Primary health care

Osteoporosis is a major health problem in postmenopausal women (PMW) Exercise training is considered a cost-effective strategy to prevent osteoporosis in middle aged-older people The purpose of this study is to summarize the effect of exercise on BMD among PMW A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, Science Direct, Eric, ProQuest and Primo BMD changes (standardized mean differences: SMD) of the lumbar spine (LS) femoral neck (FN) and/or total hip were considered as outcome measures After categorization, statistical methods used to combine data and compare subgroups 75 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis The pooled number of participants was 5300 (intervention group: 2901, control group: 2399) The majority of studies employed weight bearing aerobic exercise, dynamic resistance exercise or a combination of both The pooled estimate of random effect analysis was SMD=037, 95%-CI: 025-050, SMD=033, 95%-CI: 023-043, and SMD=040, 95%-CI: 028-051 for LS, FN, and total Hip-BMD respectively In the present meta-analysis, there was a significant (p<0001), but rather low effect (SMD= 033-040) of exercise on BMD at LS and proximal femur We further observed a large variation among the single study findings, with highly effective studies but also studies that trigger significant negative results This finding can be largely attributed to differences among the exercise protocols of the studies We conclude that the true effect of exercise on bone is diluted by a considerable amount of studies with inadequate exercise protocols

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Effect of Exercise Training on Bone Mineral Density in Post-menopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies.

Cervical cancer screening programs.

The aging of America.

This volume summarizes the current scientific evidence and identifies research priorities needed to decrease social inequalities in cancer. The publication, based on the expert knowledge of more than 70 international scientists from multiple disciplines, undertakes a populations-within-populations approach, highlighting the large variations in cancer incidence, survival, and mortality that exist between countries and, within countries, between social groups. Several factors may lead individuals with low social status to adopt unhealthy behaviors, to be exposed to a wider range and a higher intensity of cancer risk factors, and to have reduced access to health-care services, compared with their fellow citizens. A special focus is given to how the phenomenon of inequalities in cancer evolves and is reshaped over time, driven by economic, social, political, legislative, and technological forces; it affects everyone, but the most disadvantaged individuals are particularly hard hit. This IARC Scientific Publication was developed to serve as a reference for policy-makers and public health officials, linking to specific examples of interventions that may reduce future inequalities in cancer.

Reducing social inequalities in cancer: evidence and priorities for research

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to estimate the relationship between remoteness and the initial chosen treatment (active surveillance/watchful waiting (AS/WW), radiation therapy (RT), surgery, chemotherapy (CT), or hormonal therapy (HT) for prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS This study built 2 multilevel generalized linear models via a binomial link for each treatment type (one with only covariates and one with 2 additional study variables to the covariate model). The study also used cluster analysis using the Global and local Moran's I spatial statistics to find any complementary results to the above models. RESULTS This study found that patients living in the rural areas have lower odds (OR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.45-0.77; P < .001) of having surgery compared to patients living in the greater urban areas. Among patients whose closest PCa assessment center is Regina, patients living in the greater urban areas have higher odds (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.03-2.68; P = .039) of choosing RT compared to patients living in the rural areas. There was no statistically significant effect of remoteness on whether one chose HT or AS/WW. CONCLUSIONS There are regional disparities to PCa treatment utilization. Living in rural areas affects choosing surgery and, in certain localized geographical regions, affects choosing RT. For non-curative treatments (ie, AS/WW and HT), we did not find any association with geographical remoteness.

The Impact of Geographic Location on Saskatchewan Prostate Cancer Patient Treatment Choices: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis

Food Security Status of Indigenous Peoples in Canada According to the Four Pillars of Food Security: A Scoping Review.

Signed Unknotting Number and Knot Chirality Discrimination via Strand Passage(Statistical Physics and Topology of Polymers with Ramifications to Structure and Function of DNA and Proteins)


 Medical cannabis (MC) may offer therapeutic benefits for children with complex neurological conditions and chronic diseases. In Canada, parents, and caregivers frequently report encountering barriers when accessing MC for their children. These include negative preconceived notions about risks and benefits, challenges connecting with a knowledgeable healthcare provider (HCP), the high cost of MC products, and navigating MC product shortages. In this manuscript, we explore several of these barriers and provide recommendations to decision-makers to enable a family-centered and evidence-based approach to MC medicine and research for children.

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Removing barriers to accessing medical cannabis for paediatric patients

To collate and summarize existing evidence for the use of cannabis and cannabinoids to treat chronic orofacial pain (COP) by oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMFS), oral medicine specialists (OMS), and orofacial pain specialists (OPS). We systematically screened for sources including a measure of effect of a cannabinoid compound on pain in COP patients that might be treated by our target specialists. Sources were selected by two authors independently. Sources were summarized by country, publication date, objective(s), COP condition(s) studied, cannabinoid(s) studied, methods, results, limitations, and conclusions. A thematic analysis and word cloud were conducted to elucidate commonalities, emphases, and gaps amongst identified sources. Retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collections, Dentistry and Oral Sciences, DARE, CCRCT, and US National Institute of Health and Controlled Trials Register. Of 705 retrieved titles, 8 met inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included for review. Included sources dealt with COP attributed to: head and neck cancer (3), multiple sclerosis-related trigeminal neuralgia-like symptoms (2), post-herpetic neuralgia (1), temporomandibular dysfunction (1), and primary burning mouth syndrome (1). Cannabinoids studied included: self-administered cannabis (3), topical N-palmitoyle-thanolamine (1), topical cannabis extract (1), cannabis sativa oil (1), nabiximols oromucosal spray (1), and nabilone (1). Most sources concluded their respective cannabinoid treatments to provide some therapeutic benefit for COP (6 of 8) and all concluded their treatments to be safe. Current research is wholistically focused, recording outcome measures for pain, anxiety, depression, quality of life, functional disability. Cannabinoids are most often studied as adjunctive and palliative treatments. Cannabinoids are becoming increasingly accessible and might benefit many COP patients. Patients and clinicians require more and higher quality evidence to make confident and informed decisions regarding treatment of COP with cannabis or cannabinoids. This review summarizes current evidence for patients, clinicians, and future researchers. 

Michael Szafron

Papers

The Impact of Geographic Location on Saskatchewan Prostate Cancer Patient Treatment Choices: A Multilevel and Spatial Analysis

Food Security Status of Indigenous Peoples in Canada According to the Four Pillars of Food Security: A Scoping Review.

Signed Unknotting Number and Knot Chirality Discrimination via Strand Passage(Statistical Physics and Topology of Polymers with Ramifications to Structure and Function of DNA and Proteins)

Removing barriers to accessing medical cannabis for paediatric patients

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Medications for the Treatment of Chronic Orofacial Pain: A Scoping Review