Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39754087›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Built environment change for injury prevention: insights from public health professionals across public health units in Ontario, Canada.

Emily McCullogh, Alison Macpherson, Daniel W Harrington, Ian Pike, Brent Hagel, Claire Buchan, Pamela Fuselli, Sarah A Richmond

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Emily McCulloghYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada. emilym03@yorku.ca.ORCID 0000-0002-7597-5852
Alison MacphersonYork University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4500-7113
Daniel W HarringtonChronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, 480 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V2, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-4477-8319
Ian PikeThe University of British Columbia, F707 - 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3V4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-6860-7760
Brent HagelDepartments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-5530-0639
Claire BuchanSchool of Public Health Science, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-7631-0502
Pamela FuselliParachute, 150 Eglinton Avenue E., Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1E8, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-1346-4499
Sarah A RichmondChronic Disease and Injury Prevention, Public Health Ontario, 480 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V2, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3632-5037

Funding

CIHR IP2-150706
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRoad-related injuries and deaths are among the most significant and avoidable public health problems in Canada. Modifications to the built environment (BE) can reduce injury rates for vulnerable road users (VRUs) and other priority populations who experience disproportionate risk. This paper highlights public health professionals' experiences working in injury prevention across Ontario public health units (PHUs) navigating barriers and facilitators to BE change. Their perspectives offer valuable insights that can support future BE change work in the Ontario public health context, thus illustrating the importance of including practitioners' voices in injury prevention research.

methodsQualitative data were collected for a larger pan-Canadian study examining barriers and facilitators to BE change from the perspectives of injury prevention and transport professionals working across a variety of sectors, including public health, using key informant interviews (KI) and virtual focus groups (VFGs). Participants (n = 9) from four PHUs are included in this present study: Peel Region; York Region; Peterborough; and Ottawa. Thematic analysis was used to organize and code the data in relation to the guiding principles of the Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS), situating our results within the broader context of public health and road-related injury prevention in Ontario.

resultsMajor barriers included motor vehicle prioritization and decision-making structures. Facilitators included partnerships and collaboration, champions and advocates, and access to data. Lastly, participants highlighted the important role of public health in BE change discussions and decision-making for road-related injury prevention.

conclusionPublic health professionals' insights about barriers and facilitators show that some of their work aligns with the existing OPHS. Needs of local populations are clearly identified, while local data illustrating the impact of public health interventions are lacking. There are limits to PHU's capacities, as well as the capacities of communities, which can be strengthened through the work of champions and advocates. Partnerships, collaboration, and engagement are also significant facilitators to BE change, aligning with the OPHS, but PHUs need to be involved more in BE change processes in order to prioritize the safety needs of VRUs in local communities.

Indexed as

Built EnvironmentFocus GroupsPublic HealthQualitative ResearchWounds and InjuriesFemaleHumansMaleOntarioBarriersBuilt environmentFacilitatorsInjury preventionPublic healthRoad safety

Identifiers

PMID39754087
PMCPMC11699783

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.