Holly Mathias

• Doctor of Philosophy
• PhD Student at University of Alberta

Background North America continues to contend with an unregulated drug crisis that is impacting communities of all sizes. Community-based participatory research that meaningfully engages people who use drugs, families, and their wider communities is one way of advancing social justice and improving population health. As more community-academic part...

Supervised consumption services (SCS) and overdose prevention services (OPS) are core interventions for reducing risks of overdose death, HIV, and hepatitis C (HCV) and supporting the health of people who use drugs. However, most SCS/OPS are concentrated in major urban centres. There is an urgent need for the expansion of SCS/OPS in rural and small...

Background Primary healthcare providers play a critical role in diagnosing and managing digestive disorders. Standardized clinical care guidelines have been developed, but with limited and inconsistent implementation. An evidence-based gastroenterology clinical care pathway (GUTLINK) has been proposed in one region of Canada; however, little is kno...

The unregulated toxic drug crisis continues to be an urgent health issue in North America. Many families of people who use drugs have been significantly impacted by this issue. In addition to the thousands of North Americans who have been bereaved by drug mortality, many families are providing unpaid care to bridge gaps in services while navigating...

Objectives Canada has one of the highest age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Large patient volumes and limited resources have created challenges concerning the quality of IBD care, but little is known about patients’ experiences. This paper aimed to better understand patient-perceived barriers to IBD car...

Background Withdrawal management and opioid agonist treatment (OAT) programs help to reduce some of the harms experienced by people who use substances (PWUS). There is literature on how features of drug treatment programs (e.g., policies and practices) are helpful, or not helpful, to PWUS when seeking access to, or in, treatment. There is, however,...

Background Pregnant people who use unregulated drugs (PPWUD) are at high risk of health complications yet experience a range of barriers to sexual and reproductive health care. Given that improving maternal health and access to reproductive health care are key targets underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), there is an urgent need to...

Rising compounding prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Kaplan GG, Windsor JW. The four epidemiological stages in the global evolution of inflammatory bowel disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;18:56–66.) and pandemic-exacerbated health system resource limitations have resulted in significant variability in access to high-quality...

Background Gender inequalities persist in medicine, particularly in some speciality fields where fewer women are employed. Although previous research has suggested potential interventions to broadly address gender inequality in medicine, no research has focused on interventions in the field of gastroenterology. The purpose of this research was to e...

Crohn's and Colitis Canada's 2023 Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canada Report

Background Collaborative care models improve inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patient outcomes, yet little is known about the capacity or available resources to deliver such model of care in Canada. We aimed to describe the structure and process characteristics of clinical care delivery models for IBD across Canada, including the number of collabor...

People who use substances (PWUS) (e.g. inject substances) are at risk of many harms. Various services help reduce risks including drug treatment programs such as withdrawal management and opioid agonist treatment. Much of the research on PWUS’ experiences of treatment programs is set in large urban centers creating a knowledge gap of experiences in...

Background: Canada has among the highest incidence and prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world. While access to IBD specialty care can have a direct impact on health-related outcomes, the complexity of accessing IBD specialty care within Canada is not well understood and presents a barrier to implementation and evaluation...

There is limited literature on youths’ experiences of accessing mental health supports and services in rural Canada. Through interviews with young women, this research explored barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health services and supports in rural Nova Scotia. Participants shared numerous barriers at the family, school, and community l...

People who use substances (PWUS), and specifically individuals who use injection drugs and/or smoke crack cocaine, experience risks which harm reduction programmes can help reduce. Prior to implementing harm reduction programmes, however, it is critical to understand how programme users and others in the community perceive the programmes as their p...

Background There is little literature related to access to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care that incorporates the perspective of key system stakeholders, such as primary healthcare providers (PHCP), despite their clear and integral role in facilitating access. Objective This study aimed to identify barriers to referring patients to speciality...

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease, with Canada demonstrating the highest incidence and prevalence rates in the world. Patients with IBD often require lifelong treatment and, therefore, lifelong interactions with the healthcare system. Access to care can have a direct impact on patient health-related o...

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease, with Canada demonstrating the highest incidence and prevalence rates in the world. Patients with IBD often require lifelong treatment and, therefore, lifelong interactions with the healthcare system. Access to care can have a direct impact on patient health-related o...

Defining competencies within health disciplines is important because it provides a shared understanding of the fundamental knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for research and practice while also offering a practical reference point for academic preparation and professional development. However, existing literature regarding competency frame...

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder associated with immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. While it is poorly understood, the role of nutrition and nutrient status in the etiology of IBD and its associated outcomes has led to increased research relating to micronutrient deficiency. This review offer...

Background Most speciality inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care can only be accessed through a referral. Timely access to specialty care has been associated with improved disease-related outcomes. To receive appropriate care, the referral needs to include high quality information. To date, no research has explored the association between referral...

Background Most speciality inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care can only be accessed through a referral. Timely access to specialty care has been associated with improved disease-related outcomes. To receive appropriate care, the referral needs to include high-quality information. To date, no research has explored the association between referral...

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic disease with profound health and socioeconomic burden. Approximately 1 in 150 Canadians live with IBD: the highest prevalence rate in the world. Within Canada, Nova Scotia has the highest age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates of IBD. High levels of need have translated into prolonged wa...

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), is a chronic early onset disease with debilitating lifelong effects on patients’ physical and mental health. IBD is also associated with significant financial and social ramifications. Canada is reported as having the highest prevalence rate of...

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated disease with significant societal burden. The highest age and sex-adjusted standardized incidence and prevalence estimates of IBD have been observed in Canada, with Nova Scotia exhibiting the highest rates in the country. Despite this burden, Canadians living with IBD often fa...

Background Due to health and socioeconomic burdens associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), timely access to specialist care is important. In Canada, speciality gastroenterology (GI) care is accessed only by referral. To receive timely care, referrals must include a high quantity/quality of information. In 2012, 2 in 3 Canadian specialist...

Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic disease with lifelong health, social, and economic burden. The province of Nova Scotia (NS) has the highest age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates of IBD in Canada, with Canada having the highest prevalence rates of IBD in the world. The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology guideline...

Canada has one of the highest prevalence estimates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world. Like other chronic illnesses, access to specialist care is required for disease management. Traditionally, access to care is evaluated through wait times (actual access); however, new patient-oriented definitions of access (perceived access) highlig...