Geoffrey Maina

• PhD
• PhD at U ofS

Young people are particularly vulnerable to substance use and addiction and need reliable access to services to prevent and manage them. Access to substance use intervention programs was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the adoption of virtual intervention programs for substance use prevention. Delivering virtual services through plat...

Introduction: Canada has a significant substance use problem with 18% of the population meeting the criteria for alcohol use disorder. Twenty-one percent of its population uses marijuana of which 75% use other substances, 0.3% misuse sedatives, and 1% stimulants. One percent of the opiates prescribed are used for nonmedical purposes. Addiction is o...

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on the lives and mental health of individuals across the globe. Due to language barriers and social, economic, and cultural factors, these challenges were amplified for immigrants to Canada putting them in an increasingly vulnerable position. The objective of the study was to document the...

Introduction Immigrant youth face heightened risks of substance use due to the stress associated with immigration and acculturation. While parental intervention can have a preventative impact on substance use, parents need to be well-informed about substance use and effective interventions that can prevent substance use among immigrant youth. Such...

Introduction Opioid use is associated with significant burden of disease. Medications for opioid use disorder such as methadone are effective treatments. This study aimed to identify the healthcare provider perspectives on facilitators, barriers and unexplored opportunities toward achieving optimal clinical outcomes for clients on methadone treatme...

Engaging in sexual relationships is part of adulthood, but doing so in a foreign country can be risky because unsafe sexual experiences can have severe consequences for international students. This review explored sexual and reproductive health (SRH) experiences and needs of international university students in Western countries to identify challen...

Canada is a significant destination for immigrants who are drawn from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds some of whom have a hidden risk for substance use disorders due to acculturation stress and are not screened for risks of substance use or addiction when considering medical admissibility. Not surprisingly, healthcare providers in Regina...

Background HIV-related stigma negatively impacts HIV prevention, treatment, and care, particularly among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Interventions that are culturally grounded and relevant for addressing root causes may reduce the stigma experienced by HIV-positive and HIV-affected young people. This study, to be conducted in a...

Background Assessing the experiences of individuals on methadone treatment is essential to help evaluate the treatment program’s effectiveness. This study aimed to explore the experiences of patients receiving methadone treatment at a clinic in Nairobi, Kenya. Method This study employed an exploratory qualitative study design. Through purposive sa...

Introduction There is a rise in problematic substance use among Canadian youth, which is precipitating a public health crisis. Interventions are needed to empower youth to mitigate substance use risks. Active youth involvement in substance use prevention is urgently needed to increase uptake and ownership of the process and outcome of the intervent...

Introduction: International students make significant contributions to their host institutions and countries. Yet research shows that not all international students have the financial means to fend for themselves and meet their financial obligations for the entire study programme. Such students are at significant risk of food insecurity. The objec...

Substance use is a persisting health care crisis that has led to residents’ addiction to diverse substances in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. This public health issue affects not only those with a substance use disorder but also those within their circle of family and friends. This paper aims to outline the community engagement processes that we unde...

Background Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) often have complex health care needs. Methadone is one of the medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) used in the management of OUDs. Highly restrictive methadone treatment—which requires patient compliance with many rules of care—often results in low retention, especially if there is inadequate...

Background HIV-related stigma negatively impacts HIV prevention, care, and treatment particularly children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Interventions that are culturally-grounded and relevant to address the root causes of stigma may reduce the stigma experienced by HIV positive and affected young people. This study in a post-conflict, rur...

Background In Canada, the rate of opioid use, opioid use disorder (OUD), and associated mortality and morbidity are higher among Indigenous Peoples than the general population. Indigenous Peoples on medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) often face distinct barriers that hinder their clinical progress, leading to treatment attrition. Methods...

Background Immigrants from culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse countries face many challenges during the resettlement phase, which influence their access to healthcare services and health outcomes. The “Healthy Immigrant Effect” or the health advantage that immigrants arrive with is observed to deteriorate with increased length of st...

Introduction Canada has one of the highest rates of problematic opiate and alcohol use in the world. Globally, Canada was the second country that legalized marijuana for non-medical use. As Canada is an immigrant-receiving country, newcomers and immigrants contend with a substance use landscape that was likely absent in their countries of origin. A...

Background: Immigrants from culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse countries face many challenges during the resettlement phase, which influences their access to healthcare services and health outcomes. Healthy immigrant effect or the health advantage that immigrants arrive with is observed to deteriorate with increased length of stay i...

Background Growing up in an environment where substance use is prevalent creates a climate for adverse childhood experiences. These experiences can contribute to mental and psychological problems later in life. Methods This study used an exploratory study design to explore the experiences of individuals whose upbringing was influenced by substance...

Background The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual using a substance. Caring for an individual with addiction creates persistent stressful circumstances that cause worry, anger, depression, shame, guilt, anxiety, and behavioral problems within the family unit. The aim of the study The paper aims to explore the experiences of caring f...

Background: Methadone treatment is one of the opioid substitution therapies (OSTs) used to manage opioid use disorder (OUD). Clients on methadone treatment experience a high attrition rate from OST programs due to diverse barriers such as access to methadone treatment, treatment modality, transportation, and stigma. Methods: The aim of this project...

This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of an evidence-based HIV prevention programme for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ghana through a participatory approach. The programme involved 57 self-identified adult cisgender MSM and led by a community-based organisation in collaboration with local nurses. We used an explanatory mixed-me...

Background Early-onset substance use is a risk factor for continued use, dependency, and poor long-term health outcomes. Indigenous youth are more likely to engage in early-onset substance use than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In Canada, culturally appropriate prevention programs are needed for Indigenous youth in elementary schools. Therefor...

Background: The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual using a substance. Caring for an individual with addiction creates persistent stressful circumstances that cause worry, anger, depression, shame, guilt, anxiety, and behavioral problems within the family unit. The aim of the study: The paper aims to explore the psychological impact w...

Background: The impact of addiction extends beyond the individual using a substance. Caring for an individual with addiction creates persistent stressful circumstances that cause worry, anger, depression, shame, guilt, anxiety, and behavioral problems within the family unit. The aim of the study: The paper aims to explore the experiences of caring...

In Western countries, Blacks experience various challenges and problems such as discrimination, racism, unemployment, low income that can contribute to substance use. This scoping review seeks to map available evidence on the prevalence, factors associated and impacts for substance use among ACB people in Canada. We searched electronic bibliographi...

Background: Canadian Indigenous populations experience significantly more chronic kidney disease (CKD) than the general population. Indigenous people who live in rural and remote areas may also have difficulty accessing both information and care for their CKD. Informed decision making about treatment options for advancing kidney disease may be del...

Introduction Throughout the world, indigenous peoples share traumatic colonial experiences that have caused gross inequalities for them and continue to impact every aspect of their lives. The effect of intergenerational trauma and other health disparities have been remarkable for Indigenous children and adolescents, who are at a greater risk of adv...

This article provides the reader with a thoughtful example of an emergency nurse-led intervention to improve emergency department patient screening for domestic violence. Background information is provided along with the development of educational tools. Example ID badge cards and posters are also provided. Finally, helpful takeaways fare provided...

Introduction Previous research demonstrated that substance use continues to be one of the most complex and prevalent problems among African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) people. A number of studies were conducted to characterise substance use patterns in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first known review in Canada characterising substan...

Introduction: Clients on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have high attrition rates that are attributed to personal and system-related factors. To develop supportive interventions for these clients, it is imperative to understand social demographic characteristics and challenges that clients in the MMT program face. Objectives: This article...

Introduction Prescribing methadone as part of opioid agonist therapy is a common treatment approach to manage opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, many clients prematurely discontinue opioid agonist therapy because of restrictions attached to the therapy. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore health-care provider experiences as they work...

Background The prevalence of HIV in Ghana is 1.3%, compared to 17% among men who have sex with men (MSM). There is limited empirical data on the current health care climate and its impact on HIV prevention services for Ghanaian MSM. The purposes of this study were to investigate (1) MSM’s experiences using HIV prevention resources, (2) what factors...

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, is experiencing a substance use and addiction crisis with devastating consequences. To engage local stakeholders on substance use and addiction issues, nurse researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert Campus, planned and organized a one-day community engagement and knowledge exchange forum. The forum p...

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ghana are at an increased risk of contracting HIV. Understanding the social networks of MSM may support the development of HIV prevention strategies for this unique population. This article explores the structure and function of the social networks of MSM from 22 focus groups drawn from two urban and one rural set...

Since the introduction of antiretroviral medications, HIV has been regarded as a chronic illness. However, people living with HIV continue to experience social consequences of HIV infection such as stigma, discrimination, violence, and other human rights violations. In this paper, we focus on the experiences of Atoti, a person living with HIV in Ke...

Best practices in HIV care have the potential to improve patient outcomes and inform practice. We conducted a systematic review of best practices in HIV care that were published from 2003 to 2013. Practices that demonstrated success in achieving desired results based on their objectives were included in the review. Two themes emerged from the eight...

We describe salient individual and organizational factors that influenced engagement of registered nurses in a 12-month clinical mentorship intervention on HIV care in Canada. The intervention included 48 nurses and 8 people living with HIV (PLWH) who were involved in group-based and one-on-one informal mentorship informed by transformative learnin...

Nurses may have inadequate basic education and opportunities for continuing education in relation to HIV care. As well nurses may perpetuate and impose stigma. We developed, implemented and evaluated an educational intervention to reduce stigma and discrimination among nurses providing HIV care. The intervention used a mentorship model that brought...

Kenya is a highly patriarchal society where gender imbalances and inequality is evidently manifest through gender based violence, and lack of right to ownership of assets and property and segregation of roles and duties. In defiance to the gender roles, women are beginning to encroach in nontraditional jobs such as commercial private transport sect...

To assess the response of health professionals working in a Kenyan hospital emergency department to patients who had experienced intimate partner violence and the obstacles they encountered. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11 health professionals. Transcribed interviews were analysed using QSR NVivo 7 software to reveal themes and sub-theme...

Intimate partner violence causes physical, psychological, sexual and emotional damage to the victim. In Kenya partner violence results from social, cultural and economic factors and has been found to be a prevalent social problem. The purpose of the study was to identify appropriate and applicable strategies to deal with partner violence in Kenya....

Intimate partner violence is a major public health issue worldwide. It transcends racial, religious and geographical boundaries and characteristically affects women more than men. Several factors are thought to contribute to perpetuation and propagation of partner violence such as socio-economic, cultural, interpersonal factors and religion. The ai...

To identify health professionals' perceptions of their role working in the emergency department (ED) in managing and preventing intimate partner violence in Kenya. A qualitative research study was conducted involving in-depth interviews with one doctor, six nurses and four clinical officers who had worked in an ED for at least one year. Interviews...