Introduction: The rural and remote nature of many First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, Canada poses unique obstacles to physically accessing health care, in addition to other barriers. ...Indigenous peoples face similar challenges globally. First Nations communities experience significant health inequities, including cancer burden, which can be attributed to complex factors associated with colonization and Westernization. One potentially promising intervention to decrease the burden of advanced cancers is the provision of accessible, convenient and culturally sensitive cancer screening services, leading to early detection and treatment. The Wequedong Lodge Cancer Screening Program (WLCSP) was a pilot project aiming to provide cancer screening education and opportunistic cancer screening to residents from rural and remote First Nations communities while accessing health services in the urban center of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Methods: Cancer screening education and opportunistic breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening appointments were offered to individuals and their travel escorts already staying at Wequedong Lodge. Program uptake was determined primarily by education participation, and secondarily by client participation in screening.
Results: In total, the WLCSP booked 1033 appointments, with 841 being attended. Over the program's 3 years there was an increase in clients each year. Specifically, 22% (60/275) of age-eligible women completed a mammogram. Pap tests were provided to 8% (45/554) of age-eligible females. Finally, 32% (106/333) of all age-eligible service participants were given a fecal occult blood test kit. An evaluation survey (n=396) demonstrated overall client satisfaction with the program.
Conclusion: The WLCSP aimed to provide education about, access to and uptake of cancer screening services for First Nations people from rural and remote communities in Northwestern Ontario by targeting inequalities in accessing cancer screening opportunities. Therefore, program uptake may provide helpful numerical comparisons for similar future programs globally. Other entities working to improve cancer screening rates in remote and/or rural populations and/or amongst Indigenous peoples may find consideration of the WLCSP processes, successes and challenges helpful to their efforts.
Positive outcomes for psychological and physiological health have resulted from a nature experience. However, evidence is limited for nature-based interventions and their effect on a cancer ...population. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine if incorporating the One Nature Challenge (ONC) into a ten-week group exercise program (WE-Can) for individuals living with cancer could offer additional psychological and/or physiological benefits to those previously observed in WE-Can. For this study, two separate ONCs were implemented throughout two seasons (summer and winter) to formulate a ONC group (n = 18; 60 ± 12yrs). Previous WE-Can graduates were used as a control group (n = 160; 59 ± 11yrs) for this study. Psychological and physiological assessments were administered in a pre- and post-test. In addition, nature relatedness (NR; ones' relationship with nature) was measured at the beginning, middle, and end of WE-Can. Following five weeks, the ONC began and participants tracked the days they experienced nature for at least thirty-minutes (24 ± 6 days), for a thirty-day period. The ONC finished concurrently with WE-Can where post-evaluations and focus groups were administered immediately following. No additional gain in overall health was found between groups. However, aerobic fitness and fatigue significantly improved for the ONC group. This was supported by frequent activities and self-reported restoration of the mind while experiencing nature. In conclusion, the lack of overall improvement could be limited by sample size and the high level of NR prior to ONC, indicating participants were already 'one with nature.'
Introduction: The rural and remote nature of many First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, Canada poses unique obstacles to physically accessing health care, in addition to other barriers. ...Indigenous peoples face similar challenges globally. First Nations communities experience significant health inequities, including cancer burden, which can be attributed to complex factors associated with colonization and Westernization. One potentially promising intervention to decrease the burden of advanced cancers is the provision of accessible, convenient and culturally sensitive cancer screening services, leading to early detection and treatment. The Wequedong Lodge Cancer Screening Program (WLCSP) was a pilot project aiming to provide cancer screening education and opportunistic cancer screening to residents from rural and remote First Nations communities while accessing health services in the urban center of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Methods: Cancer screening education and opportunistic breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening appointments were offered to individuals and their travel escorts already staying at Wequedong Lodge. Program uptake was determined primarily by education participation, and secondarily by client participation in screening.
Results: In total, the WLCSP booked 1033 appointments, with 841 being attended. Over the program's 3 years there was an increase in clients each year. Specifically, 22% (60/275) of age-eligible women completed a mammogram. Pap tests were provided to 8% (45/554) of age-eligible females. Finally, 32% (106/333) of all age-eligible service participants were given a fecal occult blood test kit. An evaluation survey (n=396) demonstrated overall client satisfaction with the program.
Conclusion: The WLCSP aimed to provide education about, access to and uptake of cancer screening services for First Nations people from rural and remote communities in Northwestern Ontario by targeting inequalities in accessing cancer screening opportunities. Therefore, program uptake may provide helpful numerical comparisons for similar future programs globally. Other entities working to improve cancer screening rates in remote and/or rural populations and/or amongst Indigenous peoples may find consideration of the WLCSP processes, successes and challenges helpful to their efforts.
A student-friendly resource on stuttering and related fluency disorders by a who's who of global experts Stuttering and Related Disorders of Fluency, Fourth Edition honors the philosophy that ...discoveries of the past are the bedrock of the present and the inspiration for future explorations--in this context--the nature and treatment of stuttering. Initially developed over 30 years ago, the first two editions were edited by the late Richard F. Curlee and the third edition was co-edited by Richard F. Curlee and Edward G. Conture. The latest edition, co-edited by Patricia M. Zebrowski, Julie D. Anderson, and Edward G. Conture, brings together contemporary insights and a multinational perspective from 44 world-class academicians, clinicians, and researchers in the field of stuttering and related disorders. The book is organized into six sections and 17 chapters, with the first section describing basic facts and theories. The second section covers genetic, neural, linguistic, cognitive, and physiological factors. The third section features three dedicated chapters on the diagnosis of preschool-age children, school-age children, and adolescents and adults. The fourth section discusses treatment guidelines with three chapters organized by the same age demographics, while the fifth section covers language and phonological, bilingual and multicultural, and pharmacological considerations for treatment. The sixth, and last, section provides guidance on cluttering and acquired stuttering--from causes and symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. Key Highlights Up-to-date, reader-friendly text is ideal for students with no or limited background or experience in the nature and treatment of stuttering and related fluency disorders Comprehensive content covering all relevant aspects of stuttering in diverse populations across the lifespan, including etiology,
development, diagnosis, and treatment Contributions from a diverse group of top scholars and practitioners from the United States, Canada, Western Europe, and Australia This text is essential reading for upper-class undergraduates and early-stage graduate students in communication sciences and disorders. It also provides an invaluable classroom tool for instructors teaching basic courses on this subject and is a helpful sourcebook for researchers investigating stuttering and related fluency disorders.
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