Month: April 2024

New Article – The mediating role of health behaviors in the association between depression, anxiety and cancer incidence: an individual participant data meta-analysis

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Congratulations to Dr. Kuan-Yu Pan and the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) Consortium team members on their latest publication, “The mediating role of health behaviors in the association between depression, anxiety and cancer incidence: an individual participant data meta-analysis.” PSY-CA includes 18 international cohorts with 320,000 participants, including Atlantic PATH, the Ontario Health Study and CARTaGENE. Article: https://bit.ly/3weFXXP

The mediating role of health behaviors in the association between depression, anxiety and cancer incidence: an individual participant data meta-analysis

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Authors: Kuan-Yu Pan , Lonneke van Tuijl, Maartje Basten, Judith J. M. Rijnhart, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Mirjam I. Geerlings, Adriaan Hoogendoorn, Adelita V. Ranchor, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Adri C. Voogd, Jessica Abell, Philip Awadalla, Aartjan T. F. Beekman, Ottar Bjerkese, Andy Boyd, Yunsong Cui, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Bert Garssen, Sean Hellingman, Monika Hollander, Martijn Huisman, Anke Huss, Melanie R. Keats, Almar A. L. Kok, Steinar Krokstad, Flora E. van Leeuwen, Annemarie I. Luik, Nolwenn Noisel, Yves Payette, Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Susan Picavet, Ina Rissanen, Annelieke M. Roest, Judith G. M. Rosmalen, Rikje Ruiter, Robert A. Schoevers, David Soave, Mandy Spaan, Andrew Steptoe, Karien Stronks, Erik R. Sund, Ellen Sweeney, Alison Teyhan, Emma L. Twait, Kimberly D. van der Willik and Femke Lamers. Journal: Psychological Medicine Abstract: Background – Although behavioral mechanisms in the association among depression, anxiety, and cancer are plausible, few studies have empirically studied mediation by health behaviors. We aimed to examine the mediating role of several health behaviors in the associations among depression, anxiety, and the incidence of various cancer types (overall, breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, smoking-related, and alcohol-related cancers). Methods – Two-stage individual participant data meta-analyses were performed based on 18 cohorts within the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence consortium that had a measure of depression or anxiety (N = 319 613, cancer incidence = 25 803). Health behaviors included smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol use, body mass index (BMI), sedentary behavior, and sleep duration and quality. In stage one, path-specific regression estimates were obtained in each cohort. In stage two, cohort-specific estimates were pooled using random-effects multivariate meta-analysis, and natural indirect effects (i.e. mediating effects) were calculated as hazard ratios (HRs). Results – Smoking (HRs range 1.04–1.10) and physical inactivity (HRs range 1.01–1.02) significantly mediated the associations among depression, anxiety, and lung cancer. Smoking was also a mediator for smoking-related cancers (HRs range 1.03–1.06). There was mediation by health behaviors, especially smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol use, and a higher BMI, in the associations among depression, anxiety, and overall cancer or other types of cancer, but effects were small (HRs generally below 1.01). Conclusions  – Smoking constitutes a mediating pathway linking depression and anxiety to lung cancer and smoking-related cancers. Our findings underline the importance of smoking cessation interventions for persons with depression or anxiety.   doi: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291724000850  

Conference of Atlantic Medical Students (CoAMS)

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Atlantic PATH is pleased to be represented at the Conference of Atlantic Medical Students (CoAMS) on April 27th at Dalhousie University. This conference seeks to facilitate student networking to build a strong community environment among Atlantic medical students that will promote knowledge sharing and future collaboration. To accomplish this, a series of medical talks and workshops are offered to students by a variety of health care professionals and related professions. Megan Smith, B.Eng., is a Dalhousie University medical student and will present a poster highlighting her Research In Medicine (RIM) work, “Examining the Effects of Isolation on SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Levels During the Early Pandemic: A Retrospective Analysis of Self-Reported Survey and Serology Data.”  Atlantic PATH’s Research Director, Dr. Ellen Sweeney is pleased to be a judge at CoAMS for the medical students’ oral presentations. Thank you to the CoAMS organizing committee for the invitation.

Health Data Nova Scotia & Atlantic PATH – Linked Data

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We were happy to attend the Maritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit Lunch and Learn webinar today! Health Data Nova Scotia presented about their data holdings including new datasets from Atlantic PATH and Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging / Étude longitudinale canadienne sur le vieillissement in 2024. It also covered the role of Health Data Research Network Canada for studies with more than one province. Reach out to Health Data Nova Scotia and Atlantic PATH for more information on data holdings and the research access process! #HealthResearch

Real World Data Challenges Webinar

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Join CanPath co-Scientific Director, Dr. Philip Awadalla in the upcoming lifebit webinar, “3 Strategies for RWD (Read World Data) Challenges in Clinical Research and Trails.” Hear from leading experts to discuss the current challenges around using real world data showcase some solutions to enable the use of population level data and diverse studies for R&D. Topics will include: Ensuring real world data security, quality and interoperability The current landscape surrounding regulations on using real world data Enabling secure access to RWD for clinical research and trials Thursday, April 25th at 12pmAST/11pmEST.  Registration: https://www.lifebit.ai/events/3-strategies-for-rwd-challenges-in-clinical-research-and-trials  

Halifax Take the Lead Award to Dr. SSR Abidi

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On April 3, our colleague, Dr. Syed Sibte Raza Abidi was awarded the “Take The Lead” Award by Discover Halifax at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Dinner at the Halifax Convention Centre. Dr. Abidi is a professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University and the Director of NICHE Research Group. His research is focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its applications in the global healthcare sector. Dr. Abidi is currently working on two research projects with Atlantic PATH, including a digital health and AI based platform for early chronic disease risk assessment and prediction, and arsenic species, metallome profiles and cancer using toxicological and machine learning methods. The Take The Lead Award recognizes that Dr. Abidi “secured the bid to host the 2022 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIME) in Halifax, a testament to his leadership and commitment to advancing AI research initiatives. Supported by a diligent local organizing committee, the event was executed seamlessly. This marked the second major conference Dr. Abidi has successfully brought to Halifax within the past decade. Dr. Abidi has been focused on AI and its applications in the health sector for more than 20 years. Being on the Board of AIME and having attended their conference for many years in Europe, Raza saw no reason he couldn’t bring the event to Canada, specifically Halifax, and showcase the research being done here. “The three-day AIME Conference brought 150 AI researchers and industry experts to Halifax from across the globe. “We had people bringing their families as well,” said Dr Abidi. The event contributed more than $310,000 in economic impact for our city.” When we invite researchers from all over the world, not only are we bringing them to Halifax and showing Halifax as a wonderful city, but also we can demonstrate the research that is going on here and thereby establish new collaborations.” Dr. SSR Abidi and Dr. S Abidi (middle) Billboard on Barrington Street in Halifax

Implementation Science Workshop

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Join the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research for an upcoming Implementation Science Workshop webinar on May 2, 2024 at 1pmEST/2pmAST with guest speaker, Atlantic PATH Scientific Director, Dr. Robin Urquhart. This educational session for the Ontario translational research community is an opportunity to learn more about what implementation science is, how it can be applied to advance the adoption and integration of research into practice, and the appropriate methodology for conducting implementation science. Registration: https://oicr.on.ca/events/implementation-science-workshop/

CanPath Newsletter

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The latest CanPath newsletter highlights new research on mental health service use and COVID-19, rural communities facing higher risks of lung cancer from radon, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and updates from all the regional cohorts. The Atlantic PATH team continues to work remotely to support access requests for researchers for baseline, follow-up and COVID-19 questionnaire datasets. Congratulations to Dr. Maartje Basten and team on the latest PSYchosocial factors and Cancer (PSY-CA) study publication. Led from the Netherlands, this article examines psychosocial factors, health behaviours and risk of cancer incidence. The latest publications from Atlantic PATH can be found here, and the latest news and announcements can be found by following on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or the website.