Approximately 14 per cent of Canadians suffer from chronic low back pain, making it the second most common chronic condition in the country. Some studies suggest that having a high level of satisfaction with social support may increase well-being of people with chronic back pain. However, there is little research that has addressed the potentially harmful effects of social support. Susan Holtzman is examining how support networks help or hinder patients in coping with chronic back pain over time. She will study 200 patients and their partners, using questionnaires and daily records to track pain levels, disability, mood, types of support received, satisfaction with support, coping strategies, and health. Findings from this research may lead to more effective and individualized treatment programs.
Year: 2003
Evaluation of common drug review dissemination and use of evidence by drug plans
The cost of publicly funded prescription drug programs in Canada is growing an estimated 15 per cent a year. Studies show drug plan staff have little time to reassess drugs already on the market and are overwhelmed with submissions from pharmaceutical companies seeking approval of new drugs. In September 2001, federal, provincial and territorial Health Ministers launched the Common Drug Review (CDR) to develop a national process for reviewing evidence on new drugs and reducing duplication among provinces. How CDR will integrate with current communication systems to share information between drug plan staff and researchers is not yet clear. Mowafa Househ is assessing how drug plans use and produce evidence within the CDR system, and how virtual networking can improve the exchange of this knowledge. Using web-based conferencing, Mowafa is developing a three-step protocol to improve links between drug plan manager and researchers. He is applying the protocol to three major drug plan issues: assessing new drugs, re-assessing existing drugs, and evaluating the impact of drug policies.
Computational and laboratory characterization of genomic islands of potential relevance to bacterial pathogenicity
Infectious diseases cause one-third of all human deaths worldwide. Microbiologists are beginning to get a clearer picture of some of the bacteria that cause disease, using the increasing number of genome (gene) sequences available for these microbes. In fact, a back log of genetic data is waiting to be prioritized and analyzed. The data shows transfer of genetic material between bacteria seems to be much more common than previously believed. Essentially, bacteria can exchange genes that cause disease. In addition, a significant portion of the genes associated with disease are found in clusters called “pathogenicity islands.” William Hsiao believes that focusing on these genomic islands will narrow the search for disease-causing genes in bacteria. He hopes the information will explain how some bacteria cause disease and how they differ from bacteria that do not.
The relationship between developmental factors and the ability of children to accurately complete a self-report pain scale
Pain is a complex, subjective experience that cannot be measured directly. Self-report rating scales are commonly used to assess an individual’s pain experience, but with children, clinicians need to determine whether a child can accurately complete a scale. Little research has been done on methods to assess children’s accuracy in using these scales. As a MSFHR Masters Trainee, Elizabeth Stanford (Job) examined ways children use everyday language to describe pain. Now she is assessing young children’s ability to accurately convey their level of pain through methods that include pointing to a series of pain faces developed as a rating scale. The research will increase understanding of how developmental factors — such as language and numerical reasoning — influence children’s ability to accurately express pain with these scales, and ultimately lead to more effective pain assessment and treatment for children.
An Evaluation of an Asthma Education Program in a Pediatric Emergency Department
The increasing prevalence in asthma diagnoses in North America over the 1980s and early 1990s has led to increased asthma-related admissions and emergency visits at pediatric institutions. In many cases however early intervention at home may have been a superior method of treatment for milder cases. In an effort to increase parental and patient knowledge about early interventions many asthma education initiatives have been launched. Studies to date on the effectiveness of these initiatives have been mixed. Jay Joseph is assessing retention of knowledge about asthma by specifically studying asthma exacerbation cases presented at the emergency department of BC’s Children’s and Women’s Health Centre. From these cases Jay is analyzing general parental knowledge of asthma and their knowledge of how to cope with specific exacerbation scenarios. Ultimately, Jay hopes results from his study will contribute to reducing GP/pediatrician consultation rates and repeat emergency visit and readmission rates.
Income support and the health of women with disabilities: The dis/abling effects of discourses
Women with disabilities face many barriers to health, including poverty and inequality. Government-administered income support programs are necessary for the survival of many disabled women, yet these programs also create barriers to working, developing abilities and participating fully in activities available to non-disabled people. Sally Kimpson is examining the effects of disability income support policy and programs on women with disabilities. Through in-depth interviews with disabled women, she is studying how they participate in income support programs – including compliance with or resistance to different elements of these programs – and how they learn to participate in society while negotiating constraints related to the programs. Increasing understanding of how disabled women live with income support will help improve policy and programs, which will ultimately benefit women whose health and well-being are closely tied to securing income support.
Mechanistic basis of the inhibitory effect of extracellular zinc on rat Kv3.1
Zinc is a trace element that concentrates in some nerve terminals in the brain. Increased zinc concentration in the brain has been linked to epileptic seizures, which affect about 300,000 Canadians. Zinc is known to inhibit a potassium channel, Kv3.1, essential for neuronal activity, but how this occurs is not yet understood. Daniel Kwan is joint author on two papers in the international Journal of Physiology on research into a protein that controls the movement of potassium ions from heart muscle cells. Now he is extending his studies to determine how zinc binds to and inhibits the Kv3.1 channel. Ultimately, the results may lead to new treatments and drugs for brain disorders such as epilepsy.
The development of a lymphatic stress test
Many women develop lymphedema, painful swelling in the hand or arm, after treatment for breast cancer. Various therapies can manage lymphedema, but not cure the chronic condition. As a result, women have to live with side effects including restricted movement in the affected arm and increased risk of infection, and some report reduced quality of life due to increased anxiety, emotional distress and depression. Lymphedema is typically diagnosed by measuring arm volume and/or circumference. But the methods used do not measure changes in lymphatic function. Kirstin Lane is developing a test protocol using lymphoscintigraphy to measure lymphatic function, which could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of current treatments for lymphedema. In addition, exercise was originally believed to exacerbate breast cancer-related lymphedema, but recent research suggests exercise may have a positive impact on lymphatic function. The new test could be used to assess the effects of exercise and to develop appropriate exercise guidelines.
Workplace stress and health: The mediating roles of social support and coping
Stress can play a significant role in physical and mental health. The workplace is one common source of stress, which has been linked to psychological distress, back pain, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular disease and heart disease. It’s also estimated that stress accounts for more than 50 per cent of absenteeism. However, stress in the workplace does not inevitably lead to illness and is preventable. Dayna Lee-Baggley is investigating how coping techniques and strong social support from co-workers, supervisors and family can decrease the harmful effects of workplace stress. Her study focuses on understanding how stress and coping unfold on a daily basis in the workplace, as well as the ways stress can “spillover” at home. The research will help identify individuals who may have difficulty coping with workplace stress and workplaces that may promote or hinder successful coping. The study results will also suggest intervention strategies to support people at risk of suffering from the adverse health outcomes caused by workplace stress.
Attention systems for perception and action
Vision serves two purposes: it allows us to consciously perceive our surroundings (e.g. recognize an object) and to act upon this environment (e.g. reach for the object). However, one or the other of these capabilities is often impaired in people with brain disorders, such as dementia or schizophrenia. While a wealth of research has been conducted on visual perception, less is known about visually guided actions, or how perception and action work together. The dual systems theory of vision allows for the possibility that there are separate attention systems for action and perception in the brain. Geniva Liu’s research focuses on improving understanding of how perception and action interact in vision. Results from the research could contribute to the design of strategies to help people with attention deficits capitalize on alternative resources for visually guided action or perception.