Persons struggling with housing remain significantly disadvantaged when considering access to health care. Effective advocacy for their needs will require understanding the factors which impact their health care, and which of those most concern patients themselves. A qualitative descriptive study through the lens of a transformative framework was used to identify barriers and facilitators to accessing health care as perceived by people experiencing homelessness in the regional municipality of Niagara, Canada. In-person, semi-structured interviews with 16 participants were completed, and inductive thematic analysis identified nine barriers and eight facilitators. Barriers included affordability, challenges finding primary care, inadequacy of the psychiatric model, inappropriate management, lack of trust in health care providers, poor therapeutic relationships, systemic issues, and transportation and accessibility. Facilitators included accessibility of services, community health care outreach, positive relationships, and shelters coordinating health care. Knowledge of the direct experiences of marginalized individuals can help create new health policies and enhance the provision of clinical care.

A cross sectional study was carried out among school going children of Ganaktuli slum area in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. A total of 183 stool samples were collected from children of age between 5 and 16 years of both sexes during May, 2017 to April, 2018. Collected samples were examined using Formal-Ether Concentration technique. 61.20% samples were found positive for intestinal parasites. Eight species of parasites were identified, where Entamoeba histolytica (3.83%), Giardia lamblia (6.01%), Diphyllobothrium latum (3.28%), Paragonimus westermani (3.83%), Ascaris lumbricoides (24.59%), Trichuris trichiura (12.02%), Ancylostoma duodenale (5.46%) and Enterobius vermicularis (2.19%) was recorded. Male children showed higher (63.95%) prevalence than female (58.76%). The highest and lowest prevalence (82.46 and 39.29%) were found among 8 - 10 and 14 - 16 years children, respectively. The highest prevalence of E. histolytica (7.02%), A. lumbricoides (38.60%), T. trichiura (14.04%) and A. duodenale (8.77%) were observed in 8 - 10 years age group; G. lamblia (7.41%), P. westermani (5.56%) and E. vermicularis (3.70%) in 11 - 13 years age group and D. latum (6.90%) was found highest in 14 - 16 years age group. Statistically it was observed that age groups had significant association with parasitic infestation (p < 0.05) but prevalence did not alter significantly according to sexes (p > 0.05). Highest abundance of parasites was recorded for A. lumbricoides. Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(1): 67-75, 2019

No abstract

No abstract

Background: Regional medical campuses are often located in geographic regions that have different populations than the main campus, and are well-positioned to advocate for the health needs of their local community to promote social accountability within the medical school. Methods:At the Niagara Regional Campus of McMaster University, medical students developed a framework which combined research, advocacy, and theatre to advocate for the needs of the local population of the regional campus to which they were assigned. This involved a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with homeless individuals to explore their experience accessing the healthcare system and using a transformative framework to identify barriers to receiving quality healthcare services. Findings from the qualitative study informed a play script that presented the experiences of homeless individuals in the local health system, which was presented to health sciences learners and practicing health professionals. Participants completed two instruments to examine the utility of this framework. Results:Research-based theatre was a useful intervention to educate current and future health professionals about the challenges faced by homeless individuals in the region. Participants from both shows felt the framework of research-based theatre was an effective strategy to promote change and advocate for marginalized populations. Conclusion:Research-based theatre is an innovative approach which can be utilized to promote social accountability at regional medical campuses, advocating for the health needs of the communities in which they are located, with the added bonus of educating current and future health professionals.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract