Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a highly contagious sexually transmitted infection that leads to preventable cancers of the mouth, throat, cervix, and genitalia. Despite the wide availability of HPV Vaccine (HPVV) in Canada, its uptake remains suboptimal. This review aims to identify factors (barriers and facilitators) in HPV vaccine uptake across English Canada at three levels (provider, system, and patient). We explored academic and gray literature to examine factors involved in HPVV uptake and synthesized results based on interpretive content analysis. The review identified the following factors of prime significance in the uptake of the HPV vaccine (a) at the provider level, ‘acceptability’ of the HPV vaccine, and ‘appropriateness’ of an intervention (b) at the patient level, the ‘ability to perceive’ and ‘knowledge sufficiency’ (c) at the system level, ‘attitudes’ of different players in vaccine programming, planning and delivery. Further research is needed to conduct population health intervention research in this area.

A disparity in the uptake of the Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPVV) among immigrants and refugees leads to a social gradient in health. Recognizing that immigrants and refugees may encounter unique barriers to accessing prevention and care, this study seeks to determine barriers to and facilitators of HPVV among these subgroups to uncover high-resolution quality improvement targets of investment for under-immunized pockets of the population. The study undertook a qualitative inquiry into understanding immigrant and refugee parents' perspectives on HPV infection and HPVV experience through school-based programs. We collected data first through short online surveys (N = 15) followed by one-on-one interviews (N = 15) and then through detailed online surveys (N = 16) followed by focus group discussions (N = 3) with 4-6 participants per group discussion from different groups: Black, South Asian and West Asian. Analysis of surveys and interviews identified that: information, awareness, and education about HPV infection and HPVV were among the most cited barriers that impede the uptake of HPVV. Moreover, vaccine-related logistics were equally important, including not having immunization information packages in different languages and relying solely on the child to bring home packages in paper copies from school-based vaccine programs. A multi-component intervention remains instrumental in enhancing HPV immunization rates, given the inconsistent uptake of HPVV by these subgroups who voice unique barriers and facilitators. An educational campaign that involves educating parents who consent for their child(ren) for HPVV, the children receiving the vaccination, and training staff providing HPVV through school-based immunization programs would be paramount.

Introduction: The rapid evolution and implementation of virtual care technologies for clinical use often exceeds the development of standardized implementation protocols, leading to gaps in the equitable and sustainable adoption of virtual care services, particularly in rural and remote areas. This paper introduces a comprehensive evaluation tool designed to assess community capacity and readiness for virtual care. Methods: The development of the tool was informed by experiences from the Virtual Care and Robotics Program at the University of Saskatchewan. It involved a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach that engaged healthcare leaders, IT experts and community healthcare workers. This iterative process included defining evaluation categories, mapping evaluative domains and refining the tool into a user-friendly checklist manual. Results: The tool identifies three key domains for assessing readiness: clinical needs, technology infrastructure and human resources/workflows. It was piloted in the remote community of Fond du Lac, Saskatchewan, where it successfully qualified the community for implementing telerobotic ultrasound services. The tool facilitated local engagement and highlighted the community's specific needs and readiness, enhancing the implementation process. Conclusion: This evaluation tool contributes to bridging the gap between the rapid deployment of virtual care technologies and the need for comprehensive, standardized implementation protocols. It offers a structured, practical approach to assessing and enhancing community readiness for virtual care while promoting successful clinical implementation and equitable access to healthcare.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare delivery offers transformative potential, especially for remote and underserved populations. In rural and remote regions like northern Saskatchewan, Canada, where Indigenous communities face elevated rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and limited access to healthcare, AI-driven virtual care can bridge critical gaps. However, a universal approach falls short of addressing the unique needs of diverse populations. This communication outlines a five-step framework to guide AI-facilitated healthcare delivery tailored to community-specific demographics and clinical priorities. Steps include building comprehensive community profiles, assessing digital readiness, prioritizing healthcare needs, deploying culturally sensitive virtual care programs, and evaluating outcomes with AI-powered analytics . By leveraging AI in a systematic and inclusive manner, this approach addresses social determinants of health, improves equity, and enhances healthcare quality, offering a scalable model to improve health outcomes in geographically and demographically diverse settings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform healthcare delivery; this may be particularly important to underserved rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. This commentary explores the potential of AI to enhance healthcare access and outcomes of these populations while emphasizing the need for culturally safe and ethical implementation. By integrating AI with Indigenous knowledge systems through the Two-Eyed Seeing approach, we propose a framework that ensures that AI-driven healthcare is equitable, culturally sensitive, and effective. This public health perspective highlights the importance of approaching AI advancements with a culturally appropriate and relevant lens.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the integration of virtual care into healthcare systems, presenting a unique opportunity to address healthcare inequities in rural and remote communities, particularly those that are Indigenous. This commentary outlines critical steps and best practices for deploying virtual care in underserved regions, drawing on over a decade of experience in Saskatchewan. Key recommendations include creating detailed community profiles, assessing digital literacy, and using standardized readiness tools to evaluate infrastructure and clinical needs. A weighted prioritization framework ensures efficient resource allocation, while partnerships with Indigenous-led institutions, such as SIIT, equip local healthcare assistants to support virtual care delivery. Examples from successful telerobotic ultrasonography deployments in the rural and remote communities of Saskatchewan highlight the potential of virtual care to improve healthcare access, outcomes, and sustainability. By tailoring interventions to community-specific contexts and involving local stakeholders, virtual care can bridge health disparities and serve as a replicable model for similar settings worldwide.