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Background:To identify the source of information, preferred promotional formats, and the type of information parents of school-aged children eligible for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination would consider in their decision-making process. Methods:A bilingual (English and French) pre-campaign survey employing Facebook advertisements was used to recruit parents of school-aged children aged between 9 and 15 years across Canada to participate in the study. The survey consisted of 20 closed-ended and two open-ended questions. Recruitment on Facebook occurred between March 2021 and February 2022. Participants meeting specific requirements were eligible to participate in the study. Results:A total of 764 parents participated in the study, and 554 met the eligibility criteria. Representation was obtained from nine provinces and two territories. The majority of respondents (24.9%; n=138) indicated that they turned to sources other than social media platforms when it came to making decisions about HPV vaccination. Among other sources, respondents first considered the recommendations made by their healthcare providers (17.5%; n=38). Respondents also reported infographics as the format most likely to influence their decision-making (20.8%; n=115), over other types of resources. Finally, potential side-effects associated with HPV vaccines versus HPV infection outcomes were among the main topics of information the respondents looked at in their decision-making process. Conclusion:Infographics can be an important social marketing component for educating parents about the vaccination of school-aged children against HPV. These visual representations should focus on HPV vaccine safety, to respond to the information needs of parents. This intervention should be combined with healthcare provider recommendations.
BACKGROUND:Over the past two decades, Canada's public health system has undergone transformative structural changes that may impact chronic disease prevention (CDP). PHORCAST is a unique national study of CDP organizations in Canada that documents trends in organizational characteristics, funding, and priorities across the public health system. METHODS:PHORCAST conducted national censuses of CDP organizations in 2004, 2010, and 2023, including governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that develop and deliver CDP activities (classified as "resource" and "user" organizations, respectively). A standardized questionnaire captured organizational characteristics, populations served, staffing, funding, and activities. Descriptive statistics and stratified analyses were used to describe 20-year trends. RESULTS:Data from 258 organizations in 2004 (92% response), 239 in 2010 (90%), and 267 in 2023 (89%) revealed: (i) a shift toward more centralized delivery of CDP activities, with fewer organizations serving local populations and more serving provincial/territorial or national jurisdictions; (ii) a growing role of NGOs, the presence of which increased from 39 to 62% among resource organizations and from 36 to 51% among user organizations; (iii) declining prioritization of CDP especially among governmental user organizations (from 43% in 2004 to 26% in 2023); (iv) reduced reliance on federal/provincial funding and increased reliance on municipal and private sources; (v) persistent gaps in evaluation with only 19-22% of resource organizations reporting adequate staffing or budget; and (vi) a broadened CDP focus, particularly among NGOs, to include mental health and underserved populations. CONCLUSIONS:Canada's CDP landscape has become more centralized, increasingly NGO-driven, and financially unstable, with shrinking government prioritization despite rising chronic disease burdens. Strengthening system-wide capacity, evaluation infrastructure, and stable, equity-oriented funding models will be essential for building a resilient and effective CDP system.
Background:Vaccination rates of healthcare workers in Canada against influenza are below the national target of 80%. The objective of this study was to identify the preferred promotional formats and types of information that healthcare professionals would consider when deciding whether to get immunized against influenza. The goals of this survey were to 1) inform the design of a social marketing campaign to help healthcare professionals make informed decisions about influenza vaccination, and 2) inform future education and promotional work by vaccination stakeholders. Methods:A bilingual survey was implemented online using Facebook ads to recruit healthcare professionals across Canada. The survey consisted of 15 mixed multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Eligibility requirements included being a practising Canadian healthcare professional, such as a medical doctor, nurse, pharmacist, nurse practitioner, midwife, or dentist. Results:A total of 265 healthcare professionals completed the study, with a majority (51.3%) being nurses and practising in Ontario (32.1%). Infographics were viewed as the promotional format most likely to influence their decision-making (33.6%). Healthcare professionals relied on news from various media outlets and peer-reviewed journals (15.8%) to make their decisions. Finally, respondents indicated that influenza vaccine effectiveness was the most relevant information with respect to their decision-making (80.8%). Conclusion:Infographics may be an important method for promoting influenza vaccination among healthcare professionals. These visual representations should focus on up-to-date information about influenza vaccine effectiveness to respond to the information needs of healthcare professionals. The next steps will be to design a marketing campaign focused on vaccine effectiveness, using infographics as a promotional format.
Background This study presents the prevalence of burnout among the Canadian public health workforce after three years of the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with work-related factors. Methods Data were collected using an online survey distributed through Canadian public health associations and professional networks between November 2022 and January 2023. Burnout was measured using a modified version of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). Logistic regressions were used to model the relationship between burnout and work-related factors including years of work experience, redeployment to pandemic response, workplace safety and supports, and harassment. Burnout and the intention to leave or retire as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic was explored using multinomial logistic regressions. Results In 2,079 participants who completed the OLBI, the prevalence of burnout was 78.7%. Additionally, 49.1% of participants reported being harassed because of their work during the pandemic. Burnout was positively associated with years of work experience, redeployment to the pandemic response, being harassed during the pandemic, feeling unsafe in the workplace and not being offered workplace supports. Furthermore, burnout was associated with greater odds of intending to leave public health or retire earlier than anticipated. Conclusion The high levels of burnout among our large sample of Canadian public health workers and its association with work-related factors suggest that public health organizations should consider interventions that mitigate burnout and promote recovery.
