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Biomedical subjects

A Brancker

Publications and source records attributed to A Brancker.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Cancer mortality in Italian migrants and their offspring in Canada.

Studies on the offspring of migrants provide important information on the contribution of environmental and genetic factors in the etiology of various cancers. The aim of the present study is to analyze the cancer risk in Italian-migrants (Canadian residents born in Italy) and their offspring compared with the host population. Odds ratios (OR) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CI) by site and birthplace categories (migrants, pure and mixed Italian-parentage Canadians) were calculated by means of a case-control study using the 'other cancer deaths' as controls and taking the host population as the reference category. The study shows that Italian migrants retain a significantly low risk for a series of cancers: colon (OR = 0.9 in males and 0.7 in females); lung (OR = 0.8 in males and 0.5 in females); and breast (OR = 0.9). For all of these sites, risks in the offspring of Italian migrants were not different from those of the host population, with some differences between the genders with respect to cancer of the colon. Stomach cancer presents a significantly high rate in migrants (OR = 1.9 in males and 2.4 in females), consistent with the population of Italy; in their offspring, risks are similar to those in the host population. The risk of cancer in the offspring of migrants is, for many sites, intermediate between the host population and the Canadian residents born in Italy. This finding possibly is related to the larger integration of the offspring than their parents in the cultural and social environment of the host population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Cancer mortality in Italian migrants to Canada.

The present study reports on the analysis of cancer mortality in Italian first-generation migrants resident in Canada, deceased in the period between 1964-1985 (5,801 males: 3,267 females). Mortality in migrants is compared to that of the host population as well as to that in the migrants' country of origin. This is carried out both on a national level (Italy), and on a regional level with those regions that have made the greatest contribution to the Italian migratory flow (Southern Italy). Compared with the Canada-born population, significantly higher risks were evident for nasopharynx, stomach, liver and gallbladder tumors in migrants. Lower risks were observed for the oral cavity, esophagus, colon, rectum, pancreas (females), larynx, lung, melanoma, breast, ovary, prostate, bladder (females), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in migrants. This is consistent with that evidenced in the comparison between Italy and Canada. The data are discussed in relation to the results of other studies on Italian migrants and the prevalence of main risk factors.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1992

A statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in Canada: Part I. From the era of sanatorium treatment to the present.

This report marks over 50 years of publication by Statistics Canada of annual reports on tuberculosis statistics. These years have witnessed what has been described as a conquest of tuberculosis in Canada. To quote George Jasper Wherrett in The Miracle of the Empty Beds: One hundred years ago the word consumption (as tuberculosis was then called) struck horror in human hearts. Today, in the western world, it barely evokes any emotion save a too easy surprise that it still exists. This statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in Canada is divided into two parts. Part I: From the Era of Sanatorium Treatment to the Present pulls together data from yellowed-with-age reports on tuberculosis and vital statistics, historical accounts and modern computer files, to document the changes in tuberculosis incidence and mortality over past decades to the present. Part II: Risk Today and Control takes a closer look at those most vulnerable to contracting tuberculosis. It also looks at the future, the need for maintaining and, indeed, strengthening vigilance, and the work yet to be done to eradicate tuberculosis in Canada. The fight against tuberculosis is far from over.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Mortality differentials between three populations--residents of Scandinavia, Scandinavian immigrants to Canada and Canadian-born residents of Canada, 1979-1985.

The study compares the mortality of Canadian residents born in Canada and Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark) to the mortality of the four Scandinavian countries. The study focuses on the mortality experience of anyone who was 35-74 years old during the period 1979-85. Swedish and Norwegian populations both in Scandinavia as well as immigrants to Canada had relatively low mortality from all causes of death. On the other hand, populations in Finland and Denmark had comparatively higher mortality from certain causes of death. Finnish excess mortality from cardiovascular diseases and from external causes of death was present in Finnish living in Scandinavia as well as in Finnish immigrants to Canada. This contrasted with the excess mortality from non-cardiovascular disease in the population of Denmark which was not reflected in the mortality of Danish immigrants to Canada. Finally, the cardiovascular mortality of all Scandinavian-born immigrants to Canada was found to be lower than in their respective countries of origin. The article includes a discussion of possible explanations for these results.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

A statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in Canada: Part II. Risk today and control.

This report marks over 50 years of publication by Statistics Canada of annual reports on Tuberculosis Statistics. These years have witnessed what has been described as a conquest of tuberculosis in Canada. To quote George Jasper Wherrett in the Miracle of the Empty Beds: One hundred years ago the word consumption (as tuberculosis was then called) struck horror in human hearts. Today, in the western world, it barely evokes any emotion save a too easy surprise that it still exists. This statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in Canada is divided into two parts. Part I: From the Era of Sanatorium Treatment to the Present pulls together data from yellowed-with-age reports on tuberculosis and vital statistics, historical accounts, and modern computer files, to document the changes in tuberculosis incidence and mortality over past decades to the present. Part II: Risk Today and Control takes a closer look at those most vulnerable to contracting tuberculosis. It also looks at the future, the need for maintaining and, indeed, strengthening vigilance, and the work yet to be done to eradicate tuberculosis in Canada. The fight against tuberculosis is far from over.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Lung cancer and smoking prevalence in Canada.

This article reviews lung cancer mortality and smoking prevalence in Canada. For men, age-adjusted lung cancer death rates are highest in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, areas that had Canada's highest smoking prevalence twenty years ago. Rates are still rising in these provinces, though much less steeply than in the past. In Ontario and the Western provinces, lung cancer death rates for men have reached a plateau in recent years and rates in British Columbia even show signs of falling. Sizable declines in smoking rates among men have been reported in all provinces over the last twenty years, and lung cancer death rates for men can thus be expected to begin declining in this decade. For women, lung cancer death rates began to rise steeply in the 1960s, although remaining well below the rates for men. Rates for women nearly doubled in both the 1970s and 1980s. Smoking rates for women increased up to the early 1970s and declined only slightly since then. Lung cancer death rates for women can thus be expected to continue to rise until the end of the century.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Mortality rates among patients with end-stage renal disease in Canada, 1981-86.

We assessed the mortality rates by age, sex, race, blood type, primary diagnosis, treatment and transplantation history of 8432 patients in Canada for whom end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was diagnosed between 1981 and 1986. Significant differences in the probability of dying were found between those with and without diabetes mellitus, between those who had received a renal transplant and those who had not, between white and nonwhite patients and between various age groups. The mortality rates of the ESRD patients were at least three times higher than those of the general Canadian population. Primary diagnosis and treatment were significantly associated with the risk of dying among the ESRD patients. For those who had received a transplant, the length of time spent waiting for a transplant was positively associated with the risk of death from ESRD. Patients who had received peritoneal dialysis before transplantation had a higher risk of death than those who had received either hemodialysis (risk ratio 1.3) or transplantation (risk ratio 3.2) as the first treatment. No significant differences were found in the cause of death between those who had received peritoneal dialysis and those who had received hemodialysis. Almost half of the deaths among women without diabetes who had received a transplant were due to infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Brain tumour mortality in immigrants.

All Canadian deaths due to malignant brain tumour for the years 1970-73 were identified and analysed for country of birth. The years 1970-73 were chosen since in later years country of birth was no longer available for each death. The brain tumour population consisted of 1551 male and 1058 female deaths and matched controls were chosen from deaths due to other causes. Americans who died of brain tumour in Canada had a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.0 compared to their fellow Americans in the USA. Italian, German, Dutch and British immigrants had SMR between 1.5 and 2.6 compared to rates in their home countries and between 1.24 and 2.09 when compared to Canadian rates. A series of graphs shows the increased risk for male immigrants quite dramatically, and indicates that for females the increases were less pronounced. Further analysis showed that the excess risk is confined to those who were born in Western Europe while their Canadian-born children experienced the same rates as all Canadians. Based on the limited information available, occupation could not be shown to play a role in establishing risk. An attempt was made to pinpoint the years of immigration which showed the greatest risk. It is concluded that the determination of risk of brain tumour has a strong environmental component. The possibilities for identification of this component are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Changes in mortality by income in urban Canada from 1971 to 1986.

The reduction of socio-economic inequities in health is now an explicit objective of health policy in Canada. This study examines changes in mortality by income in urban Canada from 1971 to 1986 in terms of both relative and absolute differences between income groups. Street address information as shown on death certificates was used to code census tract of usual place of residence for deaths occurring to residents of Canada's Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) in 1971 and 1986. After exclusion of residents of health care institutions, 73,995 deaths were included in the study for 1971, and 88,129 for 1986. These deaths were analyzed by income quintile (based on census tract incidence of low income), age, sex, and cause of death. In 1971, the difference in life expectancy at birth between the highest and lowest income quintiles was 6.3 years for men and 2.8 years for women. By 1986, these differences had decreased to 5.6 years for men and 1.8 years for women. However, relative mortality (lowest compared to highest income quintile) at most ages changed only slightly over the 15 years. Relative infant mortality, for example, was 1.97 in 1971 and 1.82 in 1986. In 1986, 21% of total potential years of life lost (PYLL) prior to age 75 could be attributed to differences in quintile death rates compared to rates for the highest income quintile. Approximately 45% of this "excess" PYLL was for persons under 45 years of age. In 1971, the comparable figure was 67%. In 1986, the major causes of death contributing to income inequalities in mortality were: circulatory diseases, accounting for 25% of excess PYLL related to quintile differences; accidents, poisonings and violence, accounting for about 17%; and neoplasms, accounting for 15%. Respiratory diseases, ill-defined conditions, metabolic diseases and perinatal conditions each contributed 6-7% of excess PYLL. From 1971 to 1986, in terms of age-standardized morality rates (ASMRs) for all ages, certain causes of death showed increased mortality together with greater inequality by income, especially for males: these causes included lung cancer, suicide, metabolic diseases other than diabetes, and ill-defined conditions. Other causes of death showed either little change or less inequality by income but higher ASMRs: these included breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, arterial diseases, alcoholism, mental disorders, and diseases of the nervous system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗