Human trafficking has become an international issue of significant importance; it is the largest and most profitable organised crime after drugs and arms trafficking. Particular concern has recently been raised due to the Brexit potential ramifications on Human trafficking. There is a risk that the EU directive 2011/36 will be repealed as a result of Brexit. Accordingly, it has been questioned whether the UK national efforts and legislation concerning human trafficking are comprehensive and sufficient enough without the strengthening support of the EU and especially the EU directive 2011/36. Thus, this thesis aimed to determine the impact Brexit will have on human trafficking in the UK by investigating if there will be "gaps" in the UK national legislation on human trafficking.  A comparative content analysis was conducted to analyse the UK national legislation on human trafficking, The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA 2015). The Modern Slavery Act was compared with the EU directive 2011/36 to determine how the legislation differed. The method and analysis were conducted on both a latent and manifest level which means it both described the definitions and analysed how the definitions could be interpreted, hence how it affects reality. Based on what has commonly been argued the main reasons behind human trafficking in Europe, the content analysis focused on the definitions of human trafficking, prostitution and protection of migrant victims. Prostitution and migrations are frequently claimed to be the main reasons behind human trafficking in Europe.  Due to the risk of the EU directive 2011/36 being repealed, the result of the thesis exhibits the need for the UK to update their national legislation. The MSA 2015 needs to become coherent with international agreements and strengthen the protection of victims of human trafficking. Due to the gendered nature of human trafficking, this research addressed human trafficking from a feminist perspective by applying the "dominance theory" and the "sameness theory". The feminist theories helped analyse and investigate the issue of human trafficking and the potential ramifications of Brexit. Applying the ideas illustrated the patriarchal structures surrounding human trafficking and within the MSA 2015.

Au Canada, approximativement 30 000 adultes sont hospitalisés chaque année des suites d’un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC) et environ 20 000 des suites d’un traumatisme craniocérébral (TCC). Les survivants doivent composer avec de multiples incapacités incluant des difficultés sur les plans physique, cognitif, langagier, émotionnel et comportemental. Les besoins de réadaptation de ces patients sont considérables. Environ 55 % à 78 % des personnes hospitalisées des suites d’un AVC ou d’un TCC requerront des services de réadaptation suivant le congé hospitalier. Les professionnels œuvrant en soins aigus sont sollicités quotidiennement pour évaluer le potentiel de réadaptation de ces patients afin d’identifier ceux qui sont aptes à entreprendre une réadaptation posthospitalière. L’évaluation de ces professionnels constitue donc un élément déterminant de l’accès à des services posthospitaliers de réadaptation. Bien que les professionnels s’appuient couramment sur le concept de potentiel de réadaptation dans leurs prises de décision, il n’existe étonnamment aucune définition consensuelle de ce concept et très peu d’écrits scientifiques sur son évaluation et comment celle-ci guide les décisions d’orientation. Ce projet doctoral propose d’examiner le concept de potentiel de réadaptation chez les personnes ayant subi un AVC ou un TCC et d’explorer l’évaluation de ce concept dans le contexte de prise de décision concernant l’orientation vers des services posthospitaliers de réadaptation. Le projet s’articule autour de trois grandes questions de recherche : (1) Quels sont les facteurs influençant les décisions d’orientation vers des services posthospitaliers de réadaptation pour la clientèle AVC et TCC? (2) Comment le potentiel de réadaptation est-il défini et conceptualisé dans les écrits scientifiques? et (3) À quoi pensent et comment raisonnent les ergothérapeutes impliqués dans l’évaluation du potentiel de réadaptation et les décisions d’orientation? Un positionnement constructiviste a été privilégié pour guider les efforts de recherche de l’ensemble du projet doctoral. Deux synthèses de la littérature et deux études qualitatives auprès d’ergothérapeutes ont été réalisées. Les résultats révèlent que de nombreux facteurs influencent l’évaluation du potentiel de réadaptation et les décisions d’orientation qui s’ensuivent. Ces facteurs se regroupent en trois catégories, soient des facteurs liés au patient (par exemple, les capacités cognitives), des facteurs liés au contexte organisationnel (par exemple, la disponibilité des services posthospitaliers de réadaptation dans le continuum de soins) et des facteurs liés aux caractéristiques du professionnel lui-même (par exemple, son champ d’expertise). Les travaux de cette thèse proposent aussi un début de conceptualisation du potentiel de réadaptation, conceptualisation qui met l’accent sur la nature prédictive des interprétations faites par les professionnels, des facteurs liés au patient et des facteurs organisationnels. Les interprétations des professionnels, plus spécifiquement des ergothérapeutes, s’opèrent à trois niveaux, c’est-à-dire qu’ils tentent de prédire la récupération, d’estimer le potentiel de réadaptation et de déterminer l’éligibilité du patient pour la réadaptation posthospitalière. Un algorithme basé sur ces trois niveaux d’interprétation est présenté et schématise le raisonnement sous-jacent aux décisions d’orientation. Finalement, ce projet doctoral présente deux processus cognitifs de raisonnement clinique utilisés par les ergothérapeutes lors de l’évaluation du potentiel de réadaptation et lors des décisions d’orientation vers des services posthospitaliers de réadaptation pour la clientèle AVC et TCC. En explicitant le concept de potentiel de réadaptation et le raisonnement clinique sous-tendant son évaluation, ce projet doctoral pose les assises pour de futures recherches s’intéressant à la pratique d’évaluation en soins aigus et enrichit les connaissances pertinentes à l’enseignement des compétences nécessaires à cette pratique. / In Canada, approximately 30,000 adults are hospitalized each year as a result of a stroke and approximately 20,000 as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Survivors face a myriad of consequences including physical disability, cognitive impairments, communication difficulties as well as emotional and behavioral disturbances. The rehabilitation needs of these patients are considerable. About 55% to 78% of hospitalized stroke and TBI patients will require rehabilitation services following discharge. Acute care professionals are called upon daily to assess the rehabilitation potential of these patients and to identify those who are most suitable for post-acute rehabilitation. These professionals’ assessments are therefore key to determining access to post-acute rehabilitation services. Although professionals commonly rely on the concept of rehabilitation potential in their decision-making, there is surprisingly no consensus regarding the definition of this concept as well as very little scientific literature on its assessment and how this concept guides referral decisions. This doctoral project examines the concept of rehabilitation potential in people with stroke and traumatic brain injury and explores its assessment in the context of decision-making regarding referral to post-acute rehabilitation. The doctoral project is organized around three main research questions: (1) What factors influence referral decisions to post-acute rehabilitation for stroke and traumatic brain injury patients? (2) How is rehabilitation potential defined and conceptualized in the scientific literature? and (3) What do occupational therapists think about when assessing stroke or traumatic brain injury patients’ rehabilitation potential and how do they reason? A constructivist stance was chosen to guide the research efforts of the entire doctoral project. Two literature reviews and two qualitative studies exploring occupational therapists’ perceptions were conducted. Results reveal that many factors influence the assessment of rehabilitation potential and subsequent referral decisions. These factors fall into three categories: patient-related factors (such as cognitive abilities), organizational factors (such as the availability of post-acute rehabilitation services in the continuum of care), and clinician-related factors (such as the 8 clinician’s expertise). The work in this dissertation also proposes a conceptualization of rehabilitation potential that emphasizes the predictive nature of clinicians' interpretations of patient-related factors and organizational factors. Professionals’ interpretations, specifically those of occupational therapists, operate at three levels, i.e., they attempt to predict recovery, estimate rehabilitation potential, and determine patient candidacy for post-acute rehabilitation. An algorithm based on these three levels of interpretation is presented and illustrates the reasoning underlying referral decisions. Finally, this doctoral project presents two cognitive processes used by occupational therapists when reasoning about patients’ rehabilitation potential and making referral decisions to post-acute rehabilitation for stroke and traumatic brain injury patients. By clarifying the concept of rehabilitation potential and the clinical reasoning underlying its assessment, this doctoral project lays the foundation for future research into assessment practices in acute care and adds to the knowledge base relevant to teaching the skills necessary for this practice.

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Previous research has reported that inequalities exist in uptake of NHS sight tests in relation to socio-economic status, and that community optometric services have potential to improve system efficiency. The current research found inequalities in sight test outcome related to socio-economic status and the type of practice that a patient visits (multiple, or independent). Patients attending multiples were more likely to receive a ‘new or changed prescription’ relative to ‘no prescription’ compared to patients that attended independent opticians (36-71% more likely). Those living in the least deprived areas were also less likely to receive a new prescription (1-12%) and those aged <16 years were less likely to be referred (9%). The study examining the need for a Minor Eye Condition Service in Leeds and Bradford found it would produce theoretical cost savings, whilst maintaining high patient satisfaction. Subsequently, a MECS was commissioned in Bradford. The study attempting to collect data from MECS across all areas of England found that data is not routinely collected, or shared. The limited data available typically showed that 73-83% of patients were retained in optometric practice with 12-18% receiving a hospital referral. A prospective evaluation of a COVID urgent eye care service found that teleconsultations frequently did not resolve patients’ eye problems (27%). These telephone consultations failed to detect some serious conditions such as scleritis, wet macular degeneration, retinal detachment. The results from the thesis support the view that the current method of delivering eye care in England is contrary to the public health interest.

No / We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of 68 patients who had been referred with an injury to the posterolateral corner of the knee to a specialist knee surgeon between 2005 and 2009. These injuries were diagnosed based on a combination of clinical testing and imaging and arthroscopy when available. In all, 51 patients (75%) presented within 24 hours of their injury with a mean presentation at eight days (0 to 20) after the injury. A total of 63 patients (93%) had instability of the knee at presentation. There was a mean delay to the diagnosis of injury to the posterolateral corner of 30 months (0 to 420) from the time of injury. In all, the injuries in 49 patients (72%) were not identified at the time of the initial presentation, with the injury to the posterolateral corner only recognised in those patients who had severe multiple ligamentous injuries. The correct diagnosis, including injury to the posterolateral corner, had only been made in 34 patients (50%) at time of referral to a specialist knee clinic. MRI correctly identified 14 of 15 injuries when performed acutely (within 12 weeks of injury), but this was the case in only four of 15 patients in whom it was performed more than 12 weeks after the injury. Our study highlights a need for greater diligence in the examination and investigation of acute ligamentous injuries at the knee with symptoms of instability, in order to avoid failure to identify the true extent of the injury at the time when anatomical repair is most straightforward.

Introduction: HIV referral and linkage system in many countries in general and in Ethiopia in particular was poorly characterised by low linkage rate. The purpose of this study was to analyses factors associated with poor referral and linkage system and develop strategies to improve the system. Methods: A sequential mixed method approach using exploratory descriptive study design was employed. The study was conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and it was conducted in two phases. Phase I involved data collection and analysis as evidence for the development of strategies while phase II was the development of strategies. For phase I, data were collected in steps 1 and 2 using individual interviews and focus group discussions respectively. The study participants were programme owners and partners who were supporting facilities during the data collection period in step 1 and health care providers in step 2. A total of 4 individual interviews and 3 FGDs were conducted with purposively selected participants. Data were analysed using computer assisted software called OpenCode version 4.2. Results: The findings revealed five themes namely, issues of referral and linkage practice, ensuring linkage through communication, issues of health care, issues of health care system and issues of partnerships and Health Bureau. Many gaps that affected the referral system were identified and in phase II, nine strategies were developed to strengthen the referral and linkage system. Conclusion:The results of this study highlighted weaknesses in the referral and linkage system of the HIV positive clients from counselling and testing services to chronic care and proposed strategies to strengthen those weaknesses. Measures to operationalise those strategies are also proposed. The successful implementation of the proposed strategies depends on the support of the ministry of health and regional bureau in terms of resources and the readiness of the health care providers to adhere to the proposed measures. Intervention research is needed to test the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The objectives of the study were (1) to quantify adherence rate among the study participants in the ART unit and (2) to identify factors that contribute to non-adherence. This cross sectional study was carried out at Nekemete referral clinic. Data was collected using a self-developed structured questionnaire where a total of 338 participants grouped into adherent and non-adherent based on a score derived from an adherence assessment were interviewed. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. By using multivariate analysis of variables identified as correlates of adherence, non-adherence was common among those; with age between 18-30 yrs, with no education, who were not married, who had no pipe water supply, those with no electricity in the house, who perceived had no access to assistance from providers, who perceived the health care providers (HCPs) did not keep information confidentially, who had a language barrier with providers, and who were treated with a psychiatric illness. The study concludes that adherence is multi-factorial and varies significantly by individual and care setting. Psychosocial factors were found to impact adherence and should be analysed in more detail by further studies. Three psychosocial factors were independently associated with poor adherence: the study found that patients perceiving poor access; those perceiving problems in information confidentiality (and possibly experiencing stigmatisation); and having psychiatric morbidity (and possibly with less social support) are more likely to be non-adherent. Furthermore, individuals without electricity and those without piped water supply, implying low income, are at risk for non-adherence / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

La scoliose idiopathique de l’adolescent (SIA) est le type de déformation musculosquelettique le plus fréquent dans la population pédiatrique, pour une prévalence d’environ 2,0%. Depuis l’arrêt des programmes scolaires de dépistage de la SIA dans les années 1980 au Canada, nous ne disposions d’aucune donnée sur l’utilisation des services de santé par les patients présentant une SIA suspectée. En l’absence de tels programmes, des changements dans les patrons d’utilisation des services spécialisés d’orthopédie pédiatrique sont anticipés. La thèse a donc pour but d’étudier la pertinence de la référence dans ces services des jeunes avec SIA suspectée. Elle est structurée autour de trois principaux objectifs. 1) Valider un instrument de mesure de la morbidité perçue (perception des symptômes) dans la clientèle d’orthopédie pédiatrique; 2) Étudier la relation entre la morbidité perçue par les profanes (le jeune et le parent) et la morbidité objectivée par les experts; 3) Caractériser les itinéraires de soins des patients avec SIA suspectée, de façon à en élaborer une taxonomie et à analyser les relations entre ceux-ci et la pertinence de la référence. En 2006-2007, une vaste enquête a été réalisée dans les cinq cliniques d’orthopédie pédiatrique du Sud-Ouest du Québec : 831 patients référés ont été recrutés. Ils furent classés selon des critères de pertinence de la référence (inappropriée, appropriée ou tardive) définis en fonction de l’amplitude de la courbe rachidienne et de la maturité squelettique à cette première visite. La morbidité perçue par les profanes a été opérationnalisée par la gravité, l’urgence, les douleurs, l’impact sur l’image de soi et la santé générale. L’ensemble des consultations médicales et paramédicales effectuées en amont de la consultation en orthopédie pédiatrique a été documenté par questionnaire auprès des familles. En s’appuyant sur le Modèle comportemental de l’utilisation des services d’Andersen, les facteurs (dits de facilitation et de capacité) individuels, relatifs aux professionnels et au système ont été considérés comme variables d’ajustement dans l’étude des relations entre la morbidité perçue ou les itinéraires de soins et la pertinence de la référence. Les principales conclusions de cette étude sont : i) Nous disposons d’instruments fidèles (alpha de Cronbach entre 0,79 et 0,86) et valides (validité de construit, concomitante et capacité discriminante) pour mesurer la perception de la morbidité dans la population adolescente francophone qui consulte en orthopédie pédiatrique; ii) Les profanes jouent un rôle important dans la suspicion de la scoliose (53% des cas) et leur perception de la morbidité est directement associée à la morbidité objectivée par les professionnels; iii) Le case-mix actuel en orthopédie est jugé non optimal en regard de la pertinence de la référence, les mécanismes actuels entraînant un nombre considérable de références inappropriées (38%) et tardives (18%) en soins spécialisés d’orthopédie pédiatrique; iv) Il existe une grande diversité de professionnels par qui sont vus les jeunes avec SIA suspectée ainsi qu’une variabilité des parcours de soins en amont de la consultation en orthopédie, et v) La continuité des soins manifestée dans les itinéraires, notamment via la source régulière de soins de l’enfant, est favorable à la diminution des références tardives (OR=0,32 [0,17-0,59]). Les retombées de cette thèse se veulent des contributions à l’avancement des connaissances et ouvrent sur des propositions d’initiatives de transfert des connaissances auprès des professionnels de la première ligne. De telles initiatives visent la sensibilisation à cette condition de santé et le soutien à la prise de décision de même qu’une meilleure coordination des demandes de consultation pour une référence appropriée et en temps opportun. / Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the type of musculoskeletal deformity most frequently encountered in the pediatric population with a prevalence of approximately 2.0%. Since the Canadian school screening programs were discontinued in the 1980s, data detailing health service utilization or typical reference patterns for patients with suspected AIS are no longer available. Without such programs, changes in the utilization patterns of pediatric orthopedic specialized services are anticipated. The thesis therefore aims to study the appropriateness of referral of youths with suspected AIS. It comprises three main objectives: 1) To validate a measurement tool based on perceived morbidity (perception of the symptoms) in the orthopedic pediatric patient population, 2) To study the relationships between morbidity perceived by lay persons (the young patient and his parent), and the objective morbidity determined by medical professionals, 3) To characterize the healthcare service pathways of suspected AIS cases upstream of their first orthopedic consultation in order to define a taxonomy of the pathways and analyse their relationships with the appropriateness of referral. In 2006-2007, an extensive survey conducted in the five clinics serving southwest Quebec recruited 831 patients. They were categorized using criteria for the appropriateness of referral (inappropriate, appropriate or late) based on the amplitude of the main spinal curve and skeletal maturity at the first visit. Lay perceived morbidity was operationalized according to the seriousness, urgency, pain, self-image and general perceived health. Medical and paramedical visits upstream of the pediatric orthopedic consultation were documented with questionnaires to the families. Based on Andersen’s Health Behavior Model, the individual (facilitating and enabling), professional and systemic factors were considered as control variables in the study of associations between perceived morbidity or healthcare trajectories, and appropriateness of referral. The main conclusions of the thesis are: i) Reliable (Cronbach alpha between 0.79 and 0.86) and valid (construct, concurrent and discriminant validity) measurement tools are available to evaluate the perceived morbidity in the French-speaking adolescent population that consults in pediatric orthopedics, ii) Lay stakeholders play an important role in the suspicion of scoliosis (53% of cases) with their perceived morbidity directly related to the objective morbidity, and therefore associated to the appropriateness of referral, iii) The current orthopedic casemix is considered suboptimal with regards to the appropriateness of referral, and the actual mechanisms for reference are in fact responsible for a large number of inappropriate (38%) and late (18%) referrals to specialized pediatric orthopedic services, iv) Adolescents with suspected AIS consult with a wide range of health specialists resulting in a large variety of healthcare pathways upstream of the orthopedic consultation, and v) Continuity of healthcare services, mainly through a regular source of care for the child, is favourable to a reduction in late referrals (OR=0.32 [0.17-0.59]). This thesis is intended to contribute to the advancement of conceptual, empirical and applied knowledge leading to a series of knowledge translation initiatives targeting primary health care providers. Such initiatives have the potential to increase awareness of the condition, to support decision-making as well as to improve the coordination of consultation requests, thus promoting appropriateness and timeliness of referrals.