Chronic Diseases in Canada
Volume 27, No. 3, 2006
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Table of contents |  |
Feature Articles |
1. Assessment of mental health and illness by telephone
survey: Experience with an Alberta mental health survey
View Abstract Scott B Patten, Carol E Adair, Jeanne V A Williams, Rollin Brant,
Jian Li Wang, Ann Casebeer and Pierre Beauséjour |
PDF version
150 KB |
2. Trends in cancer prevalence in Quebec
View
Abstract Rabiâ Louchini, Michel Beaupré, Alain A Demers, Patricia Goggin
and Clermont Bouchard |
PDF version 
169 KB |
3. Validity of death and stillbirth certificates and hospital
discharge summaries for the identification of neural
tube defects in Quebec City
View Abstract Fassiatou Tairou, Philippe De Wals and Adrien Bastide |
PDF version 
110 KB |
4. Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in Canada,
1995: Analysis of death certificates
View Abstract Susie ElSaadany and Antonio Giulivi |
PDF version 
95 KB |
5. Building connections for young adults with type 1
diabetes mellitus in Manitoba: Feasibility and
acceptability of a transition initiative
View Abstract Norma Van Walleghem, Catherine A MacDonald and
Heather J Dean |
PDF version 
113 KB |
Chronic Diseases in Canada (CDIC) is a quarterly scientific
journal focussing on current evidence relevant to the
control and prevention of chronic (i.e. non-communicable)
diseases and injuries in Canada. Since 1980 the journal
has published a unique blend of peer-reviewed feature
articles by authors from the public and private sectors
and which may include research from such fi elds as
epidemiology, public/community health, biostatistics, the
behavioural sciences, and health services or economics.
Only feature articles are peer reviewed. Authors retain
responsibility for the content of their articles; the opinions
expressed are not necessarily those of the CDIC editorial
committee nor of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Abstracts from Feature Articles in Chronic Diseases in Canada Volume
27, No 3, 2006
Article 1: Assessment of mental health and illness by telephone
survey: Experience with an Alberta mental health survey |
Authors: Scott B Patten, Carol E Adair, Jeanne V A Williams, Rollin Brant,
Jian Li Wang, Ann Casebeer and Pierre Beauséjour |
Abstract: Mental health is an emerging priority for health surveillance. It has not been determined
that the existing data sources can adequately meet surveillance needs. The objective of
this project was to explore the use of telephone surveys as a means of collecting supplementary
surveillance information. A computer-assisted telephone interview was
administered to 5,400 subjects in Alberta. The interview included a set of brief, validated
measures for evaluating mental disorder prevalence and related variables. The individual
subject response rate was 78%, but a substantial number of refusals occurred at the
initial household contact. The age and sex distribution of the study sample differed from
that of the provincial population prior to weighting. Prevalence proportions did not vary
substantially across administrative health regions. There is a potential role for telephone
data collection in mental health surveillance, but these results highlight some associated
methodological challenges. They also draw into question the importance of regional variation
in mental disorder prevalence - which might otherwise have been a key advantage
of telephone survey methodologies.

Article 2: Trends in cancer prevalence in Quebec |
Authors: Rabiâ Louchini, Michel Beaupré, Alain A Demers, Patricia Goggin
and Clermont Bouchard |
Abstract: Cancer prevalence is of prime interest in public health because of its use in estimating
the disease’s burden on the heath care system. This study’s objective was to estimate
five-year prevalence of tumours from 1989 to 1999 and ten-year prevalence of tumours
from 1994 to 1999 in the Province of Quebec (Canada). Five-year prevalence was used to
represent tumours for which people are more likely to obtain primary treatment; ten-year
prevalence included those tumours in addition to tumours that can be considered cured
but still need follow-up. Information was extracted from the Quebec Cancer Registry.
Prostate cancer was the most prevalent malignancy among males (25%, fi ve-year prevalent
tumours), while breast cancer was most prevalent among females (38%, five-year
prevalent tumours). For both sexes, the greatest observed prevalence increase was for
endocrine glands. On average, five-year prevalence proportions were 16% higher in men
than in women; those of ten year were 14% higher in men. Furthermore, the largest differences
were observed for bladder and lung cancer. The change in cancer prevalence in
Quebec was dependent on the tumour site.

Article 3: Validity of death and stillbirth certificates and hospital
discharge summaries for the identification of neural
tube defects in Quebec City |
Authors: Fassiatou Tairou, Philippe De Wals and Adrien Bastide |
Abstract: The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the validity of different databases which
identify neural tube defect (NTD) cases in the population, and 2) to examine the temporal
trends in NTD rates and the impact of prenatal diagnoses among pregnancies referred
to a tertiary care hospital in Quebec City, Canada, from 1993 to 2002. Infant death and
stillbirth certificates were a highly reliable source for ascertaining NTD cases, but their
overall sensitivity was poor (13%). Med-Echo had very good sensitivity (92%), but there
were many coding errors in the database and some diagnostic categories were not specific
for NTD. The average NTD prevalence proportion was 6.5/1,000 births during the entire
study period, decreasing from 12.2/1,000 in 1993 to 3.9/1,000 in 2002. Overall, 78.6%
of NTD cases were diagnosed prenatally and the pregnancy was terminated in 52.6% of
these. These two proportions were stable over the study years. To conclude, the combination
of hospital discharge summaries and infant death and stillbirth certificates is a
highly sensitive method for the ascertainment of NTD cases, including terminations of
pregnancies, but medical records must be reviewed to exclude coding errors and to clarify
unspecific diagnostic categories.

Article 4: Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in Canada,
1995: Analysis of death certificates |
Authors: Susie ElSaadany and Antonio Giulivi |
Abstract: A descriptive analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) deaths in Canada for 1995 was
undertaken. Cases (ICD-9 155.0) were identified from the Statistics Canada annual mortality
file; age-adjusted death rates by age, sex and province were calculated. Antecedent
causes and conditions leading to death listed on the death certificate, including viral
hepatitis infection and cirrhosis, were examined, in addition to birthplace information.
The 403 cases identified resulted in an annual age-standardized mortality rate of 2.11
deaths per 100,000 persons among men and 0.64 deaths per 100,000 persons among
women. Mean age at death was 65.5 years with male-to-female ratio approximately 3:1.
Compared to the age-standardized rate for birthplace of Canada of 0.96 per 100,000 (95%
CI: 0.84, 1.10), the age-standardized mortality rates were significantly elevated for birthplace
of Europe 1.72 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.28), Asia 5.17 (95% CI: 4.11, 6.44), and non-significantly elevated for all other countries 1.54 (95% CI: 0.94, 2.39). In total, 60 patients
(15%) were reported to have had viral hepatitis; sufficient information was not provided
for the remainder. Of the total population, 8.7 % were reported to have had viral hepatitis
B and 5.2 % had viral hepatitis C. Information on cirrhosis was provided in 103 (26%)
of cases. Of these, the largest proportion (45%) was of unknown type while 23 patients
(22%) had alcohol-related cirrhosis. Prevalence of antecedent causes was slightly lower
than reported previously and may be considered minimum estimates since inadequate
information was provided in over 50% of deaths.

Article 5: Building connections for young adults with type 1
diabetes mellitus in Manitoba: Feasibility and
acceptability of a transition initiative |
Authors: Norma Van Walleghem, Catherine A MacDonald and
Heather J Dean |
Abstract: During the transition from pediatric to adult diabetes care there is often a high rate
of medical dropout and increased rates of acute and chronic complications. Building
Connections: The Maestro Project was initiated in September 2002 by the Diabetes
Education Resource for Children and Adolescents and the City of Winnipeg Regional
Health Authority in Manitoba, Canada to examine the feasibility and acceptability of
an administrative support and systems navigation service for young adults with type 1
diabetes. The participation rate on February 28, 2005 was 78.9% (373/473). Of the 323
young adult participants 18 to 30 years of age, 127 requested 230 community contacts
for access care and education. Specifically, 46 re-referrals were made for specialty care
(adult endocrinologists or general internists), 34 contact numbers were given for family
physician care, and there were 121 contacts to reconnect with diabetes education and
counseling services and 29 contacts for an optometrist. The first 22 years of the project
have demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of this model of service for young
adults with type 1 diabetes as they move from pediatric to adult care.
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