Population Health, Population based research, alberta cancer registry, tomorrow project, cancer surveillance, research on cancer knowledge, screen test, cohert studies
Population-Based Research
Population-Based Research
The Division of Population Health and Information conducts population-based research into the causes, prevention and early detection of cancer, including surveillance and monitoring studies that are supported by the Alberta Cancer Registry.
The division generates new knowledge about the impact and causes of cancer, including a further understanding of attitudes, behaviours and beliefs about cancer that can be addressed through public education and prevention campaigns.
Research scientists are based in both Edmonton and Calgary. In Edmonton, the focus is on cancer surveillance and monitoring; in Calgary, researchers tend to investigate causes, prevention and early detection. Scientists in both centres provide research support to clinicians.
Some current population-based research projects focus on population research on cancer knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Other projects are investigating the relationship of lifestyle to cancer risk, including physical activity and its relationship to breast and prostate cancer. Several projects focus on cancer surveillance. One sets out to evaluate the completeness of the Alberta Cancer Registry. Another project will develop methods to assess waiting times for the diagnosis and treatment of lung and colorectal cancer.
The division is also involved in research related to screening programs. Research connected to our breast cancer screening program, Screen Test, includes comparisons of fee-for-service and programmatic screening.
Our scientists list the research projects in which they are currently engaged on their individual web pages. More information on past research projects is available in the publications An Overview of the Division - Research, March 1999, which can be requested from the Research Administration office, and An Overview of the Division - Research, February 2001, which can be downloaded in Adobe Acrobat format from the online publications page of the Division of Epidemiology, Prevention & Screening.
The Tomorrow Project
The Tomorrow Project is a long-term, population-based study examining the connection between lifestyle and cancer. The study team intends to recruit 50,000 Albertans who have never had a diagnosis of cancer and follow them over an extended period to learn about the factors that are present when people remain healthy and when cancer occurs.
Study participants are men and women between the ages of 35 and 69 years of age from across Alberta. They will contribute information to the research team about their health, lifestyle and the occurrence of any illnesses - not just cancer - over a long period of follow-up study to the age of 85.
Research initiatives of this kind are called 'cohort studies' and provide very strong evidence for causative links to the development of cancer.
The first phase of the study, to be completed between 2000 and 2003 will include assessing the effectiveness of recruitment methods, obtaining baseline measures, evaluating participant retention and follow-up strategies, and determining the acceptability and feasibility of obtaining biologic samples from a sub-set of cohort members.
The Tomorrow Project is a research initiative undertaken by the Division of Population Health and Information. More information on the Tomorrow Project is available by visiting website.
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