Incidence Trends in Head and Neck Cancer Subsites: A National Population-Based Study (2001-2020).

Objectives: This descriptive epidemiological study aims to investigate trends in head and neck cancer (HNC) within the anatomical divisions of laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and oral cavity cancers over the past two decades.

Design: Retrospective population-based observational study.

Setting: Scotland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom, with a population of 5.

Head and neck cancer incidence is rising but the sociodemographic profile is unchanging: a population epidemiological study (2001-2020).

Background: Increasing incidence of head and neck cancers (HNCs), driven by rising rates of oropharynx cancer (OPC), has been recorded around the world. This study examined trends in HNC and subsites (oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx cancers) in Scotland focusing on assessing whether the sociodemographic profile has changed over the past 20 years.

Methods: Scottish Cancer Registry data (2001-2020) including European Age Standardised Rates of HNC and subsites were analysed in multivariate Poisson regression by age, sex, area-based socioeconomic status, and year of diagnosis (with interaction tests).

Toothbrushing programme in Saudi Arabia 'TOPS': a study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial in kindergartens, Riyadh.

Introduction: Dental caries among children is a major global health problem and is a particular public health challenge in Saudi Arabia. Dental caries cause pain, infection and negatively impact quality of life. As part of population oral health improvement efforts in Saudi Arabia, this project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a supervised toothbrushing programme in kindergartens.

Development and external validation of a head and neck cancer risk prediction model.

Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence is on the rise, often diagnosed at late stage and associated with poor prognoses. Risk prediction tools have a potential role in prevention and early detection.

Methods: The IARC-ARCAGE European case-control study was used as the model development dataset.

Taking care of nurses is a boost for patients and the wider economy.

Investment in nursing is key to having a healthy workforce and a healthy population. NHS Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England , , and reflect on policies adopted over the past year aimed at developing the healthcare workforce.

Inequalities in access to NHS primary care dental services in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction This study aimed to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access and inequalities in primary care dental services among children and adults in Scotland.Methods Access was measured as any NHS Scotland primary care dental contacts derived from administrative data from January 2019 to May 2022, linked to the area-based Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation for children and adults, and related to population denominator estimates from National Record Scotland. Inequalities for pre-pandemic (January 2019-January 2020) and recent (December 2021-February 2022, and March 2022-May 2022) periods for both children and adults were calculated and compared using the slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality.

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS, many challenges remain.

Despite the pressures facing nurses, NHS Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England , , and look forward to new opportunities and projects to retain and develop existing staff and initiatives to attract potential recruits to the profession.

Evaluating childsmile, Scotland's National Oral Health Improvement Programme for children.

In the early 2000s, a Scottish Government Oral Health Action Plan identified the need for a national programme to improve child oral health and reduce inequalities. 'Childsmile' aimed to improve child oral health in Scotland, reduce inequalities in outcomes and access to dental services, and to shift the balance of care from treatment to prevention through targeted and universal components in dental practice, community and educational settings. This paper describes how an embedded, theory-based research and evaluation arm with multi-disciplinary input helps determine priorities and provides important strategic direction.

Risk prediction models for head and neck cancer: A rapid review.

Background: Cancer risk assessment models are used to support prevention and early detection. However, few models have been developed for head and neck cancer (HNC).

Methods: A rapid review of Embase and MEDLINE identified  = 3045 articles.

Head and neck cancer in the UK: what was the stage before COVID-19? UK cancer registries analysis (2011-2018).

Introduction People who present with more advanced stage head and neck cancer (HNC) are associated with poorer outcomes and survival. The burden and trends of advanced stage HNC are not fully known at the population level. The UK national cancer registries routinely collect data on HNC diagnoses.

Working together to promote and celebrate the diversity of nursing.

This year has been particularly challenging for nurses around the world. As the commemorations take place for International Nurses Day on 12 May, the Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland and Chief Nursing Officer for Wales share their priorities and hopes for the coming year.

Cancer mortality 1981-2016 and contribution of specific cancers to current socioeconomic inequalities in all cancer mortality: A population-based study.

Background: In many high-income countries cancer mortality rates have declined, however, socioeconomic inequalities in cancer mortality have widened over time with those in the most deprived areas bearing the greatest burden. Less is known about the contribution of specific cancers to inequalities in total cancer mortality.

Methods: Using high-quality routinely collected population and mortality records we examine long-term trends in cancer mortality rates in Scotland by age group, sex, and area deprivation.

Inequality in survival of people with head and neck cancer: Head and Neck 5000 cohort study.

Background: Explanations for socioeconomic inequalities in survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients have had limited attention and are not well understood.

Methods: The UK Head and Neck 5000 prospective clinical cohort study was analyzed. Survival relating to measures of socioeconomic status was explored including area-based and individual factors.

Evaluation of a national complex oral health improvement programme: a population data linkage cohort study in Scotland.

Objectives: Child dental caries is a global public health challenge with high prevalence and wide inequalities. A complex public health programme (Childsmile) was established. We aimed to evaluate the reach of the programme and its impact on child oral health.

Fluoride Varnish in Nursery Schools: A Randomised Controlled Trial - Protecting Teeth @3.

Studies suggest that fluoride varnish (FV) application can reduce dental caries in child populations. The multiple-component national child oral health improvement programme in Scotland (Childsmile) includes nursery-based universal supervised toothbrushing and deprivation-targeted FV applications, together with community and dental practice prevention interventions. This trial, a double-blind, two-arm randomised control trial, aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the nursery-based FV applications plus treatment-as-usual (TAU) Childsmile programme interventions, compared to TAU Childsmile interventions alone, in children not targeted to receive nursery FV as part of the programme.

Inequality in the Survival of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer in Scotland.

Socioeconomic inequalities impact on the survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, but there is limited understanding of the explanations of the inequality, particularly in long-term survival. Patients were recruited from the Scottish Audit of Head and Neck Cancer between 1999 and 2001 and were linked to mortality data as at 30th September 2013. Socioeconomic status was determined using the area-based Carstairs 2001 index.

Determinants of long-term survival in a population-based cohort study of patients with head and neck cancer from Scotland.

Background: We investigated long-term survival from head and neck cancer (HNC) using different survival approaches.

Methods: Patients were followed-up from the Scottish Audit of Head and Neck Cancer. Overall survival and disease-specific survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Inequalities in the dental health needs and access to dental services among looked after children in Scotland: a population data linkage study.

Background: There is limited evidence on the health needs and service access among children and young people who are looked after by the state. The aim of this study was to compare dental treatment needs and access to dental services (as an exemplar of wider health and well-being concerns) among children and young people who are looked after with the general child population.

Methods: Population data linkage study utilising national datasets of social work referrals for 'looked after' placements, the Scottish census of children in local authority schools, and national health service's dental health and service datasets.

Research should be at the core of nursing.

If we are to improve management of long-term conditions, and address the needs of our ageing population, we must make nursing research central to nursing practice.

Evaluation of dental therapists undertaking dental examinations in a school setting in Scotland.

Objective: To measure agreement between dental therapists and the Scottish gold-standard dentist undertaking National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) examinations.

Methods: A study of interexaminer agreement between 19 dental therapists and the national gold-standard dentist was carried out. Pre-calibration training used the caries diagnostic criteria and examination techniques agreed by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD).