Webinars

Description

Throughout 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 Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants will

1. Have increased awareness of the direct association between public health measure strictness and hospitalization trends for eating disorders.
2. Understand how involving youth with lived/living experiences in research and knowledge mobilization efforts is key to creating meaningful, productive change.
3. Have increased capacity (e.g., awareness, knowledge, and resources) to support clinicians in the screening and management of eating disorders.
4. Make new connections that can assist in collaborating to create a policy brief for action to support young people at risk or with eating disorders.
5. Be motivated to take action to ensure future public health planning considers the implications for young people at risk for eating disorders and their support needs.

Speakers

Nadia Roumeliotis
Clinical Scientist, CHU Sainte-Justine

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
Lived Experience Partner

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
Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University

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.

Description

The 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 Objectives

Speakers