麻豆影视

Coronavirus

    • Patients with disabilities had longer COVID-19 hospital stays, high readmission rate: study

    Share

    Sandi Bell knows how difficult it can be for someone with a disability to book a vaccine appointment through an online portal, or feel confident they'll have a ride home from the clinic afterwards.

    The disability advocate in Brantford, Ont., has been calling throughout the pandemic for greater supports for people with disabilities, a group that can be more susceptible to COVID-19 infections and -- as new research suggests -- more likely to have worse outcomes when hospitalized with the virus.

    A study published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that adult COVID-19 patients with disabilities had 36 per cent longer hospital stays and a 77 per cent increased risk of readmission within 30 days.

    Bell, who has a mobility disability and vision impairment, said it's important to see studies highlighting the challenges that COVID-19 has caused for many people with disabilities.

    "There is a definite demand for data, because a lot of people just don't know about the daily barriers," said Bell, a member of the Board of Directors of ARCH Disability Law Centre.

    "COVID has been the most isolating situation that one could imagine for people with disabilities."

    Researchers at the University of Toronto and Unity Health Toronto looked at 1,279 patients -- 22.3 per cent of whom had a recorded disability -- who were hospitalized for COVID-19 at seven nearby hospitals from January through November 2020.

    They found that patients with traumatic brain injury, intellectual or developmental disabilities, and multiple disabilities had the highest risks for poor COVID-19 outcomes.

    The longer hospital stays and increased rates of readmission for people with disabilities persisted even after accounting for age and other factors that might explain differences.

    Hilary Brown, a professor at the University of Toronto and one of the study's authors, said people with disabilities are more likely to live in congregate settings and experience poverty, which makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19. Disabilities are also more common in those already considered high-risk for the virus, she added, including older people.

    The researchers say consideration for people with disabilities, who make up roughly 20 per cent of the national population, has been largely absent from many of Canada's COVID-19 policies.

    Vaccine eligibility has been driven primarily by age and medical comorbidity, they say, and there have been limited accommodations made for patients with disabilities in hospital, including not allowing external essential care partners in as visitors, especially during the first year of the pandemic.

    "Despite all that we know about this group being vulnerable to COVID, they really have not been prioritized," Brown said.

    Dr. Amol Verma, a clinician-scientist at Unity Health Toronto and study co-author, said he saw "several cases" early in the pandemic in which clinicians couldn't properly communicate with a COVID-19 patient with a disability why they were even in hospital.

    Verma said that communication breakdown likely contributed to longer stays.

    "But importantly, it also impedes our ability to help people transition back home safely if we can't fully understand what their needs are," he added.

    Verma said some readmissions stemmed from complications of COVID-19, including blood clots, kidney injury and delirium. Other patients returned to hospital with treatment-related complications, including bleeding after blood-thinners.

    The study's authors say disability-related needs must be included in COVID-19 policy, suggesting better accommodation for patients who need support, training clinicians on the needs and rights of people with disabilities and including disability-related data in COVID-19 surveillance.

    Changes to vaccine prioritization and making online booking sites more accessible can also help, they added.

    Brown said figures from health database ICES show that booster-dose uptake for adults with developmental disabilities in Ontario is "slightly lower" than that seen in the general population. She said those rates should be higher for a group more vulnerable to the virus.

    While some vaccine clinics have been specifically dedicated to people with disabilities, including one Monday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Brown said that needs to happen more regularly.

    She added that outside research suggests those with disabilities could be more susceptible to adverse outcomes from breakthrough infections, noting that even if the Omicron variant tends to be more mild than previous strains, that won't be the case for everyone.

    "Even as we go through the pandemic and a greater proportion of the population is vaccinated, I think the message stays the same," Brown said. "Regardless of what variant we're seeing, we really need to do more to protect people with disabilities because they're experiencing greater adverse outcomes."

    Certain politicians, including Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, recently spoke about learning to live with the virus rather than trying to contain it -- language that some critics call problematic.

    Brown said learning to live amid high rates of COVID-19 transmission puts the onus for personal safety on the individual rather than structural policy.

    She said that's often hard to do for people with disabilities, noting some have had to choose between allowing potentially unvaccinated personal care providers into their homes or going without services they need.

    "They're worried (about) ... placing their health at risk," she said.

    Bell, who also chairs a health standards development committee under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), said placing the burden of protection on people with disabilities is a major problem, though not one that's surprising to her.

    "I do feel it's ableist, but it's how people view people with disabilities," she said. "(The undertone is), 'Don't bug me, just get on with your life."'

    "If that's what they're thinking, it's going to make the situation worse."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2022.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The victim of a violent robbery in Thornhill says he had $100,000 to $110,000 stolen from him after being boxed in his car.

    The superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has apologized over a message displayed during a professional development day on Wednesday.

    Canada

    • A B.C. man was found guilty and sentenced for murder after failing to convince a judge that the woman he killed and dismembered consented to the strangulation that caused her death.

    • The sexual assault trial of a Toronto councillor continued Thursday in a Bracebridge courtroom.

    • The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed a bid to appeal by accusers of former University of British Columbia writing professor and novelist Steven Galloway, paving the way for his defamation case against them to go to trial.

    • For years, the Feast in the Highlands atop Hunters Mountain - just off Cape Breton's Cabot Trail - has been a Mi'kmaq fall tradition, but this year was a bit different.

    • Mounties on Vancouver Island say they made an unusual seizure during a recent drug trafficking investigation.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • A newly released trailer for a Calgary-filmed movie features plenty of shots of local landmarks.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has abandoned his bid to appeal his 2022 sexual assault conviction before Canada's top court.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    • video

      video

      Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.

    • Mercedes-Benz has partnered up with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) and the provincial government to launch a new 鈥渋ncubator program鈥. One of the first three locations is Windsor, with the other two going to Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo.

    Local Spotlight

    There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.

    Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

    Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

    Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

    A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.

    Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.

    A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    Bernie Hicks, known as the 鈥楤atman of Amherst,鈥 always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.

    Bubi鈥檚 Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.

    • Emmy Casper-Joe hadn鈥檛 even reached her teens when she started to struggle with her mental health.

    • B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad pledges to overhaul BC Ferries, while NDP Leader David Eby promises to attract more doctors to B.C. with new payment model.

    • Seven Vancouver police officers involved in the beating death of Myles Gray nine years ago have been cleared of wrongdoing by a police discipline authority.

    • The victim of a violent robbery in Thornhill says he had $100,000 to $110,000 stolen from him after being boxed in his car.

    • A dashcam video that captured the moment a BMW rear-ended another vehicle near High Park, which set off a chain-reaction collision, was played at the trial of the man charged in the deadly 2021 crash.

    • A Boston Pizza in St. Catharines could have its liquor licence suspended for 60 days after allegedly intoxicated patrons were involved in a fatal car crash.

    • More than a month after the Alberta government announced it would be pulling funding for Calgary's Green Line project, Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says progress has been made.

    • Police officers and dogs were on the hunt for a suspect in the aftermath of a shooting in Forest Lawn Thursday night.

    • United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) delegates are meeting in Calgary this week to discuss stalled labour negotiations with the province.

    • OC Transpo says moving forward, its Zero Emission Buses (ZEB) program will procure 40-foot e-buses due to limited availability from manufacturers of 60-foot articulated buses.

    • Former Ottawa resident Angelina Armstrong-Mann says it was clear when Hurricane Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Florida Wednesday night鈥攕he heard it.

    • Students from Elmwood School donated turkeys and raised money for the Ottawa Mission, ahead of the Thanksgiving weekend.

    • A 28-year-old man has died after being shot in a Laval parking lot Thursday afternoon, police say.

    • The Legault government could withdraw no fewer than 1.5 million medical appointments from people who have family doctors and redistribute them to people who do not.

    • Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots in his first game since signing a new contract, and Mark Kastelic had two goals on Thursday night as the Boston Bruins scored four times in a row to overcome an early deficit and beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-4.

    • An Edmonton daycare has been shut down after failing to address concerns about unsupervised children, the province said Thursday.

    • Alberta LGBTQ2S+ groups say they are disappointed to see MLA Jennifer Johnson welcomed back into the United Conservative caucus.

    • The Oilers, Stanley Cup finalists in June, lost their National Hockey League season-opening game Wednesday night 6-0 to the visiting Winnipeg Jets.

    • Doctor Scott Bowen at the Cumberland Regional Hospital in Amherst, N.S is said he is alarmed by the state of Nova Scotia鈥檚 emergency rooms.

    • The aurora may be visible in some parts of the Maritimes Thursday night.

    • Hurricane Milton's devastation in Florida impacts Maritimers near and far

    • A woman is speaking out after an assault on a Winnipeg Transit bus sent her and her daughter to the hospital.

    • The superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) has apologized over a message displayed during a professional development day on Wednesday.

    • A new report taking a second look at sleep safety in infants found a fundamental shift is needed to prevent babies from unnecessarily dying in their sleep.

    • RCMP say officers have found an abandoned vehicle and seized a firearm connected to an armed robbery in the Whitewood, Sask. area Wednesday night, but are still on the hunt for two suspects.

    • Amid what could be Saskatchewan's tightest election in 17 years, the leader of the NDP is asking voters to set party politics aside and support what's the best course for the province.

    • Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe says he would get tough on those disrupting the public and will shut down nuisance properties if re-elected premier on Oct. 28.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a Waterloo man who they believe is linked to a group that has been scamming victims across Canada.

    • A failed condo development in Kitchener is in new hands, leaving those who purchased property with a decision to make.

    • Cambridge councillors want to make baseball games inclusive in their city, pledging to explore funding to make a diamond in Riverside Park more accessible in the 2025 budget.

    • Emails obtained by 麻豆影视 show a Saskatoon private school embroiled in abuse allegations considered mayoral hopeful Gord Wyant a "friend," but he says he cut off contact when the allegations came to light.

    • Saskatoon's civic election is inching closer, as candidates are now finalized ahead of voting day on Nov. 13.

    • The Saskatchewan RCMP is responding to a report of an armed carjacking in Red Pheasant First Nation.

    • An Ontario man said he feels 'devastated' after learning his identity was stolen to take out two fraudulent loans under his name.

    • Glenn Thompson packs his E-bike to make the short trip back to the room he鈥檚 renting. Just a few short weeks ago, he was living in a tent.

    • Maintenance staff, caretakers and trade workers - all members of CUPE Local 2361 - hit the picket lines at Western University on August 30.

    • At around 9:15 a.m. emergency services responded to reports of a possible stabbing in the area of Oxford Street West and Fiddlers Green Road.

    • A blaze which at its peak reached 20 feet in the air had St. Thomas firefighters busy on Thursday.

    • Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare's hospital redevelopment plan is ready for submission.

    • Police in Barrie are investigating a theft at a convenience store that they say turned violent on Wednesday afternoon.

    • The Town of Wasaga Beach has yet another hiccup in its multi-million-dollar plan to redevelop its iconic beachfront as it announced Thursday it is parting ways with FRAM Building Group and will explore options for a new developer to take over the project.

    • Brett Iler has pleaded not guilty to six charges of careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act in a collision that killed two people and injured three others.

    • A Harrow mother is advocating for her eight-year-old daughter鈥檚 bus stop to be moved, over concerns the current location puts her in harm鈥檚 way.

    • The removal of 13 vehicles and one trailer from the Detroit River in Sandwich Town is complete.

    • A suspect has been arrested after allegedly shooting a pellet gun at someone in a Victoria parking lot last week, according to authorities.

    • It was a special day for five rescued harbour seals and the people who helped prepare them for their return to life in the wild.

    • Mounties on Vancouver Island say they made an unusual seizure during a recent drug trafficking investigation.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • The Interfaith Food Bank is busy preparing Thanksgiving bundles and has some tips for anyone hoping to cut down on their holiday dinner costs.

    • A weapons complaint that led to the temporary lockdown of two Lethbridge schools Thursday turned out to be no threat, police said in a media release.

    • Thousands more Lethbridge residents will soon be without a family doctor.

    • Sault Ste. Marie Police Service said two people were arrested following a heavy police presence on Chapple Avenue on Thursday.

    • An annual international mining conference is underway in Greater Sudbury, Ont., marking the first time the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Conference of Mining Regions and Cities has been held in North America.

    • Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视