Current Research

Alberta Farm Health Surveillance Study

There have been few occupational health cohort studies of farmers in Canada. In 1998, a cohort of farmers was identified in Alberta using data linkage between Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Agriculture. The goal of this study is to examine farmers’ health experience over time, and specifically to examine injury, respiratory and mental health outcomes in this population. This study will highlight the health risks among farmers which will inform the development of effective interventions. Through the partnering of Alberta Agriculture, Alberta Health and Wellness, Western Regional Training Centre for Health Services Research, and Public Health and the Rural Ecosystem, data collection for this project is underway. For more information, contact Dr. Don Voaklander at don.voaklander@ualberta.ca

Farm Work Exposure to Older Farmers in Canada

Older farmers are a high risk group for farm injury and fatality. The average age of farm owner-operators in Canada is approximately 55 years, thus any research that can inform prevention is warranted. The purpose of this study is to examine the work exposure of older farmers (aged 55 and older) from a cohort of Saskatchewan farm families. Implications for this research include study information being used to inform best practice for injury prevention among older farmers. Two peer-reviewed papers have recently been published from this research, and a further research project will examine how job tasking changes as farmers age. This research is being conducted via partnerships through the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Queen’s University, and the University of Saskatchewan. For more information, contact Dr. Don Voaklander at don.voaklander@ualberta.ca or refer to the following references:

Day, L., Voaklander, D., Sim, M., Wolfe, R., Langley, J., Dosman, J., Hagel, L., Ozanne-Smith. Risk factors for work related injury among male farmers. J. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 2009, 66;5:312-18.

Voaklander, D., Dosman, J., Hagel. L., Warsh, J., Pickett, W. Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort Study Team. Farm work exposure among male farmers in Saskatchewan. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2010, 53;7:706-15.

Get the Point Program Evaluation

The Edmonton Minor Hockey Association in collaboration with the ACICR and the City of Edmonton are developing strategies to reduce the burden of injury in minor ice hockey. The goal of the Get the Point Program Evaluation is to reduce injuries in minor ice hockey and to reduce the amount of penalized behaviour in ice hockey. Further implications for this work are that the GP program may be an effective model for injury reduction in ice hockey. Current products for this project include a report by Andrew Harris, Kim Sanderson, Don Voaklander entitled: Get the Point Injury Reduction Program Evaluation, 2011. There is ongoing data collection and evaluation as well. ACICR has partnered with the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Minor Hockey Association for this project. For more information, contact Dr. Don Voaklander at don.voaklander@ualberta.ca

Surveillance of Chronic Disease in the Métis Population in Alberta

In partnership with Alberta Health & Wellness, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Métis Nation of Alberta, the ACICR is currently comparing mortality rates for the Métis population to the First Nations, Inuit, and non-Aboriginal populations of Alberta for the years 2000 – 2008. The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of chronic diseases in the Alberta Métis population with the Inuit, First Nations, and non-Aboriginal population of Alberta. There is limited health research that specifically focuses on the Métis population, therefore this research will provide important data on the health of the growing Alberta Métis population. This study will used linkage of data from administrative health databases. For more information contact Dr. Don Voaklander at don.voaklander@ualberta.ca

Canadian Agricultural Safety Agency (CASA) Media Database Review

Agricultural injury and fatality pose a significant burden on farmers, families, health care systems, and economies. One way of increasing knowledge of this problem and promote prevention is the use of printed mass media such as newspapers. How are farm injuries reported in the media? Do prevention messages for agricultural injury appear in the media? We take a look at the CASA media database to provide answers to these questions. Our goals for this research project are to describe the extent to which prevention messages are found in the print media and see whether there are patterns to how prevention message are/are not reported. Providing safety information through mass media is a potential opportunity for education, injury reduction and cost savings and could assist in a reduction in the incidence of farm injuries nationally. ACICR has partnered with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Agency on this project. For more information contact Dejan Ozegovic at ozegovic@ualberta.ca

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Violence in Vulnerable People

This study will examine the link between brain injury and violence, especially in high-vulnerability populations and, through knowledge translation, will disseminate this knowledge and explore solutions. The objectives of the research program are to understand, on both a macro- and micro-level, how TBI and violence are linked in Canadian society; and to communicate these findings in such a way as to inform the Canadian people, influence public policy, and set in motion further research to understand and correct the problems outlined here. The research program is intended to improve our understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its link to violence. The research program, comprised of three overarching research components and knowledge translation activities, will examine the social causes and social effects of TBI and the hypothesized reciprocal link between TBI and violence. This project is in the start-up phase. Data is being acquired for the Edmonton region from Emergency Medical Services. As well we are collating administrative health data at the provincial level. ACICR is partnered with St. Michaels Hospital (Toronto), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. For more information contact Dr. Don Voaklander at don.voaklander@ualberta.ca

WHO Collaborating Centre Task Force on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

The Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) Task Force is an international multidisciplinary group of clinicians and scientists with the mandate to make recommendations to reduce the medical, social and economic consequences of mild traumatic brain injury of a closed head etiology. The goal of the task force is to address the risk and prevention measures, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment/rehabilitation and economic costs of mild brain injury. The task force is in the fourth year of a five-year project. An extensive, worldwide literature review is currently underway. The Best Evidence Synthesis and ensuing clinical guidelines will be published in a peer review journal. For more information contact Dr. Linda J. Carroll at lcarroll@ualberta.ca