Webinars
SPARK: Live
Children's Healthcare Canada's SPARK: Live webinars provides you access to cutting-edge research and other evidence (practice, policy, leadership, and lived experience) in child and youth health and healthcare, innovations from across the child healthcare continuum, and subject matter experts and colleagues from Canada and around the world.
Upcoming Webinars
COVID-19 Restrictions and the Surge in Eating Disorders Among Youth in Canada
December 4, 2024 | 11am ET
Description and Speakers |
DescriptionThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital admissions for eating disorders skyrocketed for both males and females in Canada. During the year immediately post-pandemic, admission rates more than doubled in females aged 12-17. One study noted that Canadian public health protections were significantly associated with an increase in hospital admissions for eating disorders. While strict public health measures were necessary to mitigate death and harm from COVID-19, it’s important to understand their impact on youth. This webinar will focus on a study examining the mental health outcomes in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the Pediatric Outcomes Improvement through Coordination of Research Networks (POPCORN) group. The research team will a) present the study findings and implications for practice, policy, healthcare system, and research decision-making, b) share practical, take-home messages for clinicians to help support those at risk of or living with eating disorders, and c) provide recommendations for policy and future advocacy efforts to mitigate the indirect consequences of the pandemic. Finally, the team will demonstrate how the voices of those with lived/living experiences created a better understanding of results for implementation of change.
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this webinar, participants will
SpeakersNadia Roumeliotis Nadia Roumeliotis, MDCM, PhD, is a pediatric intensivist and clinician-scientist at CHU Sainte- Justine. Her research projects, funded by CIHR (over $700,000) and FRQS (Junior 1), focus on critical care safety systems, including medication and discharge safety. She holds a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology and Health Services from the University of Toronto, during which she acquired expertise in health administrative data sets. She is part of the Canadian Pediatric COVID-19 platform (POPCORN), where she uses administrative data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to evaluate indirect outcome of the pandemic on youth. Abby McCluskey Abby McCluskey is an individual with lived experience of an eating disorder who is passionate about using her experiences to advocate for change within the healthcare system, particularly related to child and adolescent care. She is in her third of the Bachelor of Health Sciences program at Queen's University but grew up in Victoria, BC. Over the past year, Abby has been involved with POPCORN in an advising capacity, using her lived experience to help guide research interpretation. Holly Agostino Dr. Holly Agostino is a member of the division of Adolescent Medicine within the department of Pediatrics at the Montreal Children's Hospital. She completed an academic fellowship in adolescent health and is the current medical director of the MCH Eating Disorder Program. An associate professor of pediatrics at McGill University, Dr. Agostino is an executive member of both the Royal College and Canadian Pediatric Society National Adolescent Medicine Committees. Her current academic and research interests center around the medical management of eating disorders and the delivery of confidential and effective patient communication in the tertiary setting. |
Lessons learned during the pandemic: Lighting the way to build better healthcare transition programs
December 11, 2024 | 11am ET
Description and Speakers |
DescriptionThe COVID-19 pandemic (“the pandemic”) has impacted our usual way of living, including how we engage with the healthcare system. To better understand the positive and negative impacts of the pandemic on YSHCN (16-24 years), during their transition to adult healthcare services, a diverse research team, inclusive of people with lived/living experience, conducted a multi-phased, patient-oriented, integrated knowledge mobilization (iKMb) study: The Transition to Adulthood during COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Canadian Youth with Special Healthcare Needs (YSHCN) and their Families to Foster Effective Transitional Care Interventions. Special healthcare needs may include developmental, physical, or mental health conditions. This study, which engaged youth, parents, and healthcare providers throughout, involved both English and French: a) Interviews conducted with 21 Canadian YSHCN and families in 4 provinces, b) A survey of Canadian YSHCN/families (n=516) in 10 provinces and 1 territory, and c) Virtual Town Halls with attendees (n=55 ) from 8 provinces. Webinar attendees will learn about themes, practical actions, and priorities identified through this research. With a richer understanding of the pandemic experience, the priorities, recommendations, and strategies identified can help improve healthcare experiences and transitional care interventions in the future. We aim to support and reduce the burden on YSHCN and families when planning and undergoing transitions to adult healthcare systems. Findings suggest that YSHCN and their families want consistency, continuity and assurance that their best interest is central to their care. Knowledge translation/mobilization, advocacy, and policy initiatives are ongoing to share our findings nationally. We continue the conversation within the Canadian Transition Hub to determine next steps in this program of work.
Learning ObjectivesJoin the conversation to
SpeakersKaren Cook Faculty of Health Disciplines at Athabasca University | Transition Hub Dr. Cook's interests focus on improving the experiences of youth and young adults living with complex health conditions, especially their transition from pediatric to adult health care to reduce barriers and support their personal goals. Karen is also actively involved in bringing grief out of the shadows into the public square through community engagement and workshops (gatheringgrief.com).
Jessica Geboers Jessica Geboers is a patient advisor, co-investigator and accessible documentation specialist a tCanChild. Since graduating from the Ryerson University School of Journalism in 2015, she is a writer, web developer and accessibility specialist. As someone with moderate Cerebral Palsy, Jessica is passionate about accessibility and disability advocacy. She uses her work to promote awareness of living with disabilities and the need for accessibility throughout research, knowledge translation, knowledge sharing, and implementation processes.
Danijela Grahovac Parent Partner CanChild Danijela is a parent of a 21-year-old young man with level V CP who has recently transitioned from the pediatric to adult healthcare system. She has extensive lived experience in the field of childhood disability and a passion for making a difference in the lives of these children and their families. Trained as an IT engineer, Danijela is working as a technical support specialist at CanChild. Danijela has actively participated in various research initiatives, contributing to the development of websites and knowledge dissemination activities as a parent researcher. She is also member of a board of the non-profit organization ‘All Abilities All Stars’ which goal is an organization of sport and educational programs for children and youth with developmental conditions and their families. This program started mid-February 2024.
Dilshad Kassam-Lallani BSN, NM, NP-PHC Parent Partner, CanChild. Nurse Practioner Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital | Transition Hub Dilshad is a mother to three beautiful daughters ages 27, 25 and 19 years with her middle daughter having a complex, chronic and life threatening medical condition and disability. As a parent, Dilshad has lived experience of having navigated the healthcare system for over two decades to access necessary services to meet the healthcare needs of her daughter. Dilshad and her daughter experienced a “successful” transition from the paediatric to adult healthcare system with her daughter having a transplant two years after being transferred from “oh that comfy paediatric hospital” to the adult health care system. Professionally, Dilshad is an experienced Nurse Practitioner with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry across the continuum. She currently practices at Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in the Spina Bifida and Spinal Cord Injury outpatient clinic with a cross appointment to Vibrant Healthcare Alliance, Anne Johnston Site, in the Young Adult Spina Bifida Transition Program. In addition to providing comprehensive medical care to adolescents with spina bifida and spinal cord injury, she provides leadership in the development and implementation of evidenced based medical transition care model for young people transitioning from paediatric to adult healthcare system.
Jan Willem Gorter MD, PhD, FRCP (C) Professor and Head of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine | Professor of Pediatrics (Part-Time) and CanChild Scientist University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands | McMaster University | Transition Hub Dr. Gorter was the inaugural Chair of the Children’s Healthcare Canada Transition Hub (2019-2021). He has a special interest in transition from pediatric to adult healthcare. His researchfocuses on collaborating with partners who have lived and living experience to improve thehealth and well-being of youth with disabilities and their families. In his clinical work, Dr. Gorteris committed to the family-centred care model of care and life course approach. |