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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant public health challenge in Canada, with the Atlantic provinces bearing a particularly high burden. The implementation of population-based colon screening programs is aimed to address this concern. However, limited research exists on the effect of these programs especially in Canada. This study aimed to examine the impact of the first few years of the CRC screening programs in the Atlantic provinces of Canada by assessing changes in screening uptake, barriers, and predictors of screening among eligible populations. Methods: Employing a repeated cross-sectional design, this study analyzed data from a representative sample of 7614 respondents in 2010 and 6850 in 2017 from the Atlantic provinces aged 50–74 years, extracted from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS). The outcomes measured were CRC screening rates, changes in predictors of screening uptake, and barriers to participation. Potential predictors examined included age, sex, income, education, smoking, and health status. Results: The proportion of adults aged 50–74 years who meet CRC screening requirements increased from 42% in 2010 to 54% in 2017 yet below the national target of 60%. New Brunswick reported the most significant increase in screening prevalence (18%, p < 0.05). Participation in fecal tests increased from 19.6 to 32.4%. Despite these improvements, disparities in screening participation remained, with lower uptake observed among individuals with lower income and education levels. Age (> 60 years, OR = 2.09, p < 0.01), the presence of multiple chronic health conditions (OR = 2.11, p < 0. 01), being female (OR = 1.21, p < 0.01), married status (OR = 1.21, p < 0.05), access to regular healthcare (OR = 1.91, p < 0.01), and nonsmoking status (OR = 2.55, p < 0.01) were identified as significant predictors of CRC screening uptake. Conclusions: This study shows that while CRC screening uptake increased across the Atlantic provinces between 2010 and 2017, barriers to and disparities in screening participation persist. This highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve awareness, access, and screening uptake, particularly among disadvantaged groups, to promote equitable healthcare outcomes. Continued efforts should focus on reducing barriers to screening and leveraging available evidence to inform interventions aimed at mitigating the CRC burden in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Antenatal care (ANC) is a major public health intervention aimed at ensuring safe pregnancy outcomes. In Nigeria, the recommended minimum of four times ANC attendance is underutilized. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with underutilization of ANC services with a focus on the differences between rural and urban residences in Nigeria. Methods: We analyzed the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey dataset with adjustment for the sampling weight and the cluster design of the survey. The prevalence of underutilization of ANC was assessed using frequency tabulation while associated factors were examined using Chi-Square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of underutilization of ANC was 46.5% in Nigeria, 61.1% in rural residence and 22.4% in urban residence. The North-West region had the highest prevalence of ANC underuse in Nigeria at 69.3%, 76.6% and 44.8% for the overall, rural and urban residences respectively. Factors associated with greater odds of ANC underuse in rural residence were maternal non-working status, birth interval < 24 months, single birth type, not listening to radio at all, lack of companionship to health facility and not getting money for health services. In urban residence, mothers professing Islam, those who did not read newspaper at all, and those who lacked health insurance, had greater odds of ANC underuse. In both rural and urban residence, maternal and husband’s education level, region of residence, wealth index, maternal age, frequency of watching television, distance to- and permission to visit health facility were significantly associated with ANC underuse. Conclusions: Rural-urban differences exist in the use of ANC services, and to varying degrees, factors associated with underuse of ANC in Nigeria. Interventions aimed at addressing factors identified in this study may help to improve the utilization of ANC services both in rural and urban Nigeria. Such interventions need to focus more on reducing socioeconomic, geographic and regional disparities in access to ANC in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]