David Ponka

The periodic health examination in adults

The origins of the periodic health examination (PHE) date back to at least the industrial revolution, when employers paid for annual check-ups to keep their labour forces healthy. Today, the practice is subsumed into the work of primary care physicians and is still widespread throughout Canada. It

Screening with the Pap test

The rate of death from cervical cancer is reduced by more than 80% among women who have regular Papanicolaou (Pap) screening.1 Women of lower socioeconomic status and those who are older, First Nations or immigrants are less likely to be screened regularly.1 Screening intervals shorter than three

Immunization and technology among newcomers: A needs assessment survey for a vaccine-tracking app

ABSTRACT Objectives: Newcomers experience unique challenges with respect to vaccination. These challenges are compounded by the need to navigate complex vaccination catch-up schedules upon arrival in their new home countries. Our group has pioneered the development of CANImmunize, a free, bilingual, pan-Canadian digital application designed to empower individuals to manage their vaccination records. To inform how a vaccine tracking app such as CANImmunize might be tailored to meet the unique needs of newcomers, this study sought to determine commonly spoken languages, technology use, and current methods of vaccine tracking among recent newcomers to Canada. Methods: Government-assisted refugees attending a health clinic in Ottawa, Canada were invited to complete a 17-question needs assessment survey. The survey captured data on household demographics, spoken languages, country of origin, technology use and methods used to track vaccination history. Results: 50 newcomers completed the needs assessment survey. Arabic was the predominant language spoken by surveyed individuals. Although 92% of participants owned a smartphone, the majority did not actively use digital health applications. 18 (36%) participants reported being vaccinated before arriving in Canada. 27 (54%) participants were parents, 23 of whom reported that their children were vaccinated prior to arrival in Canada. 38 (76%) participants indicated that they would use a vaccine tracking app such as CANImmunize if it were translated into their primary language of communication. Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that mobile technology may be a useful tool to help newcomer families stay on track with provincial and territorial immunization schedules.

The Besrour Papers: Seeking evidence for family medicine

not available.

Red in the desert

I never thought that I would celebrate starting a transfusion, and certainly not in Saharan Africa. But life takes strange turns sometimes, and here I am with 3 other expatriates, opening a cheap carton of red wine sent from the Paris head office, mainly to help me stop obsessing about whether I