McMaster University

Diagnoses associated with reimbursement of cannabis for medical purposes among Canadian Veterans, 2016-23

Introduction : Canadian Veterans who are authorized to access cannabis for medical purposes (CMP) by a health care practitioner may be reimbursed for the cost by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). To assess eligibility for reimbursement, VAC receives and reviews medical authorization...

Local and global canopy height models reveal consistent large-tree forest conservation gaps despite low spatial agreement

Canada's coastal temperate rainforests are home to some of the world's largest trees. These forests support disproportionate carbon storage, high structural complexity, and habitat for a wide range of species. Historical logging focused on the most productive stands, combined wit...

Active Commuting and Air Pollution Risk Perception in a Suburban Environment: Evidence from Markham, Ontario

Air pollution is a significant global environmental threat exacerbated by anthropogenic processes, including urbanization, industrialization, and climate change. Active transportation (AT), defined as modes of travel that rely on physical human effort such as walking or cycling,...

Reported policy impacts through intersectoral action as a public health practice for health equity: a rapid scoping review

Advancing health equity is a priority for public health. As much of what influences health equity lies outside health systems, working intersectorally to intervene on the structural and social determinants of health is a foundational public health practice to advance this aim. Th...

Promoting healthy families: a three‐arm randomized controlled trial of Triple P and Circle of Security–Parenting versus treatment‐as‐usual for families with young children (2–6 years)

BACKGROUND: Parenting programs grounded in social learning (SL) and attachment theory are widely implemented, yet few trials have directly compared their effects across multiple parenting domains in community contexts. This study examined the relative effectiveness of an SL-based...

The unique challenges of cycling to the grocery store in a car dependent city

Globally, many cities are aiming to encourage cycling for transportation as it integrates environmentally sustainable practices and physical activity into existing daily routines. While a large body of work examines cycling for transportation, few studies focus on one trip: cycli...

Associations between maternal age at first birth and parenting behaviour among migrant and displaced mothers on the Thailand-Myanmar border

Background Early parenthood is an established risk factor for poor maternal and child outcomes. Research on the association between maternal age at first birth and parenting behaviour remains limited in displacement contexts in low- and middle-income countries, despite the high p...

International Modified Delphi Consensus on Assessment and Management of Covert Brain Infarction

BackgroundCovert brain infarction (CBI) is a frequent incidental neuroradiological finding increasingly recognized as clinically relevant due to its association with stroke, cognitive decline, and other adverse outcomes. However, substantial uncertainty remains regarding its opti...

Consensus-based clinical and research recommendations for use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the context of eating disorders: a modified Delphi study.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), initially developed for type 2 diabetes management and later expanded to obesity treatment, have shown preliminary efficacy in reducing binge eating episodes. However, the appetite-suppressing and weight-loss effects of GLP-1R...

OphthoEvidence Report: Comparative effects of treatments for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: A protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background Geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leads to legal blindness in approximately 16% of affected individuals within 6 years. Numerous trials have evaluated interventions to slow GA progression, and many studies are ongoing....

Unveiling Plasmon-Enhanced Localized Fields of Titanium Nitride via Complementary Electron Microscopy Techniques

Abstract Titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs) are promising alternatives to noble metals for visible-range plasmonic applications, yet their structure–property relationships remain insufficiently understood. Here, we combine ultrafast transmission electron microscopy (UTEM) a...

Gender disparities in leadership of methodological research in health science

Objectives Gender disparities in methodological studies are largely unexplored. We aimed to examine gender representation between first and last authorship positions in methodological research in health science. Methods We searched for methodological articles as part of a large s...

Urinary Tract Infection Diagnosis—A Companion to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection: Technical Report

Accurate diagnosis is essential to appropriate care. Although urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in children, there is no gold standard for its diagnosis. During the American Academy of Pediatrics' revision of its Clinical Practice Guidel...

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Prevention and Management of Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection and Suspected Urinary Tract Infection: Technical Report

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection during childhood. This article reports on a technical review investigating the management of UTI to inform the development of an updated clinical practice guideline (CPG) by the American Acade...

Cognitive Functional Therapy for Plantar Heel Pain: A Case Series

BACKGROUND: Plantar heel pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition frequently associated with persistent pain, disability, and biopsychosocial contributors. Although guideline-based care has evolved, management often remains centered on passive and tissue-focused strategies,...

Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract Infection in Children From 8 Days to 5 Years of Age

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections in infants and young children, with a prevalence of 7% in infants with fever. This clinical practice guideline (CPG) provides an update of the literature and clinical recommendations of the 2011 American...

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Role of Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Vesicoureteral Reflux in Pediatric Patients Following Urinary Tract Infections: Technical Report

BACKGROUND: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) may be present in as many as 40% of children without known underlying neurogenic bladder or anatomic abnormalities in whom a first urinary tract infection (UTI) is diagnosed. This article reports on a technical review investigating the diag...

Intersectionality in HIV-related policy documents affecting people who use drugs in Ontario, Canada: a policy document analysis

In 2023 Canadian surveillance data, injection drug use accounted for 13.6% of new HIV diagnoses among males and 28.4% among females in exposure-category data. This study identified the presence of intersectionality language among health policies that affect access to HIV related...

Machine learning combined with multidimensional validation identifies SNCA and NR2F2 as key hubs implicated in paraquat and rotenone co-exposure-induced Parkinson’s disease

Combined exposure to pesticides, such as paraquat (PQ) and rotenone (Rot), is a significant risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the synergistic pathogenic mechanisms underlying their co-exposure remain largely elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the key molecula...

Use of Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists for Insomnia and the Risk of Falls and Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

ABSTRACT Background Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. Sedative‐hypnotic use is a known risk factor, but their use for insomnia continues to be common. Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) are a new, potentially safer class of medications for insomnia. We...