Establishing the Top 10 Research Priorities for Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer in Canada: A Protocol for a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs; 15-39 years) diagnosed with cancer have unique medical and psychosocial needs. These needs could be better addressed through research that is focused on the topics that matter most to them. However, there is currently no patient-oriented research agenda for AYA cancer in Canada. This manuscript describes the early development and project protocol for a priority-setting partnership (PSP) for establishing the top 10 research priorities for AYA cancer in Canada. This project follows the PSP methodology outlined by the James Lind Alliance (JLA) to engage patients, caregivers, and clinicians in research prioritization. The steps of a JLA PSP include establishing a steering group and project partners, gathering uncertainties, data processing and verifying uncertainties, interim priority setting, and a final priority setting workshop. The AYA cancer PSP will result in a top 10 list of research priorities identified by Canadian AYA patients, caregivers, and clinicians that will be published and shared broadly with the research community. The first steering group meeting was held in April 2023, and the project is ongoing. The establishment of a patient-oriented research agenda for AYA cancer will catalyze a long-term and impactful research focus and ultimately improve outcomes for AYA patients with cancer in Canada.

"I think it is a powerful campaign and does a great job of raising awareness in young women": Findings from Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns targeting young women in Canada.

The purpose of this multi-year study was to replicate a successful breast cancer awareness campaign pilot, targeting young women, and evaluate the campaign effectiveness on multiple Canadian post-secondary school sites. A Canadian charity, Team Shan Breast Cancer Awareness for Young Women (Team Shan), facilitated awareness campaigns on college and university campuses across Western Canada from 2010-2016. Using a pre-post design, young women (17-29 years) on 11 targeted campus sites participated in completing pre- (n = 880) or post-campaign (n = 794) evaluation questionnaires. Questions were designed to evaluate awareness campaign activities, key take home messages, and breast cancer knowledge transfer. Team Shan was successful in developing a variety of strategies to inform young women about their risk of developing breast cancer. The campaigns made a positive impact on young women as an effective public health communication initiative. Findings support health promotion strategies to reach young women, a population at risk of developing breast cancer.

Introduction of solid foods: do mothers follow recommendations?

PURPOSE: Infant age at introduction of solid foods was examined, as were maternal characteristics associated with adherence to recommendations. METHODS: In a telephone survey, 2153 mothers living in Ontario were asked questions about the age at which foods were introduced to their infants. RESULTS: Eighteen percent of respondents introduced infant cereal before age four months, while 5% introduced it at age seven months or later. Mothers who introduced cereal either earlier or later than recommended had a lower household income and were less likely to have attended prenatal classes than were those who followed recommendations. Mothers who introduced cereal before their infants were four months old were more likely than were other mothers to be younger, not to be breastfeeding at three months, to have smoked during pregnancy, and to have someone who smoked inside the home. Mothers who introduced infant cereal after age seven months were more likely to be older, breastfeeding at three months, and mothering their second or later-born child than were mothers who introduced infant cereal as recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Small but distinct groups of mothers are introducing solid foods earlier or later than recommended. Educational and informational initiatives that target these parents may help increase the number of infants being fed as recommended.