Browsing by Author "Boucher, Jean-Christophe"
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Item Open Access A Scoping Review of Self-Report Measures Used to Assess Individual and Contextual Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination in General Population Samples(2023-08-24) Moran, Chelsea Véronique; Campbell, Tavis; Ronksley, Paul; McDonough, Meghan; Boucher, Jean-Christophe; Kennedy, EricIntroduction: Understanding vaccine refusal is crucial for enhancing COVID-19 vaccination rates. There has been a surge in survey-based research using self-report measures to identify predictors of COVID-19 vaccination uptake. The validity of research findings greatly depends on the use of appropriate and rigorous measurement practices. This dissertation aims to describe constructs and evaluate measurement practices in peer-reviewed studies on determinants of COVID-19 uptake in general population samples. Methods: A scoping review adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted (Study 1, Chapter 2). This review focused on construct definition and theoretical representation, based on the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behavior (COM-B) model, and examined the characteristics of self-report measures. A secondary analysis of data from this scoping review, supplemented by a targeted search strategy, identified validated self-report measures and critically appraised the quality of their measurement properties using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidance (Study 2, Chapter 3). Results: The comprehensive literature search identified 157 unique studies which reported on 425 constructs. Constructs representing the motivation dimension of the COM-B model were prominent, while capability and opportunity factors were often neglected. Frequently assessed constructs included positive and negative attitudes, intentions, beliefs, willingness, and hesitancy. The results revealed conceptual overlap in construct definitions and inconsistent use of construct labels. Most self-report measures were developed by study authors, used in only one study retrieved, and lacked reporting of psychometric properties. Study 2 identified ten validated self-report measures assessing COVID-19 vaccine attitudes, beliefs, hesitancy, and anxiety, with generally inadequate quality of psychometric evidence examined and limited reporting of methods used to ascertain content validity. Although the Vaccination Concerns in COVID-19 Scale (VaCCS) demonstrated the highest quality evidence for measurement properties, none of the measures retrieved in Study 2 could be recommended without further research to further quantify their measurement properties. Conclusion: This dissertation offers guidance on construct definition and measure selection for future research on COVID-19 vaccination determinants. Further research is needed to standardize construct definitions, confirm the measurement properties of existing measures, and develop measures to assess social and environmental factors. Recommendations for improving measurement practices are discussed.Item Open Access Ally, Enemy or Something Else? How and Why the United States Drone Program Implementation and Operation in Pakistan Changed their Relationship(2021-05-11) Stone, Allison Nicole; Terriff, Terry; Boucher, Jean-Christophe; Huebert, RobertThis papers’ focus concerns the relationship between the United States and Pakistan around the implementation, use, and regulation of militarized drones in Pakistan. In analyzing the emergence and operation of militarized drones, this paper reconciles how their relationship has been affected legally, militarily, politically, diplomatically, and socially. To develop these arguments, I examine the pertinent historical evolution and statistical figures that exemplify drones’ trajectory from a newly developed technology strictly for intelligence gathering to an exceedingly popular weaponry system used in numerous combat situations. Subsequently, an examination of how specifically drones have altered the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the United States is explored by analyzing the military impact and other tangible hard areas of focus, including the legality of strikes as well as softer, less easily quantifiable concerns of political, diplomatic, and social consequences. I argue that it has been militarily successful by improving intelligence cooperation, eliminating high-value targets, and assisting Pakistan to be better equipped at preventing future terrorist or insurgent attacks. Further, the drone program unified the two after the triple whammy of Raymond Davis killing two Pakistani citizens, bin Laden being found in the country, and the Salalah incident shutting down borders and airspaces, which left the relationship on the brink of total dissolution. Its redeeming feature was the still existent security concerns that required drone use to respond appropriately; without which it may have been irredeemable. However, outside the military realm the legal, political, diplomatic, and social consequences have been detrimental to their bilateral relationship by leaving them in a state of flux as to the potential future trajectories of their partnership. Where one individually falls on assessing whether it has been positive or not is ultimately a matter of opinion based on priorities. If military strategy and security are paramount, one would agree it has been a positive program. If one prioritizes the expansion of their dynamic beyond transaction military arrangements, then it has failed spectacularly. This thesis argues the former is still a victory; a relationship by any means is better than the alternative when it concerns such a tenuous partnership.Item Open Access Analysis of the Effects of Misinformation on Climate Change Policy Effectiveness in Canada(2023-05-29) Loebach, Emily; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheThis capstone project was completed to address climate misinformation both in Canada and across the world to aid in understanding how it affects climate policymaking. The first step in doing so is to review what misinformation and disinformation are, how they spread, and whom they affect most. In doing so, that context may be used to understand how policymakers can navigate the public sector given the presence of misinformation as well as which policy models will be most successful in limiting its spread. Moreover, background regarding what the current state of misinformation research looks like and where the gaps are provides context for why climate misinformation continues to persist globally. The case study on major nations and their states of climate misinformation/skepticism allows for a better understanding of how Canada's perception of climate change compares to other countries. Finally, recommendations can be made for how policymakers can best approach implementing climate policies given the level of misinformation within Canada.Item Open Access Attitudes, behaviours and barriers to public health measures for COVID-19: a survey to inform public health messaging(2021-04-21) Lang, Raynell; Benham, Jamie L; Atabati, Omid; Hollis, Aidan; Tombe, Trevor; Shaffer, Blake; Burns, Katharina K; MacKean, Gail; Léveillé, Tova; McCormack, Brandi; Sheikh, Hasan; Fullerton, Madison M; Tang, Theresa; Boucher, Jean-Christophe; Constantinescu, Cora; Mourali, Mehdi; Manns, Braden J; Marshall, Deborah A; Hu, Jia; Oxoby, Robert JAbstract Background Public support of public health measures including physical distancing, masking, staying home while sick, avoiding crowded indoor spaces and contact tracing/exposure notification applications remains critical for reducing spread of COVID-19. The aim of our work was to understand current behaviours and attitudes towards public health measures as well as barriers individuals face in following public health measures. We also sought to identify attitudes persons have regarding a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons why they may not accept a vaccine. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in August 2020, in Alberta, Canada in persons 18 years and older. This survey evaluated current behaviours, barriers and attitudes towards public health measures and a COVID-19 vaccine. Cluster analysis was used to identify key patterns that summarize data variations among observations. Results Of the 60 total respondents, the majority of persons were always or often physically distancing (73%), masking (65%) and staying home while sick (67%). Bars/pubs/lounges or nightclubs were visited rarely or never by 63% of respondents. Persons identified staying home while sick to provide the highest benefit (83%) in reducing spread of COVID-19. There were a large proportion of persons who had not downloaded or used a contact tracing/exposure notification app (77%) and who would not receive a COVID-19 vaccine when available (20%) or were unsure (12%). Reporting health authorities as most trusted sources of health information was associated with greater percentage of potential uptake of vaccine but not related to contact tracing app download and use. Individuals with lower concern of getting and spreading COVID-19 showed the least uptake of public health measures except for avoiding public places such as bars. Lower concern regarding COVID-19 was also associated with more negative responses to taking a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion These results suggest informational frames and themes focusing on individual risks, highlighting concern for COVID-19 and targeting improving trust for health authorities may be most effective in increasing public health measures. With the ultimate goal of preventing spread of COVID-19, understanding persons’ attitudes towards both public health measures and a COVID-19 vaccine remains critical to addressing barriers and implementing targeted interventions and messaging to improve uptake.Item Open Access Falling short: suboptimal outcomes in Canadian defence procurement(2018-09-26) MacMillan, Ian; Bercuson, David Jay; Huebert, Robert N.; Hiebert, Maureen S.; Nesbitt, Michael E.; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheWhy do Canada’s military procurement projects often fall short of their primary goals? Otherwise known as a suboptimal result, defence acquisitions regularly fall short of established delivery schedules, accruing cost-overruns, sometimes resulting in cancellation of key materiel. One-hundred percent of the twenty-five Major Crown Projects at the Department of National Defence have experienced delays in achieving key milestones. Aside from cost, suboptimal results are injurious to Canada’s tri-force military. Fortunately, the matter has not gone unchecked. A fairly recent surge in procurement research has generated a critical mass of Canadian-focused literature. Preliminary research for this study shows a connection between suboptimal results and the organizations and personnel that populate procurement processes. Based on the bureaucratic politics model, a competitive interaction between uniquely conditioned policy players causes suboptimal delays and costs. Players orient outcomes to suit personal and organizational interests. The advantage of the bureaucratic politics model is the clarity with which it illustrates decision processes. Its simplistic structure serves as an ideal model for comparing three cases in Canadian procurement. Taken from the Department of National Defence’s Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects, this study tests the bureaucratic theory against the Tank Replacement Project, the Joint Support Ship Project, and the ongoing project(s) to replace Canada’s CF-18 Hornets. The objective is to see if these cases share common findings contributing to suboptimality. The bureaucratic model assists the methodological goal of a structured, focused comparison. Two of the three cases demonstrate the competitive interaction between players as a factor in determining delays and cost-overruns. Although the Joint Support Ship Project included a host of unique players competing to determine decision outcomes, the factor that contributed to schedule slippage was the result of widespread agreement on a build in Canada approach. This consensus led to reliance on one underequipped shipyard to approach an overambitious project. Based on the overall study, three findings prevail. First, reports by bureaucratic institutions like the Parliamentary Budget Office and the Office of the Auditor General have tremendous political capital. Second, domestic production schemes are noble, but sometimes unrealistic. Third, competition for goods is always necessary.Item Open Access HPV vaccine narratives on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic: a social network, thematic, and sentiment analysis(2023-04-14) Boucher, Jean-Christophe; Kim, So Y.; Jessiman-Perreault, Geneviève; Edwards, Jack; Smith, Henry; Frenette, Nicole; Badami, Abbas; Scott, Lisa A.Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has increased online interactions and the spread of misinformation. Some researchers anticipate benefits stemming from improved public awareness of the value of vaccines while others worry concerns around vaccine development and public health mandates may have damaged public trust. There is a need to understand whether the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine development, and vaccine mandates have influenced HPV vaccine attitudes and sentiments to inform health communication strategies. Methods We collected 596,987 global English-language tweets from January 2019-May 2021 using Twitter’s Academic Research Product track. We determined vaccine confident and hesitant networks discussing HPV immunization using social network analysis. Then, we used a neural network approach to natural language processing to measure narratives and sentiment pertaining to HPV immunization. Results Most of the tweets in the vaccine hesitant network were negative in tone (54.9%) and focused on safety concerns surrounding the HPV vaccine while most of the tweets in the vaccine confident network were neutral (51.6%) and emphasized the health benefits of vaccination. Growth in negative sentiment among the vaccine hesitant network corresponded with legislative efforts in the State of New York to mandate HPV vaccination for public school students in 2019 and the WHO declaration of COVID-19 as a Global Health Emergency in 2020. In the vaccine confident network, the number of tweets concerning the HPV vaccine decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but in both vaccine hesitant and confident networks, the sentiments, and themes of tweets about HPV vaccine were unchanged. Conclusions Although we did not observe a difference in narratives or sentiments surrounding the HPV vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a decreased focus on the HPV vaccine among vaccine confident groups. As routine vaccine catch-up programs restart, there is a need to invest in health communication online to raise awareness about the benefits and safety of the HPV vaccine.Item Open Access Human Papillomavirus vaccine uptake: Misinformation online and the healthcare providers’ role in reducing antivaccine sentiment(2021-08-27) Haikal, Amne; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Canada (Government of Canada, 2020). HPV infections are often easy to treat, however, certain strains of the virus can progress and make the population more susceptible to different cancer diagnosis (2020). This is a concern, as cancer diagnoses related to HPV infection are expected to rise in Canada (Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, 2021). In 2008, Alberta implemented an HPV school vaccine program with young girls as the target group (Highet, Jessiman-Peerault, Hilton, Law & Allen-Scott,2020). Following this, the school vaccine program was expanded to include boys in the same age group (2020). In 2020, the province made a vaccine program inclusive of individuals between ages 18-26 to help promote uptake in this group (2020). Despite school vaccine programs and well-established efficacy and safety research of the vaccine, HPV vaccination levels remain suboptimal in Alberta and different parts of Canada (2020). This is attributable to several causes, however the spread of vaccine misinformation online in addition to the growing influence social media sites have on the public to obtain health information are identified as concerns (Ortiz, Smith & Coyne-Beasley, 2019). This paper will delve into the growing HPV antivaccine sentiment in Canada and its impact on health outcomes. In addition, it will discuss the important role healthcare workers have in addressing vaccine misinformation in efforts to improve vaccination rates. Healthcare providers remain the most trusted individuals to help reduce vaccine misinformation (Paterson et al., 2016). Their innate trust and title legitimize their claims and motivates individuals to value their advice and recommendations. In addition, this paper will discuss the current legislation set in place to regulate healthcare workers in Alberta. It will also offer an analysis of the already established social media documents that guide healthcare workers. The paper ends with a list of policy recommendations to mobilize healthcare workers and ensure that their voices are heard and utilized to help slow and address the spread of vaccine misinformation on social media in hopes of reducing antivaccine sentiment.Item Open Access Identify, Respond, Neutralize: Recommendations for Canada’s Post-COVID-19 Framework(2021-08-24) Babin, Blake; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheCanada has experienced multiple infectious disease outbreaks in the 21st. century. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, followed by H1N1 in 2009, signalled that outbreaks of infectious diseases around the world were increasing in frequency. These outbreaks prompted Canada to acknowledge shortcomings in its broader public health system, ultimately resulting in increased public health funding, as well as updated public health policies and infrastructure. In early 2020, Canada’s pandemic preparedness was tested with the first global pandemic since the 1918 influenza outbreak, COVID-19 (Liu et al., 2020). Problems were revealed with Canada’s information management systems, public health surveillance, and border control measures. Canada was not prepared for a large-scale outbreak and the issues highlighted require national solutions. This capstone begins with a summary of the themes and recommendations stemming from the reviews of the SARS and H1N1 outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic is then analyzed, starting with countries with successful response measures. Issues with Canada’s surveillance measures are highlighted, looking specifically at the country’s information management frameworks and the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN). Gaps in Canada’s border control measures during COVID-19 and their implications are examined. This paper then explores the relationship between public health and national security, ultimately suggesting how the fusion would benefit Canada’s pandemic preparedness. Lastly, five recommendations are given that aim to improve Canada’s outbreak prevention and mitigating measures.Item Open Access A Study of Military Change: The Transformation of Army Special Forces and Naval Special Warfare in the Vietnam War(2022-09-28) Cooper-Takada, Patrick; Terriff, Terry; Hiebert, Maureen; Stapleton, Tim; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheThis work serves to investigate the nature of the changes experienced by the Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and Naval Special Warfare (NSW; Underwater Demolition Teams, and Sea, Air, Land [SEAL] Teams) during the Vietnam War, using contemporary military change literature to evaluate the processes and results. In conducting the research, this thesis used a combination of primary and secondary sources for a qualitative analysis of military change. The result of this investigation was two clear examples of military innovation that resulted from different processes in environments that were vastly different in terms of leadership conditions and mission requirements. Naval Special Warfare experienced innovation through the inception of the SEAL Teams, which gave them increased capabilities not seen before by a permanent Navy Special Operations Force unit. This revolutionary innovation was not directly impeded by Navy bureaucracy due to intervention by the Kennedy Administration on behalf of NSW. The Army Special Forces underwent a different kind of innovation; because of their open mindset, high level of training, and misappropriation by Army leadership, the Green Berets adapted to multiple new roles in the Vietnam War. As a result of these multiple smaller changes, the entirety of their existence was altered and they became a force transformed over 14 years of sustained adaptation, rather than the rapid changes experienced by Naval Special Warfare. These lessons of these two case studies are significant as they demonstrate different learning processes in similar combat environments as a result of variables in leadership, demands, experience, unit culture, skills, and relationships with external agencies.Item Open Access Tax Compliance: How Trust in Government Can Increase Federal Tax Revenues(2021-08-31) Chwyl, Robert; Boucher, Jean-ChristopheCanada is losing billions of dollars each year to individuals shirking on their taxes (Canada Revenue Agency 2016). The question of how to reduce this substantial amount is both pertinent and difficult. As a liberal democracy, the federal government is constrained by how much coercive force it can use. Voluntary compliance by citizens is essential. This paper will demonstrate how certain measures can be used to build trust in the federal government and its institutions – specifically in the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), leading to a decrease in tax shirking and increasing tax revenue. Canada, along with many other liberal democracies, have simultaneously experienced declining levels of trust (Dalton 2004). This change erodes the legitimacy of the government and its institutions. In addition, the problem is unlikely to correct itself. Values have changed among younger generations, altering expectations of governments (Inglehart 2008) and further straining trust. Action is needed to respond to the changing relationship between the Canadian government and its citizens. There is a strong correlation between an individual’s trust in government and their likelihood of paying taxes (Kucher and Götte 1998; Shulz and Lubell 1998). This relationship is integral to the paper’s recommendations. If an individual’s trust in government can be increased, more tax revenue will follow. Trust must first be built with the public. Advanced liberal democracies primarily build trust through their institutions (Zucker 1986). Trust in government can be viewed as a collection of trust in its parts. Ideally all federal institutions would follow trust building measures. However, given the infancy of the research and the relative novelty of recommendations, this is unrealistic. This paper will give more pragmatic recommendations focusing on the CRA. As a large institution that deals regularly with taxpayers, the CRA is a clear choice to first implement trust building measures. In order to accurately quantify and analyze trust, the CRA must first conduct its own trust measurements. Perception surveys, the most common measurement type in use, will be used. Popular 3rd party trust measurements ask broad and ambiguous questions (Connolly 2016; Edelman 2021), limiting their efficacy. The CRA should ask clearer and more pointed questions that get to the heart of where Canadian distrust arises. Corruption constitutes the strongest predictor of trust placed in remote political institutions directly (Blind 2006, 12). To address appearances of corruption, steps should be taken that prevent citizens from forming negative views of the CRA. Appearance standards remedy this issue by treating improper appearances as an offence, even if no offence has taken place. Trust is measured by perception, making preemptive action a necessary element. Once trust is lost, it is difficult to gain back. Engagement is linked with increased trust in the government (Wesley 2018). The CRA should foster greater engagement by allowing for e-participation opportunities on its website. Not only will it capture new individuals, but greater levels of engagement will be made available to those already participating. An e-government model will be followed to detail the process.Item Open Access Value Added Analysis and its Potential Impact on Canadian Military Procurements(2022-01) Montagnes, Joel S.; Boucher, Jean-Christophe; School of Public Policy; University of CalgaryThe Canadian Federal government is currently at a crossroads when it comes to managing its procurement projects for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The first choice involves using current practices which are resulting in procurement projects chronically running over budget and behind schedule. This can be attributed to prioritizing domestic economic and manufacturing development by demanding would-be vendors manufacture their capital assets in Canada along with excessive customizations of capital assets to “Canadianize” them. The second choice involves streamlining the entire procurement process. This includes taking the tasks assigned to multiple Departments in the Federal government and amalgamating them into one. It also includes choosing the best vendors and capital assets for procurement based on their merit, competency and quality of merchandise as opposed to their willingness to invest in Canada. The strategy that would best underpin and guide these procurement reforms is called, Value Added Analysis (VAA). To objective will be to make capital procurement projects stay within budgets and on schedule for completion and delivery. Currently, the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), which is an ongoing capital procurement project for both the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Canadian Coast Guard Service (CCGS) is an excellent case study to show how aspects of VAA are already being implemented into managing capital procurement projects. The NSS also provides examples of how VAA can be further implemented into managing capital procurement projects.