SHA suspends transitional care admissions at Diamond House after inspection
The SHA has suspended transitional care admissions at Diamond House after the Health Ministry found eight infractions during a recent inspection. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
The Saskatchewan Health Authority has suspended transitional care admissions at a Warman personal care home after a recent, unannounced Health Ministry inspection found eight “non compliance” infractions.
Those infractions included not reporting serious incidents within the last year to the health ministry.
650 CKOM recently spoke with Charmaine Macooh, whose 92-year-old father Barney was allegedly assaulted at Diamond House in February, resulting in a brain bleed and extensive bruising around one eye and forehead.
Macooh said she learned from a Diamond House nurse and another employee that her father had wandered into another man’s room, where he was assaulted and injured. She claimed she wasn’t given the details until 12 hours after the incident occurred, and was originally told her father had slipped and fallen.
Macooh said she also learned from staff members that the 65-year-old man who allegedly committed the assault would remain in the facility because he has “nowhere to go.”
The family of 92-year-old dementia resident, Barney, says he was attacked by another resident while living at Diamond House in Warman on Feb. 5, 2024.
The RCMP was notified about what happened, but no charges were laid.
Meanwhile, Macooh said her father has since been moved from Diamond House to another care home. But, she added, his brain bleed has not abated, and the family will have to decide what health-care options are available to him, given his age and dementia.
Macooh said she believes the man who allegedly attacked her father was a resident sent to the personal care home from another health-care facility as part of an agreement between the Saskatchewan Health Authority and Diamond House to accept transitional patients
9 in 10 Canadians have seen misinformation on health and health care, and most think that is here to stay.
May 13, 2024
As we continue health month, we would be remis if we didn’t explore Canadians’ relationship with health care news and media. Last fall we worked with the Canadian Medical Association on the launch of the CMA Health & Media Annual Tracking Survey to explore the health news media ecosystem in Canada. Below are some of our findings from the study.
The following data is from a survey commissioned by the CMA and conducted by Abacus in September 2023. The survey was conducted online with n=2,500 Canadians 18+ (including an oversample of Gen Z). The full report can be found here.
Health information is one of the most frequently accessed types of news in Canada. Nearly all Canadians say they see content or information about health or the health care system in Canadian news at least occasionally.
Canadians are also quite interested in consuming news about health and wellness. Aside from local news it’s one of the most sought-after topics of content when scrolling on phones or watching the news. Unlike other topics, interest in health and wellness is strong across all generations.
Perhaps then unsurprising that so many Canadians say they frequently encounter misinformation in health news. Nearly all Canadians say they’ve seen health misinformation- with the majority saying they consume health misinformation occasionally.
And the more health information you consume, the more frequently you encounter misinformation related to health and health care news.
Encountering misinformation isn’t avoidable- Canadians believe there is an abundance of misinformation on health and health care. In fact, three quarters of Canadians say there are equal amounts of accurate and inaccurate health-related information online. This could include inaccurate stories about health care experiences or inaccurate information about symptoms or treatments.
Based on some analyses of content online, Canadians
Only Two Percent of TikTok’s Health Advice Is Accurate, Study Shows
Between a hilarious video of a smiling horse, or a makeup tutorial, you’ve likely encountered medical advice on “Dr. TikTok,” the newest doctor on your medical team who seems to know just about everything. But, like many things on the internet, you might not want to be so trusting.
A recent study conducted by MyFitnessPal, a fitness app, and Dublin City University in Ireland, found that 2.1 percent of health and nutrition information on TikTok was accurate when compared to health and nutrition guidelines. (1) Using AI, the study looked at over 67,000 health and nutrition videos on the app.
Additionally, in October 2023, MyFitnessPal surveyed 2,000 Millennials and Gen Zs throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK and found that 87 percent of them have turned to TikTok for health or nutrition advice and 67 percent use one of the health trends a few times a week.
This new research paints an even bleaker picture about the spread of misinformation than previous surveys. A previous study conducted by NewsGuard found that 1 in 5 videos, when searched by a specific topic, contained misinformation. (2) Another poll recently showed people consult AI and social media before medical providers.
My Fitness Pal went on to speak to a few major medical trends circulating on TikTok, from “Oatzempic” to taking apple cider vinegar as a weight loss hack. They also looked into the claim that “swamp soup” can act as a flu vaccine.
In response to their results, MyFitnessPal and Dublin City University have partnered to put together a checklist to help users identify verifiable health information on social media. Here’s what they recommend:
- Verify credentials — it shouldn’t be a secret whether a doctor is really a doctor or not, and it isn’t. A simple search
Fast fashion is wasteful, and thrifting is flawed. The solution: swap! | Environment
Jannine Mancilla, 32, and Nicole Macias, 34, bonded over a shared love of DIY fashion and hand-me-downs, and frustrations with an environmentally destructive industry and a throwaway culture that creates huge amounts of waste. So they came up with a radical idea: asking people to offer up their old clothes – for free. Their Los Angeles clothing swaps have grown from humble origins to “overwhelmingly” popular events that receive hundreds of pounds of clothing donations each month, helping attendees save the planet and keep money in their pockets.
Jannine Mancilla: All of us at Radical Clothes Swap are first-gen Mexican American and grew up with an immigrant, sparse mentality. I grew up with hand-me-downs from my siblings and cousins. We had that cookie container that never had cookies in it, that we would reuse to hold a sewing kit. I grew up mending my own pants. When skinny jeans were a thing, I would sew them by hand.
Nicole Macias: I still get my brothers’ hand-me-downs. There’s nothing like a beat-up old shirt or a sweater to sleep in or just hang around in. Bipoc communities have always done this because we’re resourceful. It was ingrained in our upbringing and our lifestyle. A lot of times we’ve had to, because we couldn’t afford to buy new wardrobes every new school year.
In 2021, I was invited to participate in a back-to-school community event for young people, and I thought about what I could bring that wouldn’t require the kids to spend money. I had been inspired by a company called Suay Sew Shop that does textile repurposing and has a free rack at their store.
I was blown away by that concept – you could just grab a sweater off a rack and it’s free. So
No concern about ‘diminished supply’ of doctors in Ontario: ministry
Allison Jones, The Associated Press
Published Wednesday, May 8, 2024 5:41AM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, May 8, 2024 2:37PM EDT
Recruitment and retention of doctors in Ontario is “not a major concern,” the Ministry of Health suggests in arguments it is making in arbitration with the Ontario Medical Association over physician compensation.
The argument from the province comes as the OMA, which represents Ontario’s doctors, has repeatedly warned that more than two million residents don’t have a family doctor and thousands of physician jobs are going unfilled.
The province is in the midst of negotiations with the OMA for the next Physician Services Agreement, which determines how doctors are compensated, covering the next four years.
But the talks are going so poorly that an arbitrator is now being asked to determine compensation levels for the first year while the two sides work on the 2025-2028 period, one of the doctors involved said.
“Things are in such dire shape that that’s the fastest way to get money out the door to stabilize family doctors’ practices,” said Dr. David Barber, chair of the OMA’s Section on General and Family Practice.
The government’s arguments in its arbitration brief are unlikely to improve relations, he said.
“It’s really quite insulting,” Barber said.
“The numbers are one thing, right, but … the government’s approach here is their briefing essentially says there’s nothing wrong. I get there’s posturing, but this is actually quite dangerous posturing on the side of the government.”
The OMA is proposing a five per cent general price increase for the year, a 10.2 per cent “catch up” to account for inflation and “low price increases” since 2012, as well as 7.7 per cent to be directed
Tips to Stay Safe in the Sun: From Sunscreen to Sunglasses
Español
Sun safety is always in season. It’s important to protect your skin from sun damage throughout the year, no matter the weather.
Why? Exposing your skin to the sun year-round means you are exposing it to ultraviolet radiation, which can cause sunburn, skin aging (such as skin spots, wrinkles, or “leathery skin”), eye damage, and skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the U.S.
Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute estimates there were 100,640 new cases of skin melanomas and 8,290 related deaths in 2024. In 2021, there were an estimated 1.4 million people living with melanoma of the skin in the U.S. About 6.1 million people are treated for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of skin cancer, in the U.S. every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sunscreen is one way to protect against the rise in skin cancer rates.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to evaluate sunscreen products to ensure that they are safe and effective. Although all sunscreens help protect people from sunburn, only broad-spectrum sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 help protect us from skin cancer and early skin aging caused by the sun.
Lower Your Risk for Sunburn, Skin Cancer, and Early Skin Aging
Sun damage to the body is caused by invisible ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Sunburn is a type of skin damage caused by the sun. Tanning is also a sign of the skin reacting to potentially damaging UV radiation by producing additional pigmentation that provides it with some, but often not enough, protection against sunburn.
Spending time in the sun unprotected increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. People of all
Carberry Health Centre’s emergency department to re-open
Three new physicians have been hired to support the reopening of the emergency department at Carberry Health Centre.
Premier Wab Kinew said today, “When a rural community loses its physician, the impacts go beyond health care – it’s a blow to the economic vitality and future of the town. The previous government turned its back on rural health care, and in the case of Carberry, it meant losing their local doctor and emergency department. Our government worked hard to bring physician coverage back to Carberry and we’re glad to see the emergency department reopen so families can get the care they need.”
In September 2023, a contract for Carberry’s physician was allowed to expire, prompting the Carberry Health Centre to fully close its emergency department, noted the premier. At the time, Kinew made a personal commitment to support Carberry in finding staff to help reopen the emergency department.
Three new family physicians have been hired on a rotating basis to provide health-care services in Carberry, allowing the emergency department to reopen. Emergency services were available as of April 27 with physicians in place as of May 10.
Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara said, “The people of Carberry’s spirit and determination to restore their health services made an impact on our government. We listened to their needs and worked alongside the community over months to bring physicians back to this community. The hard work has paid off. Securing these doctors mean the emergency department can reopen, seniors can get the care they deserve and families have access to primary health care.”
The physicians will also provide care to residents in the community’s 36-bed long-term care facility and individuals receiving inpatient care at the health centre. Regular physician services also mean residents can resume making appointments for their primary
Florida sues Biden administration over new transgender health care rule
Florida’s top prosecutor and a Catholic medical group on Tuesday sued the Biden administration in an effort to block a rule that they say will force doctors to provide gender transition care against their judgment or face heavy penalties.
The lawsuit by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Catholic Medical Association (CMA), filed in federal court in Tampa, takes aim at a new rule, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Services (HHS) on Monday that would ban discrimination in health care on the basis of gender identity.
The rule is based on an anti-discrimination provision within the Affordable Care Act, the national health insurance law better known as Obamacare, which forbids sex discrimination.
In their complaint, Moody and CMA say the new rule goes beyond the anti-discrimination law. They say it would force doctors to provide, and insurance to pay for, treatments including puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for transgender minors and adults against their medical or ethical judgment.
They also said the rule conflicted with a Florida law banning such treatments, which are known as gender-affirming care, for minors.
“These rules trample states’ power to protect their own citizens and we will not stand by as Biden tries, yet again, to use the force of the federal government to unlawfully stifle Florida’s effort to protect children,” Moody said in a statement.
The plaintiffs claim that the rule is “arbitrary and capricious” under a federal law governing agency rulemaking, and violates doctors’ right to free speech and freedom of religion under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. They are asking the court for an order blocking its enforcement.
HHS said not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The agency and major medical organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have said that gender-affirming
Influence of COVID-19 on trust in routine immunization, health information sources and pandemic preparedness in 23 countries in 2023
The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus in late 2019 precipitated a global health emergency that contributed to more than 7 million reported deaths globally as of 19 January 2024 (ref. 1) and an estimated 18.2 million excess deaths between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 (ref. 2). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, requiring urgent international intervention, led to an accelerated pace of research and development of multiple safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines, which were first authorized for emergency use in December 20203. The expeditious vaccine development and limited availability resulted in serious challenges in the equitable global distribution of vaccines, coupled with vaccine-related misinformation and mistrust of the science behind vaccine safety4.
Vaccine hesitancy5, pandemic fatigue6 and vaccine fatigue, defined as the ‘inertia or inaction toward vaccine information or instruction due to perceived burden and burnout’7, continue to present challenges to vaccine uptake in 2023. Although COVID-19 has been deprioritized as a substantial public health threat since 2023, the virus strains continue to circulate and, in some settings, lead to new increases in hospitalization and intensive care unit admission1. The potential impact of vaccine hesitancy on confidence in booster doses remains substantial8. In addition, documented spillover effects on routine immunization pose a threat for the reemergence of some childhood and adult vaccine-preventable diseases9,10.
In this Brief Communication, the fourth study in a series of annual global surveys across 23 countries (Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States)11,12,13, we report perspectives of adults in the general public on COVID-19 and
Life Kit’s expert advice on the health realities of new motherhood : NPR
Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. If you’re thinking about getting pregnant or if you’ve just given birth, Life Kit is here to help.
Our archive of episodes on maternal and reproductive health can help you understand your menstrual cycle, navigate pregnancy complications such as postpartum depression and pregnancy loss, and help you prepare for another pregnancy.
Find a link to all these episodes and more in Life Kit’s guide for moms and moms to be.
Trying to get pregnant? Brush up on your knowledge of your menstrual cycle. The ovulation step is when you have the greatest chance of getting pregnant – or when you’re most fertile. This period of high fertility is about six days. You’re most likely to get pregnant a few days before and after your body releases its egg. Read the story here.
A primer on freezing your eggs. A typical check-up will start with an ultrasound of the ovaries so they can see how many follicles you have. Follicles are the small sacs that surround the eggs. After that, you’ll have blood drawn to measure your level of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). If the doctor decides you are a good candidate for egg banking, they might want to start the process right away. Read the story here.
How your brain changes when you’re pregnant. Pregnancy marks the beginning of a very distinct developmental stage of life that shapes our physical and mental health for the long term, says Chelsea Conaboy, author of the book Mother Brain: How Neuroscience Is Rewriting The Story Of Parenthood. “Those dramatic changes that happen to our hormones during pregnancy are priming the brain to be more plastic, more malleable, more changeable, and ready, essentially, to receive our babies.” Read the comic here.
Pregnant? It’s