Canadian Households Research Articles

Trends in household food insecurity from the Canadian Community Health Survey, 2017 to 2022.

Income-related food insecurity is an important determinant of health. This study aimed to provide an update on the food security status of Canadian households using the most recent available data from a health-oriented national-level survey. This study also examined trends in food insecurity since 2017, and how these have tracked with changes in price inflation. Data on household food security status in the 10 Canadian provinces came from five annual cycles of the population-representative cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS): 2017, 2018, 2020 (September to December), 2021, and 2022. The Household Food Security Survey Module was used to categorize household food security status during the previous 12 months as food secure or marginally, moderately, or severely insecure. Before 2019, approximately 1 in 10 households had experienced some level of food insecurity in the previous 12 months (9.6% in 2017 and 11.6% in 2018). Household food insecurity prevalence was slightly lower and stable during the COVID-19 pandemic years (8.5% in fall 2020 and 9.1% in 2021) and increased to 15.6% in 2022. Levels of household food insecurity generally tracked with changes in consumer price inflation. Compared with 2021, there were notable increases in levels of moderate and severe food insecurity in 2022 among one-parent households with children, renters, and those reliant on government financial assistance. The prevalence of household food insecurity in the CCHS was relatively stable from 2017 to 2021, increased in 2022, and generally tracked with changes in price inflation. Monitoring levels of household food insecurity will continue to be important as price inflation eases but the cost of living remains high.

Queer households and possibilities for shared housing: a policy case study analysis

ABSTRACT Kinship structures among Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (2SLGBTQI+) individuals differ from conventional nuclear families. Heteronormative models of family and cohabitation impact housing options, resulting in the marginalization of queer households in Canada. This paper examines systemic factors in federal, provincial, and municipal policies, focusing on two specific policies: Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit and Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods, which limit housing provision for 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. Using Toronto as a case study, it evaluates how these policies affect the household needs of 2SLGBTQI+ adults based on queer kinship and identifies opportunities for change.

Developing a residential occupancy schedule generator based on smart thermostat data

Occupancy patterns play a major role in residential buildings’ energy demand. This role is essential to be represented realistically in urban-scale energy simulations with a focus on matching the supply of renewable energy to demand. However, the lack of large-scale datasets that represent the seasonality and dynamic nature of occupancy, especially within the residential sector limited such analysis. Recently, the fast adoption of smart thermostats, featuring passive infrared sensors for motion detection, in residential buildings has allowed for extracting more representative occupancy information for different applications. To this end, this study introduces an open-source Python package to generate large-scale hourly occupancy profiles for residential buildings based on smart thermostat readings. The package takes advantage of the Donate Your Data (DYD) dataset by Ecobee to develop a rule-based framework that addresses the limitations of relying on motion-detection data to represent the whole-building occupancy. The framework was applied to over 8000 Canadian households as a case study. The generated profiles for these buildings are validated by comparing them with residential occupancy profiles generated from the Canadian Time Use Survey (TUS). The results showed that both profiles were statistically similar with a 3 % difference in the aggregated daily occupied hours. Finally, the diversity of the generated profiles before and after the COVID-19 pandemic is investigated to demonstrate the usefulness of the tool. The results proved the potential of the developed package to generate realistic and diverse occupancy schedules for the residential sector.

Energy, exergy, economic, and environmental (4E) analysis of SAHP water heaters in very cold climatic conditions

Solar-assisted heat pumps (SAHPs) are emerging as promising solutions for space/water heating. Compared to conventional air-source heat pumps (ASHPs), SAHPs show superior thermal performance in cold climates where outdoor air temperatures are below freezing most of the heating season. However, given the inherent variability of solar energy, SAHPs have poor thermal performance to meet the load requirements during periods of weak solar radiation. To enhance the reliability of SAHPs, an air-source evaporator can be integrated with a SAHP, forming a dual SAHP – ASHP system with better performance. In this research, the energy, exergy, environmental, and economic performance of a dual-source solar/air source heat pump, which provides hot water for a typical Canadian household, is investigated. The performance of the system is compared with a solar-assisted direct-expansion heat pump (DX-SAHP), an ASHP, and conventional gas/electric water heaters. A thoroughly validated mathematical model based on heat transfer and thermodynamics fundamentals is developed and implemented in MATLAB® coupled with the CoolProp® library, which gives the refrigerant's properties. Results highlight the superior performance of the dual-source heat pump, particularly in the summer, where it surpasses the DX-SAHP. Among the examined heat pump configurations, the dual-source heat pump demonstrates the lowest annual power consumption. The system attains the maximum monthly average COP of 3.94 and achieves a minimum of 2.4 during the severe winter season in Calgary, Alberta. Compared to a conventional ASHP, the energy consumption of the system was reduced by 25%. The second-law analysis shows that the ASHP obtains the highest monthly average exergy efficiencies, followed by the DX-SAHP and the dual-source heat pump. Furthermore, results show that the solar/air source heat pump water heater can reduce CO2 emissions by 1450 kg/year, while the system's payback period is 19 years.

Variability in costs of electrifying passenger cars in Canada

The high cost of purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) compared to internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) is a major barrier to their widespread adoption. Additionally, the price disparity is not the same for all households. We conducted a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to compare the net present value of EV versus ICEV ownership for various household categories across Canada. We observed spatial and behavioral factors, including variations in costs of electricity, temperature, household archetypes and their purchase decisions, and access to charging infrastructure. We found that EVs are more cost-effective than ICEVs for certain daily driving distances, but typical households in Canada generally do not drive enough for lifecycle costs of EVs to be less than ICEVs. The province of Quebec has the most favorable conditions for EV ownership due to high purchase subsidies and low electricity prices. Variability in costs across other provinces and territories is mainly due to differences in rebates, electricity and gasoline prices, and tax rates. Our findings have implications for policymakers and consumers. For consumers comparing ICEVs to EVs based on a fixed budget, which may be consistent with how many households frame their purchase decision, willingness to accept smaller, non-luxury EVs can result in large cost savings. We also find that although temperature variation has a minimal effect on TCO, it does impact the ‘number of charge-ups’—a metric that we introduce to compare how many charging cycles a user may expect over the lifetime of a vehicle. The policy implication of this would be a need to consider regional differences in cold weather patterns when planning charging infrastructure deployment and the extent to which households in shared dwellings may face additional costs. Lastly, our findings strengthen the argument that equitably decarbonizing transportation will also require investment in strategies other than electrifying personal vehicles.

Impact of Exposure to a Mixture of Organophosphate Esters on Adrenal Cell Phenotype, Lipidome, and Function.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are used primarily as flame retardants and plasticizers. Previously, we reported that adrenal cells are important targets of individual OPEs. However, real-life exposures are to complex mixtures of these chemicals. To address this, we exposed H295R human adrenal cells to varying dilutions (1/1000K to 1/3K) of a Canadian household dust-based OPE mixture for 48 hours and evaluated effects on phenotypic, lipidomic, and functional parameters. Using a high-content screening approach, we assessed phenotypic markers at mixture concentrations at which there was greater than 70% cell survival; the most striking effect of the OPE mixture was a 2.5-fold increase in the total area of lipid droplets. We then determined the response of specific lipid species to OPE exposures with novel, nontargeted lipidomic analysis of isolated lipid droplets. These data revealed that house dust OPEs induced concentration-dependent alterations in the composition of lipid droplets, particularly affecting the triglyceride, diglyceride, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol ester subclasses. The steroid-producing function of adrenal cells in the presence or absence of a steroidogenic stimulus, forskolin, was determined. While the production of 17β-estradiol remained unaffected, a slight decrease in testosterone production was observed after stimulation. Conversely, a 2-fold increase in both basal and stimulated cortisol and aldosterone production was observed. Thus, exposure to a house dust-based mixture of OPEs exerts endocrine-disrupting effects on adrenal cells, highlighting the importance of assessing the effects of environmentally relevant mixtures.

Twice Migrated, Twice Displaced: Indian and Pakistani Transnational Households in Canada by Tania Das Gupta (review)

Twice Migrated, Twice Displaced: Indian and Pakistani Transnational Households in Canada by Tania Das Gupta (review)

Conceptualising the relationships between food sovereignty, food security and oral health among global Indigenous Communities: a scoping review.

Invasive colonial influences and continuing neoliberal policies have a detrimental impact on Land, health, food and culture for Indigenous Communities. Food security and sovereignty have significant impacts on Indigenous well-being and, specifically, oral health. Aspects relating to food security, such as availability of nutritious foods, are a common risk factor of oral diseases. This scoping review aimed to collate existing evidence regarding the relationship between food sovereignty and/or food security and oral health for Indigenous Communities, globally. Four databases were searched using keywords related to 'Food security' or 'Food sovereignty,' 'Indigenous Peoples' and 'Oral health.' Duplicates were removed, and two independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts to identify articles for full-text review. Extracted data were summarised narratively, presenting a conceptual model which illustrates the findings and relationships between food security and/or food sovereignty and oral health. The search identified 369 articles, with forty-one suitable for full-text review and a final nine that met inclusion criteria. The impact of food security and food sovereignty on oral health was discussed across different populations and sample sizes, ranging from eighteen Kichwa families in Brazil to 533 First Nations and Metis households in Canada. Pathways of influence between food sovereignty and/or food security are explored clinically, quantitatively and qualitatively across oral health outcomes, including early childhood caries, dental caries and oral health-related quality of life for Indigenous Communities. Innovative strategies underpinned by concepts of Indigenous food sovereignty are needed to promote oral health equity for Indigenous Communities. The nexus between oral health and Indigenous food sovereignty remains largely unexplored, but has immense potential for empowering Indigenous rights to self-determination of health that honour Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

Investigation of the thermodynamic performance of a direct-expansion solar-assisted heat pump under very cold climatic conditions with and without glazing

This study investigates the long-term thermodynamic performance of a direct-expansion solar-assisted (DX-SAHP) system for hot water production in an average Canadian household. Performance is evaluated using realistic time-varying demand profiles and DX-SAHP with and without glazing under cold climatic conditions. A mathematical model for determining the system's long-term thermodynamic performance based on the first law of thermodynamics and heat transfer fundamentals is developed and thoroughly validated. The solution is implemented in MATLAB®. The CoolProp® database is coupled with MATLAB® and used to determine the working fluid's thermal physical properties. Besides, the thermodynamic performance of the DX-SAHP throughout the year, operating with low global warming potential (GWP) and class A safety refrigerants, was evaluated. Moreover, the influence of solar irradiation and ambient air temperature on the DX-SAHP's thermodynamic performance is studied. Results indicate that the monthly average coefficient of performance (COP) varies between 2.5 and 3.8, while the monthly average energy consumption of the system varies between 170 and 275 kWh. The obtained figures for COP and power consumption demonstrate the high-efficiency potential of the DX-SAHP system, making it an attractive alternative to reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions in residential water heating. In addition, results show that R1233zd gives the highest COPs, followed by R152a, R1234ze, R134a, R1234yf and R32. Besides, the long-term simulation results indicate that the DX-SAHP water heater without glazing has superior thermal performance compared to one with glazing. Also, results show that the COP rises as the ambient temperature or solar radiation level increases.

Epilepsy in Canadian households: The financial pinch

BackgroundIt has long been recognized that epilepsy has a substantial economic impact on populations including health care costs and employment impact. There is a paucity of data on the individual and household impact of epilepsy on financial income. MethodsCanadian data on households containing persons with epilepsy were derived from the National Population Health Survey of Neurological Conditions within the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a Canadian population‐based cross‐sectional survey that collects information related to health status (2010–2011).We determined the number of households in Canada reporting at least one member with epilepsy. We examined the difference in reported household income between households reporting at least one member with epilepsy with those not reporting any members with epilepsy. We then developed a model of reported household income within Canada in order to adjust the estimated impact on household income of having at least one member with epilepsy. ResultsIn 2010–2011, 122,911 respondents to the CCHS identified 1,254 households containing individuals with epilepsy, representing ∼ 594,200 households in Canada (95 % CI: 534,900–650,500). These respondents reported that household income for households with members with epilepsy was reduced by CDN$ 14,000 when compared to the mean reported household income of CDN$ 83,000, (p < 0.001). In a model of income, the adjusted impact of a household member with epilepsy was CDN$ 14,700 (95 % CI: 10,000–19,500). ConclusionThe financial impact on Canadian households of persons with epilepsy is profound. While we can only speculate on the rationale driving this, the differential in average household income in households living with an individual with epilepsy is clear. This places an additional financial burden on persons with epilepsy (PWE) who may already face substantial medication, health care and caregiver costs.

Intersections of race, COVID-19 pandemic, and food security in Black identifying Canadian households: A scoping review

Although studies have identified food insecurity as a racialized inequity issue disproportionately affecting Black identifying Canadians, research exploring how anti-Black racism across multiple systems create inequities including increased risk for food insecurity among African Caribbean Black identifying households in Canada, is limited. Using an intersectionality lens, this scoping review addresses this knowledge gap by elucidating the intersectionality of race with multiple social determinants of health that directly and indirectly impedes Black people (both of African and Caribbean descent) from accessing adequate and appropriate food, resulting in disproportionate health and social outcomes. Critical analyses of twelve journal articles identified systematically and the review of government and organizational reports and websites reveal that food security in Black identifying individuals in Canada is a racialized emergent public health issue rooted in structural and systemic racism that intersects with multiple determinants of health to produce grave social and economic inequities. The recent COVID-19 pandemic intensified these inequities by increasing food insecurity in Black identifying households in Canada. Cultural food security, referring to the ability to acquire and access culturally appropriate foods to one’s ethnic origins as fulfilment to cultural identity, is an interrelated and foundational pillar to food security yet one that is grossly unacknowledged in current actions. National policies are thus needed that recognize cultural food security, and address root causes through increased social support and sustainable food systems. A reasonable first step to ensure the cultural relevance of policies and initiatives is the active engagement of Black communities.

Consumer interest and willingness to pay for in-bulk products with reusable packaging options

Consumers are looking for solutions to reduce waste at source, especially plastic waste from single-use packaging. Simply recycling packaging will not be enough and reduction at the source must be emphasized as part of a sustainable circular economy. Selling products in bulk using reusable containers is one of the emerging paths of the zero waste movement. To achieve this, it is necessary to change consumption patterns and behaviors. Our goal is to better understand how source reduction of plastic packaging can be an asset in a zero waste objective. Using a contingent valuation method, we conducted a large pan-Canadian survey on the purchasing preferences of 2002 Canadian households to analyze the willingness to pay (WTP) for different food and household products. Results indicate that most consumers do not appear to be willing to pay more for bulk products with reusable packaging even if they are interested in buying more bulk products. Different socio-demographic and attitudinal parameters, such as age, gender, sense of convenience, and pro-environmental behaviors, influence willingness to buy and pay. The originality of this work is to provide an economic perspective on the reduction of single-use containers and changes in consumption practices in the context of the zero waste movement and the circular economy.

Adding epitope compatibility to deceased donor kidney allocation criteria: recommendations from a pan-Canadian online public deliberation

BackgroundThe widening supply–demand imbalance for kidneys necessitates finding ways to reduce rejection and improve transplant outcomes. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) epitope compatibility between donor and recipient may minimize premature graft loss and prolong survival, but incorporating this strategy to deceased donor allocation criteria prioritizes transplant outcomes over wait times. An online public deliberation was held to identify acceptable trade-offs when implementing epitope compatibility to guide Canadian policymakers and health professionals in deciding how best to allocate kidneys fairly.MethodsInvitations were mailed to 35,000 randomly-selected Canadian households, with over-sampling of rural/remote locations. Participants were selected for socio-demographic diversity and geographic representation. Five two-hour online sessions were held from November–December 2021. Participants received an information booklet and heard from expert speakers prior to deliberating on how to fairly implement epitope compatibility for transplant candidates and governance issues. Participants collectively generated and voted on recommendations. In the final session, kidney donation and allocation policymakers engaged with participants. Sessions were recorded and transcribed.ResultsThirty-two individuals participated and generated nine recommendations. There was consensus on adding epitope compatibility to the existing deceased donor kidney allocation criteria. However, participants recommended including safeguards/flexibility around this (e.g., mitigating declining health). They called for a transition period to epitope compatibility, including an ongoing comprehensive public education program. Participants unanimously recommended regular monitoring and public sharing of epitope-based transplant outcomes.ConclusionsParticipants supported adding epitope compatibility to kidney allocation criteria, but advised safeguards and flexibility around implementation. These recommendations provide guidance to policymakers about incorporating epitope-based deceased donor allocation criteria.

Stochastic bottom-up load profile generator for Canadian households’ electricity demand

The residential energy demand timing and magnitude are highly impacted by occupants' behaviors and activities. However, acquiring a reliable data source for these activities is a vital challenge, especially on an urban scale. In this context, this paper presents a stochastic bottom-up model for generating electrical loads for residential buildings in Canada. The proposed model is developed to investigate the impact of different household characteristics, appliance stock, and energy behaviors on the timing and magnitude of non-HVAC energy loads at individual or multiple houses. The proposed tool includes four main modules for generating stochastic profiles of occupancy, lighting demand, appliance load, and domestic hot water demand (DWH). The model is calibrated using the Canadian time use survey (TUS), energy use statistics, and appliance ownership surveys. The model is scalable and can be extended to serve various applications by adding new modules and data sources in the future. This paper presents the model development methodology, generated high-resolution load profiles, and validation in comparison with actual measurements. Finally, the model is used for studying the impact of household characteristics on total energy use. Future work will include incorporating this model into a comprehensive agent-based model for designing and testing effective demand response programs.

Summaries of Articles

Summaries of Articles

Identifying Predictors of Safe Food Handling Practices among Canadian Households with Children Under Eighteen Years

Poor food handling practices at home are a common cause of foodborne illness. Children are more susceptible to foodborne illness than adults. Because children’s food safety depends on the safe food handling practices of parents and caregivers, this study aims to identify determinants of safe food handling practices among Canadian families with children under 18 years. Data for Canadian households with children (n = 294) were extracted from a larger telephone survey conducted across all Canadian provinces and territories between 2014 and 2015. Four food safety practice outcomes and six demographic variables were examined using multivariable logistics regression. Most survey participants were females (56%) who had less than a bachelor’s degree (67%) and were caring for one child (55%). Approximately 90% of caregivers reported proper hand hygiene, and 79% refrigerated leftovers within 2 h of cooking. Only 33% of caregivers reported preventing cross-contamination, and fewer reported using food thermometers for poultry cuts (13%) and hamburgers (11%). Those in the higher income and education categories were less likely to follow safe food handling practices such as hand hygiene and safe refrigeration of leftovers. This research highlights the need for food safety interventions that target Canadian families with children within certain demographic groups.

Identifying Predictors of Safe Food Handling Practices among Canadian Households with Children Under Eighteen Years

Poor food handling practices at home are a common cause of foodborne illness. Children are more susceptible to foodborne illness than adults. Because children’s food safety depends on the safe food handling practices of parents and caregivers, this study aims to identify determinants of safe food handling practices among Canadian families with children under 18 years. Data for Canadian households with children (n = 294) were extracted from a larger telephone survey conducted across all Canadian provinces and territories between 2014 and 2015. Four food safety practice outcomes and six demographic variables were examined using multivariable logistics regression. Most survey participants were females (56%) who had less than a bachelor’s degree (67%) and were caring for one child (55%). Approximately 90% of caregivers reported proper hand hygiene, and 79% refrigerated leftovers within 2 h of cooking. Only 33% of caregivers reported preventing cross-contamination, and fewer reported using food thermometers for poultry cuts (13%) and hamburgers (11%). Those in the higher income and education categories were less likely to follow safe food handling practices such as hand hygiene and safe refrigeration of leftovers. This research highlights the need for food safety interventions that target Canadian families with children within certain demographic groups.

Use-up day and flexible recipes: Reducing household food waste by helping families prepare food they already have

In two 5-week randomized-controlled field studies, Canadian and US households were invited to make one meal per week from food that might otherwise be discarded, using flexible recipes. In the first study (Canada), tools to increase the salience of unused food (storage basket, clips to tag, or whiteboard) were also explored. A second study (US) examined a shorter program and the addition of follow-up reminders. Food waste was assessed with a self-reported food waste measure. Intervention groups reduced their food waste significantly versus baseline by 33% (Canada) and 46% (US) and versus control by 27% (Canada) and 33% (US). The salience tools (study 1) or duration (study 2) had no impact. Eight weeks after the intervention food saving continued although the intervention conditions no longer differed significantly from control. In the US, change in Perceived Behavioral Control partially mediated the impact of the intervention on food waste reduction.

Consequences of changing Canadian activity patterns since the COVID-19 pandemic include increased residential radon gas exposure for younger people

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced widespread behaviour changes that shifted how people split their time between different environments, altering health risks. Here, we report an update of North American activity patterns before and after pandemic onset, and implications to radioactive radon gas exposure, a leading cause of lung cancer. We surveyed 4009 Canadian households home to people of varied age, gender, employment, community, and income. Whilst overall time spent indoors remained unchanged, time in primary residence increased from 66.4 to 77% of life (+ 1062 h/y) after pandemic onset, increasing annual radiation doses from residential radon by 19.2% (0.97 mSv/y). Disproportionately greater changes were experienced by younger people in newer urban or suburban properties with more occupants, and/or those employed in managerial, administrative, or professional roles excluding medicine. Microinfluencer-based public health messaging stimulated health-seeking behaviour amongst highly impacted, younger groups by > 50%. This work supports re-evaluating environmental health risks modified by still-changing activity patterns.

Why can't we be friends? Exploring factors associated with cat owners' perceptions of the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households.

Most research examining cat behavior in multi-cat households lacks focus on one group size. This gap in knowledge reduces generalizability of research findings to specific compositions of cats in multi-cat households. Given that many cat-owning households in Canada and the US are comprised of two cats, the following study used a cross-sectional survey to explore cat owners' perceptions of the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households in Canada and the US. A total of 6,529 owners of two cats completed the online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and a logistic regression model used to assess various explanatory variables (i.e., household, management, and cat-specific factors) associated with participants perceiving their cats' relationship as negative. The logistic regression model showed that owners of two-cat households are more likely to perceive their cats' relationship as negative if both cats are spayed females, adult or mature, have a large gap in age, not related, one or both have access to the outdoors, or show aggression toward people or other animals in the home. Having multiple litterbox and feeding areas were also associated with a more negative cat-cat relationship. Overall, the complex interplay, directionality, and temporality of these factors requires further investigation for a full understanding of how to improve the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households. More research is needed to provide evidence-based recommendations for managing and supporting a positive cat-cat relationship in the home.