From Our Own Borealis Blog

Why is your doctor still using a fax machine? Barriers to electronic health records in Canada

by Katie Compton, Policy & Politics editor In our day-to-day lives, we access digital information with such ease that we don’t really stop and think about the underlying infrastructure that makes it all possible. When we encounter the edges of this digital ease—say, when one of our trusted messaging apps goes offline unexpectedly—it can be […]

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The diabetes gap: Why are Black Canadians more likely to develop type 2 diabetes?

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Michael Ralph Limmena, Health, Medicine, and Veterinary Sciences editor The year 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. Diabetes was once a fatal condition, but in the past few decades, we have learned to manage it through medication, frequent exercise and strict dieting. Even so, diabetes is one of Canada’s most prevalent […]

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Low income increases the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic

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by Christine Thou, Environmental Sciences editor It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically shifted how Canadians live their lives. Arguably, no one has felt this as keenly as low-income individuals. Their struggles to access important resources and meet financial commitments expose them to stress stimuli that make enduring the pandemic more difficult. Overall, […]

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Hooked on science crochet

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Raymond Nakamura, Multimedia editor You might think of crochet as just a pleasant hobby for passing long winter evenings during an endless pandemic. But in the right hands, crochet can also be a wonderful way to communicate science. Not only is Dr. Tahani Baakdhah a medical doctor with a Ph.D. in neurobiology, but she is […]

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Antimicrobial resistance: The silent pandemic

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Jaspreet Sanghera, Biology and Life Sciences editor When was the last time you had the stomach flu, had your wisdom teeth removed, or had an ear infection? Most likely, you received an antibiotic, a type of antimicrobial drug designed to either prevent or treat bacterial infections. Alexander Fleming’s initial discovery of penicillin in 1928 brought […]

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