Supervisor:
Program of Study:
MSc, Community Health and Epidemiology
Project Title:
Understanding Diagnostic Pathways for Ovarian Cancer in Nova Scotia
Research Summary:
Ovarian cancer is hard to diagnose because it does not have a clear set of symptoms. Therefore, it is often diagnosed at a very late stage, often when it is too late to treat. Our research will help figure out how we can diagnose ovarian cancer at an earlier stage. We will look at whether patients can easily access care and whether the care they do receive is of good quality. Our goals are to: 1. Determine how long it takes for a patient to get diagnosed with ovarian cancer and to see a doctor who treats ovarian cancer. We will study things that could affect these wait times, such as where a patient lives or whether she has a regular family doctor. 2. Determine how many doctors a patient sees before she sees a doctor who treats ovarian cancer.
This is an important topic because ovarian cancer has some of the worst survival rates of all cancers. In Canada, the cancer has already spread in 70% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. If the cancer has spread, the chances that a woman will live for three years after diagnosis is only 31.9% in Nova Scotia. This is lower than many other Canadian provinces. In this work, we will find gaps that should be addressed to help diagnose ovarian cancer sooner. No other study has looked at these issues in Nova Scotia.
Scholarships and/or Awards:
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- BHCRI Saunders Matthey Foundation CRTP Award 2022
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- BRIC NS Student Research Award (2021)
Career Aspirations:
I would like to pursue a career in research, health administration, or public health. I am interested in a broad range of research topics in population health, knowledge translation, and health services research. I hope to contribute to a more efficient and accessible healthcare system.
Location:
Centre for Clinical Research, Halifax