Publications by authors named "WOODRUFF S"

Article Synopsis
  • Environmental changes due to global warming are increasing the transmission of pathogens and parasites in Arctic wildlife, particularly polar bears, which serve as key indicators of these shifts.
  • A study found that the prevalence of several pathogens in Chukchi Sea polar bears increased significantly between two time periods (1987-1994 and 2008-2017), although increased land use in summer by bears did not correlate with higher exposure levels.
  • Female polar bears showed higher antibody prevalence for some pathogens, possibly linked to their terrestrial denning habits, and overall findings suggest a need for further research to monitor disease signs in polar bears, which are affected by climate change and serve as a food source for local communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To estimate the effect of (a) the COVID-19 pandemic and (b) COVID-19 restriction stringency on daily minutes of device-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

Design: Physical activity data were collected from the INTerventions, Equity, Research and Action in Cities Team (INTERACT) cohorts in Montreal, Saskatoon and Vancouver before (May 2018 to February 2019, 'phase 1') and during the pandemic (October 2020 to February 2021, 'phase 2'). We estimated the effect of the two exposures by comparing daily MVPA measured (a) before vs during the pandemic (phase 1 vs phase 2) and (b) at different levels of COVID-19 restriction stringency during phase 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite their increasing popularity, especially among young adults, there is a dearth of research examining the effectiveness of digital detoxes focused on restricting or limiting social media use. As such, the purpose of this exploratory study was to create and carry out a social media digital detox among young adults and evaluate its effectiveness with regards to smartphone and social media addiction, as well as several health-related outcomes. Additionally, the study also sought to obtain an understanding of participants' experiences and perceptions regarding the digital detox via semi-structured exit interviews in order to improve and maximize the effectiveness of future social media digital detox interventions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Demand for adolescent mental health services has surged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and traditional models of care entailing in-person services with licensed mental health providers are inadequate to meet demand. However, research has shown that with proper training and supervision mentors can work with youth with mental health challenges like depression and anxiety and can even support the use of evidence-based strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In our increasingly connected world, youth mentors can meet with young people on a web-based platform at their convenience, reducing barriers to care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Health equity can lead to disparities in cancer screening, treatment, and mortality. This systematic review aims to identify and describe interventions that used video or DVD formats to reduce health inequity in cancer screening and review the effectiveness of such interventions in increasing screening rates compared to usual care conditions.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases for randomized control trials (RCTs) published until 18/01/2023 that compared intervention versus usual care control groups, with the percentage of cancer screening uptake during follow-up as an outcome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: Significant health inequities exist in screening uptake for certain types of cancer. The review question was to identify and describe interactive, tailored digital, computer, and web-based interventions to reduce health inequity in cancer screening and review the effectiveness of such interventions in increasing screening rates versus usual care.

Methods: We searched four medical literature databases for randomized control trials (RCTs) published until 12 January 2023 that evaluated interventions aimed at increasing the percentage of breast, prostate, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening uptake.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Some groups, like low-income and ethnic minorities, have trouble getting screened for cancer due to health inequities.
  • The authors worked with different advocacy groups and health experts to understand what patients think about ways to improve cancer screening.
  • They found that personalized approaches and including community voices in creating solutions are key to making cancer screening more accessible for everyone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To explore the feasibility and acceptability of , a culturally-tailored survivorship care program for rural Latina breast cancer patients.

Design: Single group mixed-method approach.

Methods: Feasibility of recruitment, intervention and evaluation, and perceptions about the intervention were assessed with 18 rural Latina breast cancer patients from the US/Mexico border region.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

US service members injured in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were more likely to survive than those in previous conflicts because of advances in medicine and protective gear. However, there is limited research examining the long-term impact of injuries while deployed on physical and mental quality of life (QOL) among service members. We used data from two time-points with an average follow-up period of 4.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury death in the United States with an estimated 105,752 individuals dying from an overdose in the United States in a 12-month period ending October 2021. Given that people who have opioid use disorder (OUD) are at an increased risk of death, it is crucial to assess risk factors associated with opioid overdose to improve interventions.

Objectives: We examine factors associated with non-fatal overdose among a suburban/exurban population with OUD in Southern California.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Research provides evidence of take-home effects in school-based nutrition interventions, citing children as important influencers of family nutrition, acting as agents of change in the household and potentially influencing family food consumption. Therefore, the purpose of this randomized control trial was to examine whether implementation of a centrally procured school food program would produce changes in children's home food environment, including fruit and/or vegetable availability and parental modelling of fruit and/or vegetable consumption. A secondary objective was to investigate whether children's fruit and/or vegetable intake predicted their parent's fruit and/or vegetable intake.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Best health practice and policy are derived from research, yet the adoption of research findings into health practice and policy continues to lag. Efforts to close this knowledge-to-action gap can be addressed through knowledge translation, which is composed of knowledge synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and application. Although all components warrant investigation, improvements in knowledge dissemination are particularly needed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Medicare Fee for Service (FFS) claims data, including inpatient (Part A) and outpatient (Part B) services, provide a valuable resource for research on older adults (≥65 year) in linked U.S. cohorts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Knowledge is fundamental to helping children make nutritional choices that support lifelong healthy behaviours. This study () investigates elementary school children's knowledge about food and nutrition and () identifies sociodemographic factors influencing children's reported knowledge. In 2017-2019, a survey was administered to 2443 students (grades 5-8) at 60 schools across southwestern Ontario, Canada, and a parent survey was used to validate self-reported sociodemographics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

(1) Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused disruptions in the daily lives of individuals in Canada. Purpose: Examine how total and specific (i.e.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The effect of energy devices, nerve monitors, and drains on thyroidectomy outcomes has been examined for each tool independently. Current literature supports the routine use of energy devices and nerve monitors and does not support the routine use of drains. The effect of these operative tools is interrelated and should be examined concurrently.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Resilience has become an important concept in urban governance, yet, the policies that cities actually adopt and implement to build resilience remain largely unknown. The lack of empirical studies on resilience policies hinders our ability to develop theory, ask new questions, and test hypotheses. The goal of this paper is to quantify and compare policies and programs of the 101 largest cities in the U.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rural US Latina breast cancer patients experience language barriers, health literacy issues, and limited access to health care resources that negatively impact survivorship care. This study explored the challenges to survivorship care for rural Latina breast cancer (BC) patients and approaches to supporting survivorship care plans (SCP) from the stakeholders' perspectives. Data were collected via eight focus groups (n = 40) and individual interviews (n = 4) with Latina BC patients, family caregivers, and health care professionals in a rural US-Mexico Border region.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: This qualitative study investigates children's perceptions of the influences of a Centrally Procured School Food Program on their dietary behaviours and their recommendations on how to improve the program.

Methods: The observations of 208 students aged 9 to 14 years (Grades 5-8) at 21 elementary schools were collected through focus groups in 2017/18. The larger intervention consisted of a 10-week program offering daily snacks (i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Rates of heavy alcohol use among active-duty military personnel in the United States are high and negatively affect individuals within the service branches. This study tested the effectiveness of a military-focused screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) intervention for reducing risky alcohol use among active-duty patients.

Method: We used a randomized, parallel, two-group design to test the effectiveness of the SBIRT intervention in a convenience sample of service members recruited from the emergency department of a military hospital.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

One method in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 is that of contact tracing. It is estimated that in the US, 35,000-100,000 contact tracers will be hired (and trained) to talk to recently-infected individuals, understand who they have exposed to the virus, and encourage those exposed to self-quarantine. The Center for Disease Control recommends the use of motivational interviewing (MI) by contact tracers to encourage compliance with contact tracing/quarantine.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigated how stress, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, of a small sample of Canadians, changed within the first month (i.e. March/April) of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reasons/barriers associated with such changes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hematoma after thyroid surgery is a serious complication. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors and consequences of hematoma after thyroid surgery.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of 11,552 open thyroidectomies was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2016-2017 main and thyroidectomy-targeted procedure databases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose was to create and assess the impact of food literacy curriculum alongside a centrally procured school snack program among grade five students in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Grade five students ( = 287) from five intervention and three controls schools participated in an 8-week food delivery program. In addition to the food delivery program, intervention schools received a resource kit and access to 42 multidisciplinary food literacy lesson plans using the produce delivered as part of the food delivery program.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF