Supervisor:
Program of Study:
Master of Health Administration
Project Title:
Socioeconomic inequalities in the uptake of cancer screening in Canada
Scholarships and/or Awards:
- Foster McGaw award (2023)
- Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarship (2023)
- Faculty of Graduate Studies Bursary for International Students (2023)
Lay Research Summary:
It is proven that early diagnoses of cancer, depending on the type, leads to much better recovery outcomes compared to diagnoses made at a later stage. Early detection of most cases typically occurs through screening procedures for the individual. As the rate of screenings increases, the ability to diagnose cancer earlier increases, which subsequently results in a decline in death rates among the population. Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer screening uptake can lead to significant differences in health outcomes among various socioeconomic groups because cancer can affect people over prolonged periods in their lifetime and are often connected to other negative outcomes such as physical, mental, and psychological effects. This project, for the first time, aims to measure and identify factors that explain income and education inequalities in cancer screening uptake for four common cancers (breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate) across Canadian provinces, including both rural and urban areas. To accomplish this, the project will use multiple cycles of Statistics Canada’s Canadian Community Health Survey spanning the years 2000 to 2019. The unequal uptake of cancer screening across different socioeconomic groups can impede the provision of equitable cancer treatment. This project will provide valuable insights that can enhance our understanding of the systems that give rise to inequalities among individuals of varying income and education levels. The study findings can inform measures to mitigate the influence of factors that contribute to income and education inequalities in cancer screening participation, thus facilitating the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in cancer outcomes in Canada.
Career Aspirations:
In my previous studies, I have had several opportunities to enhance my skills and knowledge relevant to the proposed research, including research positions and courses. I have conducted research in the fields of economics and health administration, as well as clinical research related to my pharmacy degree. I have experience working independently to design and conceptualize studies, as well as performing advanced quantitative analyses. I am proficient in working with and analyzing large datasets, including econometric analysis and data presentation.
My Master of Applied Economics thesis focused on factors affecting household health expenditures in Iran. Through this thesis, I gained expertise in using econometrics software and analyzing policy and qualitative-based papers, which is relevant to this research project that will be examining policies and situations resulting in observed inequities. Additionally, my potential thesis supervisor has extensive experience in researching inequalities in various aspects of healthcare service utilization in Canada. Under his guidance, I aim to gain hands-on experience in this field.
My future plans in the area of cancer research involve pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Health with a specific focus on cancer epidemiology. I aspire to contribute to the development of new policies and therapies that can improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Given my training, research experience, and educational background, I am confident that I will acquire practical experience in assessing and elucidating the socioeconomic inequalities that exist within the realm of cancer care.
Location:
Dalhousie University
Publications:
Soltani, S., Rezaei, S., Kazemi-karyani, A., Azimi, J., Jalili, F., Roshani, B., … & Salimi, Y. The effect of Iran’s Health Sector Evolution Plan on hospitals performance indicators: An interrupted time series analysis. Frontiers in Health Services, 3, 1144685.
Jalili, F., Farshadnia, P., Abiri, R., Alvandi, A., Kooti, S., & Jalalvand, A. R. (2023). A novel chemometric-amperometric biosensor for selective and ultra-sensitive determination of Streptococcus pneumoniae based on detection of a protein marker: A suitable and reliable alternative method. Microchemical Journal, 193, 109122.
Jalili, F., Jalili, C., Jalalvand, A. R., Salari, N., Pourmotabbed, A., & Adibi, H. (2023). Synthesis, characterization and hypolipidemic effects of urazine derivatives on rat: Study of molecular modeling and enzyme inhibition. Bioorganic Chemistry, 139, 106681
Moradi, S. Z., Jalili, F., Hoseinkhani, Z., & Mansouri, K. (2022). Regenerative Medicine and Angiogenesis; Focused on Cardiovascular Disease. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 12 (4), 686-699 Jalili, Z., Jalili, F., Moradi, S., Bagheri, R., Moosavian, S. P., Naeini, F., … & Jalili, C. Effects of Collagen Peptide Supplementation on Cardiovascular Markers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trials. British Journal of Nutrition, 1-43