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Background: Improving equity and early access to palliative care for underserved populations in Canada is a priority. Little is known regarding access to palliative and end-of-life care in the Black population. Methods: We undertook a scoping review using the framework by Arksey and O'Malley to identify knowledge, access gaps, and experiences of palliative and end-of-life care among Blacks living with life-limiting illnesses in Canada. Primary studies, discussion papers, books, and reports were considered eligible. We followed a comprehensive search strategy developed by an information scientist. Searches were performed in the following bibliographic databases: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO via OVID, CINAHL via EBSCOhost, Scopus and Cochrane Library via Wiley. The search strategy was derived from three main concepts: (1) Black people; (2) Canada and Canadian provinces; (3) Palliative, hospice, or end-of-life care. No publication date or language limits were applied. Titles and abstracts were screened for eligibility by one reviewer and full text by two independent reviewers. Results: The search yielded 233 articles. Nineteen articles were selected for full-text review, and 7 articles met the inclusion criteria. These studies were published between 2010 and 2021, and conducted in the provinces of Ontario and Nova Scotia only. Studies used both quantitative and qualitative methods and included cancer decedents, next of kin, family caregivers and religious leaders. Sample sizes in various studies ranged from 6 − 2,606 participants. Included studies reported a general lack of understanding about palliative and end-of-life care, positive and negative experiences, and limited access to palliative and end-of-life care for Blacks, across all care settings. Conclusion: Findings suggest limited knowledge of palliative care and inequities in access to palliative and end-of-life care for Blacks living with life-limiting illnesses in 2 Canadian provinces. There is an urgent need for research to inform tailored and culturally acceptable strategies to improve understanding and access to palliative care and end-of-life care among Blacks in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiology of mental disorders emerged in the post-1945 era at the intersections of different areas of knowledge. Given its ambitions, the Stirling County Study provides an instructive case study. It is also a good example of how the epidemiology applied methodological skills from social sciences. This paper aims, first, to reconstruct one of the first episodes in the development of psychiatric epidemiology. Its second purpose is to provide a detailed description of interdisciplinarity at work, and to examine its effects. After explaining some of the major features of the Stirling County Study, I emphasize the links between some of the first results, particularly regarding young people as a population at risk, and the job market after the Great Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted families across Canada; however, rural low-income mothers and their families have experienced significant challenges due to historical and current social, economic, cultural, and health inequities. These inequities complicated mothers' ability to navigate the pandemic. This paper is based on a study that used a grounded theory framework to explore the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural, low-income mothers in Nova Scotia, Canada, while supporting their families' wellbeing during the pandemic. Through 29 interviews with rural low-income mothers, and three focus groups with community organizations serving these mothers, this study found that mothers and their families were deeply impacted by the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as inadequate internet and internet access, limited and unaffordable transportation options, food insecurity, social isolation, and mental health challenges emerged from these interviews. Three focus groups with service providers to low-income rural mothers also informed the final results. The inequities faced by rural mothers created additional barriers to accessing services and resources to support their families' wellbeing during the pandemic. The results of the study connect to the importance of addressing inequities through a holistic social determinants of heath model. As a result, the findings of this study have implications on the actions of service providers, policymakers, and researchers, as little has been written about this demographic in relation to social determinants of health and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]