Stacey Marjerrison

Bio: Stacey Marjerrison is an academic researcher from McMaster University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Pediatric cancer & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 25 publications receiving 335 citations. Previous affiliations of Stacey Marjerrison include Halifax & University of Toronto.

Improving health research among Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Abstract: KEY POINTS Historically, owing to a dominant Western science paradigm, Indigenous methods, methodologies, epistemologies, knowledge and perspectives have been dismissed as unsuitable for health research.[1][1] As such, Indigenous health research frequently remains poorly aligned with the goals and

Global Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Abstract: Purpose Traditional and complementary medicine (TC P = .02). Rates of disclosure differed significantly by country income, with higher median rates in HIC. Seven studies reported on treatment abandonment or delays. Conclusion The use of T&CM in pediatric oncology is common worldwide, with higher median prevalence of use reported in LIC/LMIC. Further research is warranted to examine the impact on treatment abandonment and delay.

Deficit-Based Indigenous Health Research and the Stereotyping of Indigenous Peoples

Abstract: Health research tends to be deficit-based by nature; as researchers we typically quantify or qualify absence of health markers or presence of illness. This can create a narrative with far reaching effects for communities already subject to stigmatization. In the context of Indigenous health research, a deficit-based discourse has the potential to contribute to stereotyping and marginalization of Indigenous Peoples in wider society. This is especially true when researchers fail to explore the roots of health deficits, namely colonization, Westernization, and intergenerational trauma, risking conflation of complex health challenges with inherent Indigenous characteristics. In this paper we explore the incompatibility of deficit-based research with principles from several ethical frameworks including the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2) Chapter 9, OCAP® (ownership, control, access, possession), Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami National Inuit Strategy on Research, and Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR) Principles for Global Health Research. Additionally we draw upon cases of deficit-based research and stereotyping in healthcare, in order to identify how this relates to epistemic injustice and explore alternative approaches.

Exercise interventions for patients with pediatric cancer during inpatient acute care: A systematic review of literature.

Abstract: Physical inactivity has been shown to exacerbate negative side effects experienced by pediatric patients undergoing cancer therapy. Exercise interventions are being created in response. This review summarizes current exercise intervention data in the inpatient pediatric oncology setting. Two independent reviewers collected literature from three databases, and analyzed data following the PRISMA statement for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Ten studies were included, representing 204 patients. Good adherence, positive trends in health status, and no adverse events were noted. Common strategies included individual, supervised, combination training with adaptability to meet fluctuating patient abilities. We recommend that general physical activity programming be offered to pediatric oncology inpatients.

Plant Secondary Metabolites as Anticancer Agents: Successes in Clinical Trials and Therapeutic Application.

Abstract: Cancer is a multistage process resulting in an uncontrolled and abrupt division of cells and is one of the leading causes of mortality. The cases reported and the predictions for the near future are unthinkable. Food and Drug Administration data showed that 40% of the approved molecules are natural compounds or inspired by them, from which, 74% are used in anticancer therapy. In fact, natural products are viewed as more biologically friendly, that is less toxic to normal cells. In this review, the most recent and successful cases of secondary metabolites, including alkaloid, diterpene, triterpene and polyphenolic type compounds, with great anticancer potential are discussed. Focusing on the ones that are in clinical trial development or already used in anticancer therapy, therefore successful cases such as paclitaxel and homoharringtonine (in clinical use), curcumin and ingenol mebutate (in clinical trials) will be addressed. Each compound's natural source, the most important steps in their discovery, their therapeutic targets, as well as the main structural modifications that can improve anticancer properties will be discussed in order to show the role of plants as a source of effective and safe anticancer drugs.

Food Insecurity and Glycemic Control Among Low-Income Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To determine whether food insecurity—the inability to reliably afford safe and nutritious food—is associated with poor glycemic control and whether this association is mediated by difficulty following a healthy diet, diabetes self-efficacy, or emotional distress related to diabetes RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We used multivariable regression models to examine the association between food insecurity and poor glycemic control using a cross-sectional survey and chart review of 711 patients with diabetes in safety net health clinics We then examined whether difficulty following a diabetic diet, self-efficacy, or emotional distress related to diabetes mediated the relationship between food insecurity and glycemic control RESULTS The food insecurity prevalence in our sample was 46% Food-insecure participants were significantly more likely than food-secure participants to have poor glycemic control, as defined by hemoglobin A1c ≥85% (42 vs 33%; adjusted odds ratio 148 [95% CI 107–204]) Food-insecure participants were more likely to report difficulty affording a diabetic diet (64 vs 49%, P < 0001) They also reported lower diabetes-specific self-efficacy ( P < 0001) and higher emotional distress related to diabetes ( P < 0001) Difficulty following a healthy diet and emotional distress partially mediated the association between food insecurity and glycemic control CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity is an independent risk factor for poor glycemic control in the safety net setting This risk may be partially attributable to increased difficulty following a diabetes-appropriate diet and increased emotional distress regarding capacity for successful diabetes self-management Screening patients with diabetes for food insecurity may be appropriate, particularly in the safety net setting

Association between household food insecurity and annual health care costs

Abstract: Background: Household food insecurity, a measure of income-related problems of food access, is growing in Canada and is tightly linked to poorer health status. We examined the association between household food insecurity status and annual health care costs. Methods: We obtained data for 67 033 people aged 18–64 years in Ontario who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2005, 2007/08 or 2009/10 to assess their household food insecurity status in the 12 months before the survey interview. We linked these data with administrative health care data to determine individuals’ direct health care costs during the same 12-month period. Results: Total health care costs and mean costs for inpatient hospital care, emergency department visits, physician services, same-day surgeries, home care services and prescription drugs covered by the Ontario Drug Benefit Program rose systematically with increasing severity of household food insecurity. Compared with total annual health care costs in food-secure households, adjusted annual costs were 16% ($235) higher in households with marginal food insecurity (95% confidence interval [CI] 10%–23% [$141–$334]), 32% ($455) higher in households with moderate food insecurity (95% CI 25%–39% [$361–$553]) and 76% ($1092) higher in households with severe food insecurity (95% CI 65%–88% [$934–$1260]). When costs of prescription drugs covered by the Ontario Drug Benefit Program were included, the adjusted annual costs were 23% higher in households with marginal food insecurity (95% CI 16%–31%), 49% higher in those with moderate food insecurity (95% CI 41%–57%) and 121% higher in those with severe food insecurity (95% CI 107%–136%). Interpretation: Household food insecurity was a robust predictor of health care utilization and costs incurred by working-age adults, independent of other social determinants of health. Policy interventions at the provincial or federal level designed to reduce household food insecurity could offset considerable public expenditures in health care.