Publications

These publications are examples of research made possible with data from CanPath and its regional cohorts.

2023

Factors associated with mental health service use during the pandemic: Initiation and barriers

Authors: Helen-Maria Vasiliadis, Jessica Spagnolo, Marie-Josée Fleury, Jean-Philippe Gouin, Pasquale Roberge, Mary Bartram, Sébastien Grenier, Grace Shen-Tu, Jennifer E. Vena, JianLi Wang

This study aimed to understand the factors associated with initiating new mental health service use (MHSU) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as distinguishing between different reasons for not seeking mental health services. The research found that several factors influenced MHSU, such as age, living situation, income, and health professional status. The study suggests the need for awareness campaigns targeting older adults to explain the importance of seeking treatment and for sensitizing health professionals to facilitate access to mental health care for individuals at risk of social isolation and lower socioeconomic status.

Read Publication
2023

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Canada: a time-series study, 2020-2023

Authors: Tanya J. Murphy, Hanna Swail, Jaspreet Jain, Maureen Anderson, Philip Awadalla, Lesley Behl, Patrick E. Brown, Carmen L. Charlton, Karen Colwill, Steven J. Drews, Anne-Claude Gingras, Deena Hinshaw, Prabhat Jha, Jamil N. Kanji, Victoria A. Kirsh, Amanda L. S. Lang, Marc-André Langlois, Stephen Lee, Antoine Lewin, Sheila F. O'Brien, Chantale Pambrun, Kimberly Skead, David A. Stephens, Derek R. Stein, Graham Tipples, Paul G. Van Caeseele, Timothy G. Evans, Olivia Oxlade, Bruce D. Mazer, David L. Buckeridge

This study used data from the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, which includes CanPath data, to track the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Canadian population over the pre-vaccination period, the vaccine rollout, and the emergence of the Omicron variant. By March 2023, over three-quarters of the population had detectable antibodies, with the most substantial increases seen after the arrival of the Omicron variant. However, variations in immunity by age and geography highlight the importance of tailoring public health policies and clinical decisions to local patterns of population immunity, considering factors like potential antibody decline and the emergence of new variants that might evade immunity.

Read Publication
2023

Nonfasting remnant cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk prediction in Albertans: a prospective cohort study

Authors: Olivia R. Weaver, Jacqueline A. Krysa, Ming Ye, Jennifer E. Vena, Dean T. Eurich, Spencer D. Proctor

This study aimed to assess the relationship between nonfasting remnant cholesterol and cardiovascular disease (CVD) using data from 13,988 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants. The researchers found that nonfasting remnant cholesterol was positively associated with CVD incidence, whereas low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was negatively associated with it.

Read Publication
2023

Association of infertility with type and timing of menopause: a prospective cohort study

Authors: Natalie V. Scime, Hilary K. Brown, Alison K. Shea, Erin A. Brennand

This study sought to uncover the association between past infertility and type and timing of menopause among midlife women. Using data from 13,243 midlife females from Alberta’s Tomorrow Project, the researchers found that women with past infertility were more likely to experience surgical menopause and had greater risk of earlier surgical menopause until age 43 years but experienced no differences in the timing of natural menopause.

Read Publication
2023

The contributions of neighbourhood design in promoting metabolic health

Authors: Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Akitomo Yasunaga, Koichiro Oka, Tomoki Nakaya, Yukari Nagai, Jennifer E. Vena, Gavin R. McCormack

Using data from 6,718 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants, the researchers assessed associations between neighbourhood built environment and metabolic syndrome, or the presence of at least three clinical risk factors among lipid levels, blood pressure, and waist circumference. They found that neighbourhoods with more points of interest and greater overall active living environment-friendliness were associated with fewer metabolic syndrome risk factors and lower odds of metabolic syndrome. Higher dwelling density was also linked to having fewer metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Read Publication
2023

Development and external validation of partial proportional odds risk prediction models for cancer stage at diagnosis among males and females in Canada

Authors: Timofei Biziaev, Michelle L. Aktary, Qinggang Wang, Thierry Chekouo, Parveen Bhatti, Lorraine Shack, Paula J. Robson, Karen A. Kopciuk

This study examined health patterns in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants before cancer diagnosis to find factors related to cancers caught early versus late. The researchers found factors then tested them in a similar group from the British Columbia Generations Project.

Read Publication
2023

Provincial variation in colorectal cancer screening adherence in Canada; evidence from the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health

Authors: Maryam Darvishian, Amina Moustaqim-Barrette, Philip Awadalla, Parveen Bhatti, Philippe Broet, Kelly McDonald, Rachel A. Murphy, Kimberly Skead, Robin Urquhart, Jennifer Vena, Trevor J. B. Dummer

The researchers sought to assess regional variation in screening uptake, identify factors to non-adherence to screening, and estimate adherence to screening in those with differing risk profiles. Using national CanPath data, they found adherence suboptimal amongst Canadians and noticed variation by region.

Read Publication
2023

From genetic association to forensic prediction: Computational methods and tools for identifying phenotypically informative single nucleotide polymorphisms

Authors: Cristina L. Abbatangelo, Frida Lona Durazo, Frank R. Wendt, Esteban J. Parra, Nicole M.M. Novroski

The researchers assessed how pigmentation genetics can enhance forensic DNA phenotyping (FDP) for predicting externally visible characteristics (EVCs) such as hair, eye, and skin color. Using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, they analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with pigmentation traits in data from CARTaGENE, Alberta’s Tomorrow Project, Ontario Health Study, BC Generations Project, and Atlantic PATH. Specifically, they examined genetic variants related to eye color in individuals with a blue eye color background (rs12913832:GG genotype). The study demonstrated how GWAS data, combined with post-genotyping analyses and functional annotation, can provide insights into pigmentation-associated loci. The findings contribute to refining FDP accuracy and may serve as a reference for future genomic investigations of EVCs in forensic settings.

Read Publication
2023

Time spent in the sun and the risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a Canadian cohort study

Authors: Dylan E. O'Sullivan, Troy W. R. Hillier, Darren R. Brenner, Cheryl E. Peters, Will D. King

This study’s objective was to explore the relationship of sun behaviour patterns with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk. Using data from 79,803 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project, CARTaGENE, and Ontario Health Study participants, the researchers found a protective effect of moderate time spent in the sun on NHL risk

Read Publication
2023

Urban design and cardio-metabolic risk factors

Authors: Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Koichiro Oka, Tomoki Nakaya, Jennifer Vena, Tyler Williamson, Hude Quan, Gavin R. McCormack

This study aimed to estimate associations between neighbourhood built environment metrics and cardiovascular health. Using data from 7171 Alberta’s Tomorrow Project participants, researchers found that a new measure of neighbourhood design showed lower blood pressure in men and lower risk of being overweight or obese in men and women, whereas traditional measures did not show this association.

Read Publication