Research Study: Survey and Interview on Disability and Reproductive Health during COVID-19 in Canada

July 22, 2022 by DABC

Who is eligible?

You may be eligible if you:

  • Identify or may be identified as having a disability
  • Identify as a woman, trans, or non-binary person
  • Are 18 years or older
  • Live and receive health care in Canada

What will you be doing?

  • You have the option of completing a 20-minute survey and/or a 1-hour interview about your reproductive health and the health care services you received since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • You can do the study, or not do the study. The choice you make will not impact the services you use now or later.

How will it work?

  • The survey can be done by you online, by telephone or Zoom with a researcher at a time that works for you.
  • The interview can also be done by telephone or Zoom.
  • You are welcome to do both the survey and the interview.
  • If you need any supports or accommodations to participate, please let us know.

What are the benefits of participating?

What you share about your reproductive health experiences during COVID-19 will help make services better for other people during and beyond the pandemic. You will receive a $15 gift card for the survey and a $40 gift card for the interview, to thank you.

Contact us Email wiresearch.utsc@utoronto.ca or call 647-601-4519. Visit our website for more information: www.utsc.utoronto.ca/projects/disabilitySRH

Notes

“Reproductive health” includes experiences related to contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer screening, violence, pregnancy, postpartum health, and the health of your children.

“Disability” comprises a range of disabilities, including those who self-identify as disabled and/or d/Deaf. This definition is inclusive of those who have yet to receive an official diagnosis. We have chosen to be as inclusive as possible, consistent with our commitment to include those with disabilities who remain invisible and uncounted.

This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board #42194.

Researchers at the University of Toronto Scarborough have partnered with the Disabled Women’s Network (DAWN) Canada to design and run this study. This study is funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Update re: In-person appointments at DABC 

July 15, 2022 by DABC

After much discussion and consideration of the risks associated with COVID-19 as well as the needs of clients who require in-person support, DABC’s office will re-open soon to some clients. We will be re-opening using a staggered approach to lessen risk and allow us to adjust to welcoming clients to a new space. This means that some programs will start welcoming clients in-person before other programs. 

The first program to start taking in-person appointments will be Tax AID DABC. Other programs will tentatively start welcoming clients later in the summer, dependent on COVID-19 transmission levels and guidance from the BC Centre for Disease Control.  

DABC will continue to offer remote appointments. Most of our staff will be offering both in-person and remote appointments going forward, in order to reduce the number of people in the office at any one time. This means that in-person appointments will be at certain times throughout the week depending on our staff schedule. Please expect that if you require an in-person appointment, there may be a longer wait time. 

Screening for cold or flu like symptoms will be carried out by our reception staff and advocates, and all health and safety measures will be posted online and in-person at our office. We have a communicable disease prevention plan in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. This involves detailed health and safety measures such as sanitization of surfaces, the use of air purifiers, physical distancing, and the requirement for all staff and volunteers to wear masks. Any clients booking an in-person appointment will also be expected to wear a mask at this time. If a client arrives at the DABC office, they will be provided with a mask to wear. 

Clients will not be forced to have an in-person appointment – it will be entirely optional. As we start to open up our office to the public, we may need to prioritize in-person appointments for those that need one. If a client is able to take a remote appointment, they should consider this an option. 

If any clients are sick, ie: experiencing cold/flu like symptoms, they should stay home; their appointment will be rescheduled to a later date. Clients can rest assured that all DABC staff and volunteers will stay home when they are sick as well. 

Clients will not be able to meet with advocates in-person unless they have booked an appointment – there will not be any walk-in appointments available. 

Thank you very much for your understanding and patience.  

Update on the Stanley Park Mobility Study

July 12, 2022 by DABC

The Initial Findings and Directions Report is being presented to the Park Board this coming Monday, July 18, at 6:30pm. The report can be found here:
https://parkboardmeetings.vancouver.ca/2022/20220718/REPORT-SPMobilityStudy-InitialFindingsDirections-20220718.pdf

Please note, this is an initial report of the data collection work that has been done to date and not the completed study. The complete Mobility Study will be presented to the Board towards the end of 2022.