Browsing by Author "Hirani, Shela"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Open Access
Health & Well-being of Refugee Mothers during COVID-19
(Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, 2021-02-03) Hirani, Shela
This resource is designed for Refugee Mothers in Saskatchewan, Canada to promote their health and well-being during COVID-19. Dr Shela Hirani and her team acknowledge the support of Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation that funded the Refugee Study in Saskatchewan.
Open Access
Housing Challenges of Refugee and Immigrant Families in Saskatchewan Canada
(Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, 2023-07-12) Hirani, Shela
Open Access
Let's Normalize Breastfeeding in Public
(Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, 2024-03-29) Hirani, Shela
Breastfeeding is vital for infant's brain development. Breastmilk is clean, safe and prevents infants from a variety of illnesses. Breastfeeding in public is often stigmatized in public that leads to discontinuation of breastfeeding. Let's normalize breastfeeding in public to provide a healthy start to young children.
Open Access
Parenting Challenges of Refugee Families in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, 2024-03-08) Hirani, Shela
This video shares the parenting challenges of refugee families in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and presents their recommendations on need-based support for refugee parents during this vulnerable time. This study was undertaken in Saskatchewan, Canada which has a noticeable increase in refugee families with children. Dr Shela Hirani and her team acknowledge the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the University of Regina that funded this project.
Open Access
Policy Implications of Smartphone Usage and Holistic Wellbeing Among Youth in Urban Saskatchewan: A Smart Platform Study
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2021-12) Brodersen, Kayla Dawn; Katapally, Tarun; Hammami, Nour; Zarzeczny, Amy; Hirani, Shela
Background: Screen time on multiple digital devices has become an integral part of population behavior. Globally, populations have access to a variety of digital devices and engage in high levels of screen time activities starting in early childhood. It is well established that increased levels of screen time-based sedentary behaviours have significant negative impacts on health, however, the relationship between screen time behaviours, types of devices, and holistic wellbeing remains complicated and not well understood. In particular, smartphone technology has become increasingly popular and almost all age cohorts engage in smartphone usage for a wide variety of activities. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between screen time accumulated on smartphones and holistic wellbeing among youth and young adults (13 to 21 years) in Saskatchewan urban centres. This thesis will address the following questions: 1) Is there an association between smartphone usage (internet surfing, video gaming, texting, etc.) and mental health outcomes such as anxiety and depression?; 2) Is there an association between smartphone usage and physical health outcomes such as weight status?; and 3) Is there an association between smartphone usage and perceived health such as self-rated health and self-rated mental health? Methods: This study is part of the Smart Platform, a digital epidemiological and citizen science initiative for ethical population health surveillance, integrated knowledge translation, and policy interventions. Citizen science engages all participants throughout the research process either for contribution, collaboration, or co-creation of knowledge. Citizen scientists provided all data via their smartphones using a custom-built smartphone application, including a baseline questionnaire that combines validated self-report surveys to record physical activity, sedentary behaviours, screen time behaviours, demographic characteristics, and health outcomes such as mental wellbeing, weight status, and self-rated health. Results: 808 youth and young adult citizen scientists (aged 13 to 21) were recruited through Regina Public and Catholic School engagement sessions held in various high schools throughout Regina, Saskatchewan in 2018. Binomial Regression analyses were conducted to determine how quantitative measures inform the relationship between smartphone usage and holistic wellbeing in youth populations in Saskatchewan. Policy Implications: To our knowledge, this is the first digital epidemiological study to understand the association of smartphone usage with holistic health outcomes across youth and young adult populations. The findings of this study will have several policy implications, including: 1) Development of age-appropriate policy interventions to address smartphone usage; 2) Inform and influence ethical population health surveillance; 3) Advance recommendations for smartphone usage to deploy mHealth interventions to monitor, mitigate, and manage communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Open Access
Strategies to Promote Breastfeeding Practices of Refugee Mothers with PTSD
(Faculty of Nursing, University of Regina, 2023-04-20) Hirani, Shela
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) negatively affects the breastfeeding practices of mothers. Refugee mothers are high-risk groups. This resource is developed in consultation with the patient partners and healthcare providers. It presents strategies to promote, protect and support breastfeeding practices of refugee mothers with PTSD. Our gratitude to the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) and the University of Regina for supporting this work.