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<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p><strong>Purpose: </strong>While most children diagnosed with cancer survive their initial disease, the intensive treatments they receive place them at risk for late effects. Long-term follow-up (LTFU) care is recommended for cancer survivors for surveillance and early detection of late effects. Knowledge, or lack thereof, regarding diagnosis, treatment and late effects is an important barrier and/or facilitator for attending LTFU care in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. The purpose of our study was to examine the extent of knowledge in Canadian AYA survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer, and identify factors associated with such knowledge.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong>Survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer, between the ages of 15 and 26 years, were recruited from three pediatric oncology centres. Patients were invited to participate in the study through mail and clinic recruitment. A questionnaire booklet, including the Cancer Knowledge Survey that asked questions about cancer, treatment and late effects, was administered to collect necessary information. Clinical data was extracted from hospital records to validate participants’ answers.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>250 (response rate= 75.5 percent) out of 331 patients invited to participate completed the questionnaire booklet. 18 (7.2 percent) participants lacked information regarding their type of cancer, whereas 25 (10.3 percent) participants were ‘not knowledgeable’ of their treatment. Lack of knowledge regarding treatment was associated with being non-white [odds ratio= 0.3 (0.2-0.6)] compared with white. Also, 83 (33.5 percent) participants were unaware of their late effects. Lack of knowledge regarding late effects was associated with younger age [odds ratio= 1.2 (1.1-1.3)], and having leukemia compared with embryonal tumour [odds ratio= 3.41 (1.10-10.6)].</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Results from this study highlights important knowledge deficits, especially in terms of understanding risk of late effects from cancer treatments. Findings from this study can be used to design programs and interventions aimed at increasing cancer knowledge in AYA cancer survivors.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of stalking victimization among a randomly selected sample of female and male undergraduate students. We examined the proportion of relationship violence victimization due to stalking and the co-occurrence between stalking and three additional forms of victimization (physical, sexual, and emotional violence). Design: Cross-sectional, self-administered, anonymous paper and pencil survey. Setting: Three urban colleges. Participants: 910 female and male undergraduate students attending randomly selected classes on the days of survey administration. Outcome Measures: Experience with stalking victimization and co-occurrence of physical, sexual, and emotional victimization since coming to college. Results: Over half the survey respondents were female (57.1%). Nearly one-third of students reported experiencing any victimization (physical, sexual, emotional, and/or stalking) since coming to college. Stalking was the most frequently reported form of victimization (16.0%). Of the students reporting any victimization since coming to college, 29.7% experienced only stalking victimization and would not have been identified had stalking victimization not been assessed. A majority of stalking victims (59.6%) reported no co-occurring forms of victimization. Among stalking victims who reported at least one additional form of victimization, 57.6% reported both stalking and emotional victimization, 49.2% reported both stalking and sexual victimization, and 27.1% reported both stalking and physical victimization. Although most stalking (41.1%) was perpetrated by individuals known to the victim, such as friends, the perpetrators identified were less frequently (13.7%) intimate or romantic partners. Women were more likely than men to report stalking victimization (22.1% vs. 7.9%, p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Stalking was the most frequently reported form of victimization experienced since coming to college. Stalking may represent a unique component of relationship violence, as nearly 60% of students who reported stalking reported no other co-occurring forms of victimization (physical, sexual, or emotional). Further, stalking victims primarily reported that the perpetrator was someone known to them, although not necessarily an intimate partner. Awareness of stalking among those providing care for and resources to adolescents and young adults is critical to improving the safety and well-being of those affected. / Public Health

There are over 700,000 individuals living with Crohn's disease in the United States. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel illness that can have debilitating effects on individuals and their partners. There is ample literature on the various medical effects of Crohn's disease on the diagnosed individual but a dearth of literature on how Crohn's disease affects young adult individuals and their partners. This dissertation endeavors to fill this gap in the literature. Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this study explores how an individual's diagnosis of Crohn's disease is perceived to affect the couple relationship and young adult life-cycle transitions. From this study, healthcare providers can better understand how the numerous physical symptoms of Crohn's disease cause psychological and social implications for the diagnosed individual and partner. This understanding will allow healthcare providers to complete couple level clinical assessment and increase systemic interventions, promoting greater resilience among young adult couples. / Ph. D.

Using the perspective of sexual script theory (Gagnon & Simon, 1973) and growth curve modeling, this study examined whether characteristics of parents and parent-adolescent connectedness influence change in lifetime number of sexual partners from adolescence through young adulthood. Living in a blended family, having at least one college-educated parent and on-time parent-adolescent sexual communication positively predicted later lifetime number of sexual partners. Parent religiosity and parent-adolescent connectedness negatively predicted later lifetime number of sexual partners. Parent-adolescent sexual communication that focused on negative consequences of sex and parent disapproval of adolescent sexual activity were not significant in the overall model. Control variables included adolescent race/ethnicity, gender, physical maturity, marriage history, virginity pledge history, and expectations of positive consequences of sex. Physical maturity and gender were not significant in the overall model. In conclusion, parents have significant and far-reaching influence on their children's later sexual behavior. This study extended research in the field by examining lifetime number of sexual partners across four time points, which allowed observation of change in this outcome variable with age and accounted for the nested nature of the data. / Master of Science