Publications

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

2024

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

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 Bjerkeset, 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, Femke Lamers

Researchers investigated how various health behaviors might mediate the relationships between depression, anxiety, and the onset of different types of cancer. They conducted individual participant data meta-analyses using participants from 18 cohorts from the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence consortium.The cohorts analyzed included the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health, Ontario Health Study, and CARTaGENE. The findings suggested that smoking serves as a mediating factor that connects depression and anxiety with lung cancer and other cancers related to smoking.

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2024

Age- and sex-specific associations of frailty with mortality and healthcare utilization in community-dwelling adults from Ontario, Canada

Authors: Chris P. Verschoor, Olga Theou, Jinhui Ma, Phyllis Montgomery, Sharolyn Mossey, Parveen Nangia, Refik Saskin, David W. Savage

The researchers sought to estimate the association of frailty with the risk of death, hospital admissions, and length of hospital stay. Using data from the Ontario Health Study linked to all-cause mortality and hospital admissions data from ICES, they found that frailty is an important health construct for both younger and older adults.

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2024

Psychosocial factors, health behaviors and risk of cancer incidence: Testing interaction and effect modification in an individual participant data meta-analysis

Authors: Maartje Basten, Kuan-Yu Pan, Lonneke A vanTuijl, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Adriaan W Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers, Adelita V Ranchor, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Adri C Voogd, Jessica Abell, Philip Awadalla, Aartjan T.F. Beekman, Ottar Bjerkeset, Andy Boyd, Yunsong Cui, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Bert Garssen, Sean Hellingman, Martijn Huisman, Anke Huss, Melanie R. Keats, Almar A.L. Kok, Steinar Krokstad, Flora E. van Leeuwen, Annemarie I. Luik, NolwennNoisel, Yves Payette, Brenda W.J.H. Penninx, 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, Emma L. Twait, Alison Teyhan, W.M. Monique Verschuren, Kimberly D. van der Willik, Mirjam I. Geerlings

Researchers determined whether psychosocial factors interact with or modify the effects of health behaviors, such as smoking and alcohol use, in relation to cancer incidence. Data were used from 22 cohorts, including the Ontario Health Study, Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health, and CARTaGENE. After exploring 744 combinations of psychosocial factors, the researchers found no evidence that psychosocial factors interacted with or modified health behaviors related to cancer incidence.

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2023

Factors associated with change in moderate or severe symptoms of anxiety and depression in community-living adults and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

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

Researchers explored changes in moderate or severe symptoms of anxiety or depression (MSSANXDEP) from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, and examined associated sociodemographic, economic, psychosocial, health behavior and lifestyle, and clinical factors. Data from 59,997 participants from the five established cohorts of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath) were used. Analyses indicated that certain sociodemographic, economic, lifestyle, health behavior, psychosocial, and clinical factors were associated with remitted, incident, and persistent MSSANXDEP.

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2023

Evidence that ovarian hormones, but not diet and exercise, contribute to the sex disparity in post-traumatic stress disorder

Authors: Megan Wiseman, Meagan Hinks, Darcy Hallett, Jacqueline Blundell, Ellen Sweeney, Christina Thorpe, Susan Walling, Ashlyn Swift-Gallant

Females are twice as likely as males to receive a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Using data from the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (PATH) cohort of 16,899 participants, the relationship between endogenous hormone fluctuations (e.g., menarche, pregnancy, and menopause), exogenous hormone use (e.g., hormonal contraception and hormone replacement therapy (HRT)) and lifestyle variables (diet and exercise habits, as measured by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, Healthy Eating Index, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire) with PTSD diagnosis and treatment were analyzed. While several hormonal variables, including contraceptive use, higher total number of pregnancies, younger menarche age, and having undergone menopause increased the risk of PTSD, no lifestyle variables contributed to an increased risk of PTSD diagnosis.

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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.

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2023

Depression, anxiety, and the risk of cancer: An individual participant data meta-analysis

Authors: Lonneke A van Tuijl, Maartje Basten, Kuan-Yu Pan, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Mirjam I Geerlings, Adriaan Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers, Adri C Voogd, Jessica Abell, Philip Awadalla, Aartjan T F Beekman, Ottar Bjerkeset, Andy Boyd, Yunsong Cui, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Bert Garssen, Sean Hellingman, Martijn Huisman, Anke Huss, Trynke R de Jong, Melanie R Keats, Almar A L Kok, Steinar Krokstad, Flora E van Leeuwen, Annemarie I Luik, Nolwenn Noisel, N Charlotte Onland-Moret, Yves Payette, Brenda W J H Penninx, Ina Rissanen, Annelieke M Roest, Rikje Ruiter, Robert A Schoevers, David Soave, Mandy Spaan, Andrew Steptoe, Karien Stronks, Erik R Sund, Ellen Sweeney, Emma L Twait, Alison Teyhan, W M Monique Verschuren, Kimberly D van der Willik, Judith G M Rosmalen, Adelita V Ranchor

Researchers performed meta-analyses within the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) consortium to develop a stronger foundation for addressing associations between depression, anxiety, and the incidence of various cancer types. They found that depression and anxiety are not related to increased risk for most cancer outcomes, except for lung and smoking-related cancers.

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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.

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2023

Toenail arsenic species and metallome profiles associated with breast, cervical, prostate, and skin cancer prevalence in the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health cohort

Authors: Kalli Hood, Ellen Sweeney, Gabriela Ilie, Erin Keltie, Jong Sung Kim

The purpose of this study was to characterize the profiles of arsenic species and metallome in the toenails of four cancer groups, compare them to healthy participants, and assess potential associations between the profiles with cancer prevalence.

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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

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