous communities requiring Indigenous elders to leave their community to receive care, negatively impacting their health and wellbeing. Thus, we developed a Northwestern Ontario community rehabilitation worker (CRW) program training Indigenous community members to support Indigenous elders and other Home and Community Care (HCC) clients. The goal of the CRW program and role is to improve equity in access to quality, culturally-safe care, increase the number of Indigenous Health professionals, and build capacity as called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. Methods: A highly collaborative partnership between four First Nations, two academic institutions, local, regional and provincial health care organizations and an advisory committee, thematically analyzed the implementation of the program and role through interviews, focus groups, CRW submissions, and HCC Community of Practice meeting minutes.

Results: Students, elders and providers reiterated that program content, delivery, and pedagogy was appropriate for CRW, program, and role success, and the program and role is essential for equity in access to care, health and wellbeing of Indigenous elders. However, key components for successful program and role implementation is increased communication and clarification about the CRW program and role among communities and between health administrators, providers, and CRWs. Further, a significant lack of health human resources results in CRWs performing tasks outside their job description. Conclusion: In order for community-based rehabilitative service programs to be successfully implemented, increased communication about the program and role, and improvement in recruitment and retention of community care providers is imperative

Speaker #7

Look at me now. It is amazing. Exploring the Stroke and Rehabilitation Experiences of Older Adults with Chronic Stroke Living in Thunder Bay

Nicole Lee

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Erin Pearson

Lakehead University, Lakehead University

Paolo Sanzo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Taryn Klarner

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: As stroke continues to be the leading cause of adult disability, understanding the rehabilitative needs of those affected is essential. This is particularly important for those living in remote cities like Thunder Bay where there are fewer resources, compared to more central municipalities. To date, there is a paucity of qualitative research in this area. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the personal stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke living in Thunder Bay.

Methods: A semi-structured interview guide was used to gather the participant's perspectives on their experiences throughout stroke recovery. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive and deductive content analysis. Multiple steps were taken to enhance data trustworthiness.

Results: Ten participants were interviewed including six males and four females. In total, six main themes and eight related subthemes emerged. Examples of some themes that emerged included: the complexity after a stroke occurs, the hardships faced when they lost rehabilitation services during the pandemic, the importance of support, ways to achieve success, and finally discussing how important it is to take pride in one's own successes.

Conclusion: The findings from this study raise awareness regarding the experiences of stroke survivors living in Thunder Bay and may be transferred to other like contexts. This work allowed for participant's voices to be shared regarding the positive and negative experiences related to their journeys; new perspectives related to rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic also emerged and may be useful for future program planning.

Poster #1

The Healthy Kids Family Program (HKFP): Outcomes of a 4-Week Lifestyle Program for Families Living in Equity Deserving

Neighbourhoods

Delaney Johnson

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

April Hadley

Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Rachel Bayes

Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Aislin Mushquash

Psychology, Lakehead University

Erin Pearson

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Within Thunder Bay, health-related inequalities exist in some neighbourhoods as indicated by high Social Risk Index scores and food insecurity. These trends highlight the need for community-based approaches to enhance wellbeing, promote community cohesion, and alleviate disparities. The HKFP goal is to equip caregivers of children with health literacy skills and knowledge to enhance health indicators and uptake of health promoting services.

Methods: The HKFP is a 4-week lifestyle program that has been offered in different neighbourhoods (in-person and on-line) since November 2021. It includes one 90-minute session weekly delivered by local experts focused on pillars including physical activity, mental health, smoking cessation, and healthy eating. To evaluate effectiveness, a series of validated questionnaires and openended questions assessing demographics, self-efficacy for health behaviours, and HKFP experiences are administered at baseline, 4-weeks, and 6-weeks following program completion.

Results: Twenty-five participants (21=females; 4=males) have enrolled in the program, representing three neighbourhoods and five program iterations. Among those who have completed the 4-week assessment (n=21), improvements in self-efficacy for physical activity and healthy eating have been observed, and 78% indicated higher awareness of programs/services available. Qualitatively, participants shared their appreciation for hands-on opportunities (e.g., cooking) and information on parenting/mental health.

Conclusion: Results suggest that HKFP is useful for enhancing health-related knowledge and skills, as well as confidence to access related programming. Future recommendations, HKFP merits and challenges, and lessons learned with be discussed.

Poster #2

Moving Through COVID: Exploring Physical Activity and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Brenden Degiacomo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Samantha Morris

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Ian Newhouse

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Erin Pearson

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Aislin Mushquash

Psychology, Lakehead University

Leanne Smith

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Regular physical activity (PA) has many health-related benefits. Yet, low participation levels and adverse mental health (MH) are commonly reported by post-secondary students. With a view to inform the development of physical activity promoting initiatives, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore facilitators and barriers to PA engagement and mental wellness views among post-secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Methods: Two focus groups and two one-on-one interviews were conducted using Zoom during early 2022. Eligibility criteria required that participants: 1) had completed Phase 1 of a relatedstudy and; 2) were enrolled in full-time studies at Lakehead University. Thematic analysis using inductive and deductive approaches was applied to analyze the data.

Results: Participantss (n=8; 7 female) described their pandemic-related experiences as positive and negative. Feelings of anxiety, stress and loneliness were commonly shared as students tried to navigate their academics and personal lives. Online learning enabled students to have more time to do schoolwork; however fostered an environment of isolation and increased sedentary behaviour. Barriers to PA included restrictions such as facility closures and MH indices such as lack of motivation. Most students agreed that PA has a positive effect on MH but did not acknowledge it as a support. Instead, counseling was the most commonly recognized service for addressing MH concerns.

Conclusion: These views have highlighted varied student experiences regarding PA engagement and MH challenges throughout the pandemic. Findings have been used to develop a tailored PA intervention aimed at supporting student wellness that will take place in early 2023.

Poster #3

Qualitative Evaluation of Youth and Mental Health Service

Provider Acceptance of the JoyPop App

Jaidyn Charlton

Psychology, Lakehead University

Ishaq Malik

Psychology, Lakehead University

Arnaldo Perez

Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta

Aislin Mushquash

Psychology, Lakehead University

Elaine Toombs

Psychology, Lakehead University

Fred Schmidt

Children's Centre Thunder Bay

Crystal Squier

Dilico Anishinabek Family Care

Background/Objectives: Mobile health apps are a promising adjunct to traditional mental health services, especially in underserviced, rural, and remote areas where access to services is limited and waits are longer than in populous urban areas. Developed to foster resilience in youth, the JoyPop app has a growing evidence base showing improvement in emotion regulation and mental health symptoms among youth; however, it is important to understand whether this novel technology will be accepted into traditional mental health services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance of the JoyPop app among (a) a clinical sample of youth and (b) mental health service providers.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach involving one-on-one semistructured interviews was conducted. Interviews were guided by the Technology Acceptance Model. Data were coded and categorized using a deductiveinductive content analysis approach.

Results: All youth (n=6) found the app easy to learn and use and expressed positive feelings towards using it. Youth found the app helpful because it facilitated accessibility and positive mental health outcomes (e.g., reduced anxiety). All service providers (n=7) perceived the app to be useful, easy to use within their services, and expressed positive feelings about integrating the app into usual care. Service providers also highlighted numerous organizational factors affecting acceptance of the app. Both youth and service providers raised concerns (e.g., privacy) towards apps in general and provided recommendations to improve the JoyPop app.

Conclusion: These results support acceptance of the JoyPop app by youth and services providers as an adjunctive resource to traditional mental health services.

Poster #4

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Prevention, Mitigation and Intervention Approaches

Rosemary Scofich

Healthy Babies Healthy Children & Lactation Programs, Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Lee-Ann Chevrette

Community Safety & Well-Being Thunder Bay, City of Thunder Bay

Audrey Monette

Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention

Katie Cook

Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention

Lindsay Watt

Health Promotion, Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Background/Objectives: More than two decades of research have identified a dose-response relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and physical and mental health, psychosocial and behavioural effects, and premature death. The objective of this scan was to hear from community groups and service providers across Canada to identify evidence-based, grass roots and/or promising approaches that prevent or mitigate ACEs. The list of ACEs was expanded to include intergenerational trauma, racialized trauma, community violence, intersectionality with gender, and the impacts of COVID-19.

Methods: 49 surveys were completed and analyzed. Of the total survey respondents, 75.5% were from Ontario, 14.3% from Alberta, 6.1% from Manitoba and 4.1% from Saskatchewan.

Results: 41 unique programs addressing ACEs were identified. The programs were directed at several audiences, including caregivers, infants, children, youth, adults, families and communities. When asked which protective factors for ACEs are supported in their community, 75.5% mentioned access to mental health services, 71.4% said safe, engaging after school programs and activities for children and youth, and 69.4% said access to substance misuse services. When asked which risk factors for ACEs apply to their community, 89.8% said domestic violence, 89.8% noted poverty, and 89.8% said accessibility of drugs and alcohol.

Conclusion: 14 recommendations were made based on the survey findings, literature review, and established best practices. These recommendations will enable further planning, education, mitigation strategies, and prevention initiatives for future ACEs work in Canada.

Poster #5

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy at St. Joseph's Care Group: A Program Evaluation

Mila Popovic

Psychology, Lakehead University

Amanda Maranzan

Psychology, Lakehead University

Aislin Mushquash

Psychology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) is a well-known evidence-based treatment, originally developed to treat individuals with chronic suicidality who met diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Currently, DBT is used as an effective treatment for various psychological and behavioural difficulties. The purpose of this current work was to assess the outcomes of the DBT program at St. Joseph's Care Group (SJCG).

Methods: Individuals (N = 109) who began DBT from August 2017 onwards completed evaluations at three time points (pre-, mid-, and post-intervention). Usually, DBT treatment lasts 6-12 months in duration. Outcomes assessed were BPD symptoms and behaviours, quality of life, depression, anxiety, skill-based and maladaptive coping, and emotion regulation.

Results: Individual data at all three time points was scarcely available. As such, the data were analyzed from pre- to mid-intervention, and pre- to postintervention, respectively, using within-groups t-tests. From pre-intervention to mid-intervention, symptoms of BPD, BPD behaviours, anxiety, general dysfunctional coping, difficulty with emotional awareness, quality of life, and DBT skills-based coping significantly improved. Comparing pre-intervention to post-intervention, all aforementioned domains improved. Dysfunctional coping by blaming others also significantly decreased.

Conclusion: Effect sizes were generally larger at the treatment endpoint compared to the 6-month mark, affirming that it is beneficial for clients to complete the entire DBT treatment to maximally benefit. It is unclear whether low questionnaire completion rates at mid- and post-intervention are reflective of high drop-out rates. Overall, this program evaluation data suggests that clients have reduced symptoms upon completion of the DBT program.

Poster #6

Evaluation of the First Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) Indigenous Chronic Pain and Substance Use in Canada

Project ECHO Indigenous Chronic Pain & Substance Use Evaluation Team

St. Joseph's Care Group, Lakehead University, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (UHN)

Background/Objectives: Indigenous Peoples are disproportionally affected by chronic pain (CP), substance use (SU) and other chronic diseases compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. These health disparities are anchored in Canada's colonial history, fueled by intergenerational trauma, racism, and inequities.

Improving health care providers' (HCPs) ability to provide culturally safe care is a priority highlighted in Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Our team obtained a Health Canada Substance Use and Addiction Program grant to develop and implement a pilot Project ECHO Indigenous CP and SU. Guided by and in partnership with our Indigenous Advisory Committee, we delivered the first series of its kind in Canada, with the goal of building HCPs' capacity to provide culturally safe CP and SU care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples.

Methods: Participants were asked to complete a demographic and practice characteristics questionnaire. In the final session, participants completed polls to rate the degree to which their perceived knowledge of topics relevant to Indigenous CP management improved.

Results: Our first Indigenous CP and SU ECHO consisted of ten 90-minute evening sessions (January to March, 2022), each with a didactic presentation and case discussion focused on an Indigenous person living with CP. Presentations were aligned with the 6 core curriculum components identified by our Indigenous Advisory Committee. Twenty-one participants (100% of final session attendees) completed the polls and reported increases in self-perceived knowledge.

Conclusion: Our pilot was delivered as planned, reached its intended audience, successfully retained 49.5% of participants, and resulted in improved selfperceived knowledge among participants.

Poster #7

Wiiji Peer Support App and Indigenous Workplace Mental Health

Vicki Kristman

Health Sciences & EPID@Work, Lakehead University

Mannila Sandhu

EPID@Work, Lakehead University

Audrey Gilbeau

Administration, Nokiiwin Tribal Council

Background/Objectives: E-health interventions have shown success for several mental health related conditions. There are currently no culturally appropriate e-mental health approaches for Indigenous workers. In partnership with the Nokiiwin Tribal Council, we used an e-mental health application (app) for Indigenous workers titled "Wiiji". The app was designed to provide workplace mental health (WMH) resources and a peer-support network. The primary objective of our study was to determine the association between access to the app and Indigenous workers' WMH.

Methods: We used a multi-community, quasi-experimental design. Working members from Nokiiwin Tribal Council communities, aged 15 years and older were invited to participate. We collected self-reported WMH measures and workplace factors at baseline in two groups of communities: those who received the app immediately (intervention) and those who did not (control). After 6 months follow-up we compared WMH measures between the intervention and control communities using mixed effects regression model, controlling for up to two workplace factors.

Results: Of 226 participants completing the baseline assessment, 172 (76.5%) were followed up at 6 months. There were no differences in WMH measures between the intervention and control groups at both baseline and 6-months follow-up. Modelling results controlling for important workplace factors indicated no significant differences in WMH measures: general mental health (β=1.56, 95% CI: -0.73, 3.85); depressive symptomatology (β=-0.12, 95% CI:3.72, 3.48); job tension (β=-0.24, 95% CI: -1.02, 0.54); psychological distress (β=0.50, 95% CI: -1.85, 0.84); and workplace bullying (β=-0.73, 95% CI: -7.03, 5.57).

Conclusion: There was a slight non-statistically significant trend towards a positive impact of the app on general mental health. Future longitudinal studies should include a larger sample size to confirm this trend.

Poster #8

Homeless Sector Frontline Workers' (HSFW) Support Needs

During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Ainsley Miller

Health Sciences & EPID@Work, Lakehead University

Jeannette Waegemakers-Schiff

Social Work, University of Calgary

Stephanie Campbell

Psychology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: The challenges that homeless sector frontline workers (HSFW) face in their work has been well documented by high rates of staff turnover, heavy workloads, and increasing rates of negative mental health outcomes. Evidence suggests these challenges have been exacerbated with the COVID-19 pandemic. While research studies have identified HSFW being at risk for negative mental health outcomes, no studies have assessed their perceived support needs. The purpose of this study was to explore the support needs of HSFW.

Methods: This study is part of a research project assessing the psychosocial functioning of HSFW during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was administered in over 40 Canadian organizations. The data presented reflects responses to one open-ended question and one 19-item Likert scale question assessing perceived levels of support within organizations. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data was completed using NViVO software. Descriptive statistics were performed on supporting survey data using SPSS.

Results: Overall, 545 participants completed the survey questions and 352 participants completed the open-ended question. Most participants responded favourably to the support need survey questions. However, over half of the HSFW felt stressed at work, worried when they took time off, and did not have enough mental health days, sick days, or benefits. The thematic analysis identified four themes regarding support needs: organizational resources, mental health support, healthy workplace culture, and training.

Conclusion: While the findings identified several areas of support within the organizations, participants open-ended responses provided additional evidence where supports are needed. These findings are important for organizations to consider as the COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated many changes and increased demands on HSFW.

Poster #9

Remote Work from Home and Employee Mental Well-Being: A Scoping Review

Kara Polson

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Vicki Kristman

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Lynn Martin

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: With remote work from home being on the rise, in combination with the large-scale adoption of working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the need to better understand the impacts of remote work from home is significant. The primary aim of this scoping review was to synthesize all existing knowledge on the relationship between remote work from home and mental well-being, in order to develop a conceptual model.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review, in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, drawing upon the framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley with enhancements by Level, Colquhoun & O'Brien

Results: Fifty-eight studies of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method design have been included in this review. Findings indicate that there are both positive and negative outcomes of remote work as it relates to mental wellbeing.

Conclusion: Results suggests that employees working from home are faced with added challenges that may further impact mental health, including impact to well-being, job stress, and workplace isolation. However, the literature suggests that remote workers are more satisfied than their office counterparts in areas of work-life and work family balance, and experience improved stress outcomes. Overall, the literature is conflicting, and we conclude that more rigorous methodology be applied to future observational studies, and opportunities for experimental research be explored.

Poster #10

Everyone Is a Leader: How Plural Leadership is Enacted By, Between, and Among Long-Term Care Workers

Alexis Harvey

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Maria Barnova

Nursing, Lakehead University

Mya Hane

Nursing, Lakehead University

David Thompson

Nursing, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Researchers studying interprofessional collaboration often conceptualize leadership as individualistic. However, individualistic leadership is misaligned with collaborative models of practice where leadership is actualized collectively. There is little evidence about how collective leadership occurs. To better understand collective leadership, we addressed this research question: How is collective leadership enacted in long-term care settings? Our objective was to examine collective leadership for the purpose of informing strategies to support leadership specifically, and interprofessional collaboration generally.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected from a larger study on collaboration in long-term care settings. Our analysis was informed by Denis's Plural Leadership theory. We categorized data based on Plural Leadership constructs, then identified themes within these categories.

Results: Data aligned with all of the Plural Leadership theory constructs. We identified three main themes related to how leadership is enacted: structuring leadership, sharing and empathy foster leadership, and familiarity creates leaders.

Conclusion: While some factors foster individualistic leadership, targeting support at collective leadership is a worthwhile endeavour for decision-makers. Strategies aimed at the individual, team or unit, and organizational levels align with the ways in which collective leadership occurs in practice. Examples of these supports include ensuring staff continuity, providing space to share knowledge, and equipping team members with the proper tools for interprofessional communication.

Poster #11

Navigating the Path Forward for Dementia in Canada: Results from the Landmark Study

Joshua Armstrong

Alzheimer Society of Canada

Saskia Sivananthan

Alzheimer Society of Canada

David Stiff

Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis

Paul Smetanin

Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis

Josée Guimond

Alzheimer Society of Canada

Background/Objectives: The objectives of The Landmark Study are to update Canadian dementia population estimates made in the 2010 Rising Tide Report and to forecast changes to the make-up (sex, ethnicity, age) of Canadians living with dementia and their caregivers.

Methods: Using the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis's socio-economic analysis platform, a simulation model was developed using demographic characteristics and risk factors for dementia to forecast the burden of dementia in Canada. The model was also used to examine how delays in incidence (1-year, 5-years, 10-years) would impact population rates.

Results: The model forecasts the number of Canadians with dementia to more than double in the next 30 years: 597,300 (2020; 61.8% female) to 1,712,400 (2050; 63.1% female). The ethnic background of people with dementia will be quite different in 2050 than today. People with Asian origin could increase from 8% of people with dementia up to 24% by 2050. Delays in onset of dementia by 1 year would avoid over 494K cases in Canada, whereas a deferred incidence of 10 years would bring Canadian dementia rates to lower than where it is today. The number of informal caregivers in 2020 (350,000; 472.6 million hours/year) is projected to increase in 2050 to 1,006,000 (1,386 million care hours/year).

Conclusion: This study forecasts rising dementia prevalence in Canada, illustrates the changing landscape of ethnicity in Canadians living with dementia, and estimates the population-level impacts of interventions that delay onset of dementia would have on prevalence, incidence, and informal care.

Poster #12

Collaborative Approach to Improve Quality of Life for LTC Residents

Dawn Shea

Quality Improvement, St. Joseph's Care Group

Trisha Wilson

Quality Improvement, St. Joseph's Care Group

Veronica Howarth

Life Enrichment, St Joseph's Care Group

Jennifer Mastrangelo

Clinical Manager, St. Joseph's Care Group

Divya George

Quality Improvement, St. Joseph's Care Group

Background/Objectives: Behaviour is a universal form of communication. There is a growing population at Hogarth Riverview Manor living with neurodegenerative diagnoses, which often place greater reliance on behaviour to communicate unmet biopsychosocial needs. These actions are often labeled "Responsive Behaviours" In October 2020, HRM introduced a continuous quality improvement framework, employing a structured approach to collaborative problem solving and supporting the flow of communication and distribution of leadership across HRM. These efforts contributed to improved outcomes for LTC residents, including quality of life and workplace culture

Methods: From October 2020- October 2022, rolling 3-quarter data from internal reporting systems, on resident outcomes, were analyzed weekly by an interdisciplinary team. Utilizing quality improvement methodologies, ideas were generated and implemented to improve outcomes.

Results: Analysis of quarterly RAI outcome scores shows a 72.6% reduction in residents with Aggressive Behaviour Scale (ABS) scores of 6-12 over 24 months. This finding has a negative correlation with the increased percentage of staff trained in Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care©, with r²=0.9187. During this time period, the number of residents at risk for social isolation reduced by 79.7%. Structured problem solving resulted in 74 improvement ideas implemented across HRM and greater collaboration with support services (Behavioural Services Ontario and Therapeutic Recreation)

Conclusion: Guided by the quality improvement framework and leveraging existing datasets, HRM has improved collaboration across interdisciplinary teams. This shared problem solving approach has improved LTC resident outcomes and more specifically their quality of life while living in LTC.

Poster #13

Predicting Resource Utilization by Long-Term Care Residents with Dementia: A Machine Learning Approach to Care Planning

Scott Magill

TBayTel

Michael Dohan

Business Administration, Lakehead University

Shikui Wu

Business Administration, Lakehead University

Kem Zhang

Business Administration, Lakehead University

Josh Armstrong

Alzheimer Society of Canada

Background/Objectives: To predict resource utilization by long-term care residents with dementia in subsequent periods based on assessment data from a current period, to aid long-term care in planning resources and seeking the funding required to provide adequate support to the residents.

Methods: Using RAI-MDS 2.0 data, Machine Learning (ML) was used to predict changes in resident cognitive status and resource utilization over time. Multiple models were evaluated using stratified k-fold cross-validation and an averaged AUC curve.

Results: The tuned Random Forest Classifier was unable to predict cognitive decline due to the small sample size for the dependent variable. The classifier produced an AUC of 0.62 with a standard deviation of 0.14 driven by variables Assessment Age, the current Cognitive Performance Outcome Scale, Number of Medications and BMI. The RFC performed adequately when predicting change in Case Mix Index (CMI) with an AUC of 0.63 and a standard deviation of 0.05 driven by variables CMI, BMI, Physician Orders/Visits, Number of Medications and Ulcers. When the sample was limited to those with dementia, the classifier produced an AUC of 0.62 with a standard deviation of 0.03 support by the same predictor variables as the general population with only Depression Rating Scale and Cognitive Performance Outcome Scale being specific to the dementia sample.

Conclusion: The prediction of resource utilization over time in a long-term care setting is possible and could be developed further. This level of prediction accuracy may not be practical in a clinical setting but is statistically significant and opens opportunities for further research.

Poster #14

Alleviating the Demand for Personal Support Workers Using Computer Vision (CV) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs)

Christopher Silver

Computer, Electrical, and Software Engineering, Lakehead University

Thangarajah Akilan Software Engineering, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Studies show that 20-30% of Canadian seniors experience at least one fall every year, making falls the leading cause of injury among Canadian seniors. While there is a lack of PSWs in Ontario, the percentage of the population has increased by 37%. Therefore, it is vital to develop intelligent assistive technologies (IATs), for decreasing the response time of PSWs and recovery time after a senior citizen falls.

Methods: A data-driven IAT is built using CV and DNN, which is trained to detect the fall of a concerned senior. It receives thermal frames of the senior's activity from a stationarily mounted thermal sensor and analyses the collected frames to determine whether there is an occurrence of any fall. If there is a fall, it alerts the PSW in real time. It does not retain any personal information to protect the privacy of the senior citizen.

Results: The current development of this IAT has been tested to detect falls with an accuracy of 83%.

Conclusion: Thermal sensors can be exploited in conjunction with CV and DNN to detect and report falls, efficiently. This is especially relevant for Ontario, as the senior population continues to rise whilst there is already an alarming lack of PSWs. This IAT can be used to reduce the nationwide $2 billion direct healthcare cost from falls in seniors. Currently, we are furthering this research to develop a more accurate model using advanced thermopile sensors, and cutting-edge sequential learning models, viz. recurrent graph neural networks and long short-term memory modules.

Poster #15

Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection and Classification Using 2-D CNN and Sequence Learning Model

Kevin Genereux

Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lakehead University

Thangarajah Akilan

Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), bleeding that occurs inside the cranium, is a life-threatening condition that often requires immediate and intensive medical treatment. Studies show that although ICH accounts for only 10-15% of all strokes, it causes more than 50% of overall stroke mortality. Thus, it is critical to diagnose ICH accurately and efficiently so that patients can receive immediate medical intervention.

Methods: This work develops a novel deep learning (DL) model using a 2-D convolutional neural network (CNN) and a sequential learning mechanism with long short-term memory (LSTM) modules to automatically detect ICH and classify its subtypes. While a submodule with CNN extracts optimal feature representations of intracranial hemorrhages, the LSTM-based submodule learns spatial-sequential dependencies between axial frames in each CT scan. The proposed model is trained, validated, and evaluated on a benchmark dataset, the RSNA Intracranial Hemorrhage dataset, which contains over 25,000 CT scans.

Results: The proposed solution records excellent ICH classification performances with 97.6% accuracy, 94.2% sensitivity, 93.3% specificity, 93.6% precision, and 94.5% recall. To facilitate the interpretation of results, Grad-CAM visualizations were used to generate class activation maps that highlight probable ICH regions. Conclusion: The results of the extensive ablation study on a benchmark dataset demonstrate the proposed model's high performance, robustness, and strong generalizability. The proposed solution has the potential to be deployed as an intelligent assistive tool for radiologists in early diagnosing ICH.

Poster #16

A Graph Attention Network for MRI-based Automatic Brain Tumor Segmentation

Dhrumil Patel

Computer Science, Lakehead University

Dhruv Patel

Computer Science, Lakehead University

Rudra Saxena

Computer Science, Lakehead University

Jeevan Sai

Computer Science, Lakehead University

Thangarajah Akilan

Software Engineering, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: It is estimated that 55,000 Canadians are surviving with brain tumors. Brain tumors are the leading cause of solid cancer death in children under the age of 20. Brain tumors reduce life expectancy by on average 27 years - the highest of any cancer; hence, only 12% of adults survive for five years after diagnosis. Thus, early detection and diagnosis of brain tumors are essential for treatment planning to save patients' lives.

Methods: We developed a data-driven graph neural network (GNN) with an attention mechanism to automatically segment the brain tumor and classify its subtypes - core tumor, enhancing tumor, and the whole tumor. A superpixelbased pseudo labeling is used to generate graph representation for each brain MRI scan, and the generated graphs are fed to the model through an end-to-end training procedure. The benchmark dataset, the BraTS 2021 is used to train, validate, and test the model.

Results: The proposed model has a competitive performance with a mean dice score (DSC) of 0.85 and a Hausdorff distance (95%) (HD95) of 7.17. On average, these results are 6.5% better than a baseline GNN-based brain tumor segmentation model.

Conclusion: The exhaustive experimental study shows that the proposed solution can be deployed as an intelligent assistive technology (IAT), for clinical practices, in conjunction with brain tumor detection in MRI scans. The current model can be further improved to achieve higher performances.

Poster #17

Developing NWO Navigate: An App for Navigating Stroke Care

Ayman Hassan

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Rachid Benlamri

akehead University

Trina Diner

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Keli Cristofaro

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Shalyn Littlefield

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

Hajar Khallouki

Lakehead University

Rabail Siddiqui

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Background/Objectives: A coordinated system of care is essential to provide timely access to treatment for patients who present with a suspected acute stroke. In Northwestern Ontario (NWO), resources are limited and healthcare providers often must transfer stroke patients to a different regional hospital to ensure care is provided within recommended timeframes. However, there is often insufficient information about which transfer route would be the most efficient and appropriate for the circumstance.

Methods: To address this gap in knowledge, a comprehensive geomapping navigation and estimation smartphone/desktop application "NWO Navigate" was developed. Development of the application involved a retrospective simulation study for building a geomapping system. Historical data from land and air emergency medical services of previous patient transportation times between hospital locations was collected and processed.

Results: This data was used to develop a prediction model using machine learning methods and incorporated into the application. The aim of the application is to aid healthcare providers by presenting the best possible transfer options for a stroke patient based on the circumstances such as last time the patient was known to be well, patient location, treatment options, imaging availability.

Conclusion: NWO Navigate has the potential to be a useful tool for healthcare providers navigating stroke care in NWO, and impacting patient care and outcomes. The next step for the application is to undergo usability testing with the end-users to ensure the tool provides the assistance needed when caring for a stroke patient.

Poster #18

Patient Experiences with Virtual Visits at a Regional Cancer Centre in Northwestern Ontario

Karen Roberts

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Jacqueline Veneruz

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Rabail Siddiqui

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

Shalyn Littlefield

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute

Nicole Laferriere

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the healthcare system to pivot and re-think how care is provided to patients, including the use of virtual approaches. In cancer care, virtual visits are not a new method to provide care for patients. However, the needs and experience of the patients undergoing care virtually in Northwestern Ontario (NWO) has not been examined before.

Methods: Patients that attended an appointment virtually at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre's Regional Cancer Centre in January 2021 were mailed a survey asking about their experience in three core areas: overall satisfaction with the visit, barriers/challenges experienced, and satisfaction with the method of communication. Descriptive statistics (percentages) and chisquare test for association were conducted, with significance set at p>0.05. Results: Eight hundred fifty-eight patients completed the survey, with approximately 89% of responders reporting high level of satisfaction with their appointment. Approximately 25% of the responders did not have access to technology, with internet being the least accessible. Patients that were on current cancer treatment were more likely to have access to technology (p = 0.018). Patients attending a first consultation appointment were more likely to report difficulty understanding their health condition (p <0.001). Approximately 62% of the responders prefer face-to-face interaction, with 22% reporting barriers/challenges experienced (most common barrier reported to be difficulty hearing the healthcare provider).

Conclusion: Findings from the survey provide insight on the patient experience in provision of virtual cancer care. These insights and consideration will be used to develop new approaches to virtual care for cancer patients.

Poster #19

The Impact of Distance from Cancer Center on Health Equity of Prostate Cancer Patients in Northwestern Ontario

Vahid Mehrnoush

Urology, NOSM University

Waleed Shabana

Urology, NOSM University

Ahmed Kotb

Urology, NOSM University

Ahmed Zakaria

Urology, NOSM University

Hazem Elmansy

Urology, Northern Ontario School of Medicine University

Walid Shahrour

Urology, Northern Ontario School of Medicine University

Background/Objectives: Barriers to early detection of Prostate cancer (PCa) can negatively affect the outcomes of the disease. As a potential barrier for accessibility, we aimed to investigate the effect of distance from Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Center (TBRHSC) on the characteristics of patients with PCa presented to our center.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for all patients diagnosed with and received treatment for PCa from 2010 to 2020 at TBRHSC. Patients fell under two distance-oriented categories: 1) < 300 km, 2) ≥ 300 km away from TBRHSC.

Results: Of 1411 patients (median=69 years old), 1143 (81%) were living at less than 300 km (median 7.3 km), while 268 (19%) at ≥ 300 km (median 382 km) distance from TBRHSC. There was no statistical significance against the basic characteristics (age, history of smoking and comorbidities, and having a family physician). Compared to another group, those living at ≥ 300 km distance were more likely to present with higher PSA (13.25 vs. 9.00 ng/ml), higher Gleason score >6 (84.4% vs 78%), advanced (25.9% vs. 17.9%), and metastatic (22.0% vs. 14.6%) cancer (all p-value <0.05). PSA at diagnosis and the distance from TBRHSC were correlated (P= 0.008, correlation coefficient=0.076).

Conclusion: Living at distance from TBRHSC was associated with poor prognosis PCa at presentation. Therefore, access to cancer-related health services is one of the cornerstones of equitable yet high-quality care for PCa. Implications like satellite urology centers and a PCa screening campaign are underway in our region.

Poster #20

Impact of COVID-19 Policies: Preliminary learnings from a Community-based Pilot Survey

Helen Gabriel

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Hasina Hamdan

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Adam Banner

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Seneka Krishnakumar

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Anna Péfoyo Koné

Health Sciences, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Rates of chronic diseases and multimorbidity are increasing and disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous populations. Hence, investigating the impact of the pandemic response on disease management and quality of life (QOL) within these communities is crucial. This cross-sectional pilot study was conducted to assess the impact in Black communities and inform planning for a larger study.

Methods: The study approaches and materials were co-developed with community members and piloted using a community-based survey in the GTA. Questionnaires were administered in English and French (electronic or paper format) to assess appropriateness of the questions, eligibility criteria, and community engagement. Participants who self-identified as African/Caribbean/Black were recruited during one event. Data were collected on sociodemographics, health needs, and perceptions of healthcare services during the pandemic, namely for chronic illnesses.

Results: 38 individuals participated; 82% were men, 65% between 21-40, and 97.4% non-Canadian born. 42.1% of participants reported a decline in their overall health and QOL throughout the pandemic, and 47.3% reported decline in mental health. Participants with chronic conditions reported similar or improved chronic disease management during the pandemic. Same proportion of individuals (40%) felt rather or totally discriminated by their provider or not discriminated against.

Conclusion: While these pilot data may not be representative, they allowed for refinement of the study process and community engagement strategy in the future study. By quantifying the impact of the pandemic, this study will contribute to closing the gaps in healthcare inequity likely widened by pandemic policies.

Poster #21

Intra-limb Coordination and Control in Individuals with Stroke. Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

Eryk Przysucha

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Mike Perrier

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Taryn Klarner

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Madara Marasinghe

Kinesiology, University of Waterloo

Background/Objectives: A substantial amount of work has examined coordination and control issues in individuals with stroke, in the context of bimanual and uni-manual actions. However, the majority of this work failed to explicitly address the level at which these issues occur, the impact of different constraints on the emerging patterns, and the conceptual relevance of the emerging inferences. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the selected studies examined the issue in coordination and/or control, and to determine the conceptual framework underpinning these investigations.

Methods: The search of four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL), for research published between January 2019 and March 2022, yielded twenty studies that were identified based on the inclusion criteria.

Results: The results showed that most of the studies examined issues in control but not coordination. From conceptual standpoint the forward kinematics approach was most prevalent, while only four studies implemented inverse kinematics. Time after stroke appeared to be the most important variable examined, while the issues of gender and age were not examined at all. Also, from the methodological perspective, lack of measures of variability and stability represented an important shortcoming.

Conclusion: Collectively, the reviewed research showed that understanding how individuals with stroke organize their actions remains equivocal due to lack of theory-driven research, as data driven investigations still represents the primary impetus in this clinical field. More deductive research, attempting to test the robustness of the existing theories of motor control and learning, is warranted.

Poster #22

The Impact of Weight and Trimester on Balance and Gait in Pregnancy

Abigayle Fontaine

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Eryk Przysucha

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Taryn Klarner

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Pregnancy coincides with sensory, perceptual and motor issues that may affect a person's ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADLs). Previous research suggested that weight and gestational age (trimester) may impact the way women negotiate balance related tasks, but these issues required further analysis. Thus the purpose of this research was to examine whether variables such as weight (under vs. over 155 pounds) and trimester (before vs. after 26 weeks) had an impact on their ability of pregnant women to perform different tasks requiring balance and ambulation.

Methods: Fifteen participants were recruited from the Thunder Bay community via purposive and snowball sampling, form maternity care clinics as well as general practice clinics in town (e.g. The Lakehead Nurse Practitioner Clinic & Community Midwives of Thunder Bay). Additionally, word of mouth and social media were used to recruit participants. In order to take part in this study, participants had to be at least 18 years of age and pregnant or they have given birth within the last 6 months. Additionally, in order to be included, the participants had to be free of debilitating musculoskeletal disorders or deficits that may adversely affect their balance and gait. The participants were asked to complete a 15 item online survey exploring their abilities to complete a variety of daily tasks involving balance. Also, open ended questions were posed to gain qualitative insights into their experiences.

Results: A series of independent sample t-tests showed predominantly no statistical difference between the levels of the variables manipulated. At the descriptive level the women indicated that they were relatively comfortable performing the different tasks. However, the qualitative responses suggested that although they were capable, it was clear that they expended a substantial amount of energy to avoid falling, resulting in fatigue and soreness, and they experienced overall mental anguish and feelings of being overwhelmed.

Conclusion: Overall, it was surprising that weight and gestational age, which intuitively should have impact, did not have a more pronounced effect on the women's confidence in performing ADLs. Nevertheless, qualitative responses confirmed the challenging effects of pregnancy on balance control, as well as gait.

Poster #23

The Nature of Plyometric Training in Varsity and High School level Sprinters

Braedan Prochnicki

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Eryk Przysucha

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Strength and power are two factors that elite sprinters need to combine to propel forward using maximal force, regardless of the level they compete at. This is of particular importance when they complete a block start at the beginning of a sprint race. Thus, the purpose of this study was to incorporate and utilize the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, type, and time) to analyze the similarities and differences in plyometric training exercises between varsity and high school sprinters. Secondly, this study aimed to identify similarities and differences in frequency and intensity of plyometric exercises between subject groups (high school and varsity).

Methods: Ten high school (M = 17.40 yrs) and 10 varsity (M = 20.11 yrs) sprinters were recruited for this study. Participants answered questions pertaining to demographics (age, weight, events, performance times) and about the nature of their training programs involving plyometric exercises (unilateral and bilateral). Participants answered a total of thirteen unilateral and bilateral plyometric exercise questions respectively.

Results: A series of independent samples t-tests was utilized to analyze the data. The results showed that there were significant differences between groups in terms of frequency and intensity, and times achieved across race distances. Data collection illustrated that varsity athletes scored on average a higher frequency and intensity across bilateral exercises while scoring on average a lower frequency across unilateral exercises as compared to high school athletes. Furthermore, varsity athletes achieved significantly faster race times, across all the distances.

Conclusion: The results showed that plyometric training represents a key component of preparation for sprinters, regardless of their level of performance. It appears that combining uni- and bi-lateral training approaches may be required to reach more optimal performance levels. These findings are off particular importance to coaches who can make adaptions to their respective training regimes to maximize the performance.

Poster #24

Evaluating the Combined Effect of Neck Muscle Strength and Hockey Goaltender Helmet Liners in Mitigating Concussion Risk

Nicholas Renyard

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Carlos Zerpa

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Derek Kivi

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Meilan Liu

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Paolo Sanzo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Concussions represent the second most common injury for ice hockey goaltenders. Neck muscle strength or helmet liner mitigates concussion risks, but more information is needed on their combined effect. This study examined the effect of neck strength level and helmet liner type in mitigating concussion risk (HIC) for ice hockey goaltenders.

Methods: A total of 432 dynamic impacts were conducted to compare a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and vinyl nitrite (VN) liner via simulation over four neck strength levels (80% male, 50% male, 50% female and 30% female) at three helmet locations (front, side and back), respectively, for HIC measures. Data were analyzed using a mixed factorial ANOVA with neck strength levels as an independent factor and helmet liner types as a repeated factor on the HIC measures for each helmet location separately.

Results: The ANOVA revealed statistically significant interactions between neck strength levels and helmet liner types at the front, F(3,68) = 4.213, p = 0.009, η2 = 0.157; side, F(3,68) = 3.961, p = 0.012, η2 = 0.149 and back, F(3,68) = 9.285, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.291 locations. The TPU liner reduced HIC for higher neck strength levels. The VN liner reduced HIC for lower neck strength levels.

Conclusion: The effectiveness of helmet liners depends on neck strength levels. This information may facilitate the development of helmet liners for specific neck strengths to improve the safety of goaltenders.

Poster #25

Evaluating the Capacity of Two Different Helmet Liner Foams in Mitigating Repetitive Linear Impact Accelerations During Free Falling

Shrivatsa Hegde

Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology

Carlos Zerpa

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Meilan Liu

Mechanical Engineering, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded propylene (EPP) foams are commonly used helmet liner materials. EPS is brittle and recommended for single impact performance in cycling helmets. EPP is elastic and used in hockey helmets. This study examined the capacity of EPS in minimizing repetitive linear impacts in comparison to EPP.

Methods: A total of 432 dynamic impacts were conducted to compare one EPS cycling helmet type and two EPP hockey helmets across three consecutive drop tests at the back location for 16 different velocities to simulate head impacts on measures of peak resultant linear accelerations (PRLA). Data were analyzed using a mixed factorial ANOVA to examine the interaction between helmet types and repeated drop tests on PRLA measures.

Results: The ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effect. There was a main effect of drop tests on PRLA, F(2,90) = 5.18, p = .007, η2 = .103. Drop test 2 had significantly higher PRLA than test 1. There was also a main effect of helmet type on PRLA, F(2,45) = 3.96, p =.026, η2 = .150. The EPS liner had significantly higher PRLA than EPP1 liner. The results revealed no significant differences for other helmets' pair mean comparisons.

Conclusion: The EPP liner outperformed the EPS. This outcome provides useful information on the limitations of EPS and importance of appropriate helmet wear to mitigate repetitive impacts.

Poster #26

Predicting Pain Catastrophizing and Hypervigilance Among Endurance Athletes: The Interactive Roles of Perfectionism and Sport Pain Ethic Endorsement

Alyssa Poulin

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

John Gotwals

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Paolo Sanzo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Leanne Smith

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Nicholas Ravanelli

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Pain catastrophizing and pain hypervigilance are associated a host of negative health outcomes (Crombez et al., 2012). Predicting these two constructs may be especially important among endurance athletes where pain is an integral component of training and racing. This study examined how evaluative concerns perfectionism, personal standards perfectionism, and the endorsement of commonly-accepted beliefs about pain in sport (i.e., the sport pain ethic) interact to predict pain catastrophizing and pain hypervigilance among endurance athletes.

Methods: Participants were 219 adult endurance athletes (35% female; M age = 38.34 years, SD = 16.08). Through an online survey, each completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (Sullivan, 2009), the Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire (McCracken, 1997), the Sport Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (Gotwals & Dunn, 2009), and the Sport Pain Ethic Endorsement Scale. Results: Data were analyzed through multiple regression. For pain catastrophizing, evaluative concerns showed a positive main effect (β = 4.81, p < .001). For pain hypervigilance, personal standards showed a positive main effect (β = 2.50, p < .05). In both cases, endorsement of the sport pain ethic was not identified as a significant moderator.

Conclusion: The two perfectionism dimensions appear to relate differently to pain catastrophizing and pain hypervigilance among endurance athletes. Additionally, these relationships do not appear to be conditional upon endorsement of the sport pain ethic. This supports the notion that perfectionism is a double-edged sword in relation to health outcomes (Stoeber, 2014). Given that this was the first study to address these relationships, replication and extension is encouraged.

Poster #27

Comparing the Symmetry of Walking in Transtibial Amputees: Biomechanical Differences of Prosthetic Heel Lifts on Energy Measures

Celia Berry

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Paolo Sanzo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Nicholas Ravanelli

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Meilan Liu

Mechanical Engineering, Lakehead University

Carlos Zerpa

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Shock absorbing shoe materials have the potential for improving gait outcomes in amputees. Based on this evidence, this study examined the effect of two different types of shoe materials on restoring the symmetrical characteristics of walking for transtibial amputees. The shoe materials included thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and a conventional foam heel lift commonly used with prosthetic devices.

Methods: Seven transtibial amputees participated in the study to examine the effect of heel lift prosthetics on symmetry of walking between the amputated and non-amputated limbs. Participants walked over two force platforms for a complete gait cycle to collect measures of forces for no heel lift, TPU, and conventional foam heel lifts to compute the energy measures. The participants performed five trials per condition. An energy ratio was obtained by dividing the energy measures of the amputated limb over the non-amputated limb. The energy ratio was compared across the three conditions for the braking and propulsive phases of gait, respectively. The closer the energy ratio was to unity, the more the symmetrical characteristics of walking was restored.

Results: The mean energy ratio during the propulsion phase differed significantly across the three heel conditions, F (2, 8) = 12.279, p < .05, η2 = .25. The TPU had an increased energy ratio closer to unity during the propulsion phase when compared to a no heel condition.

Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest an avenue to further explore the use of TPU material in heel lift prosthetics designs for future research with a larger sample.

Poster #28

The Effects of Radial Shockwave Therapy Compared to Placebo on Measures of Pain and the Qualitative Experiences Following the Intervention

Paolo Sanzo

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Martina Agostino

Biology, Lakehead University

Wes Fidler

Clinical Sciences, NOSM University

Bryan McLeod

Clinical Sciences, NOSM University

Jane Lawrence-Dewar

Biology, Lakehead University

Erin Pearson

School of Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Carlos Zerpa

Kinesiology, Lakehead University

Background/Objectives: Fibromyalgia patients present with chronic, widespread pain that remains a misunderstood disorder. Different multimodal treatment approaches have been proposed with mixed results. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the efficacy and effects of radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) compared to placebo on measures of pain and qualitatively explore study-related experiences following the intervention.

Methods: Following ethical approval, registration of the clinical trial, and recruitment, patients were randomly assigned to either the placebo or treatment group. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale were examined pre- and post-treatment. A survey was also completed post-treatment to qualitatively highlight the response to treatment following the intervention. The RSWT group received 5 treatments to the 3 most painful areas versus a sham treatment for the placebo group and the results pre- and post-treatment compared between the groups.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the VAS and Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores. Although not statistically significant, there were clinically significant changes in the VAS score post-treatment. Participants reported that "areas treated are less painful overall" and feeling "empowered" and "supported" following the treatments.

Conclusion: This study attempted to explore the use of RSWT in the treatment of fibromyalgia and chronic pain and identify a sub population that may better respond to its use clinically. The findings of the current pilot study demonstrate promise but future studies should explore the use of RSWT in combination with other treatments to better replicate how it may be used in the clinical setting.

Author List

Shreedhar Acharya

NOSM University sacharya@nosm.ca

Martina Agostino Lakehead University magosti1@lakeheadu.ca

Thangarajah Akilan Lakehead University takilan@lakeheadu.ca

Chris Armiento Lakehead University cvarmien@lakeheadu.ca

Joshua Armstrong

Alzheimer Society of Canada jarmstrong@alzheimer.ca

Adam Banner

Lakehead University abanner@lakeheadu.ca

Maria Barnova

Lakehead University mbarnova@lakeheadu.ca

Robert Baxter

Eabametoong First Nation robert.baxter@eabametoongfn.ca

Rachel Bayes

Thunder Bay District Health Unit rachel.bayes@tbdhu.com

Rachid Benlamri

Lakehead University rbenlamr@lakeheadu.ca

Celia Berry

Lakehead University ckberry@lakeheadu.ca

Stephanie Campbell Lakehead University scampbe2@lakeheadu.ca

Jaidyn Charlton

Lakehead University jkcharlt@lakeheadu.ca

Lee-Ann Chevrette

City of Thunder Bay lee-ann.chevrette@thunderbay.ca

Katie Cook

Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention katie@safercities.ca

Mike Cotterill

NOSM University mcotterill@wawafht.com

Keli Cristofaro

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre keli.cristofaro@tbh.net

Roya Daneshmand

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute rdaneshmand@nosm.ca

Brenden Degiacomo Lakehead University bsdegiac@lakeheadu.ca

Trina Diner

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre trina.diner@tbh.net

Michael Dohan

Lakehead University msdohan@lakeheadu.ca

Daniel Dylan dwdylan@lakeheadu.ca

Hazem Elmansy NOSM University hazem.elmansy@tbh.net

Jinan Fiaidhi Lakehead University jfiaidhi@lakeheadu.ca

Wes Fidler NOSM University wfidler@tbaytel.net

Abigayle Fontaine Lakehead University aefontai@lakeheadu.ca

Helen Gabriel Lakehead University hgabriel@lakeheadu.ca

Kevin Genereux Lakehead University kwgenere@lakeheadu.ca

Divya George St. Joseph's Care Group divya.george@tbh.net

Audrey Gilbeau Nokiiwin Tribal Council director@nokiiwin.com

John Gotwals Lakehead University jgotwals@lakeheadu.ca

Josée Guimond Alzheimer Society of Canada jguimond@alzheimer.ca

Author List

April Hadley

Thunder Bay District Health Unit april.hadley@tbdhu.com

Hasina Hamdan Lakehead University hhamdan1@lakeheadu.ca

Mya Hane Lakehead University mahane@lakeheadu.ca

Alexis Harvey Lakehead University aharvey5@lakeheadu.ca

Ayman Hassan

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre ahassan@tbayneuro.com

Shrivatsa Hegde

National Institute of Technology shrivatsahegde.191me280@nitk.edu.in

Veronica Howarth

St Joseph's Care Group veronica.howarth@tbh.net

Delaney Johnson Lakehead University dljohnso@lakeheadu.ca

Hajar Khallouki Lakehead University hkhallou@lakeheadu.ca

Amy Killen

Children's Centre Thunder Bay akillen@childrenscentre.ca

Derek Kivi

Lakehead University dkivi@lakeheadu.ca

Taryn Klarner

Lakehead University tklarner@lakeheadu.ca

Rupert Klein

Lakehead University rgklein@lakeheadu.ca

Anna Péfoyo Koné

Lakehead University akonepe@lakeheadu.ca

Ahmed Kotb

NOSM University drahmedfali@gmail.com

Seneka Krishnakumar

Lakehead University skrishn4@lakeheadu.ca

Vicki Kristman

Lakehead University vkristma@lakeheadu.ca

Nicole Laferriere

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre nicole.laferriere@tbh.net

Jane Lawrence-Dewar Lakehead University jane.lawrence.dewar@gmail.com

Nicole Lee

Lakehead University nplee@lakeheadu.ca

Shalyn Littlefield

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute shalyn.littlefield@tbh.net

Meilan Liu

Lakehead University mliu@lakeheadu.ca

Nolan Maenpaa Lakehead University ndmaenpa@lakeheadu.ca

Scott Magill

TBayTel smagill2@lakeheadu.ca

Ishaq Malik Lakehead University imalik3@lakeheadu.ca

Vamika Mann

Lakehead University mannv@lakeheadu.ca

Amanda Maranzan

Lakehead University kamaranz@lakeheadu.ca

Madara Marasinghe

University of Waterloo kmmarasinghe@uwaterloo.ca

Lynn Martin

Lakehead University lynn.martin@lakeheadu.ca

Jennifer Mastrangelo St. Joseph's Care Group mastraje@tbh.net

Author List

Scott McBean

Children's Centre Thunder Bay smcbean@childrenscentre.ca

Bryan McLeod NOSM University bmacleod@nosm.ca

Vahid Mehrnoush NOSM University vahidmehrnoush7@gmail.com

Hannah Melchoirre NOSM University hmelchiorre@nosm.ca

Ainsley Miller

Lakehead University ainsley.miller@lakeheadu.ca

Sabah Mohammed

Lakehead University mohammed@lakeheadu.ca

Helle Møller

Lakehead University hmoeller@lakeheadu.ca

Audrey Monette

Canadian Municipal Network on Crime Prevention audrey@safercities.ca

Samantha Morris

Lakehead University smorri14@lakeheadu.ca

Aislin Mushquash

Lakehead University aislin.mushquash@lakeheadu.ca

Ian Newhouse

Lakehead University inewhous@lakeheadu.ca

Chelsea Noel

Lakehead University cnol@lakeheadu.ca

Dhrumil Patel

Lakehead University pateld72@lakeheadu.ca

Dhruv Patel

Lakehead University pateld181@lakeheadu.ca

Erin Pearson

Lakehead University espearso@lakeheadu.ca

Arnaldo Perez

University of Alberta perezgar@ualberta.ca

Mike Perrier

Lakehead University mlperrie@lakeheadu.ca

Kara Polson

Lakehead University kdpolson@lakeheadu.ca

Mila Popovic

Lakehead University mpopovic@lakeheadu.ca

Alyssa Poulin

Lakehead University acpoulin@lakeheadu.ca

Braedan Prochnicki

Lakehead University bjprochn@lakeheadu.ca

Eryk Przysucha

Lakehead University eprzysuc@lakeheadu.ca

Joan Rae

Sandy Lake First Nation joanrae@om.knet.ca

Nicholas Ravanelli Lakehead University nicholas.ravanelli@lakeheadu.ca

Nicholas Renyard

Lakehead University nrenyard@lakeheadu.ca

Karen Roberts

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre karen.roberts@tbh.net

Jeevan Sai Lakehead University jkasturi@lakeheadu.ca

Nancy Sakchekapo

North Caribou Lake First Nation nancysakchekapo@northcaribou.ca

Mannila Sandhu

Lakehead University msandhu3@lakeheadu.ca

Paolo Sanzo Lakehead University psanzo@lakeheadu.ca

Rudra Saxena Lakehead University rsaxena1@lakeheadu.ca

Deborah Scharf Lakehead University dscharf1@lakeheadu.ca

Fred Schmidt

Children's Centre Thunder Bay fschmidt@lakeheadu.ca

Rosemary Scofich

Thunder Bay District Health Unit rosemary.scofich@tbdhu.com

Waleed Shabana NOSM University waleed.shabana@gmail.com

Walid Shahrour NOSM University walid.shahrour@tbh.net

Dawn Shea

St. Joseph's Care Group dawn.shea@tbh.net

Rabail Siddiqui

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute rabail.siddiqui@tbh.net

Christopher Silver Lakehead University crsilver@lakeheadu.ca

Saskia Sivananthan

Alzheimer Society of Canada ssivananthan@alzheimer.ca

Paul Smetanin

Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis paul.smetanin@cancea.ca

Leanne Smith

Lakehead University lsmith6@lakeheadu.ca

Crystal Squier

Author List

Dilico Anishinabek Family Care crystalsquier@dilico.com

David Stiff

Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis david.stiff@cancea.ca

Talia Strickland Lakehead University testric2@lakeheadu.ca

Denise Taylor

St. Joseph's Care Group taylord@tbh.net

David Thompson

Lakehead University dsthomp1@lakeheadu.ca

Elaine Toombs

Lakehead University etoombs@lakeheadu.ca

Jacqueline Veneruz

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre jacqueline.veneruz@tbh.net

Jeannette

Waegemakers-Schiff University of Calgary schiff@ucalgary.ca

Lindsay Watt

Thunder Bay District Health Unit lindsay.watt@tbdhu.com

Trisha Wilson

St. Joseph's Care Group trisha.wilson@tbh.net

Brianne Wood

Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute bwood@nosm.ca

Shikui Wu

Lakehead University swu15@lakeheadu.ca

Ahmed Zakaria

NOSM University aszakaria81@yahoo.com

Barb Zelek NOSM University bzelek@nosm.ca

Carlos Zerpa

Lakehead University czerpa@lakeheadu.ca

Petros Zezos

NOSM University pzezos@nosm.ca

Kem Zhang

Lakehead University kem.zhang@lakeheadu.ca

Jillian Zitars

Lakehead University jzitars@lakeheadu.ca

CAHR Learner Award

The CAHR Learner Award is a monetary prize awarded to the highest ranked learner/student poster at the Showcase. Presentations must be on a topic relevant to St. Joseph’s Care Group (Addictions & Mental Health, Seniors’ Health, or Rehabilitative Care). As well, the candidate must the presenter and first author, a learner or student at Lakehead University or Northern Ontario Medical School, and under the supervision of a CAHR member.

SJCG Awards in Applied Health Research

The St. Joseph’s Care Group (SJCG) Awards in Applied Health Research are available to four full-time graduate students at Lakehead University pursuing research related to the service areas of SJCG. The service areas are: Addictions & Mental Health, Rehabilitative Care, and Seniors’ Health. More information can be found at www.sjcg.net. The Awards are administered through the Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) at SJCG.

Recipients of the awards must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. They must also be working with a supervisor who is a member of the CAHR.

There are four awards available, each valued at $4000. The awards will be distributed to recipients in installments from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024.

Applications must be submitted on or before March 24, 2023.

Application form:

For more information, contact Carrie Gibbons Carrie.Gibbons@tbh.net or 807-346-3697

Centre for Applied Health Research

The Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) conducts high quality research, engages in knowledge translation, and supports St. Joseph's Care Group in the creation of new knowledge relevant to: Rehabilitative Care, Seniors' Health, and Addictions & Mental Health.

Objectives:

 Create new knowledge relevant to the organization

 Adopt strategies to enhance knowledge translation activities

 Support the development of research capacity within the organization

 Contribute expertise to facilitate evaluation activities

We work with clinicians and staff within SJCG as well as external healthcare and academic partners whose work is linked to the strategic directions of SJCG. We recognize that research or knowledge generation needs to be partnered with mobilization to ensure that relevant findings are put into practice. CAHR is strongly committed to sharing our work with as broad an audience as possible.

Members of the CAHR are eligible to apply for internal seed funding when available, and have access to other forms of supports (e.g., project consultation, statistical service) when possible.

For more information on the CAHR and CAHR membership, please visit cahr.sjcg.net

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the following individuals for their work on the Showcase!

Sena Honke

Communications Specialist

Communications, Engagement & Client Relations

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Duncan Koza Website & Graphics Developer

Communications, Engagement & Client Relations

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Erin Paul

Communications & Engagement Coordinator

Communications, Engagement & Client Relations

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Stephanie Schurr Clinical Manager

Inpatient Rehatilitative Care Services

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Michel Bédard Scientific Director

Centre for Applied Health Research

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Sacha Dubois Research Statistician

Centre for Applied Health Research

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Carrie Gibbons Manager, Volunteers, Library & Research Services

Research Services & Library

St. Joseph’s Care Group

Hillary Maxwell Research Coordinator

Centre for Applied Health Research

St. Joseph’s Care Group