ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8668-0761
Current Organisation
Simoe Muskoka District Health Unit
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Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 16-01-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-11-2009
DOI: 10.1007/S00038-009-0090-2
Abstract: Several categories of ill health important at the global level are likely to be affected by climate change. To date the focus of this association has been on communicable diseases and injuries. This paper briefly analyzes potential impacts of global climate change on chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We reviewed the limited available evidence of the relationships between climate exposure and chronic and NCDs. We further reviewed likely mechanisms and pathways for climatic influences on chronic disease occurrence and impacts on pre-existing chronic diseases. There are negative impacts of climatic factors and climate change on some physiological functions and on cardio-vascular and kidney diseases. Chronic disease risks are likely to increase with climate change and related increase in air pollution, malnutrition, and extreme weather events. There are substantial research gaps in this arena. The health sector has a major role in facilitating further research and monitoring the health impacts of global climate change. Such work will also contribute to global efforts for the prevention and control of chronic NCDs in our ageing and urbanizing global population.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2009
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 04-2015
Abstract: Enteric illness contributes to a significant burden of illness in Canada and globally. Understanding its sources is a critical step in identifying and preventing health risks. Expert elicitation is a powerful tool, used previously, to obtain information about enteric illness source attribution where information is difficult or expensive to obtain. Thirty-one experts estimated transmission of 28 pathogens via major transmission routes (foodborne, waterborne, animal contact, person-to-person, and other) at the point of consumption. The elicitation consisted of a (snowball) recruitment phase administration of a pre-survey to collect background information, an introductory webinar, an elicitation survey, a 1-day discussion, survey readministration, and a feedback exercise, and surveys were administered online. Experts were prompted to quantify changes in contamination at the point of entry into the kitchen versus point of consumption. Estimates were combined via triangular probability distributions, and medians and 90% credible-interval estimates were produced. Transmission was attributed primarily to food for Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Trichinella spp., all three Vibrio spp. categories explored, and Yersinia enterocolitica. Multisource pathogens (e.g., transmitted commonly through both water and food) such as C ylobacter spp., four Escherichia coli categories, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus were also estimated as mostly foodborne. Water was the primary pathway for Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp., and person-to-person transmission dominated for six enteric viruses and Shigella spp. Consideration of the point of attribution highlighted the importance of food handling and cross-contamination in the transmission pathway. This study provides source attribution estimates of enteric illness for Canada, considering all possible transmission routes. Further research is necessary to improve our understanding of poorly characterized pathogens such as sapovirus and E. coli subgroups in Canada.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 05-2015
Abstract: Expert elicitation is a useful tool to explore sources of uncertainty and to answer questions where data are expensive or difficult to collect. It has been used across a variety of disciplines and represents an important method for estimating source attribution for enteric illness. A systematic review was undertaken to explore published expert elicitation studies, identify key considerations, and to make recommendations for designing an expert elicitation in the context of enteric illness source attribution. Fifty-nine studies were reviewed. Five key themes were identified: the expert panel including composition and recruitment the pre-elicitation material, which clarifies the research question and provides training in uncertainty and probability the choice of elicitation tool and method (e.g., questionnaires, surveys, and interviews) research design and analysis of elicited data. Careful consideration of these themes is critical in designing and implementing an expert elicitation in order to reduce bias and produce the best possible results. While there are various epidemiological and microbiological methods available to explore source attribution of enteric illness, expert elicitation provides an opportunity to identify gaps in our understanding and where such studies are not feasible or available, represents the only possible method for synthesizing knowledge about transmission.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.DRUGALCDEP.2017.08.036
Abstract: Crack-cocaine use is prevalent largely in socio-economically marginalized populations in the Americas. Its use has been associated with erse health outcomes, yet no recent or systematic reviews of these exist. A systematic review of health outcomes associated with crack-cocaine use was performed, using MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and LILACS up to October 2016. Search terms included crack-cocaine and health outcome-related keywords, targeting peer-reviewed studies on quantified health outcomes associated with crack-cocaine use. Random effects meta-analyses produced pooled odds ratios. Levels of evidence for major results were assessed using the GRADE approach. A review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42016035486). Of 4700 articles returned, 302 met eligibility criteria, reporting on health outcomes for 14 of 22 ICD-10 chapters. Conclusive evidence and meta-analyses showed positive associations between crack-cocaine use and blood/sexually transmitted diseases (HIV and hepatitis C virus, others) moderate evidence and meta-analyses supported associations with neonatal health, and violence. There were mixed associations for mental and other health outcomes, yet insufficient evidence to perform meta-analyses for many categories (e.g., mortality). Most underlying research was of limited or poor quality, with crack-cocaine commonly assessed as a secondary covariate. Crack-cocaine use was associated with a range of health outcomes, although it was unclear if there was direct causal impact, interactions between risk factors, or external drivers of both crack-cocaine use and outcomes. Rigorous epidemiological studies are needed to systematically assess health outcomes of crack-cocaine use and underlying pathways, also to inform evidence-based interventions.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-10-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S0950268817002199
Abstract: C ylobacteriosis, the most frequent bacterial enteric disease, shows a clear yet unexplained seasonality. The study purpose was to explore the influence of seasonal fluctuation in the contamination of and in the behaviour exposures to two important sources of C ylobacter on the seasonality of c ylobacteriosis. Time series analyses were applied to data collected through an integrated surveillance system in Canada in 2005–2010. Data included sporadic, domestically-acquired cases of C ylobacter jejuni infection, contamination of retail chicken meat and of surface water by C. jejuni , and exposure to each source through barbequing and swimming in natural waters. Seasonal patterns were evident for all variables with a peak in summer for human cases and for both exposures, in fall for chicken meat contamination, and in late fall for water contamination. Time series analyses showed that the observed c ylobacteriosis summer peak could only be significantly linked to behaviour exposures rather than sources contamination (swimming rather than water contamination and barbequing rather than chicken meat contamination). The results indicate that the observed summer increase in human cases may be more the result of lification through more frequent risky exposures rather than the result of an increase of the C ylobacter source contamination.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 02-2009
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2014
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-10-2018
Abstract: Climate change is negatively impacting the health of Canadians and is accordingly expected to have a significant impact on public health agencies and their response to these health impacts throughout the twenty-first century. While national and international research and assessments have explored the potential human health impacts of climate change, few assessments have explored the implications of climate change from a local public health perspective. An applied research approach to expand local knowledge and action of health vulnerabilities through a climate change action plan and vulnerability assessment was utilized by a local public health agency. Adoption and adaptation of the approach used may be valuable for public health organizations to assist their communities. Through completing a vulnerability assessment, an evidentiary base was generated for public health to inform adaptation actions to reduce negative health impacts and increase resiliency. Challenges in completing vulnerability assessments at the local level include the framing and scoping of health impacts and associated indicators, as well as access to internal expertise surrounding the analysis of data. While access to quantitative data may be limiting at the local level, qualitative data can enhance knowledge of local impacts, while also supporting the creation of key partnerships with community stakeholders which can ensure climate action continues beyond the scope of the vulnerability assessment.
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 18-09-2021
DOI: 10.2166/WH.2021.021
Abstract: Recreational water use is an important source of human enteric illness. Enhanced (episodic) surveillance of natural recreational waters as a supplement to beach monitoring can enrich our understanding of human health risks. From 2011 to 2013, water s ling was undertaken at recreational sites on a watershed in eastern Canada. This study compared the prevalence and associations of human enteric pathogens and fecal indicator organisms. Beach water s les had lower pathogen presence than those along the main river, due to different pollution sources and the hydrological disposition. Pathogen profiles identified from the beach sites suggested a more narrow range of sources, including birds, indicating that wild bird management could help reduce public health risks at these sites. The presence and concentration of indicator organisms did not differ significantly between beaches and the river. However, higher concentrations of generic Escherichia coli were observed when Salmonella and Cryptosporidium were present at beach sites, when Salmonella was present at the river recreational site, and when verotoxigenic E. coli were present among all sites s led. In this watershed, generic E. coli concentrations were good indicators of potential contamination, pathogen load, and elevated human health risk, supporting their use for routine monitoring where enhanced pathogen testing is not possible.
Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc
Date: 02-2016
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 18-10-2013
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-07-0001
No related grants have been discovered for Ainslie Butler.