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A recent scoping review indicated military-connected children face stressors that may increase mental health issues. However, the majority of the included literature was American. To examine the experiences of Canadian military-connected children, we conducted in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of Canadian military-connected youth using a qualitative description approach. We conducted a content analysis on interview data, supported by qualitative data analysis software (MAXQDA), with coding done by two researchers who met regularly to discuss coding agreement. Thirteen children in military families participated and described the mental health impact of frequent mobility, parental absence, and risk of parental injury. The experiences of our participants were consistent with the results of an earlier scoping review on this topic. Our results suggest improving military cultural competence among health care providers and enhancing parental support may positively impact child well-being. More research is needed to understand resilience and vulnerability among Canadian military-connected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The military lifestyle can be defined by a triad of unique stressors: frequent relocation, parental absence, and risk of injury, illness and/or death of a serving member. Research has suggested that this unique triad of stressors can impact the mental health of children and youth living in military families. However, research focusing on the mental health of children and youth living in military families overwhelmingly focuses on the American context. Due to key contextual differences, it is unclear to what extent the American findings are representative of military-connected children and youth living in other geographical contexts, such as Canada. A large qualitative study was conducted to explore the mental health of military-connected children in Canada from three perspectives: child, parent, and service provider. This paper reports on the service provider findings. Using individual semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 11 service providers. Data analysis was guided by qualitative content analysis. Two main themes emerged: (1) the mental health of children living in military families may be impacted by the military lifestyle stressors, and (2) the mental health of children living in military families can be impacted by the accessibility and availability of mental health services. While this qualitative study builds upon recent Canadian work that has considered the service provider perspective, additional research is needed to better understand the experiences of service providers who support military-connected children and youth. Highlights: American research shows that the military lifestyle factors can impact the mental health of military-connected children. The mental health of military-connected children has yet to be extensively explored in Canada. The mental health of children living in Canadian military families may be impacted by the military lifestyle stressors. The mental health of Canadian military-connected children can be impacted by the accessibility and availability of mental health services. Our findings can help build capacity and knowledge for service providers who support Canadian military-connected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Most military families experience mandatory relocation, or posting, several times during the military career. For Canadian military families who must access provincial or territorial health care systems, maintaining reasonable continuity of care is a persistent issue. Such challenges may be amplified when a child in a military family has special needs within the health and educational systems. Objective The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of Canadian Armed Forces families' experiences in navigating health care systems on behalf of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the context of mandatory relocation. Methods Parents of children with ASD, where at least one parent serves in the Canadian Armed Forces and had faced military-related relocation, were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. Results Twelve participants represented 12 families and 15 children with ASD. Participants discussed two primary themes. (1) High mobility inherent in the military lifestyle can create disruptions and discontinuities to service, including delays in diagnosis or intervention, losses and gains in available services determined by the direction of posting, and the need to start health care access processes over again when relocating. (2) Navigating health systems for children with ASD creates personal stress and frustration related to relocating, and has career implications for both parents. Conclusions Military-related relocation can create significant disruption in access to health and educational services for Canadian military families who have a child with ASD, and take a personal toll on these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At any one time, one in every five Canadians has low back pain (LBP), and LBP is one of the most common health problems in primary care. Guidelines recommend that imaging not be routinely performed in patients presenting with LBP without signs or symptoms indicating a potential pathological cause. Yet imaging rates remain high for many patients who present without such indications. Inappropriate imaging can lead to inappropriate treatments, results in worse health outcomes and causes harm from unnecessary radiation. There is a need to understand the extent of, and factors contributing to, inappropriate imaging for LBP, and to develop effective strategies that target modifiable barriers and facilitators. The primary study objectives are to determine: 1) The rate of, and factors associated with, inappropriate lumbar spine imaging (x-ray, CT scan and MRI) for people with non-specific LBP presenting to primary care clinicians in Ontario; 2) The barriers and facilitators to reduce inappropriate imaging for LBP in primary care settings.Methods: The project will comprise an inception cohort study and a concurrent qualitative study. For the cohort study, we will recruit 175 primary care clinicians (50 each from physiotherapy and chiropractic; 75 from family medicine), and 3750 patients with a new episode of LBP who present to these clinicians. Clinicians will collect data in the clinic, and each participant will be tracked for 12 months using Ontario health administrative and self-reported data to measure diagnostic imaging use and other health outcomes. We will assess characteristics of the clinicians, patients and encounters to identify variables associated with inappropriate imaging. In the qualitative study we will conduct in-depth interviews with primary care clinicians and patients.Discussion: This will be the first Canadian study to accurately document the extent of the overuse of imaging for LBP, and the first worldwide to include data from the main healthcare professions offering primary care for people with LBP. This study will provide robust information about rates of inappropriate imaging for LBP, along with factors associated with, and an understanding of, potential reasons for inappropriate imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent scoping review found that stressors involved in the military lifestyle (i.e., frequent relocation, parental absence, and risk of parental injury) may be associated with mental health issues among military-children. However, most of the included studies were conducted in the United States with little Canadian representation. To examine the degree to which the scoping review findings are relevant to the Canadian context, we conducted a qualitative study and interviewed 37 parents in Canadian military families. Through the use of a qualitative description approach and content analysis, three themes were identified: 1. Military lifestyle factors have an impact on child mental health; 2. Military life can promote both resilience and vulnerability; and 3. Military lifestyle impacts on parental mental health had an impact on children. These themes align with the scoping review findings asserting that military lifestyle factors can influence child mental health and have significant implications for health care providers working with military-connected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]